Marines Discharge Sergeant for Criticizing Obama

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sgt-gary-steinSan Diego – The Marine Corps said today it has decided to discharge a sergeant for criticizing President Barack Obama on Facebook.

The Corps said Sgt. Gary Stein will be given an other-than-honorable discharge for violating Pentagon policy limiting speech of service members.

The San Diego-area Marine has served nearly 10 years in the Marine Corps. He has said he was exercising his free-speech rights.

The discharge will mean he loses all benefits.

A federal judge previously denied a request to block military discharge proceedings against Stein, who called Obama an enemy on Facebook.

U.S. District Judge Marilyn Huff ruled then that the military has the right to respond to Stein’s online comments in a case that has called into question the Pentagon’s policies regarding social media and the limits regarding the speech of active duty military personnel.

Attorney J. Mark Brewer told Huff the entire process violates the First Amendment, which federal courts have the right to uphold.

Huff disagreed, calling Stein’s postings “truly troubling.” Service members have had their speech limited since the Civil War, especially if their comments are believed to disrupt good order and discipline.

{Fox News/Matzav.com Newscenter}


7 COMMENTS

  1. Whether Mr. Stein likes it or not, he’s in the US military and Mr. Obama is legally his commander-in-chief. The US is not Israel. Here saying you will not follow orders is a serious breach of discipline. The penalty for _actually_ not following orders, depending on the circumstances, can range from demotion or jail to – in time of war – the death sentence. When he joined up he agreed to follow orders – there was no deception. He agreed of his own free will. Also, he was posting not on his own Facebook page but on a public one used by other service personnel.

    If Mr. Stein had limited himself to saying that he thinks Mr. Obama is a terrible president and shouldn’t be re-elected, that’s free speech. He’s entitled to his private opinion. He’s not entitled to state his intention to break military law.

    Again, the troubling part is not that he dislikes the President – think of all the people who voted for Mr. McCain. The issue is that he stated he would refuse to follow orders. THAT is the problem.

  2. Also, according to statements by the military published in the Washington Post, Mr. Stein was warned several times about his posts, but continued to violate regulations.

  3. Let me clarify!
    Good for him that be said what needs to be said, yet sorry that he loses his benefits! THAT must have come straight from the top! Shame!

  4. I hope and wish he wins in court and gets a truckload of money, and of course, benefits reinstated on top of that. In the meantime, kol hakavod.

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