WOW.. THIS is a touchy one and either way one looks at this,, one is SURE to bring down upon his own head some very passionate responses,, both legitimate and not,, from those who disagree..
Now,, of course.. We have the First Amendment to deal with here but we ALSO have a matter of insubordination directed at a sitting Commander-in-Chief in a time of war to deal with as well..
In addition,,, we have a Military Board that is thinking more in terms of the “Good of the Corps” and how this effects THAT as well.. AS civilians,, WE might be tempted to dismiss this as the least important aspect of this case but THAT would not be true at ALL to a Military Command charged with DISPLINE among the ranks in a time of war..
Now,, the Military has LONG held a policy that limits the Free Speech for it’s members in uniform.. MANY of the Rights that we are FREE to enjoy as civilians are likewise limited,, like fraternization ,, for ONE such example.. YOU wouldn’t put UP with anyone telling you who you can spend your free time with as a civilian yet as a member of the military,, there ARE such restrictions.. ONE of the reasons is because in the Military one technically HAS no such thing as FREE TIME.. One ONLY Has MILITARY time which one has been given permission to do some of the thing...
Now,, of course.. We have the First Amendment to deal with here but we ALSO have a matter of insubordination directed at a sitting Commander-in-Chief in a time of war to deal with as well..
In addition,,, we have a Military Board that is thinking more in terms of the “Good of the Corps” and how this effects THAT as well.. AS civilians,, WE might be tempted to dismiss this as the least important aspect of this case but THAT would not be true at ALL to a Military Command charged with DISPLINE among the ranks in a time of war..
Now,, the Military has LONG held a policy that limits the Free Speech for it’s members in uniform.. MANY of the Rights that we are FREE to enjoy as civilians are likewise limited,, like fraternization ,, for ONE such example.. YOU wouldn’t put UP with anyone telling you who you can spend your free time with as a civilian yet as a member of the military,, there ARE such restrictions.. ONE of the reasons is because in the Military one technically HAS no such thing as FREE TIME.. One ONLY Has MILITARY time which one has been given permission to do some of the thing...
WOW.. THIS is a touchy one and either way one looks at this,, one is SURE to bring down upon his own head some very passionate responses,, both legitimate and not,, from those who disagree..
Now,, of course.. We have the First Amendment to deal with here but we ALSO have a matter of insubordination directed at a sitting Commander-in-Chief in a time of war to deal with as well..
In addition,,, we have a Military Board that is thinking more in terms of the “Good of the Corps” and how this effects THAT as well.. AS civilians,, WE might be tempted to dismiss this as the least important aspect of this case but THAT would not be true at ALL to a Military Command charged with DISPLINE among the ranks in a time of war..
Now,, the Military has LONG held a policy that limits the Free Speech for it’s members in uniform.. MANY of the Rights that we are FREE to enjoy as civilians are likewise limited,, like fraternization ,, for ONE such example.. YOU wouldn’t put UP with anyone telling you who you can spend your free time with as a civilian yet as a member of the military,, there ARE such restrictions.. ONE of the reasons is because in the Military one technically HAS no such thing as FREE TIME.. One ONLY Has MILITARY time which one has been given permission to do some of the things that one does when one DOES have free time.. IN the military,, you are on call 24/7..
Now.. I looked into this case.. If it had JUST been a case where this Marine had simply said that he wouldn’t follow Obama’s orders if they were unconstitutional then I don’t think that there would be any problem at all.. Hell.. In THAT case he’d merely be reflecting the OATH that he took to defend,, NOT the President but the Constitution,, and to obey all LAWFUL orders of his superiors.... Indeed.. It is his DUTY to NOT obey such orders as are determined to be unlawful.... THAT is not speaking out against Obama UNLESS Obama is actually GUILTY of issuing illegal orders.. ( as SOME have claimed he has)
But,, according to the story that I read he went further by posting less then respectful pictures of Obama on his Fackbook page and made other comments as well and THAT went over the line..
Now.. Guilty or innocent.. Such a violation as this is certain to be,, in ALL reality,, nothing more and nothing less then an expression of Protectd Free Speech by one Gary Stein,, American Citizen,, but it is ALSO a case of insubordination by one Sgt. Gary Stein of the United States Marine Corps..
We are ALL told and told again ad Nauseum when we enter into military service that certain “rights” become limited and we AGREE to that when we sign on and take the Oath..
I’m NOT an Obama fan by ANY definition and I remember when the Democrats trotted out THEIR soldiers,, both REAL and PHONEY,, to speak out against Bush who was THEN the Commander-in Chief.. I spoke out against them when THEY did it and I speak out against insubordination directed at the current Commander- in – Chief as well.. Being what I have striven to be all my life,, an Honest man,, I could do NO less..
Disapline among the ranks of our Armed Forces MUST be maintained or they become little more then an armed and dangerous MOB..
Now.. having said all that.. I see NOTHING in what this guy has done,, even if ALL guilt has been firmly established,, that would warrant the HARSH recommendations of the Board.. To be certain.. Military men and women,, like the former General in command of Abu Grabe at the time of THAT fiasco,, has certainly gotten away with FAR worse things when she engaged in her personal Anti-Bush campaign because SHE was eventually held responsible for those abominable events that transpired under HER Command..
But I ALSO know another thing.. THIS Board seems to be acting not ONLY on the guilt or innocence of this guy’s actions or even the seriousness or severity of his transgressions.. They SEEM to THINK that such Harsh Penalties are absolutely necessary and I can ONLY surmise that in the end,, they may know something that we’re NOT being told.. It may WELL be that this Sgt.’s views are FAR MORE popular in the Military then anyone cares to admit and that THIS Guy is being made an example of.. HE may very well end up being nothing more then a warning to the rest..
(more)Now,, of course.. We have the First Amendment to deal with here but we ALSO have a matter of insubordination directed at a sitting Commander-in-Chief in a time of war to deal with as well..
In addition,,, we have a Military Board that is thinking more in terms of the “Good of the Corps” and how this effects THAT as well.. AS civilians,, WE might be tempted to dismiss this as the least important aspect of this case but THAT would not be true at ALL to a Military Command charged with DISPLINE among the ranks in a time of war..
Now,, the Military has LONG held a policy that limits the Free Speech for it’s members in uniform.. MANY of the Rights that we are FREE to enjoy as civilians are likewise limited,, like fraternization ,, for ONE such example.. YOU wouldn’t put UP with anyone telling you who you can spend your free time with as a civilian yet as a member of the military,, there ARE such restrictions.. ONE of the reasons is because in the Military one technically HAS no such thing as FREE TIME.. One ONLY Has MILITARY time which one has been given permission to do some of the things that one does when one DOES have free time.. IN the military,, you are on call 24/7..
Now.. I looked into this case.. If it had JUST been a case where this Marine had simply said that he wouldn’t follow Obama’s orders if they were unconstitutional then I don’t think that there would be any problem at all.. Hell.. In THAT case he’d merely be reflecting the OATH that he took to defend,, NOT the President but the Constitution,, and to obey all LAWFUL orders of his superiors.... Indeed.. It is his DUTY to NOT obey such orders as are determined to be unlawful.... THAT is not speaking out against Obama UNLESS Obama is actually GUILTY of issuing illegal orders.. ( as SOME have claimed he has)
But,, according to the story that I read he went further by posting less then respectful pictures of Obama on his Fackbook page and made other comments as well and THAT went over the line..
Now.. Guilty or innocent.. Such a violation as this is certain to be,, in ALL reality,, nothing more and nothing less then an expression of Protectd Free Speech by one Gary Stein,, American Citizen,, but it is ALSO a case of insubordination by one Sgt. Gary Stein of the United States Marine Corps..
We are ALL told and told again ad Nauseum when we enter into military service that certain “rights” become limited and we AGREE to that when we sign on and take the Oath..
I’m NOT an Obama fan by ANY definition and I remember when the Democrats trotted out THEIR soldiers,, both REAL and PHONEY,, to speak out against Bush who was THEN the Commander-in Chief.. I spoke out against them when THEY did it and I speak out against insubordination directed at the current Commander- in – Chief as well.. Being what I have striven to be all my life,, an Honest man,, I could do NO less..
Disapline among the ranks of our Armed Forces MUST be maintained or they become little more then an armed and dangerous MOB..
Now.. having said all that.. I see NOTHING in what this guy has done,, even if ALL guilt has been firmly established,, that would warrant the HARSH recommendations of the Board.. To be certain.. Military men and women,, like the former General in command of Abu Grabe at the time of THAT fiasco,, has certainly gotten away with FAR worse things when she engaged in her personal Anti-Bush campaign because SHE was eventually held responsible for those abominable events that transpired under HER Command..
But I ALSO know another thing.. THIS Board seems to be acting not ONLY on the guilt or innocence of this guy’s actions or even the seriousness or severity of his transgressions.. They SEEM to THINK that such Harsh Penalties are absolutely necessary and I can ONLY surmise that in the end,, they may know something that we’re NOT being told.. It may WELL be that this Sgt.’s views are FAR MORE popular in the Military then anyone cares to admit and that THIS Guy is being made an example of.. HE may very well end up being nothing more then a warning to the rest..
"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." ~Thomas Jefferson
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Whether military policy SHOULD prevent criticisms such as Sgt. Stein's is a valid question that I think deserves debate. But the policy is what it is right now, and Sgt. Stein violated it.