The unit issued its own statement that focused on uniform regulations. We were just going in their homes and threatening their villages and were creating nothing but chaos anddestruction. The idea of an avowed communist subverting important military units and functions from within has the potential to be catastrophic., SEE ALSO: Spenser Rapone, West Point alumnus, riles with pro-Kaepernick Communism Will Win photo. Be Truthful. 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. He ultimately resigned his commission, and was separated from the Army in June 2018 with an Other Than Honorable discharge.. Whatever happened to West Point's Commie Cadet? Also during that time, Rapones Facebook posts grew increasingly radical and leftist. %PDF-1.7 Later that year, on August 19, 2014, Rapone posted a picture that showed them in a classroom with another soldier. Can you describe the backlash you experienced afterthat? Spenser Rapone | Author | Common Dreams According to popularmilitary.com, Rapone, 25, from New Castle, Pennsylvania, first enlisted in the Army in 2010 and was assigned to Fort Benning for basic training and infantry training. Another figure whos had abig influence on me was Stan Goff. Occupation: Organizer: A Critical History of Community Organizing in America, Breaking the Impasse: Electoral Politics, Mass Action, and the New Socialist Movement in the United States, Bigger Than Bernie: How We Can Win Democratic Socialism in Our Time. Report: West Point Professor Found Communist Officer's Social Media Iwasnt quite asocialist yet, but Iknew Iwas against the war. West Point Knew the Commie Cadet Was an Avowed Marxistand Graduated In this June 15, 2018, photo, West Point graduate Spenser Rapone leans on his motorcycle at a park in Watertown, N.Y. Spenser Rapone, a New Castle native, has received an other than honorable discharge from the US Army. Communist ex-Ranger and West Pointer receiving a other than honorable discharge. The appropriate Command authorities are reviewing the situation, an Army spokesman said. Of the incoming class, 180 were African American, 145 were Hispanic Americans, 99 were Asian Americans and 19 were Native Americans. pic.twitter.com/PP5lvIR8Pp. Some of the people who respect the troops are also the ones who most want to privatize the VA. In many ways, youre even moredisillusioned. You go in with acertain vision in your head of what being in the military is and then you see the reality of it. <>/Metadata 248 0 R/ViewerPreferences 249 0 R>> The soldier pictured, now 2nd Lt. Spenser Rapone, had been openly serving as an avowed communist supporting the downfall of the U.S. government. [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]. Less than a year after Rapone's images drew a firestorm of vitriol and even death threats, the second lieutenant who became known as the "commie cadet" is officially out of the U.S. Army with an other-than-honorable discharge. The two appear to have traveled together to the Taj Mahal in March 2014, according to pictures posted on his Facebook page. Sign up to become a Sustainer before the deadline and take advantage of our best offer ever. In the liberal mentality, if you get this particularly disgusting person out of office, then things will change. During the Vietnam era, there were various things happening for working-class soldiers and soldiers of color and it was all veryvibrant. He didnt really partake in the social life when he was at the Ranger Battalion. Ithink thats acrucial part of it and why Idid what Idid. Go to the main page of ISO Socialism Conference Democratic Socialists of America Veterans Working Group, Democratic Socialists of America Wholesome Meme Stash, DL DSA Veterans Working Group Statement on Afghanistan Posted by Dsa on 08.22.17, https://www.facebook.com/groups/DSAWholesomeMemes/, https://keywiki.org/index.php?title=Spenser_Rapone&oldid=519567, GNU Free Documentation License 1.3 or later. 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. 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. Its atypical right-wing canard with communism that its atotalitarian entity, but thats not what it is. After amission, wed have adebrief and, if something particularly violent would happen, officers would say something like, That was kickass! They said if we didnt like it, we were in the wrong place. Right: Army Private First Class Spenser Rapone receiving his "Ranger Scrol" patch after completing Ranger Assessment and Selection Program in 2011. . In another, he raises his fist and flips his cap to reveal the message: Communism will win.. Contents 1 Austin academic 2 DSA resolution on Red Deal 3 Socialism 2018 4 Radical soldier 5 DSA solidarity 6 DSA Veterans Closed Facebook Group 7 DSA Veterans Working Group Statement on Afghanistan 8 Altmire support 9 Socialist Punk Caucus West Point's newest class has increased minority representation and the percentage of female new cadets remained consistent with previous years. Local man, West Point grad talks about ouster from Army For sure, Pat was abig influence on me. 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. 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. But from what Iunderstand about his life, he didnt get to the point where you reached, but was still veryquestioning. After posting the photo, Rapone was discovered to be a vehement communist propagandist and official socialist organizer of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). % This time around, West Point accepted him. "Of course my military career is dead in the water. Spenser Rapone was like a character who stepped out of a Bruce Springsteen song. An other than honorable discharge means Rapone will not be entitled to VA benefits or the GI Bill. Spenser Rapone, the former second lieutenant whose Communism will win photos went viral in 2017, has received an other than honorable discharge from the Army. 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. The strikes left 34 people injured, including three children, and caused widespread damage. 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? Check out the details here. racist or sexually-oriented language. Theres no doubt that some of the generals and higher ranked retired officers and defense contractors had avoice in this. Its out there now and Ithink the narrative of this is starting to shift alittle bit, which is good because people are starting to understand my experience. West Point graduate and now former Army infantry officer Spenser Rapone has been processed out of the U.S. Army and received an other than honorable discharge from the military after a photo he posted with his West Point cap and the words Communism will win went viral. In total, this signified about a four percent increase in minority enrollment, equal to about 43 people, compared to the previous year. In response, the Army has opened an investigation intoRapone for his social media comments. On August 7, Rapone posted a photo on his Instagram account of himself in his Army uniform wearing a Democratic Socialists of America Membership card that says, official socialist organizer.. Rapones social media was filled with up to hundreds of posts, messages and photos that were being circulated around the military and civilian communities. 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. Sign up to become a Sustainer before the deadline and take advantage of our best offer ever. Among other activities, Soldiers are encouraged to vote in elections and express their personal opinions on public issues. We can confirm, however, that the Army conducted a full investigation and that appropriate action was taken., 2nd. Yes, Rory Fanning Ive had correspondence with for awhile. Spenser Rapone: 'Communism' cap gets West Point grad booted from the 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 . Investigators found that he had been hiding in an engine room aboard the ship, the cruiser Shiloh, for a week. 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. As of Friday, his account was public again. In an interview with In These Times, Rapone tells his story of his journey from GI Joe to an anti-war activistand why Rubio got himwrong. Ihad astatement Iwas working on for several months and was waiting for the right time to say it without having to worry aboutpunishment. The Navy, on the other hand, readily releases full investigations into rank-and-file sailors when their cases have become infamous. 2?pe5 uxk+qeO/jiez,&V%?`L"[A aiJeyr~]Jx$r!6'bw In regards to my son Spenser Rapone, I disavow his political views and overall politics. He posted January 18 on Facebook, May we all learn from her example of what integrity and strength of conviction truly entails.. Then she puts them under a microscope. 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. At the time, he was an outstanding, well-rounded student who came from a good family. The day after Iposted the pictures, my chain of command approached me, read me my rights, and told me Icould talk right now or wait for an attorney, so of course Iwaited for an attorney. He is the son of Peter Pauling and Barbara W. Tuchman. West Point Communist Spenser Rapone Leaving Army | Law & Crime The Intelligentsia, the caption read. x. A spokeswoman for the 10th Mountain Division confirmed that Rapone had started Ranger School at Fort Benning, Georgia near Columbus in February 2017 but did not complete the course. endobj Im probably going to take some time to decompress and process all Ive been through. Mar 29 Damascus is under attack. Spenser Rapone was like acharacter who stepped out of aBruce Springsteen song. May 29, 2018 Admin. No political movement can be healthy unless it has its own press to inform it, educate it and orient it. We were bullies in one of the poorest countries on Earth, Rapone said. Imean, he had acorrespondence with NoamChomsky. I love you: Chilling note found at murder scene after husband allegedly drives 500 miles to tell mom he shot and killed his wife, This was not a random act: Person of interest in custody after Detroit neurosurgeon found shot in head and wrapped in blanket, Following early morning 911 call, 87-year-old man found dead with pistol in bed after shooting 86-year-old woman: Cops, Preschool teacher reportedly arrested for murder during the childrens naptime, broke the story of the West Point Communist on September 25, 2017, An investigation into Rapones behavior quickly commenced, late Marxist revolutionary, physician, and guerrilla leader, stressed this point to American Military News, Lori Vallow Daybell Trial: Live Updates from Day 14 of Shocking Testimony, Gruesome Evidence, 'Coward' whose co-workers joked he looked like serial killer on the news pleads guilty to 2017 murders, Arrest made in cold case murder of woman killed at home while her infant daughter was in the next room, Prosecutors seek death penalty against plastic surgeon accused of murdering missing lawyer who represented former employer in suit, 'Extremely mad' driver who chased car full of teens at 99 mph over 'ding dong ditch' prank convicted of triple murder, Gwyneth Paltrow no longer seeking attorneys fees from retired doctor who sued her over ski crash, Transgender lawmaker Zooey Zephyr sues Montana over removal from House floor, Im the only one who hasnt lied: Stormy Daniels wants to testify against Trump in New York criminal case, talks sex worker shooting verdict in interview, Washington mom vanishes moments after calling 911, White woman who made false accusation that led to lynching of Emmett Till, one of the most infamous acts of racial violence, dies at age 88. In fact, Ididnt really find what we were being told in America to be reflective of what was really going on in Afghanistan. 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. But yet theyre still an abstraction and not not allowed to have individualopinions. It Takes a Lifetime to Build Your Personal Brand and an - LinkedIn In June, Rapone resigned and now hes out with an other-than-honorabledischarge. I think theres acouple things that happened since. Spenser is my son and I love him dearly however I do not like nor condone his politics, his actions or behavior., Rapone has a long background of support for far-left extremism, even going so far as to promote communism while in uniform. As a reader-supported 501(c)3 nonprofit, In These Times does not oppose or endorse candidates for political office. He got out on the other side thought and became an anti-war activist and asocialist. Use the 'Report' link on On Contact: Afghanistan Papers with Spenser Rapone Spenser Rapone, the former Army second lieutenant whose "Communism will win" photos went viral in 2017, has received an "other than honorable" discharge. Menu. Many other military personnel also tweeted in favor of Kaepernick, although most were supporting free speech, not communism. WATERTOWN, N.Y. The images Spenser Rapone posted on Twitter from his West Point graduation were intentionally shocking: In one, the cadet opens his dress uniform to expose a T-shirt with a blood-red image of socialist icon Che Guevara. 2nd Lt. Spenser Rapone at his graduation from the Military Academy (via Twitter) West Point knew that they had an anti-American "commie cadet" on . The soldier pictured, now 2nd Lt. Spenser Rapone, had been openly serving as an avowed communist supporting the downfall of the U.S. government. ", 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. To get into West Point, applicants must receive nominations, usually from U.S. politicians. Hes an exceptional soldier, the Twitter account, @DSAVeterans, wrote. Rainmixing with snow overnight. 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. Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. Rainmixing with snow overnight. When you study the role of the United States and the British and the French pre-dating them, you start to understand what imperialism really is. Aside from his recent West Point graduation, Rapone was an infantry officer in the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, New York. Those nominations usually come from senators or representatives. endobj Two weeks later, they issued me my discharge papers and Ileft. Rapone is listed as one of the speakers for Socialism 2018, which is slated for early July in Chicago. And youve heard from other veterans and servicemembers? From there, Ispent along time in limbo because Iwas under investigationthey were waiting for me to make another screw-up in their minds. 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. 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. A Soldier's Tale of bravery and morality - The Greanville Post 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.. Don't Threaten. Army." Rapone is scheduled to speak in July at a Socialism 2018 conference in Chicago, where he and fellow far-lefty Rory Fanning, an ex-Army ranger, will appear together in a "War Resister in the . All republished articles must include our logo, our reporters byline and their DCNF affiliation. He wrote this letter to the acting secretary of defense who was Ryan McCarthy. Ex-Rep. Jason Altmire of Pennsylvania, who served from 2007 to 2013, said that Second Lt. Spenser Rapone let him down. Top brass at Fort Drum accepted Rapone's resignation Monday after an earlier reprimand for "conduct unbecoming of an officer." He tweeted the photo along with the words #VeteransForKaepernick a reference to football player Colin Kaepernick, the first player to kneel during the national anthem at a football game to protest racism. The Saga of the Commie Lieutenant Comes to an End - RedState Left: Army 2nd Lt. Spenser Rapone graduating from West Point in May of 2016. And those views only hardened during his studies of history as one of the academys Long Gray Line.. Soon after getting to West Point, I saw that this was a structural problem across the military and that the military itself, its material relation to power, serves the capitalist class. Wed call them detainees, which is just aeuphemism for prisoner, and wed do this kind of thing every night, even sometimes without proper intelligence. At the time, he was an outstanding, well-rounded student who came from a good family. While they were going out partying and drinking, he was avery intellectual man. West Point Chief Pushes Back On Criticism Amid 'Commie Cadet The Bush administration saw this football player and this guy who looked like G.I. "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 "I'm glad to see that they have given him an 'other-than-honorable' discharge.". Emailus. Both the Department of Defense and the Army have longstanding policies encouraging soldiers to participate in the democratic process. The DSAs Veterans Working Group, of which Rapone is a member, also offered support to him in a statement. (Via Twitter). WvLUTTTkJX5SK's?:aBe".0X~m41aT`Z""%&QR6&; I am very disappointed in the direction he has chosen and as his father it greatly saddens me, Richard L. Rapone posted on his Facebook page, adding: As a young man, Spenser personified patriotism and in high school was a member of the Civil Air Patrol. Is West Point Beginning a Whitewash of the Commie Lieutenant - RedState [6], Members of Democratic Socialists of America's Socialist Punk Caucus closed Facebook group, accessed November 24, 2017, included Spenser Rapone. Then there was the move to an all-volunteer force and thats interesting because asubstantial number of Vietnam resisters were volunteers. 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." Let there be no doubt that we have unequivocal solidarity with and pride in Spenser. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. But he wasnt accepted to West Point, so Rapone enlisted in the Army. As a Sustainer, you'll never have to worry about renewal notices, or fundraising appeals. His expulsion came after a viral tweet showing him clad in uniform, fist raised displaying a hat reading, "COMMUNISM WILL WIN." =Vj)G+1dv @(V(%4=}Xlp$*NIS[1#J G>2_#bS *GKACk{:XV%3,AKej QUI>0!v mR Are walking blood banks coming to a field hospital near you? Take the story of Gas Turbine Systems Technician 3rd Class Peter Mims an E-4 whose disappearance sparked a massive man overboard search last year. Id have to do ashow cause board, which is essentially me convincing them why Ishould stay in themilitary. 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. Former Commie Lieutenant Spenser Rapone Shows the Radical-to - RedState Have a tip or story idea? 51 1 0 obj stream Iwas ahistory major, and Istudied Middle Eastern history specifically. Republicans apparently don't believe that Americans who work longer hours should get paid more. Template:TOCnestleft Previously, he served as the director of Public Education for the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Chicago. Be Nice. Resolution to DSA National Convention Atlanta Georgia July 2019. The thread has since been deleted. Ithink some people are more anti-Trump than they are anti-war. Law&Crimebroke the story of the West Point Communist on September 25, 2017 after speaking with Rapone and confirming his identity, intentions and political ideology. Rapone was disciplined but still allowed to graduate. A search of Rapones page shows they are still Facebook friends. Low around 35F. "Commie Cadet" Spenser Rapone On Why He Left the U.S. Military and That's taxpayer money on a first-class education well spent. 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. Army. And U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican, called on the secretary of the Army to remove Rapone from the officer ranks. He was nominated out of high school by then-U.S. Rep. Jason Altmire in 2010. Toward the end of his deployment, he learned West Point fulfills a certain quota of enlisted soldiers every year. [8], DSA Veterans Working Group Statement on Afghanistan. Latest. Robert Heffington, a former lieutenant colonel and West Point instructor who met Mr. Rapone, told the website that his online ideological screeds reveal the philosophical infatuations of a precocious adolescent in a best-case scenario. His Facebook, where he goes under Giuseppe Impastato, was private. [7], Members of the Democratic Socialists of America Wholesome Meme Stash closed Facebook group, accessed November 14, 2017 included Spenser Rapone. 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 . Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. pic.twitter.com/BIPzfEHmoP, Rory Fanning (@RTFanning) June 5, 2018. Amendment on the Red Deal and Rejecting a Green Military by Sofia Arias (NYC), Sydney Ghazarian (Los Angeles), Brian Ward (Madison), Rory Fanning (Chicago), Spenser Rapone (NYC), Joe Allen. accounts, the history behind an article. This page was last edited on 28 August 2021, at 22:54. 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. In Ehrenreich's new book, she comes out about mystical experiences in her teens. Looks like the Commie Cadet is well on his way to become the first Army General who advocates the overthrow of the American Government. He didnt want to be paraded around or be used by the Bush administration to sell awar. My attorney told me they wanted to get apound of flesh from me, but Ididnt do anything illegal. Its interesting that you say that because, really, all the whole pregame stuff at games is arecent phenomenon. Both the United States Military Academy and his current command, the 10th Mountain Division, launched investigations into his conduct. One picture showed him in uniform, opening his shirt to show an of Che Guevara. He studied political theory, radicalized, and eventually turned to socialism. You go to football games and they bring troops out on the field. Those inquires are finished, the Army said in a statement Tuesday but that is all they would say. Trump's latest attack addresses DeSantis' overseas trips to the U.K., Israel, Florida's Covid-19 record, and polling support for the 2024 Presidential race. The class of 2023 saw about a four percent increase in minority representation. Rapone came under fire last year for his social media posts of socialist and communist content. 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. Iread anumber of his books and he helped me understand my experience. Along with domestic cadets, the newest class includes cadets from more than a dozen countries, including Columbia, Egypt, Rwanda and Thailand.
Davis Funeral Home Marion, Sc Obituaries,
Singers With 9 Letters In Their Name,
Articles S