Aryans

Dear Sir/Ma’am,
Are ya’ll really that bored and sensative? So what if the name of a Combat Outpost is Aryan. The name is very valid. After all Afghanistan, Iran and India is where the Aryan’s came from. My reference: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Aryan

Here is an article from the Garhwal Post, an English language paper in India. R Day celebrated at Aryan School. (2012, February 13). Garhwal Post,***[insert pages]***. Retrieved February 15, 2012, from ProQuest Newsstand. (Document ID: 2584402701).

Here is another article from India. Warning the word Aryan is used. Aryans open doors for JK students. (2012, February 5). Early Times,***[insert pages]***. Retrieved February 15, 2012, from ProQuest Newsstand. (Document ID: 2578250021).

Give our guys some credit for knowing their history. I think naming the COP Aryan was very astute and pellucid.

Instead of demanding a name change, why not educate the masses on the true meaning of the word Aryan and how Hitler used it for his purposes. Educate, don’t instigate.

Respectfully,

(name withheld)

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Dear (name withheld),

Thanks for your letter, and for sharing your concerns. We rarely receive a literate and erudite letter that lacks obscenities and death threats, so it is nice to know that there are still a few thinking people out there who can share their views politely.

In answer to your question; we are hardly “bored,” given the deluge of calls, Es, and other correspondence we get daily, especially with an issue like this. As to our “sensitivity” I will discourse further below, but perhaps some background is in order to understand our position on this matter.

As to the use of “Aryan”; my BA was in Celtic Studies (I also hold the M.Sc. Ed.) Celtic Studies also encompasses linguistics and the origins of the Indo-European languages and people, as the Celts were an off-shoot of this ethno-linguistic group. All reputable Western scholars now use the term “Indo-European” in preference to the Nazi-tainted term “Aryan.”

I am also aware of the older meaning of the SS runes in the picture of the Marine Scout-snipers holding a reproduction of one of the Schutzstaffel flags of Hitler’s misbegotten regime. The rune in question is known as *sōwilō in the (tentative) Proto-Germanic reconstruction, one of the “Elder Futhark” runes, and as the “Sig” in the so-called “Armanen Futharkh” — one of 18 runes supposedly “revealed” to the Austrian occult “mystic” pan-Germanic revivalist, and proto-Nazi Guido von List in 1902 while he was blinded after a cataract operation. (I won’t go into the abstruse supposed “meaning” of these runes, because like most such things, it is IMO hogwash, but if you are interested, there is plenty of information out there.)

The Sig rune was used by Karl Maria Wiligut (Himmler’s official occultist) in his own runic row (Wiligut runes) in the bizarre Nazi mysticism rituals.

In 1931, Walter Heck, a Sturmführer in the SS and would-be occultist, drew two reversed and inverted Sig runes side by side. He noticed the similarity to the SS initials, and sold the rights to his rendition to the SS, which were then adopted as their official insignia.

However, the pre-Nazi meanings of these terms and symbols have nothing to do with our concerns. As you so correctly say, their use by Hitler’s regime permanently tarred the term Aryan and the “sig” rune, along with the swastika (which as you may know was formerly a world-wide symbol from many cultures).

Now, as to our “sensitivity” to this matter; at least 90% of our MRFF members, staff, and volunteers are veterans. We include active duty, Reserve, or retired, from all branches, holding ranks from enlisted through Flag officer, with MOSs in all fields, and representing service eras from WW II, Korea, Viet Nam, and on through Gulf I, OEF, OIF, and the present GWOT. Many have been decorated for wounds received in action and / or for valor with medals ranging from the Purple Heart, Bronze Star w/V, Silver Star, and the Army, Navy, and AF Crosses. One holds the Medal of Honor.

One of our veteran members (who served in Korea) was himself a Holocaust survivor, having been in the Lodz ghetto, and later at Auschwitz. He survived despite the odds and later joined the US forces.

My own family has a long history of military service dating back to the Revolutionary War and Civil War, WW I, WWII, Korea, Vietnam and Gulf I. I myself am a veteran of the USMC, including close personal ground combat in several major operations in Vietnam in 1967 and 1968, including Operation Scotland at Khe Sanh (before, during, and after the Tet 1968 assault and the Siege, as a member of Combined Action Company Oscar), and later in another CAP unit in the Hue-Phu Bai area, during the mopping-up actions after Tet. I also have served in infantry, and in 1st and 3rd Recon (in capacities through platoon commander) and at MARDET CINCLNTFLT, with responsibilities for the security of the command which included (in addition to CINCLNT) FMFLNT, SACLNT, SUBLNT, NATO, and the Nuclear Warfare School. My MOSs included 0311 & 0321, and 0369. I later lost a limb, which ended my active career, but I subsequently went on to teach in the USMC JROTC program for several years, using my GI Bill to attain my BA, and later a Master’s degree. I believe that this background gives me some credibility in Marine matters.

Mr. Weinstein is also a veteran. He was an Honor Graduate of the USAF Academy, and served for 10 years a JAG officer, including service in the Reagan White House as a Special Counsel. Like many of us, he is from a multi-generational service family, which has over three generations in service, and a number of distinguished members. His nephew is a GYSGT in the USMC (Combat Arms) who recently returned from another tour in the Sand Box He is also a member of and supporter of the MRFF.

While this may seem an over-reaction to you, Mr. Weinstein’s personal experiences as a Jew and that of his family in the Holocaust necessarily induces a strong reaction in him about these matters.

While not Jewish myself, I grew up in the years following WW II, when there were still many who had seen the Holocaust (which included Gypsies, political opponents, homosexuals, and other non-Jews) first hand.

A close family friend had been a combat photographer in Europe. He was of German (non-Jewish) descent, and was one of those detailed by Eisenhower (another German-American) to make a photographic and film record of the death camps, so that nobody could ever deny what had happened. As Eisenhower later wrote to Mamie, “I never dreamed that such cruelty, bestiality, and savagery could really exist in this world.”

(For the full story, see: http://www.eisenhowermemorial.org/stories/death-camps.htm )

I saw these pictures as a kid, and many others, and have spoken first-hand with soldiers who liberated the camps, as well as several survivors, including non-Jews, one of them a Pole who saw it all first-hand from within. I have read the histories, and memoirs of survivors, both Jew and non-Jew. I am sadly all too well acquainted with every sordid detail of the camps and the deeds done.

In addition, my wife (who is of Jewish heritage), lost over half of the European branch of her family in the Holocaust. Among them was a young cousin, Hanus Hachenburg, a bright young boy who wrote plays, stories, and poetry of great beauty while he was incarcerated in Terezin (aka Theresienstadt) while awaiting transport to the death camps. (This was the city billed by Nazi propagandists as “Hitler’s gift to the Jews.”) What he might have accomplished in later life will never be known, as his young life was snuffed out at 15 at Auschwitz by the murdering monsters whose logo these Marines so “proudly” wear and use. (If you would like to see some of his work, Google his name.)

Therefore I have absolutely NO doubt that the Holocaust happened, and of the SS role in that tragedy. And the reason it happened was because of Hitler’s insane belief in the “superiority” of the “Aryan” peoples.

Sadly, most of that generation are now gone, and it seems that Ike didn’t factor the IQ (“Idiot Quotient”) into the equation. (Hiatus deflendi est, since the hyper-exponential increase in world population has apparently vastly raised the number of ignorant fools who don’t believe it happened. )

I don’t know your age, but I must assume from your words that you grew up in more recent times, so perhaps you lack you the vivid first-hand memories of that period and the post-war years, and thus did not react as Mr. Weinstein and I did — with revulsion and disgust at the sight of that blatant symbol of the Third Reich’s most hideous death machine — the SS — in the hands of American Marines. As a Marine myself, I was both shocked and revolted at the sight.

Naming that camp “Aryan” could be excused (as you suggested), by assuming that those naming it knew the connotation and were doing it as a PR move in the region.

While some of our people might conceivably be aware that the region is one of the places considered by some scholars of this rather esoteric field as a possible homeland for the original Indo-Europeans, my guess is that number would be few, even among the officer corps. I hate to say it, but the Corps is not exactly known as being a bastion of scholarship, especially in such rarified fields. More would know it as the Nazi term for the “über-mensch” concept of racial superiority.

Taken in conjunction with the SS flag incident (see below), and my own personal knowledge of the Corps past and present, (which has sadly long harbored racist and fascist elements), it is my strong suspicion (verging on certainty) that those responsible for the selection of the name were making a deliberate connection, with a “nod and a wink” to their fellow fascista.

To me, the conjunction of these and other similar instances makes it clear that there are people in the Marines and other branches of the Armed Forces who are pursuing a racist and neo-Nazi agenda. I wish I were wrong, but I cannot ignore facts.

As to the nature of the flag, and whether those Marines knew what they were getting — there can be no doubt that at least some of them knew this was a Nazi Schutzstaffel flag, since they obtained it from a web-site called “Traders of the Lost Surplus” (which one waggish reporter has dubbed “Nazis ‘R’ Us”), a site that specializes in Nazi replicas and memorabilia. Have a look for yourself:

http://www.totls.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16:close-out-corner&catid=1:home&Itemid=30

For your convenience, I attach a picture of the identical flag from that site, and the accompanying description:

7180. ss double runic flag, a favorite and well know (sic) ss flag, 3′ x 5′ $7.50

We might all want to believe that these Marines somehow chose this flag without at least one of them noticing that it was a Nazi SS flag, or its history or origins. That would entail believing that all of these carefully selected, highly trained individuals are somewhat dumber than the average box of rocks.

(And yes, I know that members of other services sometimes suggest that about us — usually when there are no Marines present — but I like to think that not all Marines, particularly those of us who served in elite units, are quite THAT stupid.)

Likewise, they try to claim some years of use for this symbol in Scout-snipers. While that may be true, it in no way makes it any more acceptable.

Personally, I never encountered it during my time in (1966-77), and in several instances, I worked right alongside snipers. At Khe Sanh, in particular, we had one assigned to our corner of the lines, and no Nazi logos were to be seen anywhere on his person or equipment.

As Exhibit 2, I attach the text of a letter we recently received from a person purporting to be a Marine scout-sniper. I have redacted his name and E to protect his privacy (not that he deserves it), but his name is obviously of Germanic origin.

>
> From: K******@***.com
> Date: February 10, 2012 1:48:36 AM MST
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: Waffen SS Flag
>
> Mr. Michael Weinstein,
> Yes, we knew what that flag meant. We are mainly composed of white people of European descent (blacks can’t swim and it is too tough for jews). We have always acknowledged true fighters and the Waffen SS are an elite brotherhood of warriors, much like we are. More than 99% never saw a concentration camp or participated in Einsaztgruppen actions, much like the vast majority of the USMC has never perpetrated any war crimes. Many of our members are of German descent and not a few have ancestors who were in the Waffen SS. We certainly do not have the combat distinction of your Israeli Commandos (if I were a 12 year old Palestinian boy throwing rocks I may be scared) or the Air Farce. You are correct; we knew what that flag meant.
>
> (Name Redacted)

As you can see, this Marine not only admits to knowing the history and meaning of the flag, but excuses the behavior of the Waffen SS (a lie much circulated by modern neo-Nazis), and indeed glorifies those murderous bastards, while simultaneously making racially charged lies about blacks and Jews. He says he knows the meaning of that flag and symbol, and not only doesn’t recant and apologize for its use, but actually glorifies and celebrates these bloody murderers of millions of unarmed men, women, and children. I personally cannot find any excuse for this, or any way to exonerate him, or any like him.

I respectfully suggest that in view of this and many other such letters we have received, at least some Marines and others who chose to adopt this emblem knew full well what they are doing and what that flag meant. For at least some of these men, this is the totally unacceptable racial and religious “supremacy” that has plagued our Corps and nation for many years, and is again raising its despicable head.

This is not about “PC”. It is about what we as a nation are supposed to represent and do — and that doesn’t include using representations of some of the most horrific murderers in history as logos or inspirations for our US Armed Forces. If this went unchallenged and uncorrected, it would be disastrous for this nation. Words and symbols have meaning, sir. We need to be aware of what those words and symbols mean, and not bring disrepute upon our arms or our nation.

I have long been concerned with the direction of the Republic in many areas, and one of these areas has been the creeping advance of racist, fascist and totalitarian elements in our military. I remember being concerned when we adopted the PASGT (aka “Fritz”) helmets in the 80s — not for their protection capabilities (obviously advantageous), but for their strong resemblance to Nazi helmets. I asked myself whether men who had fought the Nazis would have liked to have worn that helmet. I cannot think of any I knew who would have,

We have called for a complete ban on the use and display of ANY Nazi, racist (white, black, Hispanic or whatever), homophobic, sexist, or otherwise obnoxious paraphernalia whatsoever in our Corps, and a ban on any tattoos, etc. that have those connotations, and (in the words of Article 134), “…all disorders and neglects to the prejudice of good order and discipline in the armed forces, all conduct of a nature to bring discredit upon the armed forces.” Those who do not wish to comply should be ejected summarily.

I might add that the present Commandant, GEN Amos, has agreed with us, and has seen fit to issue a command that no Marines will henceforth fly or display any of these odious symbols of totalitarian terrorism. I expect that “Camp Aryan” will soon follow the SS rune flag into the dustbin. It will take only a short time to purge the Marines of these odious symbols. However, we may never succeed in purging racial and religious intolerance. Nonetheless, it is a goal we should all be striving for.

Of course, you are free to disagree. If you think their service gives them the “right” to name camps “Aryan” and to fly flags representing one of the most beastly, cowardly, and murderous regimes in human history, which our father’s generation fought to obliterate, while wearing the Marine uniform and flying the Stars and Stripes, then we must agree to disagree, as IMO, that would be disrespecting not only the millions of victims of the Nazis, but also the Greatest Generation, who gave so unsparingly of themselves to defeat that regime and those symbols.

I remain,

Semper Fidelis,

F. J. Taylor
USMC (Ret.)