Montel Williams Talks Army-Navy White Power hand Signs

Posted on by Ariyanna Smith, DI

Montel Williams, a military veteran and Emmy-winning talk show host, shared his take on footage of cadets at the Army-Navy football game flashing racist hand gestures.

What We Know:

  • Williams took to Twitter to weigh in on the Naval Academy midshipmen and West Point cadets in the video that many have branded as racists. He wrote, “So about the #ArmyNavy game and those hand gestures… Somehow and inexcusably, without a shred of evidence, too many in the coastal media have branded these kids racists…”

  • The “OK” gesture has been condemned as a “white power” sign, but some say the men may have been playing the “circle game,” a game popular among kids where one flashes the sign below the waist and punches anyone who looks at it.

  • Williams thought the gesture was harmless saying, “I saw several hyped-up cadets and at least one midshipman flash a sideways ‘okay’ sign. Nothing about that video establishes these kids harbor any racial animus and the coastal political media needs to slow down.”

  • He clarified that he was not defending their conduct. “Whether or not motivated by racism, the conduct was an unacceptable lapse in judgement while in uniform that reflected poorly on the military… None of those involved are unclear about what their commands expect of them,” he wrote.
  • Cmdr. Alana Garas, Naval Academy spokeswoman released a statement announcing an investigation into the incident. She stated, “U.S. Naval Academy officials have appointed a preliminary inquiry officer to conduct an internal investigation into the hand gestures made during the ESPN College GameDay broadcast prior to yesterday’s Army-Navy game. Based on the findings of the investigation, those involved will be held appropriately accountable. It would be inappropriate to speculate any further while we are conducting this investigation.”

Do you think the gesture was malicious?

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