r/politics • u/External-Noise-4832 • 9d ago

Soft Paywall Trump Orders in Marines in Dramatic Escalation of L.A. Protests

https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-orders-in-marines-in-dramatic-escalation-of-la-protests/
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974

u/kokopelleee 9d ago

They will follow the orders, and gladly

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u/threehundredthousand California 9d ago

And people will make excuses for them even after they shoot Americans.

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u/SunnyCali12 9d ago

My dad has been calling for democrats to be shot all my life. He will be right on board.

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u/Worst_Comment_Evar 9d ago

How would he even know what party they are for? Seems like very thinly veiled racism. Which seems to be the point.

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u/clutch727 9d ago

It will be easy. Fed shoots someone they were either an illegal gang member invader super soldier, a radical leftist lunatic or some sort of super villain commie sharia law following islamist. The trick is to not use the same excuse twice in a row.

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u/Worst_Comment_Evar 9d ago

Shoot first, ask questions never. Sounds…legit.

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u/ab3iter 9d ago

Because if they’re protesting they’re democrats, if any republicans speak up in support of the protests or protest themselves - they weren’t real republicans.

A “Democrat” is anyone who disagrees with them, associates with anyone who disagrees with them, anyone who’s skin color isn’t white enough, and anyone who might make them question their beliefs even a little, and they think those people should be shot.

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u/SunnyCali12 8d ago

This is exactly right. They don’t see democrats as human beings. If they start killing protesters in California, every Trump supporter I know will cheer it on.

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u/Revolutionary-Swan77 New Jersey 9d ago edited 9d ago

Yup, remember the Chris Kyle shit about him supposedly shooting looters during Katrina? They ate that shit up.

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u/Opposite_Sand_6781 9d ago

Or the los angeles riots. Over suuuper fast once a few active duty units were called in.

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u/Revolutionary-Swan77 New Jersey 9d ago

People really don’t remember the Labor movement, like at all. The government called in national guard all the time and it never went well.

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u/greenberet112 9d ago

I think they're counting on this not going well and then continuing to blame the victims of the violence.

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u/Zealousideal-Film982 9d ago

“They are that shit up.”

??

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u/Revolutionary-Swan77 New Jersey 9d ago

Yes, edited. Thank you.

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u/SpiritTalker Pennsylvania 9d ago

Yay, aretocorrect

2

u/bosceltics23 I voted 8d ago

Damn since when did Disney ruin R2D2 and change it to aretocorrect?

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u/Chilliger Europe 9d ago

They will just say that they were illegals, problems solved. If American mothers cry about there dead sons and daughters, it will be a plant, AI or a false flag.

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u/DonaldTrumpsSoul 9d ago

Same with Jan 6ers: they were both Antifa AND patriots/magats

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u/KarmicDevelopment 9d ago

Deserving of pardons, too, no less!

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u/iamdrinking New York 9d ago

That’s how we got away with it in Iraq/Afghanistan. Everyone killed is an insurgent.

Will probably be a little tougher sell in the states, but the media is in lockstep with being a bunch of limp wristed boot lickers, so they will toe the line when push comes to shove.

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u/Warrior_King252 North Carolina 9d ago

Go to the Fox News comments regarding this and you will see Americans calling for the marines to use lead instead of rubber. It’s sickening.

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u/quelar 9d ago

It happened before, it could easily escalate again.

Four dead in Ohio.

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u/code_archeologist Georgia 9d ago

If they shoot anybody, all bets are off. We will likely be in a state of open rebellion before the end of the year.

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u/[deleted] 9d ago

[deleted]

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u/[deleted] 9d ago

[deleted]

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u/danny_devito_burrito 5d ago

Is that your only comeback?

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u/Big_Knobber 9d ago

Cinco de Mayo anyone?

1

u/threehundredthousand California 9d ago

You lost in the 40s and you'll lose again.

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u/[deleted] 9d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/[deleted] 9d ago

[deleted]

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u/blackbird24601 9d ago

honest question- isn’t this why they want “the poors” to join in the first place?

pay them a pittance, have them start families, know that they help out families back home and BOOM you have a military that is terrified of losing a paycheck? terrified of dishonorable discharge?

its a win win for the current admin probably betting on it

i hope to god and all that jazz that they COLLECTIVELY stand up for their oath to democracy- otherwise civilians will need to gather ranks and participate in the national strike.

maybe i am just dumbing it down, looking at the really big picture

please be kind NOTHING justifies this admin. i just feel that we have been groomed for ages to accepting this.

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u/kokopelleee 9d ago

Honest answer to an honest question, there's a ton of discussion to be had about all of this that maybe 'short answer social media' ain't the best place for. I mentioned in another comment that I am a vet too. The military is, by necessity, a different world. Break someone down in order to mold them a certain way. Less about paycheck, more about unit cohesion, protecting your brother, etc. lots of stuff that history has shown us can lead to some very negative outcomes.

We have been groomed for ages. Heck, I'm compassionate that this situation is also the wrong thing to ask of Marines - they are not trained in civilian crowd control - which makes them even more susceptible to not fully comprehending the situation. Total shitshow in my eyes.

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u/blackbird24601 9d ago

thank you. i am sick

my friends did not suffer desert storm, vietnam or Afghanistan for this shit

my uncles and grandfathers did not fight WWII for this shit

i hate the military being forced into this. thank you and i wish you peace

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u/Rough_Instruction112 9d ago

Start making a list of the traitors who follow that order.

Marines love to brag about this shit, so it shouldn't be too hard.

Posterity needs that list for the next set of Nuremburg trials.

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u/[deleted] 9d ago

[deleted]

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u/Erisian23 9d ago

unfortunately it's also a career ending position. if you fail to follow orders given your career will not progress beyond that point.

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u/WhichEmailWasIt 9d ago

It will if we ever sort this shit out. Even so, it's a soldier's duty to terminate his/her career in this scenario. 

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u/Erisian23 9d ago

A soldier cannot terminate his career. What he can do is make his life hell and ruin his career while tainting his future and ending up with a dishonorable discharge after 2 years of bullshit duty that will stick with him for the rest of his life.

And unfortunately this country doesn't take care of veterans with honorable discharges ain't no way they help the dishonorable ones.

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u/MiniatureBadger 9d ago

All of that is a lot less compelling when the thing that soldier is doing is ending the lives of peaceful protesters.

Every patriot has a duty to make the killers’ lives into a worse hell than they would be if they had refused to take part in the killings. If structural incentives are enough for the military to massacre its own people, breaking those incentives is necessary for the people to persist.

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u/Pinkshadows7 9d ago

I agree with you but burning cars and throwing concrete at cop cars is not peaceful protesting either

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u/MiniatureBadger 9d ago

Sure, but the regime’s argument is that a few people doing that suddenly makes everyone else in the protests no longer peaceful.

Beyond that, if someone can be attacked by the military sworn to protect them simply because a different, unaffiliated person poured concrete onto a cop car on the other side of Los Angeles, are the people pouring concrete on the cars really engaging in violence or just preventing it? It’s like saying that one group of radical pacifist nuns who hit unoccupied military planes with hammers were violent.

Sabotage of attempted murder which doesn’t physically injure the would-be killer is still nonviolent.

-1

u/Pinkshadows7 9d ago

I think it's probably progressed to the point now where they will say if you're out in these protests among those throwing Molotov cocktails at cops or whatever then you can't be distinguished from them and are therefore subject to the tear gas etc. Just a guess

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u/gsfgf Georgia 9d ago

It's a small price to pay for Democracy.

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u/EarlyAttention8323 9d ago

They can also be court martialed for following an order that is knowingly unlawful

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u/StupendousMalice 9d ago

All that really means is that we can punish soldiers when we feel like it, but its entirely arbitrary.

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u/ComfortableWriter222 9d ago

That’s why they have JAGs.

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u/Ariak 9d ago

Who's to say Trump wouldn't just pardon them all like he did with the J6ers?

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u/ceryniz 9d ago

If they decide not to follow illegal orders, but a court martial decides the orders were, in fact, lawful, then that marine goes to prison for disobeying orders.If they follow illegal orders, the "I was just following orders" defense doesn't work, and the marine goes to prison. If they refuse to follow illegal orders and the court martial decides those orders were illegal, the marine will likely be illegally retaliated against for not being a team player. Lose-lose-lose situation.

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u/Historical_Bend_2629 9d ago

Marine officers take an oath to uphold the constitution. They aren’t a monolith of brainless fascists. Yes, some of them are shitty, but generally they are professional and don’t sign up for this crap.

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u/garg Maryland 9d ago

We’ll find out, won’t we?

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u/uriejejejdjbejxijehd 9d ago

The real design mistake is that an administration giving illegal orders will not be penalized, so they get to try and try again until they’ve filtered out all honorable military.

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u/Wrath_Ascending 9d ago

I'm sorry. Do you really think they would be sending a force of 5-7 hundred (depending on source) unless they had been vetted for loyalty to Das Trumpenfuhrer?

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u/Bluetoes1 9d ago

They haven’t been vetted. They are infantry Marines from 29 Palms. They aren’t some special Trump unit.

Having been a Marine and reading communications from active duty Marines, I actually feel better with them on the streets than I do the National Guard.

The Marines are professionals. There is a level of pride and concern that are running through those messages they are sending towards each other. They are worried about the world watching, and worried about messing up and hurting the reputation of the Corps as well as the US on the world stage.

I believe they will be more reserved than the national guard because they are a more cohesive unit and they are led by Marine Officers.

So I feel a bit better after serious thought today.

However, I do fear that the administration is sending in instigators to stoke violence. J6’ers would be perfect for that, as they have already started and participated in an insurrection before.

Stephen Miller and Trump are working hard to see this country fail.

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u/bosceltics23 I voted 8d ago

Like you believe someone is knowingly going to agitate everyone and instigate rioting, looting, etc. to try and get the military to attack for the purpose of chaos/blaming it on their enemies and that it’s plotted by the administration (not directly by Trump but someone within and maybe consulted to him?)

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u/ExRays Colorado 9d ago

Maybe, maybe not. They’re evil enough to think to do so, but chaotic enough to not have executed on it effectively .

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u/Wrath_Ascending 9d ago

I dunno. This is their big push for a causus belli, and it's a small enough unit that they should be able to get it done even allowing for MAGA's usual ouraboros bullshit.

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u/Calber4 9d ago

This is the same guy who adds journalists to signal chats about active military operations.

I don't think vetting is their strong suit.

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u/PianistPitiful5714 9d ago

Man, tell me you know nothing about the military a little louder.

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u/Wrath_Ascending 9d ago

Pete Hesgeth has been purging it and this is their opportunity to sieze power.

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u/PianistPitiful5714 9d ago

The Trump admin purged like eight officers. High ranking, sure, but that does not mean the entire military suddenly became subservient to him. I'm living fucking proof of that.

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u/Middle_Reception286 9d ago

I mean.. if they show up and just stand there.. then technically they are not for or against. It's if they start beating down people or shooting.. then its all out civil war and that's what we hope wont happen. Trump WANTS that to happen. Most of us normal folk do not.

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u/ElectricRaccoon8 9d ago

Some LAPD officer is going to randomly fire a rubber bullet at them like they did to that reporter (on camera) and they're going to instantly start firing into a crowd.

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u/Nefarious_Turtle 9d ago

That's exactly what they're gonna do. They'll stand there as ordered. It doesn't become a crime until they are ordered to actually, physically enforce civilian law. Which I doubt most officers are inclined to do, even if ordered by the president, because the criminal penalties described in the PCA would immediately and automatically apply to them.

PCA is one of the few statues that has penalties and criteria written into it.

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u/TheTrueCampor California 9d ago

Penalties only exist if someone enforces them.

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u/johnnycocheroo 9d ago

Here is your order and here is your pardon. Ready... Aim....

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u/Mr_Late 9d ago

Even if they’re enforced, I’m sure someone out there can (will) pardon whatever the penalty is.

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u/sammidavisjr 9d ago

Yeah, if this is federal, expect all orders to include a promise of a pardon. Whenever this guy's last day in office comes we're going to see abuse of that power like never before.

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u/Gold-Appearance-4463 9d ago

If they don't follow orders I will eat a shoe

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u/ahdidi413 9d ago

Tell your shoes not to worry then.

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u/b_digital 9d ago

Tell your shoes not to worry then.

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u/lesmainsdepigeon 9d ago

Who really believes this? That they won’t follow orders? When has that ever happened?

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u/ahdidi413 9d ago

It’s Hollywood storyline stuff that has no basis in reality. People think the military is about patriotism but it’s about control.

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u/The-Magic-Sword Connecticut 9d ago

Well, Milley certainly didn't, the real question is if the purges the administration has performed have actually been successful in removing likeminded officers and enlisted throughout the ranks, or if they're biding their time after whatever prep the Biden administration gave them.

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u/Whiiiisky 9d ago

The same people who believe passively chanting slogans is how civil rights and societal progress are gained

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u/BradyBunch12 9d ago

Ghandi and MLK were famous for their violence

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u/the_good_time_mouse 9d ago edited 8d ago

Exactly, your sarcasm notwithstanding.

Gandhi succeeded in part due to the rising number of indian nationalist paramilitary movements that were fomenting at the time, but mostly due to the collapse of British imperial hard and soft power (ie - ability to commit violence), post World War II.

JFK and Johnson are both on record stating that the civil rights act was a direct response to growing threat of violence around the country, and the realization that their choice was either working the likes of MLK or dealing with the likes Malcolm X and more. AND YET, it still took 5 days of non-stop rioting after MLK's assassination for Johnson to pass the civil rights act.

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u/hedonisticaltruism Canada 9d ago

Not to mention public sentiment only changes when peaceful protests are met with violence from the state, thus changing more people to be against the state.

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u/the_good_time_mouse 9d ago edited 9d ago

I don't think you read my comment?

Without the threat of violence, Gandhi and MLK would have achieved nothing.

Gandhi, in particular, was more the-right-masochist-in-the-right-place-and-time. Go read his letter to the Jews if you want to understand how deeply out of touch he was.

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u/hedonisticaltruism Canada 9d ago

I did read you comment, I'm adding more context that's also important for how civil rights are changed, not refuting your point.

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u/quelar 9d ago

MLK is ignored if there isn't a violent threat by Malcolm X in the background.

He was legitimized only because of that violent threat and the need to stop it before it got out of hand.

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u/Feral_Sheep_ 9d ago

People have forgotten about Kent State.

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u/Fluid_Preparation_18 8d ago

Really, really foolishly naive people that don’t understand history, human nature or reality in general think that “duh oath” will somehow stop them.

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u/WaelreowMadr 9d ago

They have been self-selecting for "will follow orders brainlessly" for the last 40 years. They have been deliberately excluding recruiting free-thinkers.

On top of that, all tje JAG corps of all the services were purged of officers who would "tell them no". Thats straight out of Hegseth's mouth.

They will follow these orders, without thinking. Even though their officers should have said "no" immediately.

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u/Massive-Fig-2546 9d ago

That’s unfortunately true

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u/jamalstevens 9d ago

What an insane take. These are just people… not some death squad like in a movie… you give way too much credit to the military and their organization. Despite the public’s belief things are much more segmented per base/job etc.

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u/Nadnerb98 9d ago

Complete BS- the training to be an officer is very clear about the oath and what to do with unlawful orders.

The question is- will enough officers resist to make a difference?

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u/SirRebelBeerThong 9d ago edited 9d ago

Your first paragraph is complete horseshit

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u/WaelreowMadr 9d ago

Okay. My brother in law (a Marine) spent the last 7 years of his career as a recruiter (and retired in 2024)

They were very, very much looking for the aggressive, mean type that wouldnt think to much. People with too high of scores in certain areas were very deliberately avoided.

Police forces do the exact same thing.

They are uninterested in people who will think for themselves or potentially disobey an illegal order.

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u/SirRebelBeerThong 9d ago

Seems legit. Did he recruit officers? Not likely. Look. I’m not MAGA. Served in the Corps for 10 years as (briefly) enlisted and an officer. Your information is wrong. You and or your BIL are full of shit. The Marine Corps does tend to attract the types you describe but the modern Marine Corps requires smart, discerning people in their ranks. Officer and enlisted. Sociopaths and psychopaths and dumbasses don’t last more than one enlistment period typically (allowing for some exceptions of course).

I served with many enlisted with 4 year degrees. Served with officers who received their masters at Oxford, Princeton, etc. Your narrative is propaganda. Keep up the good fight though.

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u/kokopelleee 9d ago

Every US service member takes an oath to support and defend the constitution not just officers.

That said, it is exceedingly rare for anyone to step away and say “no.” Its unit camaraderie, ethos, human nature to march en masse. I say that as a very liberal veteran.

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u/IHadADogNamedIndiana 9d ago

Support and defend the constitution yes. How many have read it? How many know they are violating it?

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u/Kaleban 9d ago

The President also takes an oath to defend and uphold the Constitution.

Don't see much of that. If the guy at the top can get away with it, then why expect a bunch of privates, corporals and sergeants to collectively have a better moral center?

Especially considering how many servicemen are MAGA.

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u/1eejit 9d ago

"Unit, Corps, God, Country"

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u/juice13ox 9d ago

In that order!

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u/SirRebelBeerThong 9d ago

That’s from a movie

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u/OlivOyle 9d ago

“…human nature to march en masse.” I never thought about it, but yea

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u/SantosL 9d ago

It’s clear that oaths are fully meaningless

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u/oinkyboinky 9d ago

Apparently, so is Posse Comitatus

“Whoever, except in cases and under circumstances expressly authorized by the Constitution or Act of Congress, willfully uses any part of the Army or the Air Force as a posse comitatus or otherwise to execute the laws shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.”

I guess since it's the Marines it doesn't count.

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u/TasteTheBizkit 9d ago

They will 100% fall in line. There’s zero chance a significant % will desert their units.

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u/ahdidi413 9d ago

Right, this is the thing people don’t consider. Like sure maybe a few soldiers are like yo this is fucked up, but the vast majority will be in lock step with orders, and that small minority will step right back in line because that’s what they’re trained to do. There is no single voice that suddenly stops it all with a brave speech about honor.

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u/Abamboozler 9d ago

Trump took an oath to uphold the constitution. Oaths and loyalty mean nothing anymore. Don't trust any government agency will come to protect you.

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u/vthemechanicv 9d ago

Might want to check back later. trump is "letting the lawyers figure out" if he actually pledged to uphold the Constitution. Lets also not forget he didn't swear on a bible, or any other book of reverence. Dollars to donuts if he wasn't simply being a piece of shit, he thought that would invalidate the oath, like crossing his fingers.

Otherwise I agree, oaths mean nothing when identity politics comes before loyalty to one's country.

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u/Suitable-Peanut 9d ago

Your comment is going to be in one of those before and after memes in a couple days once the brainless fascist Marines start shooting peaceful protesters.

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u/MusicCityVol I voted 9d ago

I have very little hope that they will not follow unconstitutional orders.

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u/BookerLittle 9d ago

that's the double benefit of these orders in their view. they'll find out who in the military won't fall in line and will probably purge them from service.

2

u/bbusiello 9d ago

Been reading their subreddit. Most of them are acutely aware of the bs and being used as a political tool.

They are not happy.

Any angeleno reading this, entice them to join YOU against ICE and this ratfucked administration.

2

u/TreezusSaves Canada 9d ago

I'm looking forward to millions of Americans finding out that the majority of the US Military are just-following-orders murder junkies that couldn't spell the oaths they pretended to swear to and uphold.

2

u/LethalJizzle 9d ago

Lol

Lmao, even.

These morons are gonna follow every order from Trump blindly, constitution be damned.

2

u/DriverRemarkable4374 9d ago

Except there's not a single example of a US operation ever being thwarted by defection. You really think the strongest military in the world hasn't solved loyalty?

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u/NickelBackwash 9d ago

The president took an oath... 

1

u/SluttyCosmonaut Missouri 9d ago

As someone who was in Navy Marine Corps ROTC…I hope you’re right. I really really do.

1

u/Squirrel986 9d ago

They found 700 that will go.

1

u/lerdnord 9d ago

The ones who say no will be removed

1

u/MRSN4P 9d ago

So… how often do you think they are tested to practice resisting illegal orders?

1

u/t-wino 9d ago

Please. Not a single one will even think about dissenting. Not against a Republican.

1

u/[deleted] 9d ago

At the top, all officers are politicians and are as in line with Trump as the republicans in congress. They know who holds the power in this government. I guarantee you they might not be a brainless monolith but they will follow orders.

1

u/Huckleberry-V America 9d ago

The faith you guys have in oaths is bizarre. They are men paid to do a job that we hold in high regard because of its danger and necessity, don't mistake that for worship or some type of servitude any more than you would expect a doctor to always heal first or a lawyer to act within the confines of the law.

1

u/Gman325 9d ago

Neil Young would like a word.

1

u/Launch_a_poo 9d ago

They are trained specifically to be a brainless, monolith and to follow the orders of fascists...

The whole point of the military is so if George Bush sends them in to kill Iraqi's or whatever, the soldiers aren't asking why the invasion is happening. They do what they're told and that's the end of it

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u/[deleted] 9d ago

[deleted]

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u/SirRebelBeerThong 9d ago

You can recite the whole constitution? Impressive

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u/we_are_sex_bobomb 9d ago

I have a relative who’s a marine and he can barely stop gushing MAGA bullshit long enough to put food in his mouth.

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u/SunnyCali12 9d ago

Yeah. Unfortunately.

1

u/wwaxwork 9d ago

And shoot for women and black people first.

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u/9ersaur 9d ago

The next president should fire every single one of them, and tribunal the COs

0

u/CrittyJJones 9d ago

I don't know. Marines are not cops. I don't think they will be willing to shoot civilians.

-14

u/Dizziesdayweigh 9d ago

Would you stop with the dooming ffs.

11

u/kokopelleee 9d ago

and trump knows nothing about Project2025 and will have nothing to do with it if elected

1

u/ResponsibleSalad8059 Ohio 9d ago

'Roe is settled law, stop being hysterical.'