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An Air Force base in North Dakota recently walked back its statement that discouraged soldiers from going to a conservative rally titled "Dakota Patriot Rally."
In a message sent out last week, leaders at Minot Air Force Base were told to "exercise caution if downtown this weekend" due to a conservative rally occurring that would feature a speaker from Turning Point USA, which was labeled as "alt-right."
"Please advise your folks that if they are going to be downtown...be cautious, as the crowds...could be confrontational to military members," the message stated. "Additionally please remind them that participation with groups such as Turning Point Action could jeopardize their continued service in the U.S. military."
After backlash from members of Congress and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, the base walked back the statement.
"The message was based on incorrect data and sent outside of official base messaging platforms," the base wrote in an updated statement, according to The Epoch Times. "Once the error was identified, base security officials corrected the message traffic to categorize the event as a local political fundraiser, with no security concerns."
"Further, the updated message communicated there were no issues with military members participating in their personal capacity—in line with their First Amendment rights. All Air Force Airmen have a Constitutional right to freedom of assembly," the statement concluded.
Can Active-Duty Military Members Join Political or Extremist Groups?
DoD Directives 1344.10 and 1325.06 also give guidance on whether troops can participate in political groups or parties or be affiliated with extremist groups, including supremacist organizations.
According to 1344.10, troops may join a political party but may not hold a leadership role. They may attend partisan fundraising activities or events and personally make donations, but may not actively raise funds.
Active participation in any supremacist group that promotes "illegal discrimination based on race, creed, color, sex, religion, ethnicity or national origin" or advocates the use of violence or force is completely prohibited by Directive 1325.06, according to Defense Department officials. Simply being a member of such a group while not actively taking part in any activities, however, may be permitted.
originally posted by: SteamyAmerican
Quick question concerning the title of the soirée.
Are liberals not able to be patriots?
Or did I miss something?
originally posted by: SteamyAmerican
Quick question concerning the title of the soirée.
Are liberals not able to be patriots?
Or did I miss something?
originally posted by: SteamyAmerican
Quick question concerning the title of the soirée.
Are liberals not able to be patriots?
Or did I miss something?
originally posted by: SteamyAmerican
Quick question concerning the title of the soirée.
Are liberals not able to be patriots?
Or did I miss something?
originally posted by: Mahogani
a reply to: badcabbie
This one is right on the line. Personally, I am against our brothers and sisters attending this kind of stuff, as it is listed as a supremacist organization. Everyone has a right to assemble for a political rally, that is our right, but Turning Point USA is pretty extremist.
Here is a long lost of white supremacy, bigotry, racism and Christian nationalism they engage in: Anti Defamation League on Turning Point
And the military can't engage in anything that is racist, bigoted, supremacist in any way...
Can Active-Duty Military Members Join Political or Extremist Groups?
DoD Directives 1344.10 and 1325.06 also give guidance on whether troops can participate in political groups or parties or be affiliated with extremist groups, including supremacist organizations.
According to 1344.10, troops may join a political party but may not hold a leadership role. They may attend partisan fundraising activities or events and personally make donations, but may not actively raise funds.
Active participation in any supremacist group that promotes "illegal discrimination based on race, creed, color, sex, religion, ethnicity or national origin" or advocates the use of violence or force is completely prohibited by Directive 1325.06, according to Defense Department officials. Simply being a member of such a group while not actively taking part in any activities, however, may be permitted.
From Military dot com
So it's tricky. Being a member may be allowed, but actively participating is not, when it's tied to racism and supremacy.
Now go back and read what ADL lists about this group and see if it matches what the military allows. Like I said, I think this is right on the line. Not a full hate group like Proud Boys or Patriot Front, but fits the supremacy disqualifier, I think.
No, said Mark Pitcavage, a senior research fellow with the Anti-Defamation League Center on Extremism. "It’s a right-wing Trumpist organization," he said in an interview with The Daily Iowan.
The Anti-Defamation League does not categorize Turning Point as a hate group, Pitcavage said. "It does have this checkered or spotted history with regard to individual members or local leaders in Turning Point USA making racist or otherwise problematic comments… but it’s not the ideology of the group itself."
originally posted by: SteamyAmerican
Quick question concerning the title of the soirée.
Are liberals not able to be patriots?
Or did I miss something?