Military chiefs condemn racism in response to Charlottesville

In an unusually public move, the nation’s top military leaders, have come out strongly against racism and extremism in the wake of violent protests over the weekend.

Five of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, representing the Navy, the Marines, the Army, the Air Force and the National Guard, posted messages on social media condemning hatred and neo-Nazis, saying that the extremist violence in Charlottesville, Va., on Saturday went against the military’s core values.

“Events in Charlottesville unacceptable and musn’t be tolerated USNavy for ever stands against intolerance & hatred,” the chief of naval operations, Adm. John Richardson, wrote on Twitter as news of the violence developed Saturday.

“No place for racial hatred or extremism in USMC. Our core values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment frame the way Marines live and act,” the Marine Corps commandant, Gen. Robert Neller, wrote on Twitter on Tuesday.

The forceful statements stood in contrast with President Donald Trump’s more equivocal assessment of the violence. The president initially hesitated to condemn white supremacist groups and has said repeatedly that “many sides” were responsible for the violence in Charlottesville.

Some observers saw the statements as a rare rebuke by the top brass of their commander in chief. But there appeared to be little immediate reaction from Trump supporters or right-wing groups.

The military was forced to deal with racial integration long before the country as a whole, said Phillip Carter, director of the Military, Veterans and Society Program at the Center for a New American Security, adding that it is not unusual for military leaders to confront racism and extremism in the ranks.

“What is unusual is for service chiefs to break step with the president,” Carter said. “I don’t know if it would be disobedient, but the chiefs are just enough out of step to suggest they have a disagreement with the White House.”

As the days unfolded after the violence in Charlottesville, and the president offered what many saw as grudging and tepid condemnations of the farright groups involved, more top generals spoke out.

Early Wednesday, Gen. Mark Milley, the Army chief of staff, posted on Twitter: “The Army doesn’t tolerate racism, extremism, or hatred in our ranks. It’s against our values and everything we’ve stood for since 1775.”

Gen. Dave Goldfein, the Air Force chief of staff, followed suit a few hours later: “I stand with my fellow service chiefs in saying we’re always stronger together — it’s who we are as #Airmen.”