A group of Marines should make it a point to walk back and forth in front of these morons. Let’s see who is spitting then. And then the protesters will be spitting—spitting teeth!.
I agree.
I wish they could. Their training prevents them from reacting unless their is actual viable threat to their safety. As a boxer has trained fists, a marine is a trained killer. As such, their very posture to attack a citizen in a street fight is different then if it were you or I. Likewise, a raucus group spitting and throwing things at us could invoke an actual fear for our lives and we would be amply justified in defending ourselves depending on the circumstances. A marine must answer to a court marshal. The standard expectation for the perceived threat a marine can expect is a little higher. That does not say they are not allowed to defend themselves if attacked. But they are not allowed to climb over a fences to beat the snot out of a couple dozen pot smoking hippies because they spit at them. You or I might get away with shooting them in self defense (though I don't recommend it). To bad really. These type of stories infuriate me.
...just cuz it needed sayin' again.