Dozen turn out to protest Marine exercises

[Fenway]

Dozen turn out to protest Marine exercises | IndyStar.com | The Indianapolis Star



About a dozen people turned out today at the corner of 38th and Fall Creek Avenue to protest Marine plans to stage military exercises in Indianapolis.
The protest comes after an announcement that about 2,300 Marines from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, based at Camp Lejeune, N.C., will conduct training from Wednesday through June 19 in and around Indianapolis.

The training will take place at the old Eastgate Consumer Mall, Brookside Park and other Indianapolis locations to simulate urban warfare conditions. The Marines’ training will include conducting patrols, reacting to ambushes and firing weapons.

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"We do not want to promote war," said protester Mary Heins, 66, Indianapolis. "You're giving tacit approval to war when you bring in the military to practice in our midst."
Among the messages displayed on signs carried by some of the protesters included "No war games in Indianapolis," "War is not the answer," and "Marines, not in our children's parks."

The demonstration drew honks from passing cars, and one vehicle sporting a "Support our Troops" magnet waved a large American flag out its window at the protesters.

The protest was scheduled to last until 6 p.m. tonight.

[Pete-FWA]

She's wrong about promoting war.

Marines must train to defend in other countries as well as our own.

Who is to say that something may not break out in our land?

I want well trained armed forces ready to help instead of confused people unsure of their surroundings and the people in them.

Should we not be prepared, it is an invitation to an easy target. Ignoring the problem and hoping it won't go away isn't a good plan of action. Be prepared for the worst and live the best.

[Jay]

well hell....... the damn protest mentality can't make up it's feeble mind.....

Get the military out of the middle east.......... then get them out of Indy......... ok meatheads, just where in the hell do you want them ? As long as they cover your butt from somewhere that you can't see, it's ok, huh?

We need more chlorine in the gene pool.

[Bill of Rights]

OK, this is gonna sound like it's tinfoil football helmet night, but while I want our troops prepared to handle urban assaults in other countries as needed, or to handle them if we are invaded by a hostile force from another nation, I cannot help but wonder, especially in light of the removal of Posse Comitatus and in light of the DC neighborhood thread, if they are being trained to do urban assaults upon our own people. I don't think it's far out of the realm of possibility, and with what amounts to a 50/50 chance for Osama er, Obama to win the Presidency, yes, I am concerned.

Jay, and for that matter any and all who have served with honor in our armed forces, thank you for doing so. This post does not reflect ill upon the services you performed or in which you served. They are required to follow orders but they also swear to uphold the Constitution of the United States; I think that these days, their training may be designed to instill the authority of the former over the latter, and I'm not sure how many would choose correctly, given that version of Hobson's Choice.

Blessings,
B

[Jay]

BOR...... sir, you're welcome

I also swore to uphold the Constitution. And I did NOT renounce that oath upon my discharge. I will continue to do what I can to defend this country and it's Constitution.

[obijohn]

BOR though i think your concerns are valid, you should know that training in the general population's back yard happens all the time in the US. this is a bit unique in that it is advertised and a pretty large unit. small unit exercises happen almost daily.

[Lars]

I'm actually amused it was only "Dozens" that turned out.

If one of the major presidential hopefuls is to be believed I'd have expected the headline to read.... Hundreds of thousands turn out to......

[tmfinney]

You know I'm not even wasting my breathe about the protesters, but I will say this, I seem to recall there is a sentence in that oath that you have to defend against all enemies both foreign and domestic

Jay,
From an army brat to someone who has served, Thank you and to all who have served or currently serving.

[Bill of Rights]

Originally Posted by tmfinney

I seem to recall there is a sentence in that oath that you have to defend against all enemies both foreign and domestic

Originally Posted by Jay

I also swore to uphold the Constitution. And I did NOT renounce that oath upon my discharge. I will continue to do what I can to defend this country and it's Constitution.

Originally Posted by Bill of Rights

I cannot help but wonder, especially in light of the removal of Posse Comitatus and in light of the DC neighborhood thread, if they are being trained to do urban assaults upon our own people. I don't think it's far out of the realm of possibility, and with what amounts to a 50/50 chance for Osama er, Obama to win the Presidency, yes, I am concerned....They are required to follow orders but they also swear to uphold the Constitution of the United States; I think that these days, their training may be designed to instill the authority of the former over the latter, and I'm not sure how many would choose correctly, given that version of Hobson's Choice.

This is exactly the problem I'm worried about. The Marines (in this case, but really the current members of any military unit and for that matter, any police officer) have all sworn to uphold the Constitution and to defend against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Jay and the others who've served in the past have taken and not renounced the same oath, and those of us who have not served in uniform, while we have not been administered that oath, nonetheless would pretty much to a man hold to it.

So the question is, if they're ordered to defend the country against a domestic enemy (us) and we're defending our natural, fundamental, and Constitutional rights against a domestic enemy (them)

:do2::do2::do2:..................................... ..........................................

Who is right and who is wrong?

I think this has far oversimplified the question, and "who is wrong" is whoever's giving the orders to violate the Constitution. You know, "pay no attention to that man behind the curtain".

All I know for sure is that when TEOTWAWKI or SHTF or whatever acronym you want to use happens, there are going to be a whole bunch of good men and women dying doing what they're convinced is the right thing-on both sides of the fight. It's a sad situation, but I am hopeful that common sense may break out and yes, I dare even hope that this little line of reasoning might be read by folks on both sides and maybe I'll have a partial role in saving some lives.

"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible
make violent revolution inevitable." --JFK

I pray that we can have peaceful revolution. I'm armed in case we can't.

Blessings,
B

[flagtag]

Originally Posted by Pete-FWA

She's wrong about promoting war.

Marines must train to defend in other countries as well as our own.

Who is to say that something may not break out in our land?

I want well trained armed forces ready to help instead of confused people unsure of their surroundings and the people in them.

Should we not be prepared, it is an invitation to an easy target. Ignoring the problem and hoping it won't go away isn't a good plan of action. Be prepared for the worst and live the best.

Does anyone know if they have ever "trained" in Chicago or Washington D.C.? Or if they plan to? (That would be interesting!)