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![]() This guidance seems to say, well, it's not OK to engage in extremist organizations, but it's OK to be a member of. ![]() SHAPIRO: You refer to members who engage in and are members of extremist organizations, and so I wonder how you address this problem without violating constitutionally protected freedom of expression. It doesn't characterize the men and women who serve, the vast majority of whom are loyal, patriotic Americans, but one extremist in the ranks is just one too many. And the data, whether it's the Army Criminal Investigation Division, whether it's certain media outlets that have done surveys of military members, reports by the Department of Defense Inspector General, clearly demonstrate that there is a level of extremism - members who engage in and who are members of extremist organizations that are in the ranks. Senior leaders of, you know, flag rank do not acknowledge that there are extremists in their ranks. SHAPIRO: When you pushed Congress to put this language in the National Defense Authorization Act, you said there were, quote, "blanket statements made by military leaders that deny the reality of extremism in the ranks." Why do you think that denial is happening?īROWN: I'm not sure why it's happening, but it's just disappointing that it is. And the point that I've been making to the secretary of defense, the deputy secretary, my colleagues in Congress is that Congress has to make a really firm, definitive statement that membership in an extremist organization, with or without active participation, but membership, whether it's the KKK, whether it's a gang organization or the Oath Keepers, is enough to disqualify you from participating in the military. The regulations that prohibit certain extremist active behavior and participation is important, but I don't think it's gone far enough. What do you make of that?īROWN: So for starters, I'll say that the Pentagon took a good step forward today. Defense officials say they want to penalize actions rather than ideology. SHAPIRO: So we just heard that under this guidance, service members are not disqualified from membership in a group like the KKK. It's an important topic, and I'm glad that you're covering it today. Good to have you with us.ĪNTHONY BROWN: It's great to be on. Congressman Brown has been urging the military to root out and address extremism in its ranks. He is a Democrat and a retired colonel in the U.S. For reaction to the Pentagon report, we are joined now by Congressman Anthony Brown of Maryland.
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