Military leaders condemn racism

In an unusually public move, the nation’s top military leaders, who typically try to steer clear of social controversy, 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 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.