Thursday, June 27, 2013
Obama's Army command punishes conservative soldier
A member of the U.S. Army Band who said he was reprimanded for having anti-Obama bumper stickers on his personal car, serving Chick-fil-A sandwiches at a party and reading books written by conservative authors like Sean Hannity was found guilty of three Article 15 charges.
Sommers, a 25-year military veteran, received an oral reprimand and will not be reduced in rank.
Sommers’ troubles started last year when he was confronted about having pro-Republican and anti-Obama bumper stickers on his personal vehicle.
The stickers read: “Political Dissent is NOT Racism,” “NOBAMA,” NOPE2012” and “The Road to Bankruptcy is Paved with Ass-Fault.” That sticker included the image of a donkey.
His superior officer told the soldier that the bumper stickers were creating “unnecessary workplace tension.”
Sommers also came under fire for reading the works of Mark Levin, Sean Hannity and David Limbaugh. Last summer he was reading Limbaugh’s “The Great Destroyer” backstage at a concert when a superior officer told him that he was causing “unit disruption” and was offending other soldiers.
But the incident that led to an official investigation of Sommers came late last summer when he served Chick-fil-A sandwiches at his promotion party.
“My family likes Chick-fil-A and we like what they stand for,” he said. “I can make a statement and at least express a religious point of view at my promotion party – theoretically without any fear of reprisal.”
The soldier also tweeted about the party: “In honor of DADT repeal, and Obama/Holder’s refusal to enforce DOMA act, I’m serving Chick-fil-A at my MSG promo reception for Army today.”
The tweet came under fire from his superior officers, according to an official military document.
“As a Soldier you must be cognizant of the fact that your statements can be perceived by the general public and other service members to be of a nature bordering on disrespect to the President of the United States,” the document stated. [U.S. troops serve America, not Obama]
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9 comments:
He sounds like your run of the mill conservatard.
Apparently when one joins the military one gives up the right to express conservative opinions. It's hard to imagine that there were no pro-Obama bumper stickers, no liberal themed books or articles being read, no liberal viewpoints voiced by members of the military. But conservatives don't run whining to mommy when they see or hear an opposing viewpoint. So there are no actions taken against liberals.
Maybe someone should make an issue of liberals voicing their opinion.
Dean,
Apparently when one joins the military one gives up the right to express conservative opinions
Yep. You do. You also give up the right to express liberal opinions.
The CO can say all he wants about the bumper stickers and the books the man was reading, but when he tweeted a political statement and made a political statement in front of a crowd while in uniform, he violated the UCMJ.
That standard has been around for some time and it should be in place. For a man with 25 years in the military to not know that or to willingly disobey the UCMJ says much about him (one way or the other.)
If you or he has other examples of military personnel making political statements on active duty and in uniform, then bring it forward. Then, and only then, can the alleged hypocrisy be seen by all.
anon 5:39 Thanks for the information. I didn't realize the UCMJ was so strict about political speech.
As far as other military making political statements in uniform, I have no knowledge of it, but as I said I find it hard to believe none have ever done so.
Dean is correct. In the military it is strictly forbidden to criticize the President, VP, Congress and others. The reason for this is that the military is subservient to the civilian side. You may not like them but you have to be respectful.
I think the entire general staff of the usa needs to be court martialed and thrown into gitmo for treason.
Is it against military to display the Bible on your desk or table? Yet is ok to display the Koran.
I can understand the bumperstickers, but getting in trouble for Chick-Fil-A and for the books you're reading? That's unacceptable.
I can understand the bumperstickers, but getting in trouble for Chick-Fil-A and for the books you're reading?
Once again, time, place and manner restrictions apply here. At a promotion party, typically people - including those being promoted - are in uniform. The UCMJ doesn't allow for people in uniform to make political statements which is what Sommers did.
The book reading is little different. There is a line in the article that may shed some light on this.
“I wasn’t reading aloud,” Sommers told Fox News. “I was just reading privately to myself. I was told they were frowning on that and they warned me that I should not be reading literature like that backstage because it was offensive.”
So he was at a performance and reading political works? Sorry, but I can see the problem here. When Sommers is at a performance, he represents the military - all of the military - and needs to remain apolitical.
The fact of the matter is that I am unaware of any regulation that would allow him to disobey an order to put any book aside. It doesn't matter the type or the subject. That seems to be something he is bringing into this. If your superior says "put the book away," you say "yes Sir," salute and do as you are told.
But there is something else as well - something the Jonn conveniently left out of the post.
One of Sommers supporters said:
[ Lt. Gen. Jerry] Boykin said. “The Article 15 proceeding may be technically legitimate, but one must recognize that an Army Master Sergeant with 25 years does not normally do stupid things that are easily avoidable unless there is some mitigating circumstance.”
The charges are legit.
It is difficult for civilians to understand the nature of a military unit - even a military band such as this unit.
This appears to be more about being part of a cause rather than that cause actually being legitimate.
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