this post was submitted on 22 Aug 2025
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"Just following orders"
Fun fact: during the Nuremberg trials it was determined that the "just following orders" excuse was in fact, not valid; and that someone always ought to disobey their superiors when that goes against liberty.
Is that fun fact applicable to soldiers just standing around doing nothing?
If you think someone can opt out of responsibility for partaking in repression, then I got bad news for you, yes.
You think soldiers can just ignore lawful orders without severe repercussions? You can sit on your smug high horse when they start beating up innocent civilians.
Yes, they can. I served. You can disobey illegal orders. If you partake, there is no excuse, and you could be charged for being an accessory after the fact.
You've no clue what an illegal order is. Standing around and providing security is not an illegal order. You should know that.
Listen, I hate the orange shitstain as much as the next guy, but he hasn't issued an illegal order nor are they following one.
This is why I can't stand leftists as much as I can't stand right-wingers. You're all so disingenuous and always argue in bad faith, shame on you!
You'll end up doing more damage to your movement than any fascist fuck could ever.
Only 177 people were judged in the Nuremberg trials, though. Barely a few dozens executed.
Vast majority of soldiers and civilians that were "just following orders" were indeed not condemned by their actions. At least not by any judge.
Which goes to show it didn't go as far as it could've.
They might indeed call it unrealistic to actually go on and prosecute all (and reasonably so given that recovery was key), but at least most of the top and key individuals should've gotten further consequences. Werner von Braun got off light.
There's much the USSR did terribly, but at least it was thorough with its treatment of Nazis after the war. That said, at the end of day, anarchocommunism >>>> state & surveillance capitalism. Stalin still allied with Hitler.
That's exactly why I posted that.
I think that’s unfair. Imagine being an impoverished American and one of your only options to afford a college education and healthcare is to join the National Guard, an organization that is rarely activated, and when they are, it’s often to actually help people during things like natural disasters. So you join, you take advantage of the benefits and can actually afford to start a family.
Then all of the sudden, you’re stuck in this situation. Leaving will get you a dishonorable discharge, stripping you and your family of healthcare. Getting another job will be difficult. Or you can just clench your teeth and maliciously comply by waffling on your responsibilities
Because saying no when something isn't just is the right thing to do.
People used to have principles that they just would not break, despite the consequences.
I think it's unfair to have troops deployed in Washington DC. They took a gamble by joining and I can empathize with that. But them complying is furthering the fascist agenda.