US Marines posed with Nazi symbol in Afghanistan

Ah.. political correctness at its most sickening. Two S's. Who the f' cares?

I guess we're going to once again bring up a war that was waged over 60 years ago? These guys blow peoples brains out for a living. Now I have no problem with this. Scout Snipers are some of the baddest mo'fos on the planet. Yet they kill people all the time. And yet the problem here is with two S's??? SERIOUSLY?

I think its time to move on. Seriously. Enough is enough. How many times are Nazi's shoved down our throats in movies, on TV, etc. Just to make sure we "remember how evil they were". Yeah. We get it.

How about people who are offended so something more than bitch about it? Perhaps if we weren't even there in the FIRST PLACE we wouldn't have things like this. Yet we are there. Wonder why. Maybe Iran is next?

Sorry, you can call me whatever names you want. I really don't care. I speak my mind and frankly I am sick and tired of this "Political Correctness". If guys who are out there risking their lives every single day to do their job want a flag with two S's on it, so be it. Who the hell am I to tell them not to?

It honestly would not surprise me if these soldiers were actually ignorant of the history of either the SS symbol. the SS or both.

These are young men mis-educated by our public school system, some of them completing all 12 years.

This is a complaint about our public schools. I have every respect for scout-snipers having worked with many from the Marine Corps Sniper school in Quantico. It takes talent, patience and grit to complete their training which many cannot pass. It's no picnic in a war zone either as they go way into enemy territory as a matter of routine.

But-
Did they actually understand the meaning behind it?
I gotta wonder..

Originally posted by Corruption Exposed

US Marines posed with Nazi symbol in Afghanistan

news.yahoo.com

The Marine Corps on Thursday once again did damage control after a photograph surfaced of a sniper team in Afghanistan posing in front of a flag with a logo resembling that of the notorious Nazi SS — a special unit that murdered millions of Jews, gypsies and others.

The Corps said in a statement that using the symbol was not acceptable.

However, it was a naive mistake made by Marines who believed the SS symbol was meant to represent sniper scouts and never intended to associate themselves with a racist organization, said Maj. Gabrielle Chapin, a spokeswoman at Camp Pendleton.

(visit the link for the full news article)

So I suppose the group KISS are also Nazis?
It is a SS sign not a Nazis flag - now if they did the Nazi salute...that would be different.
We can't please everyone in the world - but if you cannot have a bit of fun then what good is it? Those men are being killed and now they have to take down a silly sign, but it is ok for them to die? Makes no sense.

Originally posted by Asktheanimals
It honestly would not surprise me if these soldiers were actually ignorant of the history of either the SS symbol. the SS or both.

These are young men mis-educated by our public school system, some of them completing all 12 years.

This is a complaint about our public schools. I have every respect for scout-snipers having worked with many from the Marine Corps Sniper school in Quantico. It takes talent, patience and grit to complete their training which many cannot pass. It's no picnic in a war zone either as they go way into enemy territory as a matter of routine.

But-
Did they actually understand the meaning behind it?
I gotta wonder..

In all honesty, I don't see anything wrong with them using that flag to represent the Scout Snipers. I can see why others would, but I disagree with their reasoning.

I mean... It's a shape.. Like the swastika is a shape. The Nazi's chose to use the swastika as a major symbol. It's also used in Buddhism, Hinduism, by the Native Americans, etc etc.
If the scout snipers choose to use the double-sig shape as their symbol, that's their right and there's nothing wrong with it.

Even if they were aware that it was a prevalent Nazi symbol back when, it seems sort of unfair to monopolize a shape.
What if there is another super bad group of people like the Nazi's down the road and they choose to use a cross as their symbol, or a star shape as theirs, or a simple circle shape, or a square. They commit TERRIBLE atrocities and become as infamous as the Nazis..well, in the future after its all done, the cross, the star, the circle, and/or the square shape are all associated with "X" bad guys, like the swastika and the double sig are associated with the Nazi's. Just seems all very silly to me.

Just my thoughts.

Cheers

Surprise surprise,surprse .. Hell why not the cops are wearing para-military fatigues these days with silver patches . Madonna wore skull and bones earrings in an interview after her Nazi satanic half time show

reply to post by Qemyst


I personally don't have a problem with any symbol, especially when taken way out of context.

The German people paid for their mistakes. Millions were starved and dislocated under Allied rule after the war. The Allies committed atrocities too but they got to write the history about it later.

Somebody definitely has an anti-german agenda - it's always Nazi this and their symbols are so horrible etc. Yet the nobody flinches at a rising sun flag of Japan that did as bad or worse to millions of Chinese and Allied POWs,
If were going to have a historical hate fest we might as well include everyone then. Rome murdered Jesus - Eagles must not be tolerated. The Russians murdered millions of Ukranians so let's ban hammers.

I could go on but you get the point.

Originally posted by Qemyst

Originally posted by duality90
[I'm sorry mate but the reasoning that underlies your argument is just absurd.

People associate symbols - regardless of what intent or purpose they are used for - with the underlying things that give the symbol its connotation, even if its denotation may not be inherently related to what it has come to represent.

The Sig runes are just some element lifted out of nordic culture - no harm there; but as some of us (I wish I could say all) know, the double-sig has been made infamous by association with the Schutzstaffel.

No. My reasoning is perfectly sound. The double-sig is just a shape and nothing more.
It's only associated with the Schutzstaffel because people give it that association.
I will admit that the double-sig has been made infamous by the Schutzstaffel, but if the double-sig is used in a different way, meant to symbolize something else, then it is the fault of the beholder to associate it with Nazism, not the fault of the user of the symbol.

This is a truly bizarre take on the use of symbols.

Originally posted by DerekJR321


Sorry, you can call me whatever names you want. I really don't care. I speak my mind and frankly I am sick and tired of this "Political Correctness". If guys who are out there risking their lives every single day to do their job want a flag with two S's on it, so be it. Who the hell am I to tell them not to?

I don't like this argument that seems to be used by many - that the military are and should be a class entirely unimpeachable by the public. Perhaps a few other posters have, but I have never imputed any ill will towards the uniformed services in general in my posts - in fact I discussed my desire to serve, earlier on. But I don't think that it is healthy or useful for a supposedly free society to crowd out even the slightest hint of critique at various actions which are demonstrably shameful for the US military, which has certainly been racked in the past few years with the disgraceful conduct of its troops. As much as I find it moronic to use a symbol that is so plainly likely to arouse the passions and anger of many, I find more disturbing the trend to ignore, or forgive any transgressions committed by those in uniform or acting for the United States as simply the reasonable and tolerable excesses of soldiers in the field (or elsewhere, as the case may be). That argument simply doesn't pass muster, nor should it be allowed to.

Hats off to anyone who undertakes the lengthy training and sacrifices in personal liberty which are necessarily a part of the military life, but you have no greater right to avoid moral or even legal scrutiny solely on that basis, and I think this has been an alarming trend we have seen in past years. Although I know their arguments make no difference whatsoever as they're not actually representatives of the armed services, you only need look at the comments of people like Rick Perry during the presidential race when he learned of the 'Taleban desecration' video - not only did Perry stand up for them (despite - regardless of whether anyone actually sympathizes with the dead in question - the offending soldiers quite clearly being in violation both of international law/jus in bellum, and the standards and regulations of their own service), but he seemed to almost suggest that the idea of prosecuting soldiers in the field for war crimes was something which was shameful and in all probability, unpatriotic.

I think that such comments are unhelpful and damaging to public discussion. Patriotism and respect for the law - as well as a desire to be honourable in all one's endeavours and to suggest that this standard should be extended to our uniformed services - are not mutually exclusive concepts by necessity or otherwise.

Originally posted by usmc0311
Just wanted to throw this out there. The band KISS uses the same SS in their official logo as seen here. And let's not forget that the members of KISS are jewish.

www.kissonline.com...

Maybe the designer is just a KISS fan. It is so unfair that the military members are being judged the way they are these days. Exspecially the Marines. I knew other scout snipers who had simalar logos and they were not meant to be construed as bad nor were they ever. Everyone has a different opinion of this and really it's not that big of a deal. Just another punch in the gut to the hard working men and women of our armed forces.

But there is one MAJOR difference between kiss and these (note I SPECIFICALLY mean these guys and not the marines as a whole) nit-wits.

Kiss used the WHOLE WORD so the meaning of kiss is clear as crystal.

These idiots (and I am being generous) not only used the SS by themselves (which is not bad since SS is used as a shortened for stainless steel in descriptions) but used THE NAZI TWIN LIGHTNING BOLTS.

IMO if they truly meant to say scout sniper why the heck did they not use two bold SS (like I am doing here)?

Then there is no problem?

No offence if they truly are this clueless why are they trusting them with weapons?

I would like to take a logical step back and look at the three overall implications this story points out.

1. The pure lack of common sense, judgement, and the ability to have shame.

Look bad things happen in war. Along with things that while justifiable and/or understandable in war are not spoken about/shown to the general public. But soldiers knew not to discuss, take pictures and sure as not post them for all the world to see (example face book).

I don't care if its this incident, the soldiers peeing on the bodies of the taliban, kids posting them breaking into houses and distroying them, or posing beating up innocents on you tube. The fact they are openly showing their deeds to the world shows a non caring that is truly scary.

2. The uncaring, ill-informed, hypocracy, or downright stupidity of the military brass.

News flash, gangs have been infesting the military for YEARS. Not just white supremist (which the press is showing and will comment on in a sec), but black gangs (crips and bloods to name two), mexican gangs (example latin kings), and all types inbetween. There have been such boldness that gang fights have been happening on posts all over the world and gang graffitti has been seen in iraq and afganistan.
Soldiers have been sporting gang tattoos. That is IMPOSSIBLE not to notice.
There was even a trained veteran soldier that made the news about using military tactics and weaponry to kill police officers.
This is not idle chit chat but been well documented on shows seen on the discovery channel and history channel.
Yet the military continues to downplay and effectively do nothing about this. Scary.

3. The hypocracy of the main stream press reporting this about white soldiers.

I want to make it clear they should have. But notice (as I mentioned before) there are multiple gangs made up of multiple races.
The press is only pointing out the white guys. As I previously mentioned the history and discovery channel have been able to find all this out and how bad it is. But not a peep about the other ones.

Again note no matter WHAT COLOR, SEX, ECT they should be identified, outed, punished, kicked out, and better screening at the begining TO STOP THIS PROBLEM.

Remember the Zetas in mexico were current mexican special forces.

How come a group of grown adult men who're participating in A WAR don't know who the ss are? Then an explanation appears stating how they believed it stood for sniper scouts and never intended to associate themselves with a nazi organization. Yeah. I believe you.

You know, racist past aside the SS lighting bolt symbol does look kinda cool and so does the Swastika. I mean the aesthetic look of the symbol not the meaning behind it. It really a shame how those Nazis ruined perfectly good symbols. Oh and how Hitler made a style of Facial hair forbidden.

OT: Theres barely any information to this incident. However I'm sure it was an innocent mistake, a stupid mistake but I doubt it was malicious. Either way they will be punished for it.

Originally posted by 9point8
How come a group of grown adult men who're participating in A WAR don't know who the ss are? Then an explanation appears stating how they believed it stood for sniper scouts and never intended to associate themselves with a nazi organization. Yeah. I believe you.

Be...cause..it's been the scout sniper logo since at least Vietnam?

Originally posted by duality90

Originally posted by roguedesigner
Wow, so many people who just don't get military humour at all.

I think the whole point is people saying that the subject is inappropriate for humour or otherwise.

Military humour is unashamedly inappropriate. To outsiders it is crude, offensive and crass. To these guys, it's an invaluable piece of sanity maintenance.

reply to post by roguedesigner


I saw it less as innapropriate for humor and more as don't put a flag with a Nazi symbol under the American flag, actually do it I don't care just don't take a picture of it because it's bad enough we are there it's just worse knowing we are acting like idiots.

I can picture it now.

Hasan: "Ahmed, are those Americans pulling in to town up there?"
Ahmed " Yeah, looks like it, but what's that second flag?"
Hasan "F*** they've gone full nazi!"

Ahmed and Hasan exit stage left.

Removed post

reply to post by Asktheanimals


It's more like an anti-Nazi agenda, than an anti-German agenda. Before the sniper scout SS flag, was deemed by our military as not being of the proper protocol, FINALLY, seems to denote a frivolous "don't care" attitude in our military leadership.

Once the Taliban find out what the REAL SS symbol stands for ---- they will use it as a propaganda recruting tool, that will possibly result in getting more of our guys torn-up in Asscrackistan.

Originally posted by blackmirage0311

Originally posted by 9point8
How come a group of grown adult men who're participating in A WAR don't know who the ss are? Then an explanation appears stating how they believed it stood for sniper scouts and never intended to associate themselves with a nazi organization. Yeah. I believe you.

Be...cause..it's been the scout sniper logo since at least Vietnam?

It’s a symbol to signify Marine Scout Snipers…nothing more.



People should stop being so sensitive!

reply to post by Erno86


Are you kidding? The Muslims LOVE Hitler.

Its ridiculous. The only propaganda value it has is in the West.

Originally posted by Corruption Exposed
reply to post by sith9157

 

Your definition of warfare is laughable.

Watch your NFL ESPN while you watch brains melt out skulls in the name of the American flag while you sing the star spangled banner and say it's protecting your freedoms

Sometimes you guys are too much!

This is one of those times!

ETA:

You Jingos are a riot!

edit on 11-2-2012 by Corruption Exposed because: ETA

Is that all you got? Really?
Did I define warfare anywhere in my post? I merely stated that snipers are hated during times of war, and you attack America as a whole...."Watch your NFL ESPN"..... You sound like a child, or a moron