it's not like they did anything really disrespectful and offensive like kneel during a song...

[Soph0571]

Talk about slap you round the face white male privilege. Racist little wankers

Heh. But it is all good cause white 'power' bollocks is really really funny...

[Kath2]

1. Right on!

Racist little wankers is right. Anti-war, anti-racist and pro-choice here.

[Maxheader]

2. I dunno...all that time..what 4 years ..

at the academy...to screw up grad day with some vague gesture,

[concreteblue]

3. I dunno....

Remember these are not very post pubescent boys. When I was a kid, and as recently as a couple of years ago, that hand gesture was the "made you look at my d!(&" gesture. A rather silly and immature game for Adolescent and Pubescent boys.
So it could be that.
THis statement from me in no way disregards the fact of "White Power" or racists groups in our Armed Services nor the spread of it in our current climate.

ON EDIT:
Not that I was recently post-pubescent, but that I saw some young fellas playing "made you look" at Burger King a couple of years ago.

[rainin]

4. I can't hope to calm this firestorm, but I will weigh in for anyone who is interested.

I have a very close family member at the academy. This sign was not a white power sign. It was a game called the circle game. It's a "made ya look" game. All the kids do it and it's entirely innocent.

I've seen people claim that he would have to be under a rock to not know this sign had taken on another meaning. I will say, the cadets aren't under a rock, but they are definitely living in a bubble. Their day begins at 5AM and ends at 11PM unless they have assignments they haven't completed. They are extremely busy. Unless their field of study is political science, they wouldn't necessarily know that the sign had another meaning other than the one the kids understand it to mean.

I'm asking for anyone who understands how being in the middle of a firestorm can ruin someone's life, to consider not piling on. These kids dedicate themselves more than most and definitely sacrifice more than other kids their age. It's a grind. He made a mistake out of a moment of silly fun, not hate.

I was fortunate to meet the cadet who recently committed suicide at WP. Please consider that there is another side of the story. At least ask for more than one data point to decide everything you need to know about this young man.

[MH1]

7. even if true, only marginally (maybe, and not enough) better

As an Army vet I am appalled that these stupid jerks couldn't maintain a reasonable level of decorum.

Yeah, they are at a football game and maybe were told they could "have fun".

But in your version, the feeling that what they did was "fun" somehow and okay to do on camera, is fairly repulsive for people who are supposed to become officers and leaders. These photos will last forever and will surely be passed around their future commands. (assuming they have them .. hopefully, they won't.)

Even in your slightly more benign interpretation, they should be disciplined for their inappropriate public display, and this should be a teaching point for current and future classes.

All that said, I don't actually believe that the meaning was what you suggest.

[rainin]

8. Two points: 1. decorum and 2. belief whether this was actually a white power sign

On the first, I agree, he messed up for not showing decorum. He will likely be disciplined although I believe he is already being punished for his lack of decorum. That is for WP to decide.

On the second, you are saying you don't believe that it was a game. Luckily, WP put out a statement that they will investigate his intention. WP is made up of active duty army officers who are showing more restraint than the general public. Even my opinion is more informed on the second point because mine is actually based on inside knowledge.

Hopefully, you can separate the two points and consider that your experience gives you authority to speak on the first point, but gives you no authority to speak on the second: whether this is, in fact, a "made ya look" game rather than a white power sign.

Plus, you accused me of saying this "fun" was ok. I did not. I am pained at his lack of maturity. I'm more pained by the force of the pile on by people who should know better. Luckily WP is made up of trained military officers who will look at all the evidence before indicting this future officer, who the public knows nothing about.

Lastly, thank you for your service. Go Army!

[uponit7771]

11. Swastika is Hindu sign for peace IIRC, still inappropriate

[rainin]

12. It was inappropriate. Lacked decorum.

No evidence it was hate-inspired. I'm asking for level-headed people to refrain from judgement. I'm pleased, at least on MSNBC, they are explaining the circle game to viewers. Had this young cadet made rabbit ears behind his classmates, no one would care about his "lack of decorum".

[coti]

16. The old "no evidence" phrase. How about them making the signal behind a black kid's head?

If this is supposedly the "circle game," how about it being "played" totally out of context, with them not trying to get anyone else to look at it, but instead showing it to the camera, and then not actually hitting each other?

That's evidence. In fact, what they did doesn't look like the "circle game" at all.

[rainin]

17. A terrible thing to do if you are making a racist white supremacist sign.

A totally innocent and benign thing to do if you live in a world where you do that to each other, in fun, all the time. If he had done rabbit ears, no one would have said a word. Some of us spend all our time bathing in politics. I guarantee you these kids don't have free time to do that. I'm betting you have no idea what a West Point Cadets daily life is like. I actually do. That's why I don't make assumptions, especially negative ones, based on one data point. Literally one data point. Which is all you evidently need to know all you need to know about this kid. I find that tragic. Luckily, he lives in a world where level heads abide. They will investigate and determine his intent. And if you don't accept their decision, then you are someone who is willing to make assumptions about some of the most accomplished decorated military officers in the country based on a feeling you have. That would be about you, not this cadet.

By the way, there is a reason, that this cadet was selected to be a West Point cadet. He is the best of the best. It's a grueling process to get admitted there. Even once admitted, it's difficult to stay, because the standards are high. He made a playful mistake that has turned into a firestorm by people who simply want to direct their anger and rage at something or someone.

[abqtommy]

5. It's my opinion that the Reich-Wing Racists and tRUMP Humpers are in the Minority. You notice

that the media didn't show the majority of people attending the game who didn't display racist symbols... Yeah, think about who gets the coverage.

[crickets]

6. And the apologists come out of the woodwork again.

Link to tweet

[dawg]

9. I try not to be a prideful person, but if I did choose ...

to be proud of something, I hope I'd have something better to be proud of than the relative lack of melanin in my skin.

It hasn't been much good for anything since they started putting Vitamin D in my breakfast cereal.

[eppur_se_muova]

10. This !

If the main thing you are proud of is what race you were born to, you must not be planning to accomplish much in your life.

[rainin]

15. For anyone who still can't get their head around the circle game, here it is:

&fbclid=IwAR2_tJriivI3m7K6LHBcqEsPfz2iy4ZzMegUYjqg4Cc5ML-IExQxzjBTjM4