In early 2012 a group of USMC Scout Snipers brought dishonor on themselves and the country when photos of them standing in front a flag emblazoned with Nazi symbols were made public. Naturally, once they were called out on the practice by responsible parties, the behavior ceased. As a community, Marine Corps Scout Snipers moved on. However, despite the fact that this was all over the news and Internet, a Facebook page that makes the following claim has popped up, “A page dedicated to keeping the SS symbol alive and well in the Marine Scout Sniper community”. The argument holds that SS stands for Scout Sniper and it’s just a coincidence (wink, wink, nudge, nudge) that the stylized version of the SS looks exactly like a Nazi symbol.
The Sigrune SS symbol used in the Facebook header photo is unique to Nazism and is nothing to be proud of. In fact, it is so heinous, it is illegal in modern Germany. The side by side lightning bolt symbol was created specifically for Nazi Germany’s Schutzstaffel, a paramilitary organization that swore allegiance to Adolph Hitler. One of the SS’s elements was responsible for instituting the “Final Solution” or genocide of not only European Jews but also those of many other ethnic groups including Roma (Gypsies) and Slavs. All-in-all it is estimated that the SS was responsible for the killing, torture, and enslavement of approximately twelve million people.
Hardly something to want to emulate or hold dear. The owners of the MarineCorpsSS page should be ashamed and anyone who supports them should be as well. The US suffered almost 200,000 KIA in wiping the Nazi menace from the earth. Those who emulate our enemies dishonor our dead and the sacrifice of our greatest generation. Worse yet, the behavior is being perpetuated by those associated with the military. How can anyone justify the adoption of a symbol associated with such abhorrent behavior?
The Facebok page is www.facebook.com/MarineCorpsSS
UPDATE – Since I worked on the article last night, the owners of the Facebook page have updated their small icon so that those not directly looking at the page will not see the use of the SS runes.
I guess this introduces an interesting issue I hadn’t even considered. I know that the SS runes were used by Scout Snipers, but what about the average person that doesn’t know this and just sees the runes associated in some way with the EGA? This takes on a whole new aspect now doesn’t it? The context is lost and the Marine Corps is directly associated with Nazism. Even worse…
