Emailus. 2UOgS[M . He didnt really partake in the social life when he was at the Ranger Battalion. Local man, West Point grad talks about ouster from Army, Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Its the worst administrative discharge. Menu. At the time, Iwas a19-year-old private, so Ifeel like Icouldnt voice anything without being told, Shut the fuck up and execute your task. But Iguess Iwas slowly radicalizing. For me, Icouldnt shake the fact that what we were doing was wrong and morallyreprehensible. Resolution to DSA National Convention Atlanta Georgia July 2019. When international cadets graduate, they become officers in their respective country's armed forces. I think theres acouple things that happened since. He was in the army for 26years and was in special operations. Latest news and commentary on Spenser Rapone including photos, videos, quotations, and a biography. West Point graduate who wore Che Guevara T-shirt discharged The Saga of the Commie Lieutenant Comes to an End. The former Democratic congressman who nominated communist 2nd Lt. Spenser Rapone to West Point is now disavowing Rapones recent comments, which range from attacks on Secretary of Defense James Mattis to calls for political violence. Former Commie Lieutenant Spenser Rapone Shows the Radical-to - RedState 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. His father, a local official for Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, issued his own statement, disavowing his sons political views. Spenser Rapone, the former Army second lieutenant whose "Communism will win" photos went viral in 2017, has received an "other than honorable" discharge. Sign up to become a Sustainer before the deadline and take advantage of our best offer ever. 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. If this was Ukraine the mainstream media would be shrieking day and night about human rights and international law. <>/Metadata 248 0 R/ViewerPreferences 249 0 R>> endobj According to his bio on the website, Rapone could no longer stomach the immorality of U.S. imperialism, he spoke out against the reprehensible actions of the military in September 2017. WvLUTTTkJX5SK's?:aBe".0X~m41aT`Z""%&QR6&; There are a lot of veterans both active duty and not that feel like I do.". After the photo garnered widespread attention on Twitter, West Point quickly issued a statement distancing itself from Rapone. His Twitter account was set to protected, and his Instagram account had been taken down. https://t.co/c3SW0QJsBl https://t.co/c3SW0QJsBl, My eyes are seriously about to roll out of the back of my head. Then, Iwant to get active. 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. They compiled all the things Ive said, the subversive things Ive said about Trump and various elected officials like General Mattis, and essentially gave me anumber of options. Episode 19: No War But The Class War w/ Spenser Rapone (Podcast - IMDb As a Sustainer, you'll never have to worry about renewal notices, or fundraising appeals. Eventually, however, after becoming increasingly disillusioned with U.S. imperialism abroad, Rapone resigned his commission and was separated from the Army in early June. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism Left: Army 2nd Lt. Spenser Rapone graduating from West Point in May of 2016. Menu. (Via Twitter). The Army wont say. "At the time, he was an outstanding, well-rounded student who . All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. 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. 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 . Igraduated and went to officer training, but once Trump got elected, Ithought this was aparticular political moment when Iwas like, Ok, now more than ever, it would be inauthentic of me tocontinue.. Fanning wrote that their conversation will be called "Resisting Within the Ranks." "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 Rapone's military commission after seeing this photo," he wrote. As described by The Red Nation, The Red Deal is not a counter program of the GND. West Point's Newest Class Has More Minority New Cadets Than - Newsweek University of Texas History Department Hires The West Point "Commie It strikes me how much, as aculture, weve praised troops since 9/11. Then, theres anumber of people who Icant name because they might face repression themselves, but anumber of active-duty service members and enlisted soldiers who Im trying to help work through things and counsel them and hopefully inspire them to take the measures to stop serving the AmericanEmpire. At ayoung age, youre inundated with propaganda and patriotism, and Ithought Icould make adifference joining the Army. The Army confirmed that Rapone graduated from West Point in 2016 and is now serving as a second lieutenant with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, based in Fort Drum, New York. Most importantly, you'll the knowledge that you are part of keeping independent, progressive journalism alive and accessible for everyone. x. The Armys statement comes days after some media outlets reported that Rapone had received an other than honorable discharge from the Army. 2 0 obj "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.". Release Calendar Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie Spotlight. Previously, he served as the director of Public Education for the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Chicago. 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. You start to see why these wars are endless. The class of 2023 saw about a four percent increase in minority representation. that is degrading to another person. Republicans apparently don't believe that Americans who work longer hours should get paid more. Of course my military career is dead in the water. Top brass at Fort Drum accepted Rapone's resignation Monday after an earlier reprimand for "conduct unbecoming of an officer." The Israeli regime is bombing Syrians during the month of Ramadan while the US is starving Syrian with inhuman and sadistic sanctions. 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. [emailprotected]. Hes an exceptional soldier, the Twitter account, @DSAVeterans, wrote. Spenser Rapone, a former US Army Ranger and Infantry Officer, was kicked out of the military for posting a photo of himself at his West Point graduation ceremony with an antiwar sign under his hat . The two apparently traveled together to India together in 2014 and maintained a close relationship until Rapone graduated in May 2016. Then there was the move to an all-volunteer force and thats interesting because asubstantial number of Vietnam resisters were volunteers. Communist ex-Ranger and West Pointer receiving a other than honorable discharge. 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. Spenser Rapone, 'Communism will win' officer, receives 'other than 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. You go to football games and they bring troops out on the field. Mike Prysner Family Prysner was born and brought up in the United States to his parents. According to photos on Rapones Facebook page, he became close to Hosein, a Ph.D. in Islamic history from the University of Chicago. May 29, 2018 Admin. The Bush administration saw this football player and this guy who looked like G.I. Ithink thats acrucial part of it and why Idid what Idid. [from Resolution #34] Amplify the perspectives & insights of impacted communities through national media platforms. Investigators found that he had been hiding in an engine room aboard the ship, the cruiser Shiloh, for a week. Nearly a year ago, the story of Army Lieutenant Spenser Rapone was a big item. Leo Gerard, United Steelworkers President, 125 Years After the Pullman Uprising, We Could Be on the Verge of Another Sympathy Strike Wave, Barbara Ehrenreich on Science vs. Mysticism. This time around, West Point accepted him. Yes, Rory Fanning Ive had correspondence with for awhile. 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. In the simplest of terms, Ifelt like we were the big bully and the purveyor of violence. "He was an honors student, an athlete, a model citizen who volunteered in the community," recalled Altmire, a Democrat. 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 . A Primer for Radicals ITS GOING DOWN. He also reposted a meme from a group called Anarchist People of Color criticizing white privilege., Rapone posted on several forums in support of Chelsea Manning, the Army soldier who went to jail for leaking classified intelligence to WikiLeaks. Spenser Rapone: 'Communism' cap gets West Point grad booted from the Ithink it was just him seeing the word communist made him draw his own conclusions fromthere. He was nominated out of high school by then-U.S. Rep. Jason Altmire in 2010. Spenser Rapone | Author | Common Dreams Greg Rinckey, an attorney specializing in military law, said it's rare for an officer out of West Point to receive an other-than-honorable discharge. 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. 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. Let there be no doubt that we have unequivocal solidarity with and pride in Spenser. 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. His expulsion came after a viral tweet showing him clad in uniform, fist raised displaying a hat reading, "COMMUNISM WILL WIN." While they were going out partying and drinking, he was avery intellectual man. 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. 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.. So, Istarted reading theory. 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. 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. There are a lot of veterans both active duty and not that feel like I do.. An other than honorable discharge means Rapone will not be entitled to VA benefits or the GI Bill. The thread has since been deleted. In many ways, youre even moredisillusioned. During the Vietnam era, there were various things happening for working-class soldiers and soldiers of color and it was all veryvibrant. He wrote this letter to the acting secretary of defense who was Ryan McCarthy. Lt. Rapone, a member of the 10th Mountain Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team, first drew attention when he tweeted an image from his Twitter account, @punkproletarian, with "Communism Will Win". He is the son of Peter Pauling and Barbara W. Tuchman. On February 11, he posted an article titled Know Your (Gun) Rights! 'Commie Cadet' Spenser Rapone Leaving Army with 'Less Than Honorable 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. 1.78 m). 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. Spenser R. Rapone Graduate Student, Department of History, University of Texas at Austin 128 Inner Campus Dr. B7000, GAR 1.104, Austin, Texas 78712-1739 p. (512) 471-3261 e. srrapone@utexas.edu Education University of Texas at Austin Austin, Texas It Takes a Lifetime to Build Your Personal Brand and an - LinkedIn 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. Have a tip or story idea? The DSAs Veterans Working Group, of which Rapone is a member, also offered support to him in a statement. pic.twitter.com/BIPzfEHmoP, Rory Fanning (@RTFanning) June 5, 2018. In total, this signified about a four percent increase in minority enrollment, equal to about 43 people, compared to the previous year. Spenser Rapone - Bio, News, Photos - Washington Times Idont want people saying that because they are volunteers, theres no room for resisting. 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. However, the Army has strict rules regarding the wear and appearance of Army uniforms.. Are there more restrictions against certain kinds of speech after 9/11? Whatever happened to that communist lieutenant? But he wasnt accepted to West Point, so Rapone enlisted in the Army. 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. He didnt want to be paraded around or be used by the Bush administration to sell awar. Have thoughts or reactions to this or any other piece that you'd like to share? 2?pe5 uxk+qeO/jiez,&V%?`L"[A aiJeyr~]Jx$r!6'bw Chance of precip 90%.. Local man, West Point grad talks about ouster from Army It seeks to create astateless, classless, moneyless society. But then Igot deployed to Afghanistan, and my experience overseas showed me that if anything, Iwas making adifference for those with power and wealth. Template:TOCnestleft Imean, he had acorrespondence with NoamChomsky. On March 23, 2014, Rapone posted about anti-corporatism and racism. Looks like the Commie Cadet is well on his way to become the first Army General who advocates the overthrow of the American Government. Another figure whos had abig influence on me was Stan Goff. He was deployed to Afghanistan in 2011 and was assigned as an assistant machine gunner in Khost Province. 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. Our conversation will be called Resisting Within the Ranks., Spenser Is being discharged from the military with an Other Than Honorable discharge this June, in part, because Maro Rubio penned a panic-stricken letter to acting Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy demanding, Florida Senator Marco Rubio called on the U.S. Army to remove Rapone and make him pay back his tuition for advocating for communism., U.S. Army spokesperson Valerie Mongello had told American Military News that while the Department of Defense and Army encourage soldiers to participate in the democratic process, the Army has strict rules regarding the wear and appearance of Army uniforms., West Point Military Academy had also responded to the situation, and released a statement saying Rapones actions in no way reflect the values of the U.S. Military Academy or the U.S. Army., Spenser Rapone (Photos from Social Media, Compiled by American Military News). Upon completion of Cadet Basic Training, scheduled for August 17, they'll be accepted into the Corps of Cadets. 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. As a caption to that photo, Rapone tweeted, In case there was any lingering doubt, hasta la victoria siempre, a popular left-wing slogan oft-attributed to thelate Marxist revolutionary, physician, and guerrilla leaderwho was ultimately killed and captured by the U.S. CIA. Rapones activism while in uniform appears to be much broader than those two photos. [image via Spenser Rapone with permission], Follow Colin Kalmbacher on Twitter: @colinkalmbacher, Have a tip we should know? 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." Theyre designed to be profitable. 1 0 obj "On the other hand, many people reached out and showed me support. Outside of my chain of command, people were threatening and silencing me and Ihad tons of alt-right and neo-fascists sending me death threats. Latest. Now through Monday, sign up to become a Sustainer for just $5 a month and you'll receive your choice of one of three booksas well as an ongoing subscriptions (10 issues a year) to the print magazine. West Point Superintendent responds: We're investigating Spenser Rapone Spenser Rapone | The Nation Low around 35F. I have no doubt that the U.S. Army will take appropriate action, Altmire said. He was also Muslim Lay Chaplain at West Point, Officer in Charge of the Muslim Cadet Association, and Emeritus Facility Adviser of Phi Alpha Theta, a national history honor society of which Rapone was a member, according to a photo. He added that it's possible the military academy could seek repayment of the cost of Rapone's education because he didn't serve the full five-year service obligation required upon graduation. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. He was an honors student, an athlete, a model citizen who volunteered in the community, recalled Altmire, a Democrat. =Vj)G+1dv @(V(%4=}Xlp$*NIS[1#J G>2_#bS *GKACk{:XV%3,AKej QUI>0!v mR Communist Army LT, prior enlisted Ranger, receives punishment for West Richard L. Rapone explained that Spenser tried to join West Point straight out of high school but was not accepted. And those views only hardened during his studies of history as one of the academys Long Gray Line..