Bishop Garrison
Appearances
Up First from NPR
Does the Military Have an Extremism Problem?
We're not here to be thought police in any way, shape, or form.
Up First from NPR
Does the Military Have an Extremism Problem?
Extremist activity, active participation, two things go together.
Up First from NPR
Does the Military Have an Extremism Problem?
Those last two things you mentioned would both be activities. That is something that is prohibited. I would even argue it's always been prohibited.
Up First from NPR
Does the Military Have an Extremism Problem?
Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Defense for Human Capital and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
Up First from NPR
Does the Military Have an Extremism Problem?
In Garrison, he starts getting these messages on social media. And that included everything from threats against my career, my livelihood, to threats of personal violence. And he was really worried about his wife and baby back home. My wife truly was afraid of, like, someone is going to show up on our doorstep with a long gun.
Up First from NPR
Does the Military Have an Extremism Problem?
As one very senior official relayed to me, you know, these types of things are like quicksand. You say, like, he's a good guy, next question, and that will go away because if you fight against it, fight against it, you're going to get pulled more into it. I think not pushing back harder and not fighting for it, just let it breathe more and let it breathe longer.
Up First from NPR
Does the Military Have an Extremism Problem?
And that's what we're even, I think to some degree today, still seeing the remnants of that.
Up First from NPR
Does the Military Have an Extremism Problem?
My biggest fear is that it's going to take some type of major or massive incident in which people get hurt, if not worse, for the department to actually stop and take action on this.
Up First from NPR
Does the Military Have an Extremism Problem?
What we were hearing on the ground from units was that there was just a lot of confusion.
Up First from NPR
Does the Military Have an Extremism Problem?
Well, you know, what is extremism? My extremism may not be your extremism.
Up First from NPR
Does the Military Have an Extremism Problem?
You, me, and all of the Joint Chiefs would love to have a clean definition of it. And the problem is the definition is it depends. It's one of those things where you kind of know it when you see it.
Up First from NPR
Does the Military Have an Extremism Problem?
It almost has to be like a rubric. You can't make for every instance of what may or may not be extremes activity. It really depends on the situation and the individual.
Up First from NPR
Does the Military Have an Extremism Problem?
It couldn't just be that you went and read a thing because you could be a historian. You're reading Mein Kampf because you want to know more about World War II and Hitler.
Up First from NPR
Does the Military Have an Extremism Problem?
You have an activity that may not in and of itself be prohibited or be criminal, but it leans in that direction. It gives the commander an opportunity to say, wait, wait, wait, what is this about?