• Rhaedas@fedia.io
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    2 days ago

    Yes, I guess. But can they? Without consequences, that is.

    I suppose everyone has their own set and level of consequences that keep them from immediately reacting or trying to stop events.

    • WizardofFrobozz@lemmy.ca
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      2 days ago

      Sorry, Americans. You had 20-30 years to stop this slow motion reactionary train wreck without risking serious consequences. You failed to do that, so now your choice is to do it the hard way or just roll over and give up now. All indications point to you having already decided to do the latter.

      • Zahille7@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        I’m American and I agree. People can downvote us if they want, but what we believe is true. There is literally no way this ends peacefully, and we shouldn’t just be rolling over and taking it. Our whole country is a fucking joke full of larpers

      • samus12345@sh.itjust.works
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        2 days ago

        Things have to get much worse before people do anything on a large scale. In most parts of the country, day to day life is unchanged.

      • Rhaedas@fedia.io
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        2 days ago

        I don’t disagree at all with that aspect. As a minority who has been screaming at the others, it’s hard to both try to explain why we’re going down this path while totally understanding why the world is looking at us like we’re all insane. Fire may be the only remedy at this point.

        I disagree with the timeline. I’m old, and things were already in motion when I was born. This has been a long train wreck with so many false points of hope and promises of change tricking and deluding us.

        I have the same take on humanity as a whole. It’s been a long road of disappointment with lots of missed exits to possible better times.

    • Typhoon@lemmy.ca
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      2 days ago

      can they? Without consequences, that is.

      What are the consequences if they don’t?

      • BranBucket@lemmy.world
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        1 day ago

        The national guard is both state and federal, and can be subject to penalties under the Uniform Code of Military Justice at times just like active duty troops.

        If you just stop showing up, your unit declares you AWOL, and this can carry criminal penalties under the UCMJ. They may ask local law enforcement to bring you in. Jail time is a possibility in aggravated cases.

        You could claim certain types of mental illness, that you’re experiencing gender dysphoria, or fake a disqualifing medical condotion and you may or may not be discharged or face a court martial based on wether or not they think you’re lying.

        Depends on the branch, but you could try gaining weight and failing your PT test, however the process of getting discharged could take months/years.

        Failing a drug test would probably the be the fastest way out, but you’re potentially going to get dishonorably discharged, which can be treated as equivalent to a criminal conviction in some regards.

        Declaring yourself a consciencous objector could work, and is probably the closest to simply quitting, but the process of being discharged could be lengthy and involve some investigation to make sure your beliefs are “sincerely held”. Again, you may be dishonorably discharged or face other penalties if someone really wants to be an asshole about it.

        EDIT: After some googling. If activated under federal orders or participating in their annual training and therefore subject to the UCMJ, the consequences for a National Guardsman found guilty of desertion could be as severe as death. However, this is historically rare in the modern era.

        When not activated, most states have their own code of military justice, which often mirrors the UCMJ.

        https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/10/885

        Some other relevant reading:

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Slovik