this post was submitted on 12 Jun 2025
1217 points (99.5% liked)

News

30157 readers
5074 users here now

Welcome to the News community!

Rules:

1. Be civil


Attack the argument, not the person. No racism/sexism/bigotry. Good faith argumentation only. This includes accusing another user of being a bot or paid actor. Trolling is uncivil and is grounds for removal and/or a community ban. Do not respond to rule-breaking content; report it and move on.


2. All posts should contain a source (url) that is as reliable and unbiased as possible and must only contain one link.


Obvious right or left wing sources will be removed at the mods discretion. Supporting links can be added in comments or posted seperately but not to the post body.


3. No bots, spam or self-promotion.


Only approved bots, which follow the guidelines for bots set by the instance, are allowed.


4. Post titles should be the same as the article used as source.


Posts which titles don’t match the source won’t be removed, but the autoMod will notify you, and if your title misrepresents the original article, the post will be deleted. If the site changed their headline, the bot might still contact you, just ignore it, we won’t delete your post.


5. Only recent news is allowed.


Posts must be news from the most recent 30 days.


6. All posts must be news articles.


No opinion pieces, Listicles, editorials or celebrity gossip is allowed. All posts will be judged on a case-by-case basis.


7. No duplicate posts.


If a source you used was already posted by someone else, the autoMod will leave a message. Please remove your post if the autoMod is correct. If the post that matches your post is very old, we refer you to rule 5.


8. Misinformation is prohibited.


Misinformation / propaganda is strictly prohibited. Any comment or post containing or linking to misinformation will be removed. If you feel that your post has been removed in error, credible sources must be provided.


9. No link shorteners.


The auto mod will contact you if a link shortener is detected, please delete your post if they are right.


10. Don't copy entire article in your post body


For copyright reasons, you are not allowed to copy an entire article into your post body. This is an instance wide rule, that is strictly enforced in this community.

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Several service members told advocacy groups they felt like pawns in a political game and assignment was unnecessary

California national guards troops and marines deployed to Los Angeles to help restore order after days of protest against the Trump administration have told friends and family members they are deeply unhappy about the assignment and worry their only meaningful role will be as pawns in a political battle they do not want to join.

Three different advocacy organisations representing military families said they had heard from dozens of affected service members who expressed discomfort about being drawn into a domestic policing operation outside their normal field of operations. The groups said they have heard no countervailing opinions.

“The sentiment across the board right now is that deploying military force against our own communities isn’t the kind of national security we signed up for,” said Sarah Streyder of the Secure Families Initiative, which represents the interests of military spouses, children and veterans.

top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] jaschen306@sh.itjust.works 9 points 11 hours ago* (last edited 11 hours ago)
[–] Wahots@pawb.social 15 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

They shouldn't be there. The national guard is for fighting wildfires and vaccinating hundreds of thousands of people during the pandemic. They are not to be abused for idiotic political reasons, especially for protests with very few bad apples.

[–] MattTheProgrammer@lemmy.world 12 points 12 hours ago

The national guard, if i understand it correctly, is meant to be the well-regulated militia of the states as outlined in the 2nd amendment. They shouldn't even be under federal control at all.

[–] NigelFrobisher@aussie.zone 17 points 17 hours ago

One day these guys will have to pick a side between their neighbours and the oligarchy.

[–] Omega@lemmy.blahaj.zone 21 points 18 hours ago

Maybe it's time to stop "just following orders".

[–] Olhonestjim@lemmy.world 12 points 18 hours ago

They're welcome to come defend the American people from the criminal gangs known as the police and ICE.

[–] khaleer@sopuli.xyz 17 points 20 hours ago

Pawns of political games feel like pawns of political game? No fucking way, at this rate, they will get self-conscience faster than they predict it for ai.

[–] throwawayacc0430@sh.itjust.works 17 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

I mean didn't a court just said this deployment is illegal? Just use that as an excuse and be like: "fuck this, I'm out". Like literally just start holding a poster and go to the protester's side.

[–] Branch_Ranch@lemmy.world 10 points 20 hours ago

A judge ruled the troops can remain there for now.

[–] bitwolf@sh.itjust.works 6 points 17 hours ago

I keep looking for cries for help on their shields.

I can totally see a scenario where they deploy but have protest messages on their shields, and maliciously comply to orders.

[–] cook_pass_babtridge@feddit.uk 5 points 17 hours ago

This is quite funny, since pawns in chess literally represent infantry units.

[–] jonesey71@lemmus.org 29 points 1 day ago (4 children)

They should be feeling like shit. They are acting like shit and following unconstitutional orders. Grow a goddamn spine and frag any officers who give you unconstitutional orders.

[–] aaron@infosec.pub 5 points 21 hours ago

If you have been trained to follow orders under extreme pressure, in an organisation that has done exactly this stuff for decades overseas to 'other people'. And if actually you consider immigrants 'other people', how big a leap is it really?

load more comments (3 replies)
[–] selkiesidhe@lemm.ee 37 points 1 day ago

You got the choice to stand up and say no. No I will not use my weapons on my own fucking people because some geriatric PoS is having a terrible twos tantrum because everyone hates his ass.

Do what's right or be remembered as the ones who did wrong.

[–] Machinist@lemmy.world 29 points 1 day ago

Please. Please. Please. Come on boys, just read the Constitution, you didn't sign up for this shit.

[–] Rekorse@sh.itjust.works 52 points 1 day ago

Maybe this will be what wakes up Americas military to the fact that everything they do is political. Apparently its harder to trick people into hurting their own country though so thats good to hear.

[–] Phoenicianpirate@lemm.ee 110 points 1 day ago (24 children)

Their orders are illegal, thus disobeying them is not insubordination or illegal.

[–] Necroscope0@lemm.ee 68 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Not just not subordination following them is specifically illegal and historically "I was following orders" has NEVER been justification or gotten anyone off their charges. You follow illegal orders YOU are a criminal as much as your commanding officer.

[–] kerrigan778@lemmy.blahaj.zone 13 points 1 day ago

Unfortunately for the most part with only a few exceptions "I was following orders" has in fact, always worked to get people off scott free for war crimes except in cases where they were committed by a nation that lost the war.

load more comments (23 replies)
[–] Plurrbear@lemmy.world 22 points 1 day ago (2 children)

They are upset that they are witnessing police tear gas their own community members and civilians exercising their 1st amendment rights, yet soldiers cannot use that same weapon against enemies… what does that say?!? STOP GASSING US! Stop with the rubber bullets! We have right and Americans need to stand up and realize this!

If there are no consumers, there is no capitalism! If all essential workers all don't show up ONE DAY… we shutdown America! We

THIS IS WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN, mass organized protests across the nation!!!

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] EndlessNightmare@reddthat.com 19 points 1 day ago

Now is the time for malicious compliance

[–] Wrrzag@lemmy.ml 8 points 1 day ago (4 children)

"I signed up to kill brown people in the middle east, not this"

[–] Razzazzika@lemm.ee 22 points 18 hours ago

That's not what the National Guard is for. It's meant to help citizens in times of crisis and defend the nation in case of invasion, not be deployed overseas.

"I signed up because I was too poor to go to college and had no other career prospects." Don't assume.

[–] throwawayacc0430@sh.itjust.works 6 points 20 hours ago

Killing brown people in the middle east - I sleep

Killing brown people in America - real shit

[–] elucubra@sopuli.xyz 3 points 22 hours ago

I signed up to kill brown people in the middle east, not ~~this~~ here"

FTFY

[–] Treczoks@lemmy.world 80 points 1 day ago (1 children)

They should be troubled. They are breaking their oath on the constitution.

On the other hand, they could easily turn and end tyranny before it really sets in.

[–] Dozzi92@lemmy.world 51 points 1 day ago (18 children)

You say "easily," but I doubt it appears so easy, because disobeying the order first starts with you violating the UCMJ and paying for it. Only then can you fight and say hey, the order was unlawful. But you're doing that from military jail. It's an uphill battle and there's nothing easy about it.

I imagine the mindset is go, stand around with a shield, don't murk protestors, and try to just wait this shit out.

Plus, for the Marines, they were living in 29 Palms beforehand, so it's practically a vacation.

load more comments (18 replies)
[–] kent_eh@lemmy.ca 160 points 1 day ago (32 children)

deploying military force against our own communities isn’t the kind of national security we signed up for

Then refuse those illegal orders and stand down.

[–] SaltSong@startrek.website 68 points 1 day ago (16 children)

As much as i hate what Trump is doing, I don't expect any enlisted man to refuse orders to go somewhere. The legality of that order is debatable, but following it does not cause any immediate harm. It's not a good risk to take.

Refusal to follow orders will come when the order is so clearly illegal that there can be no question, and when following that order is something that can't be undone. An order to fire into the crowd, for example.

Of course, no such order will be given. I assume we have all seen Andor, yes?

load more comments (16 replies)
load more comments (30 replies)
[–] RedditIsDeddit@lemmy.world 327 points 1 day ago (9 children)

this is a good thing to hear

[–] evenglow@lemmy.world 180 points 1 day ago (15 children)

Similar when they were doing border patrol in Texas.

Military training is kinda big on threat identification and assessment. You don't have to like the military to appreciate some of the stuff you can learn from it.

Protesting is not a threat to America. It's a threat to the people who are in charge.

load more comments (15 replies)
load more comments (8 replies)
[–] Windex007@lemmy.world 182 points 1 day ago (4 children)
load more comments (4 replies)
[–] Cordially_Undead@lemmy.world -3 points 12 hours ago

In this thread: a lot of people who have no idea about how the military operates.

[–] WorldsDumbestMan@lemmy.today 0 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

So they are just going to whine...but then do it anyway?

[–] Makhno@lemmy.world 7 points 12 hours ago

Dishonorable discharges fuck your life up, but go off

[–] PugJesus@lemmy.world 54 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Good. They should be troubled. This is utterly fucked.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] ghostfish@lemm.ee 32 points 1 day ago

The person who regularly hates on people who serve using them to attack the people they joined to protect? I can't image why morale would be low.

[–] RizzRustbolt@lemmy.world 1 points 18 hours ago

I wonder if any of them have seen No Escape?

[–] Triflingmagoo@sh.itjust.works 39 points 1 day ago (8 children)

I hope they live with this shame forever

load more comments (8 replies)
load more comments
view more: next ›