You should Look at the "milgram experiment" Random people were willing to electrocute someone to death simply because a random person who posed as an authority figure told them that the experiment requires that they continue. I think that something like 65% of people were willing to kil a person with the electricity, provided an authority figure told them to keep going. And these are not people who have been systematically trained in a way to obey authority no matter what, as they do in the military, i would imagine the numbers would be even higher among people who were trained in the military, if the orders were coming from someone they thought was a higher ranking officer. Quite frankly Magna is right, we like to believe that human nature, wouldnt simply accept what an authority figure tells us to do, regardless of the order, but history, and psychological experiments have taught us that people will often go along with all kinds of heinous acts provided that the orders to do so come from a person who has some kind of authority. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcvSNg0HZwk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzTuz0mNlwU&list=UU7pcI9Im0frl_CLmVLxZIUQ&index=73&feature=plpp_video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmFCoo-cU3Y&list=UU7pcI9Im0frl_CLmVLxZIUQ&index=74&feature=plpp_video
I find your statement strangely incomplete. You left out one word when describing the orders you are supposed to follow....lawful. You are supposed to follow lawful orders. You are supposed to ignore unlawful orders. Surely, someone who served three years in our military understands that they are only compelled to follow lawful orders. http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/militarylaw1/a/obeyingorders.htm Now, let's say you were in a village in country X and your commander told you that you had to rape a 13 year old girl who lived there. Would you do it? I certainly hope not, because it would be an unlawful order. Now, would some soldiers fail to realize that was an unlawful order? Maybe. So if soldiers are ordered to illegally suppress the citizens they swore to protect, in direct violation of the document they swore to support and defend, I would not be surprised. I never claimed all soldiers would simply lay their rifles down...I only referred to some that I personally know. A very difficult choice would have to be made and yes, some would choose poorly. I hope that clarifies things for you.
My son is a 2nd LT in the Army reserve, I have a nephew in the regular Army (both in Afghanistan) and a brother-in-law who is a combat medic in the army (two tours in Iraq). I think I can confidently say non of them would fire on friends or family during any kind of popular revolt/uprising. Obviously some would be willing to, but I'm of the opinion most would at least be sympathetic. Many of course would defect.
Many of these guys joined the military because the benefits they will receive.They have free health care for their families,free college after discharge,a good government job with good pay,health care and pension after military discharge.Most of them will not give that up because some traitors are pissed that the guys they wanted to get elected didn't and decides to revolt
Several friends I have who are still in have expressed similar sentiments. They are high ranking and would likely seek to influence those who report to them. I wish us all well in these next few years because we are about to find out who we are and what America really stands for. Are we Communist China where the government suppresses it's people without mercy or regret, or can we still call ourselves the land of the free and the home of the brave...
Pretty sure that IF there is a revolt in this country, it will be because the government no longer represents its people and actively seeks to suppress them, not because the guy with the (d) in front of his name beat the guy with the (r) in front of his. Of course, that is only my opinion, but given that less than half the population even bothers to vote at all, I feel confident in expressing it.
Yeah, i was also scratching my head wondering WTF AK47 was talking about.....He seems to believe civil war will break out if Obama wins a second term...