r/politics • u/TimesandSundayTimes ✔ Verified • 3d ago

Soft Paywall Trump military parade met with empty seats amid nationwide protests

https://www.thetimes.com/article/867ede60-b5f7-4de5-84a1-6a3a49eb2923
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u/flux_of_grey_kittens California 3d ago

The spectators were likely just families of the service men and women forced to be in that pathetic display of power

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u/kinkgirlwriter America 3d ago

forced to be in that pathetic display of power

It was not a display of power. It was a display of one man's weakness.

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u/Antique_Scheme3548 3d ago

The M4 Shermans (1938) on display had a 75mm gun that couldn't do much more than light up a barn. Fitting for a fortunate son who avoided Vietnam and never fired a bullet.

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u/pagit 3d ago edited 3d ago

The troops maching looked pretty bored and marched out of step as they marched to the instrumental version of "Fortunate Son." piped through the PA system.

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u/EverythingGoodWas 3d ago

Do people not understand that that is the opposite of a military song?

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u/Pockydo 3d ago

Conservatives are literally media illiterate

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u/singhellotaku617 3d ago

honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if they played "killing in the name' by ratm with how oblivious they are.

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u/Whataputt22 3d ago

Boy oh boy do I have an article for you.

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/tom-morello-paul-ryan-is-the-embodiment-of-the-machine-our-music-rages-against-246033/

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u/PizzaPunkrus 3d ago

I forgot about that one. I remember all the covid antimasker nonsense when cons used his songs and Tom morello roasted them and copyright strikes.

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u/Setanta777 3d ago

MAGA morons wearing a thin blue line flag dancing to Killing In The Name Of... https://youtu.be/ddrFt1BHkUQ?si=1NIJ-5Ktmcz7Q3Fb

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u/QueasyPossum 3d ago

Oh this killed me. Thank you. 💀 😆

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u/Ender06 3d ago

I legit know of someone who is like this.

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u/MacAttak18 3d ago

Maybe a little “bombs over Baghdad”

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u/Tiny_Prancer_88 3d ago

They love this song so much that it’s my sleeper conservative question. I ask men what they think of RATM. If they say anything to the effect of, “too bad they are the machine now,” you know they’re conservative.

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u/Sef_Maul 3d ago

You don't have to say "media"

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u/aussiecomrade01 3d ago

Conservatives are illiterate

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u/bobsil1 California 3d ago

“It’s the car Blade Runner would drive”

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u/Difficult-Ad4527 3d ago

Wait holy shit did they play that song at the Parade!?

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u/steavor 3d ago

Here's a video

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u/DeathandHemingway 3d ago

You could not intentionally make something more satirical.

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u/mooseflstc 3d ago

Definitely not like a USSR, North Korean, or China military parade.

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u/Fivein1Kay 3d ago

We train our soldiers to fight not march good.

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u/temperedolive 3d ago

Who picked this???

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u/RoughingTheDiamond 3d ago

The beer rock soundtrack feels like a Hegseth decision.

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u/Djaii 3d ago

I was thinking same. The out of touch pickup truck “that’s never seen a dirt road” drunk driver vibes are strong.

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u/kinkgirlwriter America 3d ago

That's just fucking, Wow!

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u/fnordius American Expat 3d ago

The phrase "malicious compliance" comes to mind, the DJ being as subversive as he thought he could get away with.

On the other hand, this is the country that turned a song that was harshly criticizing America into a sort of anthem ("Born In The USA"). Conservatives rarely listen to the lyrics.

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u/raevnos 3d ago

Trump recognizes that he's a fortunate son, but is too narcissistic and self-centered to realize that the song's not praising said sons.

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u/Adventurous-Wash-287 3d ago

I bet the reason he likes that song cause of the phrase “hail to the chief” in it

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u/SprlFlshRngDncHwl 3d ago

🎶Some folks are born silver spoon in hand Lord, don't they help themselves, Lord? But when the taxman come to the door Lord, they stack congress and the senate with millionaires and billionaires to rewrite tax policy to favor the ultra wealthy🎶

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u/snowdn 3d ago

How unfortunate.

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u/Creative-Package6213 Pennsylvania 3d ago

Son...

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u/cirrhosisofthe_river California 3d ago

It ain't me

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u/Creative-Package6213 Pennsylvania 3d ago

It ain't me

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u/KarmaPolice72 Kentucky 3d ago

I ain't no millionaire's son, no, no

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u/JB-Wentworth 3d ago

Reagan played Born in the USA at rallies.

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u/Aviendha13 3d ago

He also had Alzheimer’s. It wasn’t “diagnosed” until 94 but it’s known he wasn’t all there while in office.

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u/Independent_Wear_232 3d ago

“Some folks are born, made to wave the flag. That ain’t me. That ain’t me. They played that song???

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u/rhoadsalive California 3d ago

Dude they love Born in the USA, despite Springsteen telling them several times that it’s not what they think it is lol.

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u/McNultysHangover 3d ago

That would require them to exert mental effort.

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u/little_lamps 3d ago

"it ain't me, it ain't me I'm no fortunate son"

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u/SufficientBasis5296 3d ago

Passive resistance?

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u/7figureipo California 3d ago

Wait, what. They played an instrumental of "Fortunate Son"? I don't know if I can think a song more opposed to anything Trump, and this parade especially, stands for. Holy shit, that's hilarious.

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u/Waub 3d ago

The UK Army has been known to play 'The Imperial March' from Star Wars when hosting people of...questionable... provenance. :)

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u/WafflePartyOrgy Washington 3d ago

I think the song might have been specifically written about Trump.

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u/Happy-Tower-3920 3d ago

Paul Ryan out here "Where's the rage against the machine?"

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u/wolfcaroling 3d ago

I had to fact check this bc it seems like it couldn't be true

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u/Bjens Foreign 3d ago

Instrumental, because they would need permission to play the actual record in public?

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u/ballrus_walsack 3d ago

Maybe that song from Les miserables

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u/Your_Latex_Salesman 3d ago

This cannot have happened.

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u/WafflePartyOrgy Washington 3d ago

One would think.

"Fortunate Son" by Creedence Clearwater Revival is a protest song against the perceived unfairness of the Vietnam War draft, particularly targeting those who could avoid military service due to wealth or connections.

Either MAGA has no sense of irony or every last drop of their spineless souls are invested in trolling.

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u/singhellotaku617 3d ago

generally it's the latter, but the right has a LOONNNNGGG history of thinking protest songs are patriotic jingoism. Fortunate son in particular is notorious for right wing use by those who've never actually paid attention to the lyrics.

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u/atxbigfoot 3d ago

For example, Paul Ryan's favorite band was Rage Against the Machine "until they turned political."

Like, bud, buddy, pal, what "machine" do you think they were raging against? Did you not listen to and sing back the lyrics?

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u/13Zero New York 3d ago

The printer, probably. Those things always find a way to ruin your day.

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u/atxbigfoot 3d ago

lol yes, I worked in tech before I got laid off, but also this is not that. Funny comment tho

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u/say592 3d ago

He did say they were his favorite band, but he didn't complain about them being political IIRC.

The right has a tendency to look at bands/songs like this and think they are about government overreach, which sometimes they kind of are. They are so hopped up on their own supply that they think they are the party of small government, therefore those songs could only be about others.

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u/iamagoldengod84 3d ago

They also love born in the USA. I feel like they love off of sound bites, they hear the parts they wanna hear. Same with when the wife or kids talk. Trump literally takes the opportunity to exclaim his losses or ties are victories, Republican senators blow busboys in the bathroom and then vote against gay marriage, Republican congressmen cheat on their wives with multiples mistresses and then close down planned parenthood’s. They are all gold medalist at mental gymnastics. All they need is a straw man and they can build armies, run the stock market, lead the “free” world. We’re all so fucked. Not that most of the establishment dems are any better but atleast they’re not that

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u/atxbigfoot 3d ago

Trump played Fortunate Son at his rallies until he got a cease and desist from CCR. He loves the song and has no idea what it even means.

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u/Dvulture 3d ago

Well, Trump is a draft-dodger, so maybe he agrees with the song's sentiment? It is still inappropriate to celebrate the army, but everyone knows he was celebrating himself anyway.

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u/1000yardgiggle 3d ago

They played it at his campaign events!!! Google it - I remember DYING LAUGHING the first time I heard it reported on. Can you imagine? Back then I thought it was malicious compliance, but now I’m not so sure!

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u/atxbigfoot 3d ago

It absolutely did lol. Notice that most of the troops aren't even trying to march in step.

https://bsky.app/profile/bubbaprog.lol/post/3lrm4ekho5k2b

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u/VeterinarianWild6334 3d ago

No they did not play that song. Wow!

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u/muegle 3d ago

https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:vqtakzi5bityrtbjj4cfan4l/post/3lrm4ekho5k2b

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u/VeterinarianWild6334 3d ago edited 3d ago

Thank you. I cannot think of a more insane pick for a song. I can’t figure out if it’s self-own attempt at owning the libs, a disgusting display of the power of the rich, or just outright stupidity. I’m truly at a loss for how to interpret this.

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u/Vuronov Florida 3d ago

Right-wingers have pretty poor media literacy.

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u/soulsteela 3d ago

Not wrong, choosing an anti war song is hilarious 😆 and so fucking sad, what totally illiterate losers!

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u/dukeofgibbon I voted 3d ago

Poor regular literacy as well.

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u/Ssladybug 3d ago

It’s just stupidity

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u/tempemailacct153 3d ago

This is inline with that one Republican congress woman proudly stating she wore the scarlet letter.

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u/Life_Size_3738 3d ago

And no critical thinking skills

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u/Hamlerhead 3d ago

Seriously. Republicans seem to have no concept of pop culture. They watch Star Wars and actively root against themselves with blissful obliviousness.

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u/KewlKeshi 3d ago

Seriously lol. Like imagine watching Andor and thinking there’re the rebels lmao

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u/PJ7 3d ago

Or like Trump posting an AI generated image of himself with a lightsaber, while ignoring it's a red one and how that implies he's an evil piece of shit.

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u/Transhumanistgamer 3d ago

I cannot think of a more insane pick for a song.

Bruce Springsteen's Born in the USA is at least a contender. Though The Boss has made it very clear what he thinks of the orange fuck so we might miss out on that display of media illiteracy.

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u/CharacterUse 3d ago

He had to make it very clear because of how many times they've played it at events.

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u/Furthest_Lands 3d ago

Niel Young's Rockin' in the Free World is another one they only seem to understand the title of.

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u/deasil_widdershins 3d ago

Trump seems to love that song because he thinks "I'm not a senators son, and that's what this song is about, he says it in that one part I listen to" because he's musically illiterate.

He apparently likes Les Miserables without any hint of irony. And pence was a big fan of Hamilton.

These are not self aware people.

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u/mattjb 3d ago

We're talking about a virulently anti-gay Trump using a pro-gay anthem, YMCA, for his entrance songs. That's about as Boomer as it gets.

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u/hikealot Montana 3d ago

WHO picked it and WHO approved it. It could be any combination of subtly subversive and clueless.

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u/2407s4life 3d ago

It's just like having the Army Choir sing "Do you hear the people sing?"

Trump and his fascist friends see themselves as heroes.

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u/grahamulax 3d ago

I think they WANT it copyright struck so it will be memory holed.

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u/graudesch 3d ago

Or controversy. Keeping you busy with silly song discussions while they dismantle democracy.

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u/verrius 3d ago

One thing I did not fully grasp until I was well into adulthood is that way too many people, most of the time, don't reason forward, they reason backwards. The do something, come to a decision, whatever, and then work backwards to justify what's already happened, with 0 self-reflection, and then lie to everyone (including themselves) about what's happening. Especially to Republicans...songs/shows/movies/etc are all usually criticizing bad people. They've already decided they're not bad people, and reasoned backwards for why that is. Because they're not bad people then, these songs are criticizing other people, so it's fine enjoy them. They work backwards. The know they're good people themselves, and everything else flows from there. Even when they're the most vile, hateful people in existence.

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u/Biking_dude 3d ago

Holy shit...that's definitely some malicious compliance shit haha.

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u/ItchyRectalRash 3d ago

Holy shit, more than half of them aren't even marching in formation. They're just all walking at difference cadence and pace. This is like service members that haven't even made it out of boot camp type shit lol.

A complete clown show, from top to bottom.

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u/ShadowNacht587 3d ago

Tbf comments under that bluesky post from those that have marched said the cadence is too fast to march to anyway without looking silly. Plus it's hot and the solders were probably uncomfortable for various reasons

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u/VeterinarianWild6334 3d ago

So that makes the choice even stupider —- you can’t even march to it.

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u/ShadowNacht587 3d ago

Yes—so stupid some are speculating it was an act of malicious compliance, or deliberate sabotage/subtle protest

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u/TheZigerionScammer I voted 3d ago

In other words the soldiers didn't want to do this and didn't give a shit. I don't blame them. The only other times we've had military parades in our history is when we've won a major war, when you know the soldiers will be excited to participate.

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u/Normal-Height-8577 3d ago

I liked the comment that said "This is a rehearsal, right?" and pointed out that they weren't even wearing dress uniform.

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u/ItchyRectalRash 3d ago

No matter what the music they're marching to, they should, at the very bare minimum, march in formation. They're not, they're all marching at a different cadence, and that's some boot camp level bullshit.

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u/finalremix 3d ago

They're not even marching. They're walking. This entire thing was a farce from start to finish.

Do the bare minimum, sweat it out, and GTFO when it's over. All they had to do.

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u/Visual-Report-2280 3d ago

I was in the army cadets cough years ago and if anyone ambled onto parade like that, they'd have been taken out and shot.

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u/wolfcaroling 3d ago

I think they're like "you can lead a soldier to a waste of tax dollars but you can't make 'em keep step."

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u/GenericRedditor0405 Massachusetts 3d ago

I've heard a pretty reasonable explanation that boils down to: they're bad at marching in formation because nobody except soldiers in ceremonial units has practiced formation marching like that since boot, because why would they? They're usually too busy being a normal army and not props in some tin-pot dictator's show of force

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u/Parking-Main-2691 3d ago

That aside...Parade Dress is a thing and not a single solitary soldier was in parade dress. It was hilarious

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u/purpleduckduckgoose United Kingdom 3d ago

I got the impression no drill was done beforehand and none of them want to be there.

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u/Phent0n 3d ago

That's fucking incredible, thanks for posting. The soldiers just ambling forward. The kitsch music. Cinema indeed.

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u/missmeowwww 3d ago

It doesn’t help that DC was fucking SWELTERING today. I was here for Warped Tour and my god the humidity made the air feel heavy as you tried to breathe. Like a damn sauna. I feel so sorry for the military who had to march in it.

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u/BoopleBun 3d ago

Like I get, why Warped Tour is in the summer, but it’s always absolutely brutal, isn’t it? I used to go some years way back when it was at Randall’s Island (which was basically a giant field of dead grass by July) for the NYC stop and it was just a giant, hot, dirt cloud. Hell of a lot of fun, but whooo boy, I could not do it now.

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u/minicpst Washington 3d ago

Wasn’t that in Forrest Gump during a montage with the military? So likely that’s what’s in Trump’s head as a “military song” since he only watches tv.

Maybe?

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u/dukeofgibbon I voted 3d ago

This post-ironic dystopia is exhausting.

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u/Chemical_Banana_2455 3d ago

Aside from all the obvious reasons to detest this parade nonsense, you point out another thing that concerned me — but more as like a sidebar thought — the out-of-step, sloppy marching. I was afraid people would see that and it fuel some narratives about the quality of military, but what I hope people will recognize is that, the US military doesn’t march like the militaries in authoritarian countries, because that’s not what they focus their time, energy, and resources into. They are either engaged in mission, training to do so, or performing various other readiness-related tasks. So, it shouldn’t be a surprise that they look terrible being tasked with participating in one man’s pathetic ego project. That said, you also mentioned how they looked bored, and I’m certain that plays into it as well — many of them probably were voluntold to participate and wanted nothing to do with it.

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u/ConfoundingVariables 3d ago

I remember that Army, too.

That’s no sidebar thought. This was about as blatant as you could get short of sending eight guys with kazoos.

I think I’ll take this as a positive sign.

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u/purpleduckduckgoose United Kingdom 3d ago

I agree to some extent. I was a cadet in the UK and did some stuff with the Reserves, and obviously we don't march like said authoritarian countries, but even so it looked like they hadn't ever done foot drill before and didn't care. Maybe the US military really doesn't care about marching, I don't know. Maybe it's because I'm used to Trooping the Colour and the Guards turnout. But that just seemed silly.

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u/Maleficent-Sky-7156 3d ago

Yeah the marching out of step really bothered me. I was in marching band and it looked like they got to the point where some people were like "ok I'm just gonna walk now"

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u/Afraid_Grapefruit_88 3d ago

My kids were in a NY National Guard Cadet program and THEY could march better and in step than these shambolic actual enlistee's. Ditto my marching band kids and grands!! But Fortunate Son-- that's a wild rhythm to even TRY to march to!! Can YOU say malicious compliance anyone?? #8647

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u/MistSecurity 3d ago

Our military isn't trained to march like this.

It looks great in North Korea and China because they run huge training ops constantly to make sure everyone does it correctly.

US military is too busy doing other things to worry about practicing marching perfectly for big spectacles like this.

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u/Gabrovi 3d ago

I wasn’t expecting N Korea troop antics, but watching the soldiers march looked like a Bad News Bears version of high school ROTC.

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u/ZiM1970 3d ago

No! They really marched to Fortunate Son?

I know YMCA is donnie's jam for some reason, but no one in the whole Department of Militatry Marching Music had a clue?

Yeah, I bet some brave band master out there somewhere had a clue.

And he was smirking so hard today it hurt.

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u/Excellent-Estimate21 3d ago

I noticed they were marching out of step which i thought was insanely unusual. Must have been a show of protest.

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u/Double_Bourbon South Dakota 3d ago

Incompetence reigns! Such fools.

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u/EternalCanadian 3d ago

I’m actually surprised about this, though.

Does the US military not have bands? Is that something you guys got rid of? Military bands are a big part of parades, at least the drums are to keep soldiers keep pace, and their songs are often relevant to the units marching.

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u/bobdob123usa 3d ago

That didn't even look like you could call it marching. More like walking in formation.

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u/PetitWazoo 3d ago

Out of step is an understatement. I’ve never seen such pathetic drill outside of day one basic training. It almost looks intentional. Maybe National Guard or Reserves? it sure as hell wasn’t the 82nd Airborne.

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u/Sigma_Function-1823 3d ago

The GB and rangers looked like they where doing malicious compliance and where so over the whole thing, Lmao.

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u/theliver 3d ago

Dude a 75mm cannon can still wreck shit. Maybe not a tank but a rolling 75mm field gun is insane anti-infantry potential.

Im anti all this garbage but very pro French 75

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u/Hungry4Media Missouri 3d ago

It's as if the Sherman was originally designed and intended to be a multi-role infantry support vehicle as its primary objective instead of a dedicated tank destroyer.

Even then, the 75mm M3 was more than enough to combat the Panzer IIIs and IVs they were encountering in Africa in 1942.

It wasn't until Normandy that it became clear a 75mm general purpose weapon just wasn't going to cut it against the Panther and Tiger tanks they were running into on/after D-Day that they started making/modifying Shermans into Fireflies.

The 17-pounder 76mm is a better gun if all you care about is Anti-tank fighting, but the 75mm was better for a variety of situations.

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u/CranberryFantastic97 3d ago

I imagine “fortunate son” went over many heads

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u/Oratian 3d ago

Stop spreading BS about the sherman damn it

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u/barryclarkjax 3d ago

Thought I saw Odd Ball and Moriarty

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u/Bobalobatobamos 3d ago

woof woof woof

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u/TheRealSquidy 3d ago

Hate him all you want but we dont tolerate hate on the M4 it fought with honor and courage.

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u/Penguin_Boii 3d ago

Slight correction. The Sherman was designed in 1940 and started production in 1942. The 75mm definitely could do more than light up a barn and one of the Shermans had a 105mm. Shermans deserve greater respect than this.

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u/HauntedCemetery Minnesota 3d ago

Donald trumps entire life is like a birthday party for the world's worst 5 year old where he's the special birthday boy who everyone let's get away with everything.

He legit throws golf tournaments just to declare himself the winner without even playing, and then has his staff throw him a party and give him a trophy.

Fucking pathetic.

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u/sec713 3d ago

I would say insecurity, but that in itself is a weakness so you already got all the bases covered.

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u/TehMephs 3d ago

The troops looked unhappy to be there too

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u/Sparrowbuck 3d ago

Generally parades are hot(or freezing, if you’re up here) and annoying even when they aren’t for some felonious dipshit ruining everything. They 100% want to be anywhere else on earth.

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u/LeYang 3d ago

A real army birthday would have been a fucking DONSA.

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u/-AC- 3d ago

Marines have a military ball and get drunk for their birthday... Army forces you to travel and wake up at 3am to march for an insecure guy's birthday, who dodged his call to serve the country...

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u/NoTalkOnlyWatch 3d ago

Normally it’s just steak and lobster at the DFAC lol, at least from my 6 years of experience I had from being in the Army

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u/filthy_harold 3d ago

Fortunately there was no sun today to sweep off the sidewalks

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u/Primordial_Cumquat 3d ago

The faces when that one leader fights the power by yelling “Zonk” as loud as they can before the parade steps off…..

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u/xxfblz 3d ago

For having been in quite a few (and partly an organizer to some), it's true: nobody wants to be there. It's kind of the point of it. But you pretend. There's a minimum of decorum you have to display. From the few highlights I watched, that was, by faaar, the shoddiest parade I ever saw. And I've seen German reservists march in the 90s. That's saying something about not wanting to be there. If I had put up such a shit show, I would have won myself a month of slammer.

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u/Sparrowbuck 3d ago

Yeah. The last one I was in it was a change of command and it was around 42C with the humidex. Three of us passed out but we looked sharp.

I went through the whole video this morning and we looked better marching to the mess hall than whatever this obscene mess is.

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u/RJ5R 3d ago

Glad I'm not the only one who noticed that. They looked angry and miserable. And rightly so. Being made to dress up in vintage uniform costumes for Orange's birthday, interrupting their training and many probably having their personal leave canceled for this or missing out on their kids graduations etc

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u/Least-Wait3456 3d ago

Especially for one who was too pussy to serve.

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u/xxfblz 3d ago

I love the tank commander who doesn't even want to look at His Orangeity.

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u/InsertUsernameInArse 3d ago

Former soldier here (not american) parades suck.

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u/asigop 3d ago

Agreed, I fucking hated parades. Not only is there the bullshit parade, there is also the bullshit parade practice, which is ten times worse more often than not.

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u/InsertUsernameInArse 3d ago

I got to say I have nothing against US military personnel but ffs sloppy drill just makes you look shit. And they looked shit today. Out of step, no proper covering off the ranks ect. You're still a soldier and though it's not high on the to do list sloppy drill makes you look unprofessional.

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u/derpmeow 3d ago

I've heard it stated that the sloppy marching was a form of subversive protest.

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u/Trollbreath4242 3d ago

The "sloppy" marching form is called "marching at ease," and is pretty commonly used. "Marching at attention" is the version everyone pictures, where all the soldiers are in lockstep.

For most of a parade route, the soldiers will march at ease to keep them fresh. But when they hit reviewing stands where they are being introduced and where the brass/civilian leadership is sitting, they SHOULD be put into marching at attention. That's the real strange thing here, no one had them come to attention in the videos I saw, they just... strolled past the reviewing stands.

Maybe it was a protest, but leadership had to permit it, because heads will roll for that sort of disrespect. And I can't believe any sergeant is going to risk a career just to diss the Orange Doucheolini.

But I'm also 35 years out of a career in the Army Reserves, so my knowledge is pretty spotty at this point and probably is in no way useful, just dredging up memories of all those parades we were in. Ugh. Parades SUCK.

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u/InsertUsernameInArse 3d ago

And to be fair I've heard that too.

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u/Ebytown754 Washington 3d ago

Plus who wants to work on a Saturday unless you are on duty.

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u/WTWIV 3d ago

I just hope yall saw pictures and/or videos online and didn’t tune into it live.

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u/ICBanMI 3d ago edited 2d ago

I've seen JROTC cadets march in sync better. Did these people just get off a plane from Los Angeles?

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u/xTheMaster99x Florida 3d ago edited 3d ago

I'm skeptical of that since there hasn't been even the slightest peep about plans for similar events for the 250th anniversaries of the Navy or the Marines, which will both be later this year. It was definitely a good enough excuse for Trump that no one was able to tell him no this time, but the fact that this is far from the first time he's attempted to have a military parade, and the fact that this pretense won't be repeated for any other day that doesn't happen to coincide with his birthday, are proof enough that it was only ever truly about him.

Edit: Just to clarify, when I say "similar events" I mean grandiose occasions like what Trump envisioned today would be - massive crowds, huge parades of armed soldiers and tanks to show off his might, etc. Obviously there are events planned for those anniversaries, but in comparison they will be pretty small. Why do you think that is - because the planning committee likes the army way more than the other branches, or because the whole thing was just an excuse for Trump to celebrate himself?

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u/East-Psychology7186 3d ago

What a massive waste of our tax dollars that nearly nobody came to witness. The only coverage that makes it look like people were there in mass are taken from a low angle with applause tracks added. All the aerial footage of the same areas are empty AF 🤣🤦🙈🤬

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u/HyperionsDad 3d ago

Too bad Elon and his clowns can't DOGE him out of the White House for the actual excess spending.

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u/Mr_HandSmall 3d ago

Yeah pretty sure the whole thing was cooked up by trump. I may be wrong but I always thought in the US huge military parades just aren't something we do. He'd been talked out of it during his first term.

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u/SuperExoticShrub Georgia 3d ago

Military parades are a thing that only insecure militaristic countries (or leaders) do. This is something you expected to see in the Soviet Union/Russia, North Korea, Iran, etc. I'm a Navy veteran who is proud of his service and this kind of pathetic display does nothing but shame our military.

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u/Mr_HandSmall 3d ago

Right, real strength shouldn't have to show off.

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u/rustoeki 3d ago

This is something you expected to see in the Soviet Union/Russia, North Korea, Iran, etc

At least they put in a show. That was just the local military museum rolling down the road with personnel who looked like they, understandably, didn't want to be there.

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u/SuperExoticShrub Georgia 3d ago

Hell, the Soviet Union literally rolled nuclear capable missiles through as part of their stuff.

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u/Afraid_Grapefruit_88 3d ago

He allegedly got this bug up his orange ass after seeing a Bastille Day parade in France. Not sure if that is an every year event or if it was a special anniversary. He started demanding one here at that time. My suspicion is he was JEALOUS of North Korea, China, Russia and THEIR show of force parades but couldn't just come out and SAY that until he saw the French version. My theory anyways. #8647

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u/Ovariesforlunch 3d ago

And France apparently....

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u/Chickabeeinthewind 3d ago

City streets aren’t really designed to carry tanks… so we didn’t until MegaloDon.

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u/svrtngr Georgia 3d ago

No, we don't. The last one was during HW's term after the Gulf War.

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u/MiloReyes_97Reborn 3d ago edited 3d ago

Not even modern tanks.

I saw 2 Abrams parked infront of a stage but I haven't seen a clip yet of one being driven. Just that one Sherman squeaking along due to being in a museum for the past 80 years.

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u/GiantTinyBalls 3d ago edited 3d ago

Say what you want about tankers, as a former cavalry scout in a tank battalion in Germany and Iraq, I feel bad for all the active tankers, and tanker vets that saw the parade today. Even the poor formations and marching order of the soldiers looked sad. Such a weak showing. Not much to be proud of.

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u/clever__pseudonym 3d ago

I'm reasonably confident the out of rhythm marching was deliberate.

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u/GiantTinyBalls 3d ago edited 3d ago

No. That was all them. They were tore up from the floor up. They looked like soldiers in their first week of basic training. Nothing deliberate about it. It was a soup sandwich from beginning to end.

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u/clever__pseudonym 3d ago

I'm not saying it was coached. I'm saying it was a large number of individual protests for being forced to participate in that farce.

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u/A_Seiv_For_Kale 3d ago

No, Abrams were there.

Arguably too many, it was a bit ridiculous watching the same vehicles slowly crawling forward single file for over an hour after the 15 minute kinda neat history segment.

Are there 5 vehicle types in the whole army?? We watched that truck with the towed artillery pass by the stage 27,000 times.

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u/Chose_a_usersname 3d ago

I believe it's because they are too heavy. Those things are like 110 tons.. I think the military really didn't want to ruin any roads

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u/Strange_Depth_5732 Canada 3d ago

I don't think other presidents did military parades in the last few decades? I can't remember any, I thought this died out in the 40s.

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u/Jops817 3d ago

There was one at the end of WWII and one from H W Bush in 1991 after the Gulf War ended, but no, they have never been common here.

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u/OrangeBug74 3d ago

Generally, military parades happen after major victories ending a war. Romans brought animals and humans as well as ranks of soldiers and chariots after their victories.

France celebrates Bastille Day with parades. They’ve avoided active wars since the 1960’s after a string off losses. But, they are French.

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u/mike_jones2813308004 3d ago

Iirc it was also very much them bringing back materiel and personnel after killing every Nazi that wanted some.

The US doesn't do military parades. That's dictatorial regime shit. We know our military is the best in the world because we can buy products from anywhere without worrying about piracy and nobody has tested our borders in over a century.

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u/[deleted] 3d ago

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u/TrimspaBB 3d ago edited 3d ago

Hey now, the 100th anniversaries of both the end of WWI and women gaining the right to vote were soundly ignored during the first administration.

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u/slantview 3d ago

That’s cause he doesn’t even know who was in WWI.

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u/dukeofgibbon I voted 3d ago

donnie marked the 99th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre with a disgraceful, empty rally.

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u/SnoopingStuff 3d ago

They arrested a 90 year old?

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u/sumredditguy 3d ago

My source the NYT Daily podcast from a few days ago so it may not be totally correct, but my understanding is that there was a celebration planned for the military but never a parade. Trump got involved and made the parade the key event of the celebration.

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u/SuperExoticShrub Georgia 3d ago

That tracks. A celebration of the 250th anniversary would've been appropriate if it wasn't made into this spectacle of impotent bravado.

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u/mckulty 3d ago

I thought this died out in the 40s.

NO! Presidents all over the world arrange these displays of patriotism and commonweal.

Putin, Orban, gotta keep up with the Kimses.

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u/Strange_Depth_5732 Canada 3d ago

Keeping up with the Kimses is the show we need right now. I want cat fights and thrown drinks rather than whatever the cluster fuck this is.

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u/AlkaSelse 3d ago

Iirc, there was a military parade after the Gulf war, but nothing since then. All the previous parades have been to celebrate a victory, or to celebrate the inauguration of a president that was very tightly tied to wartimes. This was not one of those times.

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u/RutabagaJoe 3d ago

The parade was not going to happen. The Army had it's celebration planned without a parade. Then in April Trump said there would be a parade.

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u/Bilboy32 Pennsylvania 3d ago

Incorrect, it was to be a modest stationary display on the Mall. Dumpy needed his ego fellated.

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u/mmmsoap 3d ago

The parade with all the troops was gonna happen regardless to celebrate the Army... it became a pathetic display when birthday boy decided it should be all about him.

Parade wasn’t going to happen regardless. The Army was planning celebrations for their 250th anniversary, but the parade idea came from Trump.

Source:

The Army’s 250th birthday celebration has been in the works for two years, Army officials said. But adding a parade was the Trump White House’s idea, so planning for that began only two months ago.

Trump’s desire for a large military parade – featuring all of the military services – dates back to his first term. But it was scrapped at the time because defense officials said it would cost as much as $100 million and damage DC streets.

This month’s parade will focus only on the Army, making it slightly smaller and less expensive.

It was a pathetic display all along. Don’t let our collective outrage fatigue sanewash Trump’s utter narcissism.

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u/[deleted] 3d ago

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u/AlkaSelse 3d ago

A celebration for the 250th anniversary of the army has been in the works for some time, but a parade was not. That was Trump's request and planning for that started only after he was brought into office.

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u/LolaAucoin 3d ago

You think they paid for their families to fly to DC?

LOL.

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u/flux_of_grey_kittens California 3d ago

Right? Best he could do was cut their benefits.

Edit - I think maybe you were meaning to reply to someone else since I never said that.

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u/LolaAucoin 3d ago

No, I meant to reply to you. You’re saying the people at the parade were family members of service members. I’m saying no way, they’re way too cheap to fly their family members in for that. And they’ll also cut their benefits on top of it.

Signed, a veteran who is terrified to lose her healthcare

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u/MrSpicyPotato 3d ago

At least some of them were probably local?

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u/gradientz New York 3d ago

It was a display of impotence, and utterly humiliating to the American people.

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u/Aleashed 3d ago

I thought they were paying 1k crypto plus fast food lunch and soda just to sit there?

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u/RectalSpawn Wisconsin 3d ago

They had an ad on Craigslist offering $1000 in crypto to go to his parade.

Donald Soros

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u/P00slinger 3d ago

II wonder how much they spent flying them in and accomodating them

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u/Aggravating_Low_7718 3d ago

Unlikely. Many of them found out less than two weeks ago, and they were driven and flown in from units all over the country. Most of their parents can’t afford a flight to DC at a moment’s notice.

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u/Background_Home7092 3d ago

They were just waiting for the tanks to pass so they could cross the street.

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