Active Duty Soldiers and Freedom of Speech - Reader comments at The New York Sun

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Active Duty GIs Being Recruited To Lobby Congress Against War

Submitted by jim newitt, Oct 31, 2006 12:31

I definately have mixed feelings about servicemen/women endorsing or aiding any political cause while still in uniform. Having served in the U.S.Navy for over six years, I know what it can be like not to be able to speak your mind, or get help for any injustices you might have experienced or seen done to others, for fear of retribution or punishment. Once anyone has lived for a while in this kind of environment, they can appreciate how valuable our freedoms are. My feeling is that servicepeople should be allowed to speak up when they see injustice, or even be able to state their opposition to a war or campaign, as long as they are not involved with, or endorsing a privately funded organization. A U.S. citizen does not suspend his/her citizenship, or constitutional rights when they join the service, in spite of what the UCMJ says. Therefore, some form of constructive channel of communication /action should be available for them that allows for a public disagreement, as long as they can still be effective personnel. If not, they should be allowed to leave the military without discrace.

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Other reader comments on this article

Comment	By	Date
As a US army daughter, sister, and a soldier's significant other, I feel that active duty military personnel are the... [MORE]	Monica	Sep 2, 2008 16:56
I definately have mixed feelings about servicemen/women endorsing or aiding any political cause while still in uniform. Having served in...	jim newitt	Oct 31, 2006 12:31
I am a Viet Nam era veteran. I could care less if these soldiers had professional media consultants or not.... [MORE]	Hal Muskat	Oct 27, 2006 10:50
As a former Army Sergeant and daughter of military parents, I fully agree with General McInerney that the soldiers should... [MORE]	Deborah Leigh	Oct 27, 2006 00:54
Shameful just as General McInerney has stated. But what is even worse is, we are at war. America was attacked... [MORE]	joe bramman	Oct 26, 2006 18:14
We never should have gone there. The president targeted Osama bin Laden, somehow he has become rather unimportant in this... [MORE]	karla elisa	Dec 9, 2006 02:03
As a retired military, I recall that when on active duty, you cannot participate in political campaigns or with groups... [MORE]	Kristen McFarland	Oct 26, 2006 16:42
If these soldiers are against war, why did they volunteer? They should have found civilian jobs. Why should they disgrace... [MORE]	J Hile	Oct 26, 2006 16:26
yes we have a right to say no [MORE]	shagy	Dec 4, 2007 08:25
When I was on active duty during the 1960s, soldiers were instructed on the limitations imposed on active duty personnel... [MORE]	RAZ	Oct 26, 2006 14:35
How much money did they pay these soldiers for this? How sad that we cannot do something about Mr. Soros.... [MORE]	Patricia Hatton	Oct 26, 2006 12:07
What do you suppose they signed up for? Somebody should have told them that soldiers fight in wars. [MORE]	Annabel Alderman	Oct 26, 2006 10:29
Is is just possible that the folks who actually are on the ground fighting the war know something the generals... [MORE]	GEORGE johnson	Oct 26, 2006 09:49
The Democrats and the Soros are despicable to initiate this scheme just to affect the election. They are shameless to use... [MORE]	antonia vivar	Oct 26, 2006 08:51
The group of 213 members in the Appeal for Redress represent .015% of the 1.4 million US active & reserve... [MORE]	Diane Hubbard	Oct 26, 2006 08:31
A person who voluntarily offers himself or herself for a service should not be involved in this kind of politics. [MORE]	Sam	Oct 26, 2006 08:16
I don't feel they should be prohibited from speaking out . Of course Mr. Bush would term them as unpatriotic... [MORE]	dgsteltz	Oct 26, 2006 07:19

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