... do you think that THEY might tell us what they consider to be "support?"
Gee, now there's a concept: reinstating freedom of speech under the Uniform Code of Military Justice instead of allowing self-serving politicians to "speak for you."
Right now, soldiers can be court-martialed for expressing displeasure toward the commander-in-chief or various other leaders. Does that sound "American" to you?
2007-04-19 13:37:17 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Military
Can you imagine what would have happened to Clinton if he were not protected by this rule?
Hint: if the troops agreed with your political opinions they would never join in the first place. How does it feel to know that the people who agree with your politics feel that you are not worth defending?
2007-04-19 15:03:22 · answer #1 · answered by MikeGolf 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
As a veteran of 21 years of faithful service to this nation I can understand where you are coming from. But it's a little more complex than that. Military personnel CAN speak out on issues, just not under the color of the uniform that they wear. There are limits even to that, depending upon your rank, though. An officer cannot make comments critical of the Commander in Chief, though an enlisted person can.
The point is, and it takes a bit of time to get your head around it as a new enlistee, is that the military must hold themselves to a higher standard than the ordinary citizen. We must appear to be above the political fray. It's one of the sacrifices that we make for our service but as a war vet myself I can say that it is truly one of the smaller ones.
Being sent away from your family for sometimes years at a time without any notice. Being shot at and sometimes not even being allowed to return fire. Having a wife or husband get sick of not having you around and leaving you because of your service. Not knowing if the little smiling kid approaching you is as friendly as his smile says or has a grenade hidden under his clothes, possibly to be detonated by some slimeball raghead scumbag who couldn't care about the kid, let alone you. Those are the real sacrifices we make. Yet we make them silently and gladly since that's what we do.
When it gets to be too much to take, we quietly hang up our uniforms and THEN speak out. Loudly and clearly. And hear this now: The current administration is the most incompetent and divisive we've ever suffered under in all my years of service. I'm stunned, sickened, and saddened deeply with what has happened to the country that I love over the past 6 1/2 years. Thankfully it will be all over in a relatively short time and maybe we can then start rebuilding ourselves into the great nation that we should have been all along.
2007-04-19 13:55:05 · answer #2 · answered by Bostonian In MO 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
As a soldier siting right here in Iraq i could say help could be marching your selves right down to the recruiting place of work of your decision of provider. Then signing on the dotted line and geting you butt over right here or anyplace your necessary to stand evil! not purely an enemy from now on yet organic evil interior the international! And greater air conceal is mostly a sturdy element!!
2016-11-25 23:14:36 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Soldiers are not "gagged" against public comments on politics at all. We are actually encouraged to talk to people and voice our opinions. The only thing that we are not allowed to do is to make threats against, or vocally go against the decisions made by the President. It is not un-American and any soldier that thinks otherwise should not have joined the military and agreed to take orders from and obey the President who is the Commander-in-Chief.
2007-04-19 13:45:22 · answer #4 · answered by KellyS 2 · 6⤊ 2⤋
They aren't prevented on stating what they feel, however support of our troops in what they are doing and cannot control is more important than current policitical goals and beliefs.
We need to do the job we are supposed to do and support those next to us doing the same thing no matter our own personsonal beliefs...If the army wanted us to have personal beliefs they would have issued a list stating them during basic training.
That is how a soldier is trained-that is how a soldier does.
Support our troops.
(dump the president and our current representatives at our next election)
2007-04-19 13:49:19 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Did you forget that they agreed to be soldiers. The freedom was indeed in their hands to begin with. They choose to do this, why would they say now that they don't want to be soldiers and hate what they do. They had a very good idea of what they were getting into.
Comment above me is lying about being in Iraq.
Edit: If you dislike America, then move and help us get rid of the negative attitude that is holding us down.
2007-04-19 13:43:20 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 3⤋
You take the Oath & you accept the limits of your former rights. How do you think a military could operate if its members put everything up to a vote or had a town-hall meeting? Sheer lunacy!
2007-04-19 13:43:59 · answer #7 · answered by infidel-louie 5 · 6⤊ 1⤋
Thanks for showing you haven't a clue. That part of the UCMJ only applies to commissioned officers.
2007-04-19 14:58:35 · answer #8 · answered by George D 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
They come on here and talk about "Pride" and other useless BS. The other soldiers shut-up anyone that disagrees with murder (War ON Iraq).
2007-04-19 13:49:36 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 5⤋
Sure it does. We can't bad mouth our bosses either.
2007-04-19 13:44:41 · answer #10 · answered by redunicorn 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋