Posted on 04/13/2010 2:30:50 PM PDT by rxsid
"Tea Party Movement Spreads To Military
The Tea Party movement has gained a foothold in the armed forces.
A new Tea Party group, Armed Forces Tea Party Patriots, has grown quickly since being launched last month by an active duty Marine Corps sergeant. The group, which vows to "stand up on the very soil we defended to preserve common sense conservatism and defend our Constitution that is threatened by a tyrannical government," currently has over 400 members, who have signed up through its Facebook page, though many are not active duty military. And it has close ties to the broader Tea Party movement.
"People in the military need to be heard," the group's prime organizer, Gary Stein -- a Marine Corps sergeant stationed at Camp Pendleton in southern California -- told TPMmuckraker in an interview. "Our opinions do count."
Many people in the military "feel like they can't speak out against Obama or Congress," said Stein. "The armed forces should have a little bit more say than we think we do," he said.
Stein said he had served in the Marine Corps for seven years, including service in Iraq. He described himself as a "strong conservative" who had found himself disillusioned with the GOP. Stein formed the new group, he said, after finding like-minded cohorts on his base, then co-ordinating with a friend who's active in a local southern California Tea Party chapter.
[snip]
In promoting the Armed Forces Tea Party Patriots, Stein has raised the possibility of disobeying presidential orders. In one recent online posting, he wrote:
My oath was to the Constitution, not to the politicians, and that oath will be kept. I won't "Just follow" orders. There is at this time a debate within the ranks of the military regarding their oath. Some mistakenly believe they must follow any order the President issues. But many others do understand that their loyalty is to the Constitution and to the people...That declaration echoes one made by the Oath Keepers, a group of current and former military and law enforcement personnel who havevowed not to follow orders deemed to be unconstitutional -- including any orders to disarm Americans. Stein agreed that the two groups are kindred spirits. "I think we're very like-minded with the Oathkeepers," he said. "I strongly support the Oathkeepers."
Stein's political activism seems to have raised some concern among his superiors. Late last month, he wrote online: "Was just told by a Marine Corps Officer to watch what I say about Obama... I think not..." And later that same day: "I was just told to keep my opinons (sic) to myself about Obama, by my Officer-in-Charge (OIC)."
[snip]
This isn't the first time that anti-Obama sentiment has surfaced within the military. Several active duty service members have challenged their orders to deploy overseas, on the grounds that President Obama was not born in the U.S. and his orders are therefore illegitimate.
[snip]
Late Update (4/13/10): Stein says in a statement that his group doesn't support a military uprising, views President Obama as the legitimate commander-in-chief, and will follow all constitutional orders."
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/tea_party_movement_spreads_to_military.php?ref=fpb
Has it ever occurred to you that that is exactly what the left, and Obama, would like? Anything that weakens the military, or allows the media to mock them, is playing right into their hands.
Sure, let's have a mass resignation, then he has an excuse to simply recall troops, defund all things military and further weaken both our stature in the world and our own national security.
Speaking as somebody who had to do 8 years under the KKKlintons, I will say that an active duty military person needs to operate with extreme caution.
10 USC §888 (UCMJ Article 88) says:
Any commissioned officer who uses contemptuous words against the President, the Vice President, Congress, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of a military department, the Secretary of Homeland Security, or the Governor or legislature of any State, Commonwealth, or possession in which he is on duty or present shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.
To my knowledge, all of the services have regulations in place that prohibit enlisted people or warrant officers on active duty from showing disrespect to the above officials (the difference is that they would be court-martialed under Article 92 of the UCMJ, not Article 88)
I know more than one person who was disciplined for contemptuous speech during those years.
And, btw, Article 88 far precedes the KKKlintons time in office and was in place long before Barry was a ache in his father's crotch.
Be careful of what you wish for. Those who would leave the military in disgust will be replaced by those who won't.
Good point...I take it back.
Thanks. They are right. The oath is to the constitution.
They can. It's called Contempt Towards Officials and it's covered by Article 88 of the UCMJ.
“Is the Tea Party considered a “political group” or a movement?
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It is a political movement, imo.
Do not the military pledge to uphold the constitution?
If so, how could they ban upholding the constitution.
save
I had no idea. Very good news.
These are extraordinary measures in extraordinary times. JMHO
ping
Very little danger of a leftist political coup coming from the US Military.
Inherently, it is made up of Patriot conservatives from conservative, country loving families.
Prayers offered up for the safety of all our troops in all circumstances.
We also need to get local LEO's and NG/Military neighbors on board with Oath Keepers.
Oath Keepers was founded last year on April 19 at Lexington Green, MA. It is a non-partisan association of currently serving and retired military, reserves, National Guard, veterans, Peace Officers, and Fire Fighters who will fulfill their Oath to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Civilians are welcome to join as Citizen Associate members.
Outstanding!
The Tea Party needs to spread to the top brass. Maybe some will be cognizant of the required course of action, before it’s too late.
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