this post was submitted on 12 Jun 2025
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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.

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[–] Wahots@pawb.social 16 points 1 day 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 1 day 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.

[–] jaschen306@sh.itjust.works 9 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)
[–] Omega@lemmy.blahaj.zone 22 points 1 day ago

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

[–] NigelFrobisher@aussie.zone 17 points 1 day ago

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

[–] Olhonestjim@lemmy.world 13 points 1 day ago

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

[–] khaleer@sopuli.xyz 18 points 1 day 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 1 day 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 1 day ago

A judge ruled the troops can remain there for now.

[–] Phoenicianpirate@lemm.ee 110 points 2 days ago (24 children)

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

[–] Necroscope0@lemm.ee 68 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days 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.

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[–] 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 1 day 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?

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[–] 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.

[–] 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.

[–] RedditIsDeddit@lemmy.world 327 points 2 days ago (9 children)

this is a good thing to hear

[–] evenglow@lemmy.world 180 points 2 days 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.

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[–] kent_eh@lemmy.ca 161 points 2 days 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 70 points 2 days 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?

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[–] bitwolf@sh.itjust.works 6 points 1 day 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.

[–] 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.

[–] Treczoks@lemmy.world 81 points 2 days 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 2 days 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.

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[–] Windex007@lemmy.world 182 points 2 days ago (4 children)
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This is quite funny, since pawns in chess literally represent infantry units.

[–] 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!!!

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[–] EndlessNightmare@reddthat.com 19 points 1 day ago

Now is the time for malicious compliance

[–] db0@lemmy.dbzer0.com 121 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (6 children)

A lot of revolutions begun by the rank&file turning against the hated police, just sayin'.

Imagine how the chickenshit ICE will act if the soldiers start opposing them too. Not so easy to bully someone armed and their friends.

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[–] PugJesus@lemmy.world 54 points 2 days ago (1 children)

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

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[–] 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 1 day 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.

Killing brown people in the middle east - I sleep

Killing brown people in America - real shit

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[–] DaddleDew@lemmy.world 74 points 2 days ago (1 children)

In just hoping that ICE is dumb enough to try to arrest and deport one of the Marines in front of their co-workers just like they do with civilians.

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[–] ghostfish@lemm.ee 32 points 2 days 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.

[–] MyOpinion@lemmy.today 69 points 2 days ago (6 children)

We have a Traitor in the White House that is using the military like his personal toy. It is sickening.

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[–] Triflingmagoo@sh.itjust.works 38 points 2 days ago (8 children)

I hope they live with this shame forever

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[–] barneypiccolo@lemm.ee 39 points 2 days ago (4 children)

Every military and law enforcement member needs to understand right now that attacking protesters for exercising their First Amendment rights is crossing a line that they can never come back from. I, for one, will always hold it against any MAGA for the rest of my life. They deserve to be mercilessly shunned, ridiculed, and discriminated against for the rest of their miserable, stupid, treasonous lives. I own a business, and I will never hire a MAGA supporter, ever.

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