The real question is what percentage of the military will obey the orders to shoot American Citizens who are defending Constitutional rights. Even more important what percentage of officers will obey those orders.
I welcome replies from long term military men and women on this question.
I knew a 2LT USANG MP who said he would.
If the government were to start grabbing guns, I suspect you would see military refusals.
An excellent point. Military officers swore an oath “to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and to obey the orders of officers appoibnted over them.” It will be up to each individual officer and NCO to determine if those orders are “lawful”. See Lt Calley of Me Lei fame. See the numerous officers who resigned commissions in the Union Army in 1861-62 to join either their State’s militias or the Army of the Confederacy. Should there be something on the order of a national registration or confiscation scheme in violation of the 2d Amendment, a SCOTUS ruling affirming the “collective”, ie, National Guard only, right to keep and bear arms versus the individual right, or a total overturning of the amendment, I firmly believe there will be a third American Revolution. It is conservetivly believed that there are 28 million armed citizens. I believe they would eventually persevere.
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I am reminded of the para military folks who kidnapped Elian Gonzolas. Did they give any thought to the Constitution or rule of law?
After the kidnapping they had celebration party.
Personally, If I ran the military, I would demand that the soldier stand in formation every morning and recite a portion of the Constitution and Declaration of Independence. They would go though each document thoroughly, in order, repeatedly, EVERY day!
If I had control of our government schools I would demand all government students do the same.
Heck, I bet there’s a good number of cops and feds who’d styand for such blatant treason.
well we can start by asking FBI and ATF agents if they'd burn small children alive and then bulldoze evidence that could show evidence of government wrong doing.
You'd be surprised on just what somebody wanting a paycheck and security for family would be willing to do. I'm sure the Gestapo and SS were originally patriotic Germans that saw a "threat" from Communists, Jews and lunatics/defectives that were bleeding Germany dry during the depression.
Once you start dehumanizing the threat as "right wing kooks" , "Christian kooks", "gun loving kooks", "white supremacist kooks"....well then it's easier to kill them. Cause they "deserve" what they get.
I think that society has to get to the point of hopelessness that an actual insurrection would occur.
If you doubt me, do this. Look in the mirror at home and ask yourself, "Am I willing to lose everything I own, everything I've saved and risk incarceration or death in order to 'fight the government'?"
One of my grandfathers fought in the Mexican revolution and told us that until a man is unable to feed his family he will bend to the will of the "patron" that pays him in order to feed his family.
My other grandfather made all 7 of his sons join the military in order to show loyalty to the United States of America, kinda like "blood in" in a gang. My point is that fighting a war or insurrection "sounds" noble and great, but I'd hate to live through a time like that in this country. It would take a catastrophic economic downturn in order to make people hungry enough to fight to the death.
Our citizen soldiers are a violent, stubborn and noble lot. That's why our civil war was so costly. I can't imagine fighting against brother Marines or soldiers from different parts of the country. God help us if it came down to that.
There would be no horror movie that would show the destruction and violence of such a civil uprising.