Hate found home in military
Published November 05, 2004
Leyden says fatherhood led him to question his support of racism.
When his son was 3 years old, he realized the effect his racism had on his son. While watching morning cartoons, his son made a comment using the "n-word." As a first response, Leyden admitted he was excited that he had raised a true racist. However, as time passed, he realized something about his son he had not before. He saw how his son lacked the innocence a 3 year old should have.
Like many bigots, Leyden had led a double life. He pretended to be respectable in settings where his racism needed to be hidden, but was a true believer in white supremacy behind the facade. Leyden spent 15 of his 21 years as a very active racist as a member of the U.S. Marines. He gradually moved away from his allegiance to the racist movement. But, not without a price. His former friends have threatened to kill him. And, having trained with them in the military, he knows they know how.
Reasonably related
~ Visit TJ Leyden's website, StrHATETalk.
~ Read Campus Speak's biography.
~ One of the most infamous crimes by members of the U.S. military, who were also members of a hate group, occurred nine years ago near Fort Bragg.
The murder of a young African American couple in downtown Fayetteville, N.C. Dec. 7 and the arrest of three members of the 82nd Airborne division for committing the heinous crime touched off calls for a probe of Ku Klux Klan infiltration of the U.S. military.
Jackie Burden, 27, and her friend Michael James, 36, an unemployed welder, were shot in the head at point blank range. They had been strolling along the street when they were accosted by the three paratroopers identified as Pvt. James Norman Burmeister II, 20; Pvt. Malcolm Wright, 27; and Specialist Randy Lee Meadows, who drove the getaway car. All were white paratroopers assigned to the 82nd Airborne at nearby Fort Bragg.
According to a police report, the soldiers had been drinking and decided to go "hunting" for Black victims. They left the bar and soon encountered Burden and James. The paratroopers provoked an argument, then one of the soldiers pulled out a handgun and shot Burden and James five times. The men were arrested soon after.
The scandal led to one of the Army's periodic efforts to cleanse itself of hate group members. Read more about it here.
Note 1: This entry also appeared at Silver Rights.
Note 2: Enjoy a mixed grille of fine blogging at Mac-a-ro-nies.
- Hate found home in military
- Published: November 05, 2004
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- Section: Culture
- Writer: Mac Diva
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Comments on this articleComments
I thought you weren't going to debate Mac Diva anymore?
No, I will not respond to anymore of her inane or rude comments, if she can stay civil and on topic, I will respond if I have something to say.
MD does generate some very good posts, and I have said so; it is in her impolite comments to me and others that puts me off, those I will just ignore.
MD, I know we have some good soldiers out there, but don't forget to add Barry Winchell (I think that's spelled right) to the list, and how the military only grudgingly condemned his murder. His baseball bat murder by his bunkmates, as he lay sleeping in his bed wasn't due to race, but it was still due to hate.
And Tim McVeigh. He trained at Fort Bragg. McVeigh had been disciplined for harassing minority soldiers. Didn't prevent him from getting praise and an honorable discharge, though. (Perhaps Eric will come along and say McVeigh was 'good-natured.') Terry Nichols fit the profile except for being older than most who are recruited to the 'patriot' network.
I have not said most or many members of the armed forces are involved in hate groups. But, the enlisted ranks have a chronic problem with white supremacists.
I would imagine they gravitate to it for the survival tactics? So when they get out they can live in the Idaho woods or something?
oh, and Eric Rudolph served after being in the Christian Identity Movement.
Gee! I should have thought of Rudolph. I wonder how they missed that. Rudolph was reared in CI enclaves.
That is one weird family. One of his brothers cut off his hand and fllmed it to show support for Eric. (Don't inquire about the logic of the act. There isn't any.) Mother is way out there, too.
this is real..this happens every day in the military....that's why so many minorities join...for the pleasure of serving under tha massa!
This is so much bullshit it's pathetic...the military has been one of the best opportunities for minorities that ever existed in the past 25 years!!!
The military is probably one of the MOST EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYERS in present day America!!!
The U.S. Military takes care of ALL it's people, maybe that wasn't the case 30 years ago...but as it stands right now, there is no better place to witness equal opportunity than the U.S. Military...talk about quotas!!! holy mackeral!!!
OuT ! OUt, damn Bot!
Heh, this is strange, my best freind is the brother of Malcom Wright, its all a bit unreal.
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(Or ping: http://blogcritics.org/mt/tb/21915)
You might have mentioned that the killings and resulting convictions happened 10 years ago.
Without doubt there are some racists in uniform, when they are uncovered they are no longer allowed to continue service.
So, can a man devoted to hatred and racism change?