Conversations about white supremacy in America today typically center on right-wing media and incendiary politicians who blast out racist dog whistles.
But hate doesn’t need demagogues to get mainstreamed; it has also found an outlet at elite universities.
On June 29, Stanford University hosted a delegation from the Azov Brigade, a neo-Nazi formation in the Ukrainian National Guard. The panel, during which Azov’s neo-Nazi insignia was projected onto the wall, was attended by noted political scientist Francis Fukuyama, who posed for a photograph with the delegation.
A famous philosopher Francis Fukuyama @FukuyamaFrancis joined us in Stanford. Mr. Fukuyama expressed gratitude to Azov @azov_media Sergeant Arseniy Fedosyuk for his service and heroism during Mariupol campaign and uttered support to Ukraine on our sure way to victory. pic.twitter.com/dpqGjI27v8
— Kateryna Prokopenko (@KatProkopenkoUa) June 30, 2023
This event — and the disturbing lack of reaction from Jewish organizations — showcases the limits of America’s commitment to combating white supremacy.
Call it the Ukraine exception.
Before Russia’s 2022 invasion, nearly every Western institution raised alarms about Azov. Putin’s brazen attack on Ukraine led to a much deserved outpouring of support for the country. Unfortunately, it also led to suppression of those who criticize the dark side of Kyiv: its reliance on far-right military elements, the most prominent example of which is Azov.
Even amid today’s surge of antisemitism globally, Azov has become the Teflon Neo-Nazis: freedom fighters who can do no wrong, celebrated across America, including at prestigious institutions like Stanford.
I wonder if this guy is secretly receiving funding from Russia. This is exactly the kind of article the SVR (Russian foreign intelligence agency) would want written. I don’t like that a small part of the AFU uses the symbol or has a white-supremacist past, but that’s no reason to stop supporting Ukraine. Russia’s territorial ambitions and lust for war crimes must be obliterated. Once there is peace, there will be plenty of time to deal with whatever far-right sentiment remains. Personally, I think the journey to EU and NATO membership will do much to moderate those people.
Yeah. If some nazis want to fight Putin’s nazis it might be worth it while Russia needs to be stopped. After that, everyone’s crimes against humanity should go to court.
”I wonder if this guy is secretly receiving funding from Russia. This is exactly the kind of article the SVR (Russian foreign intelligence agency) would want written. I don’t like that a small part of the AFU uses the symbol or has a white-supremacist past, but that’s no reason to stop supporting Ukraine. Russia’s territorial ambitions and lust for war crimes must be obliterated. Once there is peace, there will be plenty of time to deal with whatever far-right sentiment remains. Personally, I think the journey to EU and NATO membership will do much to moderate those people.”
This is so weird. So apparently that makes it two times that Stanford invited Azov. Why? It’s not as if Ukraine doesn’t have non-nazi groups fighting for them. It’s also not as if they are an unknown in the USA, Stanford themselves has this sweet part in their profile
Due to concerns over ties to extremism, the United States Congress has included a provision banning material support from going to the Azov Regiment in every Defense Appropriations budget signed into law for fiscal years 2018-2022. While the language in these bills has continued to refer to the Azov Battalion, in practice the ban has applied to the Azov Regiment, since integration.
Had Putin only attacked the small areas that might actually side with him (there do appear to be some areas where historically Russians live in Ukraine) and fought just Azov he MIGHT Have gotten away with it. Attacking the larger area and Kiev was a mistake imo.
I’ve been saying this since the start of the war, and any time I would point it out anywhere on reddit it was constant mass down votes.
Let’s say this war ends with Ukraine winning; I’m willing to bet within 15 years we will have a taliban style insurrection from Azov, using the same weapons and equipment we handed them. And then Ukraine will be either in a protracted Civil War or controlled by actual, literal nazis.
We didn’t put any strings on any of the aid we gave them, and a lot of the weapons we are giving g Ukraine are completely untrackable. We can’t know where they will end up, who will control them, or who will try to use them in the future.
This is the dumbest take I’ve ever herd do you remember the SS rebelion in 1952 in Germany? No because it never happened. Just let russia take ukraine I guess I’m sure that will be much better than their freedom, their right to existence
They didn’t say anything about not helping Ukraine in their defense effort, just that a shit ton of that aid is going to a militarized Nazi mercenary army. That could be a problem down the road
It’s a complicated situation, and people like you who try to paint it as a binary stifle any actual discussion on the topic.
Please don’t feed the tankie troll.
Literally nowhere in my comment did I say that I think it would be okay for Russia to take Ukraine.
We can both be concerned that handing unlimited munitions to Ukraine with no limitations on who gets them or what happens with them when the war ends could end up with actual, literal nazis in control of them and also want to support Ukraine and not let them get invaded.
There are limitations on who gets them and what happens with them though? There’s lots of negotiations before every arms transfer to determine exactly that because sometimes there are defectors and there are also russian targets that are off limits for certain US weapons. The Azov from 2014 was assimilated into the SBU anyhow so it’s a moot point, they arent a militia or merc group anymore. You’ll find plenty of neo nazis in american military units too. That emblem is problematic though and really should go.
What makes you think they want to do that? I haven’t seen any indication of that whatsoever.
