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The Northerner

(5,040 posts) Thu Apr 26, 2012, 12:26 PM Apr 2012

ACLU, others help Marine who criticized Obama fight dismissal [View all]

Last edited Thu Apr 26, 2012, 02:48 PM - Edit history (1)

A Marine sergeant who criticized President Obama on Facebook is fighting to keep his position after he was told on Wednesday that he is being dismissed from the service with an other-than-honorable discharge.

Lawyers from the American Civil Liberties Union and the conservative U.S. Justice Foundation said Gary Stein's 1st Amendment rights were being violated by the Marine Corps.

"I don't believe Sgt. Stein did anything other than engage in political speech," said the ACLU's David Loy. "Since the days of Valley Forge, I seriously doubt that there haven't been members of the armed forces who haven't complained about their government."

Gary Kreep of the U.S. Justice Foundation said he believes Stein was targeted by the Obama administration.

Read more: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/04/aclu-others-defending-marine-who-criticized-obama.html

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ACLU, others help Marine who criticized Obama fight dismissal [View all] The Northerner Apr 2012 OP

He's right atreides1 Apr 2012 #1

I think the ACLU is wrong here Politicalboi Apr 2012 #2

As a former Marine, this is one of the rare cases in which I disagree with the ACLU. Uncle Joe Apr 2012 #3

He called Obama the enemy? And a coward? DevonRex Apr 2012 #10

Yeah, sorry but the ACLU is wrong on this one... truebrit71 Apr 2012 #4

The ACLU does not simply defer to the law cthulu2016 Apr 2012 #9

And they are still wrong. truebrit71 Apr 2012 #12

... cthulu2016 Apr 2012 #17

Hell, they should have heard what I had to say about LBJ when I was in. Tierra_y_Libertad Apr 2012 #5

Ex-marine? Puzzledtraveller Apr 2012 #7

Ex. As in "no longer", "not a lifer", "eat the apple and fuck the corps". Tierra_y_Libertad Apr 2012 #11

I've never heard a former marine Oasis_ Apr 2012 #18

Nor have I, and I have been around the military all of my life. 11 Bravo Apr 2012 #20

Does that make me a celebrity? Tierra_y_Libertad Apr 2012 #29

Nah, you're just an outlier. You want to be a celebrity "ex"-marine? Think ... 11 Bravo Apr 2012 #32

And, you, of course, never criticized your superiors? Tierra_y_Libertad Apr 2012 #37

My C-in-C was Nixon, and in the field, I said a LOT of shit, but ... 11 Bravo Apr 2012 #39

Did you go to your local paper and make sure civilians knew about this? nadinbrzezinski Apr 2012 #26

Screw "good order and discipline". That's what the bosses want. Tierra_y_Libertad Apr 2012 #30

You may say screw it nadinbrzezinski Apr 2012 #33

I wasn't a draftee. Joining up didn't make me a slave or hired killer. Tierra_y_Libertad Apr 2012 #36

Read what he did nadinbrzezinski Apr 2012 #38

OMG zappaman Apr 2012 #41

I think it is worth discussing DefenseLawyer Apr 2012 #6

Sorry, but the Marine formed a FB group and declared he would not follow his CIC's orders. DevonRex Apr 2012 #8

Where's the unrec button? Kingofalldems Apr 2012 #13

Everyone who enlists or commissions into the military knows about this and other restrictions stevenleser Apr 2012 #14

Do you say the same thing about Lt. Dan Choi? cherokeeprogressive Apr 2012 #19

I said the exact same thing about Dan Choi. 11 Bravo Apr 2012 #22

Yes, Lt. Dan Choi broke regs nadinbrzezinski Apr 2012 #24

That's an interesting question. Robb Apr 2012 #25

To which 'same thing' are you referring? Did he insult his commanders? Apples to Oranges stevenleser Apr 2012 #31

I disagree with the ACLU guitar man Apr 2012 #15

I don't see how this is a free speech violation.... cbdo2007 Apr 2012 #16

There is a problem with this analogy. white_wolf Apr 2012 #21

Not the military and the UCMJ nadinbrzezinski Apr 2012 #23

There is no problem. IRS agents do not sign a document and swear they will obey the rules in UCMJ. stevenleser Apr 2012 #34

I believe in the ACLU.. sendero Apr 2012 #27

It's simple maxrandb Apr 2012 #28

His jobs was to protect free speech, not practice it MrScorpio Apr 2012 #35

The problem isn't so much the criticism... Lizzie Poppet Apr 2012 #40