A U.S. Army infantry officer has been placed in the spotlight, as he recently posted a photo of himself in support of professional football player Colin Kaepernick, using the phrase “Communism will win” and tagging “Veterans for Kaepernick.” And now, the hundreds of tweets he has posted about his Communist views are being scrutinized.
The most photo shows Spenser Rapone holding his cover while in a West Point cadet uniform. Inside the cover, he taped a piece of paper that says “Communism will win.” He posted the picture to Twitter on Sunday with the hash tag “Veterans for Kaepernick.” Rapone is also seen holding up a clenched fist.
Kaepernick garnered national attention last year when he took a knee during the national anthem to protest what he believes to be problems in America, namely police brutality and black inequality. The protests took on a renewed vigor over the weekend after President Donald Trump on Friday night called on players to stand and show respect to the anthem and flag. The President said during a stump speech in Alabama that if any player kneeled, the owners should “fire that son of a b–ch.” On Sunday, the kneeling controversy took over most media outlets, as announcers, coaches and players took sides on an issue that has been brewing for a while now in the U.S.
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Rapone’s Twitter handle is “Punk Proletarian,” under the name “Commie Bebop.” Law Newz verified that this is reportedly Rapone’s account, and said Rapone was in the field until Friday and unable to answer detailed questions.
The U.S. Army Public Affairs Office did not respond to an inquiry before press time about Rapone and the photos he posted.
Rapone also posted a second photo of himself in uniform, and he is seen wearing a Che Guevara T-shirt underneath his jacket. Guevara was an Argentine Marxist revolutionary who believed the poor people of Latin America would be saved by communism.
Communism is a political theory penned by Karl Marx that advocates class war and a society where the lower class would revolt and take down the upper class, destroying capitalism and bringing about socio-economic emancipation where all property is publicly owned and people are paid based on their skills and needs.
Rapone tweeted: “In case there was any lingering doubt, hasta la victoria siempre,” which means “until victory, always,” and are lyrics to a song that became famous after Guevara’s death in 1967.
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His frequent retweets and tweets on social media paint a picture of Rapone and his beliefs.
Notably, Rapone is a combat veteran.
“[Democratic Socialists of America Veterans] issued me this CIB [Combat Infantryman Badge] for satisfactory performance under hostile enemy posting online in the twitter firefight of 26JUL,” he tweeted August, using the hash tag “Troop Left.”
(Twitter)
He retweeted an image titled “folding the flag,” which ends up showing someone then putting the flag in the trash.
(Twitter)
He also retweeted a quote about why one might have joined the Democratic Socialists of America, which says: “I joined because capitalism has basically ruined my life since I was born.”
(Twitter)
Rapone tweeted a video in response to one Twitter user defending him, and Rapone is seen with what appears to be a fidget spinner.
hello,, pic.twitter.com/7t3QD2xlbW
— Commie Bebop🌹 (@punkproletarian) August 18, 2017
He refers to West Point as “a bastion of reactionary politics and imperialist violence” in one tweet from Sept. 16.
(Twitter)
He has also retweeted images of Chelsea Manning, the former Army analyst and transgender who leaked hundreds of thousands of classified government documents to WikiLeaks.
Rapone has also retweeted in image that says “Antifascist Solidarity.”
And, Rapone has retweeted an image of now President Donald Trump and the Clintons posted by “It’s Going Down” that says: “Join our movement and recognize the ruling class as a terrorist organization.”
He tweeted in August: “Looting is good,” “I hate capitalism,” and “If you’re against antifa then by definition you’re profa.”
(Twitter)
(Twitter)
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On his Twitter profile, Rapone writes “Troop Left, Commie/space cowboy/straight edge insomniac,” and tags the Democratic Socialists Veterans page. Rapone is reportedly a member of the Democratic Socialists of America. From a Marxist point of view, socialism is a transitional state between the lower class revolt and overthrow of capitalism and full-blow communism.
(Twitter)
He also links to a Medium page, where he writes: “The views expressed in my work are my own and do not reflect the position of the Department of Defense.”
(Medium, Screen Shot)
One of his Facebook profile pictures is a picture of himself holding The Communist Manifesto.
(Facebook)
Many people on Twitter were outraged that an officer in uniform would openly post himself supporting communism.
One user tweeted at the U.S. Army: “Why is one of your soldiers openly promoting communism while in uniform? Spenser Rapone is a Marxist and a threat to our safety.”
(Twitter)
Another wrote: “If you don’t deal with 2LT Spenser Rapone it will be a problem.”
(Twitter)
Yet another user said: “Spenser Rapone should be immediate stripped of his commission and tried by Court Martial for treason.”
(Twitter)
One user pointed out there is “no need” to identify Rapone. “His name is Spenser Rapone. He’s open about his communism and somehow still in the Army,” WolfsReport tweeted.
(Twitter)
One user tweeted in support of Rapone: “Big shot out to [West Point Military Academy] grad Spenser Rapone for this amazing message of bravery in support of Kaepernick. Communism WILL win!”
(Twitter)
