With all their political gamesmanship, lawmakers forget that real human lives are often on the line. Rapone said an investigation found he went online to advocate for a socialist revolution and disparage high-ranking officers. Spenser Rapone | Liberal Arts | UT - Austin Emailus. As of Friday, his account was public again. I have no doubt that the U.S. Army will take appropriate action.. He was deployed to Afghanistan in 2011 and was assigned as an assistant machine gunner in Khost Province. The U.S. Military Academy strives to develop leaders who internalize the academys motto of Duty, Honor, Country, and who live the Army values. Former Democratic Rep. Jason Altmire of Pennsylvania told The Daily Caller News Foundation that Rapones long history of extremist tweets, which include calling Mattis an evil, vile f****, is shocking, disappointing and abhorrent. Iwas just using all of this expensive equipment in one of the poorest places on earth to serve the interests of acapitalist class. They dont care about veterans outside of serving their politics for aparticular right-wing vision. 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At West Point, Hosein had mentored Rapone. Movies. While they were going out partying and drinking, he was avery intellectual man. Mr. Rapone used the social media platform on Wednesday to promote an upcoming Socialism 2018 talk in Chicago titled War Resister in the Ranks., At Socialism 2018 Ill be sitting down with with[sic] Spenser Rapone, the US Army Ranger, Afghan-war combat vet, recent West Point graduate, and now war-resister, who sparked nation-wide fury after publicly supporting Colin Kaepernick and Socialism during his West Point graduation, Rory Fanning, also an ex-Ranger, tweeted Wednesday. Army Commie Cadet Gets Promoted to 1LT - MilitaryCorruption.com She covers operations, policy, personnel, leadership and other issues affecting service members. The incoming class of 2023 also includes cadets from an array of backgrounds. Rapone has admitted being a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and has even posted pictures showing his membership card alongside his military name patch. The military website SOFREP reiterated on Thursday that Mr. Rapone was an advocate for the long march through the institutions of power., This [philosophy] entails burrowing inside the institutions of society, including the military, and subverting them from within and ultimately setting the conditions for a communist revolution, wrote Jack Murphy, a former Army Special Operations veteran. First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. [6], Members of Democratic Socialists of America's Socialist Punk Caucus closed Facebook group, accessed November 24, 2017, included Spenser Rapone. Both the United States Military Academy and his. Parents Allowed to Collect Sperm From Son Killed Skiing 'Commie Cadet' Spenser Rapone Discharged From U.S. Army West Point Marries First Active-Duty, Same-Sex Couple Compared to the 294 women. Upon completion of Cadet Basic Training, scheduled for August 17, they'll be accepted into the Corps of Cadets. The Communist West Point Grad's Father Isn't too Happy with - RedState The Navy, on the other hand, readily releases full investigations into rank-and-file sailors when their cases have become infamous. Rapones activism while in uniform appears to be much broader than those two photos. Episode 19: No War But The Class War w/ Spenser Rapone (Podcast Episode 2018) Parents Guide and Certifications from around the world. West Point Chief Pushes Back On Criticism Amid 'Commie Cadet Oops, this content can't be loadedbecause you're having connectivity problems, - The Washington Times - Friday, June 8, 2018. Spenser Rapone, 26, became notable a bit faster than most graduates. Rapone's father, a local politician in Pennsylvania, explicitly disavowed his son's political views Tuesday in a Facebook post. The unit issued its own statement that focused on uniform regulations. Aside from his recent West Point graduation, Rapone was an infantry officer in the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, New York. Investigators found that he had been hiding in an engine room aboard the ship, the cruiser Shiloh, for a week. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. At West Point, Irealized Imight be asocialist. He applied once again to West Point and was accepted. Looks like the Commie Cadet is well on his way to become the first Army General who advocates the overthrow of the American Government. Spenser Rapone was a proposed featured speaker of the Socialism 2018, an annual socialist gathering sponsored by the International Socialist Organization held in Chicago, Illinois in July 2018. In Ehrenreich's new book, she comes out about mystical experiences in her teens. [1] Go to the main page of ISO Socialism Conference Rasheed Hosein, a professor of Middle East history was in charge of Second Lieutenant Spenser Rapones development at West Point. Rapone was an infantry officer in the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, N.Y. At the time, he was an outstanding, well-rounded student who came from a good family. Spenser Rapone - KeyWiki 7hVccY[2a/;#mD.RA$1Q2J&`"(P&UX IdYFajS0 Odu&3 ofc,bc1RJfb{w5!s/d J/dSDi(hED1+@Iw/[6[*A|lx=` = _s[}ec88vvW='H(}edW+],stTCbe_X^AjQ@&=62ccl/vo`S!ds^"Mc!dfFfYZmg;Xyx@n#|1_P ~io Ux!ZZ{g+vN=;+t~:!Q]xIBUp^f+m`3T-(X'3wpdE]2 ^ n@]fn`7|E Both the Department of Defense and the Army have longstanding policies encouraging soldiers to participate in the democratic process. On March 24, 2014, Rapone posted a picture of himself and Hosein in front of the Taj Mahal. On February 11, he posted an article titled Know Your (Gun) Rights! In an Oct. 11 letter to the members of the USMA community, Caslen stated that 2nd Lt. Spenser Rapone the Afghanistan combat infantry veteran and West Point grad captured with a Che Guevara . One of six children growing up in New Castle, Pennsylvania, Rapone said he applied to West Point, which is tuition-free, because he couldn't afford college. Chance of precip 90%. Are there more restrictions against certain kinds of speech after 9/11? When last we heard from communist adherent and fan of murderous totalitarian Che Guevara Spenser Rapone, he was drummed out of the service under other-than-honorable conditions for his "protest" at his West Point Graduation. Second Lieutenant Rapones actions in no way reflect the values of the U.S. Military Academy or the U.S. Army, it said. On March 18, 2014, Hosein posted on his Facebook page, Back from the Taj [Mahal] and it delivered. Two days later, on March 20, 2104, Hosein posted a picture of himself, wearing a long tunic, and Rapone, wearing a turban and a long tunic, with the caption: The brothers are gonna work it out., Two days later, on March 20, 2104, Hosein posted a picture of himself, wearing a long tunic, and Rapone, wearing a turban and a long tunic, with the caption, The brothers are gonna work it out.. Rapone is a former Army Ranger turned West Point Cadet who posted photos with his cap showing the phrase, "Communism will win," ultimately expressing his pro-communism views. New room decor until its flying proudly in the streets. He was nominated out of high school by then-U.S. Rep. Jason Altmire in 2010. The class of 2022 included 400 minority cadets, among them 186 African Americans, 104 Hispanic Americans, 99 Asian Americans and 11 Native Americans, according to West Point. Or, Icould submit an unconditional resignation and they can give me whatever discharge they want. In another, he raises his fist and flips his cap to reveal the message: "Communism will win.". Along with domestic cadets, the newest class includes cadets from more than a dozen countries, including Columbia, Egypt, Rwanda and Thailand. Have a tip or story idea? "I knew there could be repercussions," said Rapone, who is scheduled to speak at a socialism conference in Chicago next month. Army Commie Cadet Gets Promoted to 1LT. Hoseins bio on the West Point website lists Rapone as one of two cadets he last advised at West Point. West Point released a statement after Rapone posted the photos, saying his actions "in no way reflect the values of the U.S. Military Academy or the U.S. Trump and other right wingers also still trot out Pat Tillman as asymbol. Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. From there, Iwould either be retained or kicked out. Since the class of 2012, the percentage of women entering West Point increased by about 10 percent, according to data on class characteristics. While in uniform, Spenser Rapone advocated for communism and political violence, and expressed support and sympathy for enemies of the United States, Rubio said Monday, adding Im glad to see that they have given him an other-than-honorable discharge., Second Lt. Spenser Rapone posted a photo on Twitter of himself posing with a Che Guevara t-shirt under his uniform at his graduation from West Point in May. As figures of public trust, members of the military must exhibit exemplary conduct, and are prohibited from engaging in certain expressions of political speech in uniform. Latest news and commentary on Spenser Rapone including photos, videos, quotations, and a biography. Be Proactive. Rapone, whose Twitter handle is punkproletarian, recently retweeted posts from Rory Fanning, an ex-Army Ranger who says he will be interviewing Rapone at the conference Socialism 2018., At Socialism 2018 Ill be sitting down with with Spenser Rapone, the US Army Ranger, Afghan-war combat vet, recent West Point graduate, and now war-resister, who sparked nation-wide fury after publicly supporting Colin Kaepernick and Socialism during his West Point graduation. His Twitter account was set to protected, and his Instagram account had been taken down. Local man, West Point grad talks about ouster from Army, Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. He studied political theory, radicalized, and eventually turned to socialism. He didnt want to be paraded around or be used by the Bush administration to sell awar. Uz\`QT2#!dkscS. Then American society and political culture influences you because we are constantly slapped with patriotism and respecting the troops. What does that even mean? However, the Army has strict rules regarding the wear and appearance of Army uniforms.. Today, his Twitter account is again public. endobj 3 0 obj Id have to do ashow cause board, which is essentially me convincing them why Ishould stay in themilitary. [3], Members of the Democratic Socialists of America Veterans Working Group Closed Facebook Group, as of September 28, 2017, included Spenser Rapone under the name of Giuseppe Impastato.[4]. And Marco Rubio said you advocate violence againstAmerica? Rapone, a former enlisted Ranger who had completed the US Military Academy Prep School and graduated from West Point, was made famous by his own social media posts showing him regaling communism and wearing a Che . Its my belief when he returned back from Afghanistan there was a notable difference in his political views. At the time, the Army confirmed that he had previously been an enlisted soldier and a member of the 75th Ranger Regiment, with one Afghanistan deployment, but that he had been removed for standards.. Left: Army 2nd Lt. Spenser Rapone graduating from West Point in May of 2016. vltD+u It is against Army regulations to wear the uniform in connection with the furtherance of any political or commercial interests or when participating in public demonstrations unless authorized to do so. He ultimately resigned his commission, and was separated from the Army in June 2018 with an Other Than Honorable discharge.. It Takes a Lifetime to Build Your Personal Brand and an - LinkedIn One picture showed him in uniform, opening his shirt to show an of Che Guevara. We'd love to hear eyewitness But after being deployed to Afghanistan and seeing the violence his unit was helping to inflict, Rapone grew increasingly disillusioned with the military. Rapone will eventually have an opportunity to petition for an upgrade in his discharge status, however, which would have a positive impact on his eligibility. But they kicked it back and said Iwould go before aboard of inquiry, which is an adversarial trial where Ipresent my case and they present theirs. Low around 35F. Menu. In total, this signified about a four percent increase in minority enrollment, equal to about 43 people, compared to the previous year. Spenser Rapone is a former Army Ranger and Infantry Officer who resigned his commission in June 2018 due to his opposition to United States imperialism. He was an idealistic teenager from the rural Rust Belt town of New Castle, Pennsylvania (literally the Fireworks Capital of America), who embraced patriotic jingoism and enlisted in the army straight out of highschool. The second lieutenant was given an "other than honorable" discharge June 18 after an Army investigation determined that he "went online to promote a socialist revolution and disparage high-ranking officers" and thereby had engaged in "conduct unbecoming an officer." Back in 2018, images of Spenser Rapone at his West Point graduation went viral. We have one of the most technologically advanced militaries of all time and all we were doing is brutalizing and invading and terrorizing a population that had nothing to do with what the United States claimed was a threat.. May 29, 2018 Admin. Click here for reprint permission. [emailprotected]. Release Calendar Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie Spotlight. His Facebook, where he goes under Giuseppe Impastato, was private. Ithink it was just him seeing the word communist made him draw his own conclusions fromthere. He completed Air Assault School and then applied successfully to West Point.[2]. 'Commie Cadet' Spenser Rapone Leaving Army with 'Less Than Honorable He ultimately resigned his commission, and was separated from the Army in June 2018 with an Other Than Honorable discharge., Spenser Rapones bio on Socialism 2018 (Socialism 2018 Website), Fanning wrote that their conversation will be called Resisting Within the Ranks.. In this case, it came from Altmire, who served as a membr of Congress in Pennsylvanias 4th congressional district from 2007 to 2013. endobj West Point Communist Spenser Rapone Leaving Army | Law & Crime After posting the photo, Rapone was discovered to be a vehement communist propagandist and official socialist organizer of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). My attorney told me they wanted to get apound of flesh from me, but Ididnt do anything illegal. At the time, he was an outstanding, well-rounded student who came from a good family. Journalist Chris Hedges interviews former combat veteran and US Army officer, Spenser Rapone about bravery and morality. Rapone had also posted a second photo of himself in uniform, and he is seen wearing a Che Guevara T-shirt underneath his uniform jacket. Rapones father, a local politician in Pennsylvania, explicitly disavowed his sons political views Tuesday in a Facebook post. 45 1,924 He is also a teaching assistant, which gives him a platform to inflict his twisted worldview upon students who might think that if they don't go along, their grades could suffer. Several years ago, I met Spenser Rapone when he was a high school student seeking an appointment to West Point, Altmire said. Despite his growing disillusionment about the military, he applied and got in. Iremember one time it achaplain said we were about bringing wrath upon these people, and Iwas like, Wow, these people have some kind of crusader fantasy. It was prettyunsettling. Despite his growing disillusionment about the military, he applied and got in. Seeing and learning about Pat Tillman and how he was able to never be fully assimilated into military culture, it was really inspiring to me and kind of gave me an example to follow in terms of resisting this indoctrination and dehumanization that the military puts youthrough. Although Im not apacifist, Inever called for any explicit violence. PDF Spenser R. Rapone Education - University of Texas at Austin Spenser Rapone, 'Communism will win' officer, receives 'other than By Debra Heine 10:26 PM on October 05, 2017. Id have to file aFOIA request to figure anything out, but Ithink he may have moved the needle alittle bit. Mr. Rapone retweeted the message. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, However, the Army has strict rules regarding the wear and appearance of Army uniforms.. You go to football games and they bring troops out on the field. He applied to be a West Point cadet and at that time he as not selected. At ayoung age, youre inundated with propaganda and patriotism, and Ithought Icould make adifference joining the Army. He was also Muslim Lay Chaplain at West Point, Officer in Charge of the Muslim Cadet Association, and Emeritus Facility Adviser of Phi Alpha Theta, a national history honor society of which Rapone was a member, according to a photo. Compared to the 294 women welcomed on Reception Day in 2018, West Point reported 285 female cadets were on campus as part of the newest class. Over the course of the next six weeks, new cadets will be complete physical training, as well as small-unit tactical training and rifle marksmanship. No matter what you did in these imperialist conflicts, theres arole you can play in ending them and try to help emancipate and liberate people. Spenser Rapone, a former second lieutenant whose Communism Will Win photo rocked the internet in 2017 after being featured by this publication, has received an Other Than Honorable discharge from the U.S. Army. I would encourage all soldiers who have a conscience to lay down their arms and join me and so many others who are willing to stop serving the agents of imperialism and join us in a revolutionary movement., Rapone said his journey to communism grew out of his experiences as an Army Ranger in Afghanistan before he was accepted into the U.S. Military Academy. As a Sustainer, you'll never have to worry about renewal notices, or fundraising appeals. SCOTUS Now Just Another Congressional Committee, Parents Allowed to Collect Sperm From Son Killed Skiing, 'Commie Cadet' Spenser Rapone Discharged From U.S. Army, West Point Marries First Active-Duty, Same-Sex Couple, Trump Ramps up Attacks on DeSantis: 'Dropping Like a Rock', Russian Strikes on Pavlohrad Aim to Hamper Ukraine's Counteroffensive, Greg Abbott Criticized for Response to Texas Shooting: 'A New Low', Democrat Sold First Republic Stock, Bought JP Morgan Before Collapse, Conservative Influencers Struggle With Countering Biden's Messaging. 1.78 m). Army officer 'socialist organizer' Spenser Rapone gets other than Rainmixing with snow overnight. Iwas ahistory major, and Istudied Middle Eastern history specifically. Among other activities, Soldiers are encouraged to vote in elections and express their personal opinions on public issues. ", "I consider myself a revolutionary socialist," the 26-year-old Rapone told The Associated Press. Most importantly, you'll the knowledge that you are part of keeping independent, progressive journalism alive and accessible for everyone. Ex-Rep. Jason Altmire of Pennsylvania, who served from 2007 to 2013, said that Second Lt. Spenser Rapone let him down. In addition to classic socialist theorists such as Karl Marx, Rapone says he found inspiration in the writings of Stan Goff, a retired Special Forces master sergeant who became a socialist anti-war activist. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism If this was Ukraine the mainstream media would be shrieking day and night about human rights and international law. Now through Monday, sign up to become a Sustainer for just $5 a month and you'll receive your choice of one of three booksas well as an ongoing subscriptions (10 issues a year) to the print magazine. WvLUTTTkJX5SK's?:aBe".0X~m41aT`Z""%&QR6&; So theres thataspect. In the middle of all of this, these right-wing sites were saying stuff about me and Iwas under investigation, so Icouldnt say anything because theyd use that as ammunition. On Sunday, Rapone posted a picture of himself in his West Point uniform holding a sign that said, Communism will win tucked under his cover, or hat, raising a clenched left fist. In 2021 Spenser Rapone was hired at the University of Texas in Austin in the History Departments New School for Social Research. He then deployed to Afghanistan, where he earned a combat infantryman badge. He wanted to enlist and do his time. He explained that he took the offending selfies at his May 2016 West Point graduation ceremony and kept them to himself until last September, when he tweeted them in solidarity with NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who was taking heat for kneeling for the national anthem to raise awareness of racism. He lost his career for speaking truth to power. I think theres acouple things that happened since. The Army often invokes privacy concerns when dealing with information about junior ranking soldiers, though there is no blanket policy for the Defense Department. I have not been in touch with him in the years since the appointment, and I was shocked and extremely disappointed in the recent reports of his indefensible actions.. You have permission to edit this article. How Peter Mims spent a week hiding in a warships engine room, US report shows China taking steps toward space dominance, Biden to allow Afghans to stay longer in US, sources say, Michigan expands absentee voting for military members, Some companies charge hefty fees to help vets with disability claims, Meet 12M+, the new community app for military spouses, Your next tech and incoming AI | Defense News Weekly Full Episode 4.28.2023, Home Improvement Loans What are my options? "We have averaged 290 female cadets, or 23.3 percent of the class, over the last four years and continue to strive to increase the diversity through programs like Leadership Ethics and Diversity in STEM workshops and others.". S5: Episode 31 - Mike Prysner & Spenser Rapone (Podcast Episode - IMDb So, theres this combination of an all-volunteer army, the post-9/11 era further instituting our religion of civic patriotism, and then the anti-war movement getting co-opted by liberal movements not interested in structural change. Joe, but he wanted none of that. Iwas in the field at the time helping at afire range and so they took me out of the field, met with my attorney and was told Iwas under investigation. The soldier pictured, now 2nd Lt. Spenser Rapone, had been openly serving as an avowed communist supporting the downfall of the U.S. government. Its the worst administrative discharge. Rapone is shown here during graduation ceremonies at the United States Military Academy at West Point with the phrase "Communism will win" written on the inside of his hat. Istill had this liberal idea that Icould affect change from the inside, so Iapplied and got accepted to West Point and thought, I wont fail my men, like leadership failedme. The U.S. Military Academy strives to develop leaders who internalize the academys motto of Duty, Honor, Country, and who live the Army values,West Point said in a statement released Tuesday. As a Facebook friend since 2014, Hosein would have been aware of Rapones Facebook postings between 2014 and when he graduated in 2016. Rapone has also tweeted a number of provocative statements, including calling Defense Secretary Jim Mattis the most vile, evil f*ck in the current administration on June 7 from Columbus, Georgia. Threats of harming another From there, Ispent along time in limbo because Iwas under investigationthey were waiting for me to make another screw-up in their minds. There were no red flags of any kind.. Money Minute, What's next for experimental AI projects in the C4ISR sphere. The Saga of the Commie Lieutenant Comes to an End - RedState But Ididnt say too much afterthat. U.S. Army spokesperson Valerie Mongello stressed this point to American Military News, noting, Both the Department of Defense and the Army have long-standing policies encouraging Soldiers to participate in the democratic process. 2?pe5 uxk+qeO/jiez,&V%?`L"[A aiJeyr~]Jx$r!6'bw Its not illegal to be acommunist in the military, but since Iwas in uniform, and in their mind, making apolitical statement and posted on social media, they lumped it all together as this nebulous unbecoming conduct charge and said Iwas advocating forviolence. "I would encourage all soldiers who have a conscience to lay down their arms and join me and so many others who are willing to stop serving the agents of imperialism and join us in a revolutionary movement. x. "Several years ago, I met Spenser Rapone when he was a high school student seeking an appointment to West Point," Altmire said. Spenser is being discharged from the military with an Other Than Honorable discharge this June, in part, because [Marco] Rubio penned a panic-stricken letter to acting Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy demanding the branch nullify Rapones military commission after seeing this photo, he wrote. No political movement can be healthy unless it has its own press to inform it, educate it and orient it. Im probably going to take some time to decompress and process all Ive been through. Spenser then enlisted in the Army and deployed to Afghanistan after which point he again applied to West Point. 2UOgS[M . Deciding he could no longer stomach the immorality of US imperialism, he spoke out against the reprehensible actions of the military in September 2017. But from what Iunderstand about his life, he didnt get to the point where you reached, but was still veryquestioning. Can you describe what you were seeing in in Afghanistan with your owneyes? He completed Airborne school and a rigorous Ranger Assessment and Selection Program and was assigned to the 1st Ranger Battalion in Savannah, Georgia. Guevara was an Argentine Marxist revolutionary who believed the poor people of Latin America would be saved by communism. Richard L. Rapone explained that Spenser tried to join West Point straight out of high school but was not accepted. Join our brand new verified AMN Telegram channel and get important news uncensored. Mar 29 Damascus is under attack. Can you describe the backlash you experienced afterthat? He said that we need to do something about this Rapone guy. ", Rapone said his journey to communism grew out of his experiences as an Army Ranger in Afghanistan before he was accepted into the U.S. Military Academy. But Ihad no desire to serve any longerI disagree with what the United States military is doingso Isubmitted aresignation in February with the condition that, as long as Idont receive anything lower than ageneral discharge, Iwould go.
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