This is what has been most depressing/distressing about watching all of this unfold. People online (and I'm not immune to this either) have this impulse to think "Surely not right? Surely these people will come to their senses and not just blindly follow transparently evil orders right? We've been told these people are heroes who stand up for freedom and democracy and our safety right? Surely at least some of them will do the right thing right?" It's so ingrained into us through support our troops propaganda and various TV/Movies showing them and cops as principled heroes saving the day. We've also seen this with corporations. "Wow I can't believe this company turned away from DEI so quickly. I can't believe this company is going to keep selling surveillance tech to the government. Surely someone will see how wrong that is."

And then I snap back to my senses and remember history. We've seen what horrors these people are willing to commit, whether they want to or are "just following orders." Maybe you at least believe that they won't do it to US, as cynical as that is... and then you remember Kent State, segregation, the violent crackdown on unions, the police rallying around protecting cops who execute people in the streets, etc.

Nobody is going to come to their senses. None of them are coming to save us from themselves. If we don't stand up for ourselves this is just going to happen and be another chapter in a long history of cruelty.

Of course they do, they also want to keep some sanity or, you know, keep breathing.

I'm certainly not getting my hopes up, but this being in LA instead of Kabul might have a significant effect on how willingly the rank-and-file will just open up on a crowd.

There's a big Navy base in San Diego; some of the Marines are probably coming from there. Some probably grew up in California, more probably visited LA at some point. Going a few hours to a place where people speak your language and there is an In-and-Out Burger down the street is very different from going halfway across the world to a place where you recognize little and understand far less.

The National Guard is not monolithic either, as it is per service and per state. I.e. Minnesota Air National Guard, Minnesota Army National Guard, Iowa Air… you get it

I'd like to know if there is are general differences between the branches. Like, is the Air Force more liberal?

So it’s like every other big institution gotcha 😉

As individuals yes, as representatives of the armed forces? Not likely. Anonymity helps, but I'm sure many would be wary of posting anything contrarian views right now.

Is anybody not allowed on Lemmy? It's a federated platform

i didn't know the difference since Im not american. Another nicer person let me know and I edited it

Musk's voting machines?

Pond scum is an extremely productive microecosystem. I won't stand for you insulting it by comparing US soldiers to it.

Additionally, gonna hazard a guess that the majority of the protesters aren't white or at least wouldn't be considered white by the soldiers regardless of their skin tone. They're literally protesting white supremacist actions by the government.

I'm a veteran, no combat service. I was in during President Obama so somewhat recent. I'm past any contract so I can't get called up. Speaking from some experience though your average enlisted person most likely does not want to deploy or help in LA. They are likely removed about how dumb it is. There might be some who won't, but you won't hear about it, they'll just process them out under "other than honorable" conditions, which maybe is not the worst option given the current admin. To me its a scenario where you would not refuse orders, even though they are dumb and unconstitutional. It would have been hard for me to refuse the current order too, I would be removed the entire time, I know thats not taking a stand. I would do the bare minimum, which is kinda what I expect to happen, extreme low effort but we'll see. Most comments on the post aren't wrong, just wanted to point out a general reluctance I do not know what it would take to refuse an order.