I agree that the Marine was mistaken about what he was allowed to say and what he wasn’t allowed to say. I don’t think he dishonored himself.
1. He can’t conduct his personal opinions on a government computer.
2. He can’t speak contemptuously of his commander-in-chief (or any commander, actually). Let him say, “Screw Captain Jones!”, his company commander, and see what that gets him.
3. He can’t give the impression he is speaking as a Marine or on behalf of the Marines, any disclaimers notwithstanding. (I think his website was something about Marine tea party, or Marine protest.)
None of the above is dishonorable, in my opinion. In fact, it doesn’t rise to the level of court martial, if you ask me. I think it was non-judicial, letter of reprimand to the official file kind of stuff. And that would have ended his career in that he would have failed promotion, and it would have been far more quiet and dignified of the Marine Corps to have handled it in this manner.
Completely agree: the Marine Corps has been overwhelmed with political correctness and moral cowardice for many years. Remember the unseemly and disgraceful race to promote the "first female three-star"? General Mutter was an incompetent, yet the Corps raced the other services to be first for whatever political capital that bought us. This action against a Sergeant is the latest example of swatting a fly with a sledgehammer, just to make their masters happy and guarantee their security in promotion and plump retirements. The latest Commandant is a smarmy politico and an embarrassment.
We have been caught up in the whole "promote the tall, good-looking guys who never get in trouble" syndrome while ridding ourselves of the characters and troublemakers who built the couragous reputation of the Corps. Chesty wouldn't have lasted through Second Lieutenant in today's Marine Corps.
The military brass is trying to give cover to the POS in the White House and to cover their own butts also.