For the past 11 years I’ve gone to bed reassuring myself that tomorrow’s journey into “Trump Land” couldn’t possibly be crazier than today’s. Not so! Each day his fantasy land (we call it America), with its revolving cast of inexperienced, right-wing extremists manage to move the crazy scale to new heights of insanity. His cult-like architects and followers are becoming more and more intoxicated with his nonsensical excuse for governing. Still, 11 years later, having become dangerous, it still boggles my mind.
The most recent example of his unhinged lunacy was to accuse six Congressional patriots of sedition and sentence them to be hanged (like they did in the old days). Among the six is Michigan’s own Sen. Elissa Slotkin. They all have received hundreds of death threats and have had to receive personal security details. The alleged seditious act was a video they produced that simply reminded members of the military who may be deployed, at home or abroad, that their loyalty, by oath, is to the Constitution and not to any one person or group. Additionally, that they are obligated to follow lawful orders unless they are contrary to the Constitution or domestic and international laws.
There are examples that the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) uses to illustrate what service people of “ordinary sense and understanding” would know to be an unlawful order: suppressing lawful protests and domestic law enforcement.
For further clarification, many historical citations can be found: Nuremberg Trials (11/20/45), My Lai Massacre (Viet Nam 3/16/68), The Kent State anti-war demonstration (5/4/70), Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse/torture (between October-December 2003), Philippine-American War (2/4/1899).
The defense of “acting under orders” is not valid if the service member knew or should have known the order to be unlawful. Demonstrably, the consequences of following unlawful orders are severe. Consequently, for service members of all ranks, and any civilian and/or politician with authority or influence to issue or support an unlawful order could be in jeopardy. The issuance of the warning by the six patriotic members of Congress on Nov. 18, 2025 was many things, but sedition it was not.
It is easily recognizable, for people of “ordinary sense and understanding” that U.S. Representatives Chris Deluzio (D-PA), Maggie Goodlander (D-AR), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Jason Crow (D-CO), and U.S. Senators Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) are heroes for demonstrating the courage to stand up in the face of stupidity.
Roy Neal
Linden
