Several service members told advocacy groups they felt like pawns in a political game and assignment was not necessary

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.

  • Wahots@pawb.social
    0·
    22 hours ago

    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
      0·
      21 hours 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.

  • bitwolf@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    0·
    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.

    • Olhonestjim@lemmy.world
      0·
      1 day ago

      They were mostly 18 and recruited from high school. The military propaganda mill is intense. No, they didn’t.

      • possumparty@lemm.ee
        0·
        1 day ago

        These kids have been playing military propaganda games since they were literal children, so yeah, bolstering your point here.

  • khaleer@sopuli.xyz
    0·
    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.worksEnglish
    0·
    1 day ago

    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.

  • jonesey71@lemmus.orgEnglish
    0·
    2 days ago

    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
      0·
      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?

    • Ledericas@lemm.eeEnglish
      0·
      1 day ago

      they also have a dilemma, if theyw ere to shoot a citizen, then once they get out of the military, people will know who shot them and then there will be constant guilt/harrasment, or doxxing eventually.

      • jonesey71@lemmus.orgEnglish
        0·
        1 day ago

        The instant they shoot a civilian they are an outlaw. Outlaws are beyond the protection of the law. They are beyond the protections of the law. They are kill on sight.