A Twitch streamer affiliated with the US National Guard repeated an ant-Semitic phrase while live last month. The incident is the latest in a series of controversies surrounding the armed forces' esports teams.
Several branches of the United States military have ventured into esports and streaming in an effort to reach potential recruits. Things didn’t quite go according to plan, however. Both the Army and Navy came under heavy criticism this summer due to multiple incidents. Back in July, the Army abandoned its nubile Twitch channel after reports surfaced that the channel had banned users for referencing war crimes. Relations between the Army and its intended online audience did not improve when thechannel returned in August.
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Now, it’s the National Guard’s turn for scrutiny. On August 27th, Axel “ZexsOG” Torres uttered the phrase “six million wasn’t enough” while watching his National Guard teammates playCall of Duty: Warzone. From the clip, it appears that Torres had been reading off the usernames of new followers, a standard practice on Twitch. A user with the name “6millionwasnt_nough” followed Torres and clipped the shoutout, according toVice. The account is no longer present on Twitch.
“Six million wasn’t enough” is a common slogan among white supremacist, neo-Nazi, and other hate groups. It directly refers to the number of Jews murdered in the Holocaust. Though this incident occurred in August, news of it comes just a few days after Twitter and Twitch users criticized aNavy streamer for playingAmong Uswith inappropriately named viewers. “Nagasaki,” “Japan 1945,” and “gamer word.” These streamers' failure to recognize, or react appropriately to, such usernames is at the center of the military’s tumultuous streaming endeavor.
In reality, ignorance is not an excuse. People of Jewish descent grow up with the pain, trauma, and constant reminders of a horrific past. For many, games are a refuge, a brief moment of escapism from a global society that has historically persecuted them. Yet prejudice and hate continue to find their way into online spaces. From Hitler- and Jew-jokes inWorld ofWarcraft’sBarrens Chat, to being called a slur for scoring a goal inRocket League, anti-Semitism continues to findpurchase in the digital age. Mr. Torres' lack of context is a visible reminder of how easily hateful rhetoric can be regurgitated.
Clearly, the military wants tomaintain a public presence online. In that case, it is imperative that it ensures its personalities are well-informed and prepared for online interactions. So far, the results leave much to be desired.
