Activists who claim the “OK” sign represents white supremacy will be disappointed by investigations by the U.S. Naval Academy and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point into this year’s Army-Navy game.
Officials have quashed racism claims in response to Dec. 14 footage of midshipmen and cadets who were caught on camera with their thumb and forefinger positioned to make a circle.
Online pranksters invented the “white power” claim with the “OK” symbol years ago — with continued success — to see if gullible journalists would run with it.
“The investigation — which included review of video footage, more than two dozen interviews, and background checks by Naval Criminal Investigative Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation — determined that two Fourth Class Midshipmen (freshmen) were participating in a sophomoric game, commonly known as ’the circle game,’ with West Point Cadets during the live broadcast,” the Naval Academy said Friday in a statement, Military.com reported. “The investigation found no evidence of racist intent.”
West Point’s statement reiterated the investigations’ conclusion.
“The investigating officer concluded that the cadets were playing a common game, popular among teenagers today, known as the ’circle game’ and the intent was not associated with ideologies or movements that are contrary to the Army values,” the statement said.
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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