The Marines have decided to boot Sergeant Gary Stein from the corps with an other-than-honorable discharge for declaring on Facebook that he would refuse to obey unlawful orders issued by President Obama.
It’s surprising it took this long. When the nation’s troops get to decide when, or when not, to obey their commander-in-chief (note the title), good order and discipline – the military’s backbone – is shattered. The nine-year veteran also will lose most of his benefits.
“I have spent the last 9 years honorably serving this great nation and the Corps,” Stein posted to his Facebook page after the Marine decision ending his career came down in San Diego, where he had been serving. “Even though I will be discharged no one can take the title of Marine away from me.”
On March 1, Stein posted 11 words on a Facebook page used by Marine weathermen: “Screw Obama and I will not follow all orders from him.” Stein later amended his pledge, saying he would not follow illegal orders. After superiors warned him such language was out of line, he repeatedly posted anti-Obama statements, Marine officials told the administrative board that recommended he be ousted.
Stein supporters denounced the decision in comments on his Facebook page. “I applaud you Gary! Semper Fi!” wrote a woman identifying herself as Adina Case. “YOU ARE A TRUE MARINE AND AMERICAN OF THE UNITED STATES!!!! When you took your pledge you agreed to protect and defend our country against ALL powers not only Foreign but Domestic!! Obama is an obanination to our precious country and our constitution and he cannot prove his legimacy therefore making his orders NULL And VOID!”
But there seemed to be just as many, if not more, taking this approach: “The government of the people for the people and by the people is taking the title of Marine from you,” posted Brian Kontrath. “They have deemed that you are unfit for that title—-and I for one concur. They are doing this because you could not follow the rules that they set. They, the Marines, are doing this because they do not want insubordinate conspirators or malicious malcontents in our military.”
Shazam!