German army attitudes haven't changed

[revwardoc]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe....ap/index.html

German army in new racism row

BERLIN, Germany (AP) -- A video showing a German army instructor telling one of his soldiers to envision African-Americans in the Bronx while firing his machine gun was broadcast Saturday on national television.

The video, coming after scandals involving photos of German soldiers posing with skulls in Afghanistan and the abuse of recruits by instructors, seemed likely to raise more questions about training practices in Germany's conscript army.

"We can no longer talk about an isolated case," said Lt. Juergen Rose of the Darmstaedter Signal, a group of current and former army officers and sergeants who independently review military procedures.

"Things like this don't happen in the army on an everyday basis, but unfortunately in recent years there have been a number of comparable incidents."

The Defense Ministry said the video was shot in July 2006 at barracks in the northern town of Rendsburg and that the army has been aware of it since January.

"We are currently investigating the incident," said Florian Naggies, a spokesman for the army and Defense Ministry.

He did not identify the instructor or the soldier, who are shown in camouflage uniforms in a forest.

The instructor tells the soldier, "You are in the Bronx. A black van is stopping in front of you. Three African-Americans are getting out and they are insulting your mother in the worst ways ... Act."

The soldier fires his machine gun several times and yells an obscenity several times in English. The instructor then tells the soldier to curse even louder.

The existence of the video was first reported on the home page of the German news magazine Stern on Friday and excerpts of the video were aired on the news television channel n-tv on Saturday.

According to Stern, the 90-second video had been posted on a Web site used by soldiers to exchange private videos. A soldier who used the site alerted his superiors, the magazine reported.

The video is the latest embarrassment for the German army. Eighteen army instructors are currently on trial for allegedly abusing and humiliating 163 recruits in 2004. Last year, newspapers published photos of German soldiers in Afghanistan posing with a skulls -- including one who exposed himself while holding a skull.

[revwardoc]

http://www.thestate.com/154/story/35572.html

Neo-Nazi group to rally at Capitol

National Socialist Movement will protest illegal immigration

The National Socialist Movement ? the largest neo-Nazi group in the country ? has scheduled a rally against illegal immigration April 21 in front of the State House.

Two hundred people are expected to participate, said John Taylor Bowles of Laurens, who heads the organization?s state operations.

The demonstration is the same weekend as the group?s three-day national meeting, which begins April 20 in Laurens.

The group plans to gather at 12:30 p.m. at Assembly and Lady streets, then march to the State House, where a three-hour demonstration will begin at 1 p.m.

Bowles has applied to the Columbia Police Department for a parade permit.

The department is still working out details with the NSM and has not made a decision whether to approve or deny the parade permit, which is needed for the group to march down Assembly Street, according to Sgt. Florence McCants.

?Our concern is just being able to maintain security for everyone involved,? McCants said.

The NSM has already been granted approval to rally on the north grounds of the State House from 1-4 p.m., according to documents from the State Budget and Control Board.

Some NSM stormtroopers are expected to attend in uniform, wearing brown shirts with swastikas on the left armband, black pants and army boots, Bowles said.

NSM members plan to carry 10 flags, five of which have swastikas on them and a banner advertising the movement, Bowles said.

They are expected to be joined by members of the Ku Klux Klan and other white-supremacist groups as they give speeches opposing illegal immigration and the Iraq war, organizers said.

Jeff Schoep, 33, of Minneapolis, the group?s commander, says many illegal immigrants contribute to crime and have made little effort to assimilate into the American culture.

?A lot of them don?t speak English,? Schoep said. ?They?re not trying to speak English. They?re coming to conquer our country, not to become a part of it.?

The NSM is expecting some protesters, but hopes things go smoothly, Schoep said. ?If it gets physical, we will defend ourselves,? he said.

The group?s demonstrations have caused friction before.

On Oct. 15, 2005, about two dozen NSM members gathered at a park in Toledo, Ohio, to march against black street gangs they said were harassing white residents, according to The Associated Press.

Prior to the march, people protesting the NSM started a riot, some throwing baseball-size rocks at police, vandalizing vehicles and stores. In all, 114 people were arrested and 12 police officers were injured.

The Ku Klux Klan and NSM recently have been exploiting hot-button issues, including illegal immigration, to draw members, according to the Anti-Defamation League.

?That issue seems to resonate with people who otherwise would have nothing to do with these organizations,? said Bill Nigut, ADL?s Southeast regional director. ?It?s conceivable that they see that it resonates and therefore they hammer away at it even more.?

NSM leaders would not say how many members are in their organization.

According to the ADL, there were between 100 and 200 members in 2004.

The NSM has two chapters in South Carolina, Nigut said.

One People?s Project, a Philadelphia anti-racist watchdog group, expects to have members at the rally observing and taking notes, according to spokesman Daryle Lamont Jenkins.

Jenkins is encouraging people to protest the group.

Reach Higgins at (803) 771-8570.

STREETS CLOSED

Columbia police will close several downtown streets April 21 when the National Socialist Movement will be having a march and rally.

9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. ? Gervais Street between Assembly Street and Sumter Street and Main Street between Gervais and Lady Street

11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. ? Lady Street between Assembly and Sumter and Main between Lady and Washington Street. The streets will reopen about 12:30 p.m. and close about 4 p.m.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

While I'm against illegal immigration, I certainly wouldn't want to be associated with this group!