133 Comments
User's avatar
Lori's avatar

Sir, you are a beacon, illuminating the pillars which our military should and has stood for. This current abuse of our troops, ordering them into our cities and intimidating residents is a disgrace. It only serves to erode their collective integrity and the community's trust. This is not how healthy democracy functions.

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antirumpy's avatar

Can we the people ask ....why can't the military step up and bring these dumbasses to our justice....why ? Why ? Why ? The answer to do ....is embedded in your oath . Plz the time has come to save America......plz

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Charlie's avatar

No, no, absolutely not. The US military has a long, deep history of standing apart from politics. We see what "politics" does.

Military intervention in political matters has a terrible record. I don't know if there is a single one in history that has not been a disaster for the society.

Lastly, we are not children. It is the duty of We the People to replace a government that is no longer serving us. We can do it, through strategic nonviolent resistance, when enough of us are willing to sacrifice a bit of our comfort and time to work together.

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antirumpy's avatar

Military intervened in S Korea and it worked just fine ....they implemented their oath .

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Francis X MacFarlane's avatar

Read the Articles within the UCMJ and you might begin to understand why they cannot. You want change then get out there and help bring it about!

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antirumpy's avatar

Atten hut 👍🏽👍💪🏽🇺🇸🤔

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Robert Mitchell's avatar

Can you have a healthy democracy when election losers turn to violence against the government providing the forum for democracy? Is that even a healthy democracy? There's no Constitutional right to insurrection.

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Carla Kelkboom's avatar

Well said ❤️

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Andrea Johnson's avatar

The Major General is stating "this is the floor - the minimum required". Not a beacon - just stating facts.

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Jeff's avatar

Well said. I totally agree. The US Military is NOT law enforcement, it's meant to defend our country from external threats.

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Kenneth Scott Taylor's avatar

It's too bad we can't use them for our 'internal' threats!

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Joseph L. Wiess's avatar

That's not entirely true.

The oath is "I will protect the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic."

Antifa is labeled as a terrorist org.

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I Resist's avatar

There is no Antifa, no organization, so total BS. The word simply means Anti-Fascist

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Joseph L. Wiess's avatar

Really? So the black-clad and masked individuals who are mobbing ICE agents and threatening to dox them and go after their families are just figments of imagination?

I call BS on that. Antifa is funded by Soros inc. I watched Antifa terrorist try to burn down a federal building during the Floyd "Summer of love." a building that had detained immigrants in it.

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Charlie's avatar

These black clad mobbers of ICE agents may well be a figment of AI imagination, broadcast by FoxNews. Or a figment of Kristi Noem's imagination

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Joseph L. Wiess's avatar

You're an NPC.

You only say what the media tells you to say.

You don't think for yourself.

You use the word Fascist, but you don't know what that word means.

Less than five years ago, you used the word NAZI and didn't know what it meant.

Before that, you used the word Phobic, and didn't know what it meant.

The honored dead in Arlington and other cemetaries didn't fight fascists, they fought in the following order.

1) The Royal British Military.

2) Each other (Civil War)

3) The Mexicans (Texas Independence and Mexican/American War)

4) Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire (modern-day Turkey and surrounding regions), Bulgaria (In World War one. None of these countries were fascist.)

5) Germany, Italy, Japan. In World War II. Of them, only Italy was a true fascist state. (Being defined as a state where the government and business works hand in hand to meet political ideals.)

Italian Fascism was:

Authoritarianism

Power was centralized under Mussolini, known as Il Duce (“the Leader”).

Political opposition and free press were banned.

The government controlled most aspects of life.

Nationalism

Glorified the Italian nation and its imperial past (especially Ancient Rome).

Promoted the idea that Italy was destined to become a great power again.

Militarism and Expansionism

Advocated for war and conquest as a means to strengthen and expand Italy.

This led to invasions of Ethiopia (1935) and alliance with Nazi Germany.

Corporatism

The economy was organized into state-controlled “corporations” meant to unite workers and employers under government supervision (instead of class conflict like in socialism).

Anti-Communism and Anti-Liberalism

Rejected democracy, communism, and socialism as weak or divisive.

Favored one-party rule and obedience to the state.

6) The North Koreans and Chinese during the Korean War.

7) The North Vietnamese, Chinese, and Russians during the Vietnam conflict (Which wasn't a declared war, but a police action.)

8) The Iraqi's, Iranians, and Afghani during those actions.

Your definition of fascism is flawed. Considering that anyone that doesn't agree with your democratic socialist overlords is called either a nazi or a fascist.

If Anti-fa were truly anti-fascists, they wouldn't be acting like butt hurt communists, they wouldn't be burning down buildings or attacking federal agents. They wouldn't be protecting illegal immigrants and criminals.

But they aren't. They have become communists and take money from Soros, inc.

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Jeff's avatar

While only Italy was directly called fascist, both Germany (Nazism) and Japan were fascist in nature. Nazism is fascism with a strong racist component, and Japan basically was in between the two – fascist from the nationalist standpoint, but with an ethnic (Asian) superiority complex.

https://www.dictionary.com/e/nazi-fascist/

https://historyplex.com/difference-between-fascism-nazism

https://ancientwarhistory.com/the-rise-of-japans-military-fascism-the-clash-between-the-control-faction-and-the-imperial-way-faction/

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-hccc-worldhistory2/chapter/fascism-in-japan/

https://www.cmu.edu/dietrich/history/news/2019/law-book.html

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1057/9781403980410_5

So yes, our WWII soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines fighting in both theaters were fighting fascism, and so they were anti-fascist.

(antifa) “wouldn't be acting like butt hurt communists, “ - whatever that means. What is a “butt hurt communist?” How do they act? What evidence is there that people claiming to be “antifa” act that way? Provide references to valid sources.

“they wouldn't be burning down buildings or attacking federal agents.” – provide sources that show antifa is doing such things. Documented, proven in court, not just conjecture.

“They wouldn't be protecting illegal immigrants and criminals.” – I suggest you read the Bill of Rights. Everyone in the US has those rights, to include criminals and immigrants (both documented & undocumented). Protecting people from violation of their rights is something the US government should be doing.

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Jeff's avatar
Oct 31Edited

So you're against Antifa (anti-fascists)? That would include these people, whom the Government of the USA honored:

https://mohmuseum.org/medal-recipients/recipients-database?recipients%5Brange%5D%5Bcomputed.yearsOfAction%5D=1941%3A1945

https://www.cmohs.org/recipients/page/1?conflicts[]=world-war-ii

Are you suggesting what they did was wrong?

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Joseph L. Wiess's avatar

How can you possibly compare American Servicemen to those Black Clad larpers that attack federal agents and buildings.

You do them a great disservice.

Are you even aware of how Antifa was founded? In it's original incarnation it was a German faction that hunted Communists down.

The current incarnation is made up of upper middle income children that are bored. They aren't anti-fascists, they are fascists themselves.

They showed up at BLM protests and burned down local businesses.

They attacked federal buildings and federal agents.

They aren't an idea.

They are a terrorist organization, they need to be stopped.

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Charlie's avatar

I'm curious. Where do you get your information?

Antifa--short for anti fascist-- opposed German and Italian *fascism* in the 1920s and 1930s. (It was the aristocratic-led German army, joining forces with Hitler early on, who hunted down the communists.)

Arlington National Cemetery (and others) are full of anti fascists who gave their lives to protect us from fascism. And many more who served and survived, including family members of mine.

We have no legal framework in this country for the concept of "domestic terror organization." If we did, the Ku Klux Klan would have been on it for over 100 years. You don't want to talk about how many buildings they burned, or churches they bombed.

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Charlie's avatar

You are referring to the events of January 6th. Red clad larpers attacked and killed federal agents and would have killed many more -- our elected representatives and our Vice President-had not brave police protected them. In their attempt to break the long history of peaceful transfer of power they did $2.7 million in gleeful property damage to our US Capitol building. Security enhancements in response to the terrifying attack drove the Jan 6th repair bill into the billions of taxpayer dollars.

How have you forgotten so soon?

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Jeff's avatar

Antifa is funded by Soros inc. " - sources please. Valid sources.

Sources that he’s not:

https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/aug/06/viral-image/no-george-soros-not-nazi-who-funds-antifa/

https://factually.co/fact-checks/politics/george-soros-antifa-funding-85e70b

Also, please provide sources that Antifa has a defined structure & any kind of defined leadership. Valid sources.

Sources that say no:

https://factually.co/fact-checks/politics/antifa-organization-structure-8370fe

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ced5gqn0p6jo

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Antifa

"black-clad and masked individuals who are mobbing ICE agents and threatening to dox them and go after their families are just figments of imagination"

Sources please that they, in fact, belong to an organization called "antifa". What are the distinguishing marks of antifa operatives? How do you identify them from anyone else who may dress in black and mask up? Valid sources.

"I watched Antifa terrorist try to burn down a federal building during the Floyd "Summer of love." You know this person was antifa how? What are the distinguishing characteristics? Did they claim to be antifa? Did you witness them in person, or only on the web/TV? Sources. Valid sources.

Sources that Antifa is, in fact, fascist. Valid sources. Also, provide evidence that the actions of some individuals are directed by people higher than them in some chain of command. Also evidence that the majority of members of Antifa conduct and/or condone such actions. Also evidence that Antifa as an entity condones such actions (which is hard when there’s no actual “entity” called antifa).

Regarding some people claiming to be antifa (which can be anyone who wants to, since there’s no structure) doxxing people and committing violence – I condemn their actions. There is no place for such actions in peaceful protest, as promoted & defined by Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi, and much earlier by Jesus Christ. Those individuals should be held accountable for their actions in courts of law, via the constitutional legal procedures that have been used for almost 250 years, to include protection of their constitutional rights (which apply to everyone in the US)

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Peggy Hendrickson's avatar

Thank you for the clarification of duties. This is important for us to know and understand. It is clear to everyone but MAGA that destroying trust between the people and the military is harmful in and of itself. What is happening in this country now is pure Gestapo. In my heart of hearts I am hoping the military is not taken in by its “commander in chief” who is a maniac. I am hoping those generals were as disgusted as I was by Hegsbeth’s pep talk. I am depending on you and want to thank you for your many years of dedicated service.

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William Wheeler's avatar

Thank you!! As a former Guard member, I would be appalled at what units are being used for. Let’s get our Democracy back!

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Joseph L. Wiess's avatar

Sir, we are not a democracy. We are a constitutional repubic.

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Charlie's avatar

Then why are the "Republicans" flagrantly defying the Constitution?

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Rachelnmn's avatar

Thank you for speaking out Major Gen. Manner.

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Cindy's avatar

Special thanks to you and your family for your service and continued dedication to our country. Please help us. How can we stop this madness?

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Dannys's avatar

You can speak for me, Sir.Thank you.

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

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Jim Johnson's avatar

Well said, General Manner. And you didn't even mention the 1970 Kent State shooting, when National Guard soldiers shot and killed four unarmed college students and wounded five more at a protest against the Vietnam war.

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Mrs. S's avatar

And none of the four killed were participating in the protest. They were en route between classes.

One item disagree with: after September 11th, we saw a lone soldier in the Spokane airport. He had a very long gun and looked scared to death. I was dismayed and not at all reassured.

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Charlie's avatar

Yes, they were evidently not trained for that kind of duty, as a group of them fired directly at students, killing four and injuring nine. At least the murdered student in the famous photo was just walking across campus! Lots and lots of deep and lingering trauma.

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Jim Johnson's avatar

Yes, it traumatized the nation.

I believe that it prompted better training for Guard soldiers which continues to this day, but the threat of something like that or worse always is there. Especially with ICE and CBP deliberately escalating situations and being armed themselves.

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Thomas Thompson's avatar

There are plenty of retired Generals/Admirals who will come out against Trump's fascism, but what we really need is active duty flag officers to take a stand, and that is not happening!

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Charlie's avatar

I'm sorry, I have had it with the ignorant comments blaming the military for not doing what is absolutely not their job. Right or wrong, any suggestion of public criticism would get an officer relieved of command. Is that what you want?

It is the job of We the People to nullify this malignant regime. It is our obligation as citizens. Might be time to reread the Declaration of Independence. Or Judge Luttig, writings available on Substack.

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Thomas Thompson's avatar

You're right, of course, but I fail to see where exactly I "blame the military" for anything!

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William Dickinson's avatar

Thank you for your post. This morning I saw several videos describing the first National Guard arrest of a citizen in DC. Apparently, it was a mistake, but the man was held against his will (mistaken identity?). The point is, it's the first case of the Guard arresting a citizen.

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Lea's avatar

Thank you General Manners for standing up for American democracy and the rule of law. Thank you for being an intelligent leader and a decent human being. Fascism has no place in our America or our military. Troops should NOT obey illegal orders.

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Kathleen Pirquet's avatar

THANK YOU FOR THIS!!!

And thank you for your service!!

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Jason Merchey's avatar

I love it when people of character and honor stand up to be counted.

"And the men who hold high places

Must be the ones who start

To mould a new reality

Closer to the Heart."

NP

Same goes for women!

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Deborah Petrina's avatar

The people whom Home of the Brave spotlights to tell their stories, like Maj. Gen. Randy Manner, are so experienced and educated--two things that stand in the way of Trump’s agenda. Why don’t the other high-profile Substack platforms put them on their podcasts?

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I Resist's avatar

Great point! The military is the last backstop against dictatorship. It needs to be talked about more!

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Donovan Marley's avatar

Donald Trump’s apparent dementia is intensified by his lifelong racism, narcissism, and megalomania driven by stultifying ignorance and debilitating arrogance. He is intellectually, ethically, and morally unfit to hold any public office.

As revealed by the October 18 demonstrations—and confirmed by current approve/disapprove rankings: it is an irrefutable fact that Donald Trump’s Fascist Presidency is opposed by the overwhelming majority of Americans. This majority will not rest until Convicted Criminal Donald Trump is removed from office and either committed to an institution for custodial care, or thrown into prison—to be determined by the courts.

Trump must be furnished all due processes guaranteed by the Constitution—the same rights he denied millions of People of Color in his racist attempt to replace the USA’s Constitutional Republic with a Fascist, Christian-Nationalist, White-Supremacist Kleptocracy to be ruled in perpetuity by the Trump Family Crime Syndicate.

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Linda Baird's avatar

I would love to see the national guard deployed in every state to protect citizens from ICE

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I Resist's avatar

Never in our history have their been masked police with no ID given authority to arrest anyone they don’t like by where they stand, what they look like or what their job might be. Trump’s Fascism is being aided and abetted by SCOTUS

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