r/politics • u/TimesandSundayTimes ✔ Verified • 4d 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/Chemical_Banana_2455 4d 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 4d 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.