Remember earlier this year when we discussed the military’s right to refuse orders that conflict with their oath and the Constitution? Well, two Illinois National Guard members have gone on record, so to speak, stating they would do just that if ordered to deploy to Chicago. This … this was actually a surprise. For troops to come out and say publicly that they believe that deployment to Chicago, against what they believe, then they will refuse. They said the quiet part out loud. From CBS News via Raw Story:
President Donald Trump might be the commander in chief, but two National Guard soldiers vowed to refuse to follow his orders if they conflict with the law and the Constitution. Two Illinois National Guard members told CBS News that they want no part of deploying to Chicago to help deport immigrants. The report called it “a rare act of open defiance from within the military ranks.”
Indeed. It makes you wonder how many other people in the military would do so. They could have opened up the floodgates for others to do the same thing. Wouldn’t it be interesting to see how many others follow? Now that someone has started it, we may be surprised. Well, we hope to be surprised. Nevertheless, this would be a brave thing to do.
“It’s disheartening to be forced to go against your community members and your neighbors,” Staff Sgt. Demi Palecek told CBS News. She is a Latina guardswoman running for the Illinois state legislature. “It feels illegal. This is not what we signed up to do,” she said. She joins Capt. Dylan Blaha, another Guard member, in saying their fellow soldiers felt uneasy after Trump federalized 500 troops for Chicago. “I signed up to defend the American people and protect the Constitution,” Blaha said. “When we have somebody in power who’s actively dismantling our rights — free speech, due process, freedom of the press — it’s really hard to be a soldier right now.”. He’s running for Congress in District 13
There is another side to this that is dark and uneasy. How many Guard members *would* go because they like the idea of beating up immigrants? We can hope that those types of people would join ICE, because they could act with impunity since they’re masked. That’s what’s concerning: that ICE will take anyone they can get, and the requirements are practically nil, so bullyboys of the nation unite! Oof. Not good. But since ICE is doing huge sweeps and grabbing anyone they can, citizens included, yea, they need mean, nasty people.
And they now have a huge budget to get people for the “ranks”. What’s up with that? Trump is so deranged at this point that he has no clue about what’s going on. He left it to Stephen Miller (did you know he is the Homeland Security Adviser? No wonder he’s a rabid dog. Ew.) and Kristi Noem, and “peripherally” Cory Lewandowski. We all know he’s much more deeply involved than his title (or lack thereof) says. To close with something good:
In the Trump era, there’s a chance that Blaha and Palecek could be “court-martialed, imprisoned, or get a felony-level discharge, depending on who issued the order and whether the soldier is under state or federal control,” the report said. If her superior gives her a direct order to deploy, she said she’d “absolutely” defy it. “I would definitely say no,” she said. “I’m not going to go against my community members, my family, and my culture. I believe this is the time to be on the right side of history.” Blaha agreed. “Look at 1930s, 1940s Germany,” Blaha said. “There is a point where if you didn’t stand up to the Gestapo, are you just actively one of them now?”
Well said, sir. Stand up for what you believe. It’s worth more than orders. They are listening to their conscience. They are remembering their oath. Protect and serve. We could hope others walk beside them. These folks have the right to say no if it doesn’t follow their reason for being in the Guard. Sure, there are potentially bad things that could happen, as you saw above. But their conscience will be clear. And that’s what really matters.
Friends, I know everyone begs you for money. I promise, among all those asking for spare change, we are the smallest and the hardest working. We’re a group of old, disabled people, except for one writer in his mid-50s. The rest of us are in our sixties and seventies, and this is a labor of love. All we’re asking for is the chance to keep telling the truth about Trump and help ensure democracy survives. If you can help, please do. Thank you. Ursula
Someone taking a stand like this deserves all our support and if you’re in the right area, votes.