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Gregory Bull / AP
The Marines say Staff Sgt. Gary Stein will be discharged for criticizing President Barack Obama on Facebook. He has since apologized to the president.
Sgt. Gary Stein, the 26-year-old Marine who learned Wednesday he would be discharged for his online comments criticizing President Barack Obama, wishes he could take it back.
“People ask me, ‘Would you go back and change those words?’ I would most definitely,” Stein told msnbc.com. “I would articulate my point better.”
On March 1, Stein wrote on a closed forum for active-duty meteorologists and oceanographers that he would say "Screw Obama" and not follow all orders from him, according to Courthouse News.
“Obama is the economic enemy,” he wrote in the post. “He is the religious enemy ... He is the ‘fundamentally change’ America enemy … He IS the Domestic Enemy.”
Marine who criticized President Obama on Facebook to be discharged
Five minutes later, another Marine took down his post, but not before someone Stein knew took a screen shot and forwarded the comment to Stein’s superiors.
Stein had already been warned about a Facebook page he had started in 2010, which he named Armed Forces Tea Party.
“They said, ‘All we ask is that you write that the views are not that of the Marine Corps or the Department of Defense,’” Stein said. He said he put up the disclaimer that day.
The Facebook page, which had six moderators, including Stein, included posts about contraception, gays in the military, pundit Keith Olbermann and Obama. One post included a photo of Obama with the word, “Jackass” written underneath. Stein said that was not his post.
Service members are, according to Directive 1344 of the Department of Defense, allowed to express personal opinions on political candidates, but not as representatives of the Armed Forces.
Last month, a three-member military panel recommended that he be booted from the Marine Corps. On Wednesday, Brig. Gen. Daniel Yoo accepted their recommendation that Stein be dismissed for violating military law.
Stein said he repeatedly told Marine Corps officials he would shut down the Facebook page and not speak with the press if they allowed him to complete his contract, which ends in three months, but they refused.
“I think they’re trying to use me as an example,” Stein said. “Senior officers don’t want to hear, ‘You were the person who let this Gary Stein situation get out of hand. I think there might have been peer pressure among the senior enlisted.”
Maj. Michael Armistead, a Marine Corps spokesman at Camp Pendleton, could not confirm whether this negotiation took place.
Stein, an Arizona native, has been a Marine for nine years and was deployed to Iraq from 2005 to 2006. Although he regrets his post, he still believes his online activity should be protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution. Still, he said he would caution other service members to think before posting their opinions.
“I’m not telling them to zip it up or shut up; be conscious of what you post,” he said. He said he believes the Marine Corps should clearly rewrite the rules for social media in the wake of his dismissal.
In a phone interview Wednesday, Stein sounded tired. A former weather forecaster, he lost his security clearance and started working as a scheduler on a rifle range at Camp Pendleton. He said his wife’s grandmother died Tuesday night and he was diagnosed Monday with a throat disease. He said the Marine Corps is waiting to discharge him so that he can go through treatment.
“It’s been a rough day,” Stein said. “I’m disappointed. Not only in the Marine Corps, but in myself.”
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He said he plans to go through treatment and tend to his wife and 4-year-old daughter. He has been a licensed real estate agent for two years; last night he posted a house for sale on his personal Facebook page.
He also wrote on Facebook that he would not accept racist or vulgar posts.
“I will ban you and you will never be on the page again,” he said.
And he said he has also apologized to the president.
“If he was in front of me right now, I would salute him, say, ‘Yes, Mr. President, No, Mr. President,’ and when I walked away, I would still disagree with his policies. But those are two separate things.”
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A soldier (or grunt) is bound to obey orders. That just comes with the territory, but when you publicly declare that you will not obey the Commander in Chief, are you really surprised that you lose your job? And if you don't want to obey the chain of command, why are you still in uniform? Go drive a truck.
What is it about Teabaggers and Republitards that don't get about the military code of conduct? Is it now OK to ignore them because they hate a Black man as President? As a percentage to race minorities serve more often than whites. Why is it only white punks like this teabagger are always the ones getting caught trashing the President? As I have stated before there should be a don't ask don't tell policy in place for teabagging traitors in the military. This cowardly punk is the perfect example why.
I have nothing against you keeping your mouth shut and you can start now if you'd like.
What offended you the most bepatient, the "Teabagger" or "Republitard" moniker?
Ditto!
EX-Sgt Stein is still a JACKWAGON no matter how you cut it. I served honorably for 21 years in the Marines and you know what I hated President Clinton as my Commander in Chief, so you know what one freedom I had and choice I made (despite being recommended for promotion by the Commanding General) was to Retire! Period! As long as President Clinton was still my CIC, I served faithfully despite my personal opinions about him. He was the same guy who signed off on my retirement discharge (by the way it's filed away somewhere). So as a former retired Marine we all make choices and Mr. Stein made a very poor choice after 9 years, and by the way now he can "run his pie hole" all he wants because I, as a taxpayer don't care to fund his retirement, medical etc...He got exactly what he wanted "Free Speech" and he still is an idiot! Above all he did his family a tremendous dis-service by his actions!
There was instance of this soldier disobeying any direct orders?
"Obama is the economic enemy,” he wrote in the post. “He is the religious enemy ... He is the ‘fundamentally change’ America enemy … He IS the Domestic Enemy.”
There are lots of people who feel this way
becasue they don't know other wise.
oh they know otherwise. Our rights are being taken away and the constitution is being made a mockery of and Obama has done nothing since he has been in office.
So what is your suggestion? That people who don't agree with the President should start a military coup and overthrow our government? Then we can be like those countries in other parts of the world where militants blow each other up every other day and take innocent civilians with them.... Wouldn't that be dandy?
These rules exist for a reason, sir. There were plenty of soldiers who did not agree with Bush, too, but a soldier's duty is to follow the code he has been given and protect the United States of America. This man violated his code, and he was punished. He's lucky it's only his job lost and not a treason charge!
My suggestion sir is for the American people to wake up and vote him out of office.
lolol Next time he might think first lololololololololol Maybe read what you sign lololololololol
Stein, you deserved what you got and I hope this helps you grow up. Serving your country means serving for your fellow man/brothers/sisters, not supporting some political agenda. Now go back to Arizona and share what you have learned there.
So only Mitt Romey is allowed to say things then deny them?
Point is, this man can critize whomever he wants. The second he said he will not follow orders, he needed to go.
The right can call it anything they want, they can blame anyone they want, but it essential comes down to he was doing what the republican an tea party do on a daily basis, disrespect the president.
Reading many of the comment here is what is really scary. To think that some of you who make these incredibly ignorant, irresponsible comments are actually allowed to vote is more frightening than anything the current administration has done. We need a constitutional amendment that forbids stupid people from voting. Maybe then we'll get better leaders.
Dude, you knew it was against military rules and you were warned. In the military, you may not like then current president but you have to follow the rules and regulations. If you don't, you see what happens. I am not military and I revile Obama. He isn't my president but he is the commander-in-chief. I don't respect Obama, but i do respect the office! If you wanted to critisize Obama you should have used a nom de guere! Yung people need to learn to be very careful in what they say. Once said, it is impossible to take it back! Damage is done! ZI sympathize with your prediciament but you are the only one responsible for it! Good luck! Red
Red Neckerson,
If you are an American citizen then President Obama is your President. You may disagree with him, however you too have a responsibility as a citizen as did this Marine, with the only difference being this Marine's service paid for your rights under the consititution which you and every American enjoy, so while you may hate this President please remember our Constititution and acknowledge that he was elected to serve this great nation.
I was told several times when I was in the service that we don't serve the man, we serve the office. Our opinions about civilian leadership stays in our head and is not given out to the public. The military doesn't pick sides in the US and believe me, the last thing any nation would want is a politicized military.
To err is human. After nine years of service in the marines this is a sad end. If he was warned though it is the result of his own stupidity. But at least he won't have to go out and fight for his country.
This guy was a weatherman. He gave searing reports of vicious, advancing, high pressure systems, that were sure to pelt the enemy with torrential downpours!
I wish I could pick and choose my boss. I also wish I had the freedom to not only talk crap about my boss, but also be free of retribution from my boss too. Unfortunately, this is a pipe dream.
HINT: If your action will get you fired in the private sector, why would you think the government will protect you in the military or elsewhere?
Your free to say what you want about your wife and she is free to divorce you.
Your free to say what you want about your family and they are free to disown you.
Your free to say what you want about your boss and he is free to fire you.
Your free to open your mouth and other are free to ask you to shut it.
Free speech does not mean other have to listen to you, and if what you are saying is inflammatory or slanderous, other are free to take you to court and force you to shut up.
For example: Your free to say McDonalds uses cat meat, but don't be shocked when they take you to court and sue your ass for spreading unproven rumors. Now if you have proof they use cat meat that is different, but by no mean protects you from going to court and defending your statements. In that regard, this marines was a fool, unless he has specific evidence his statements are facts, which he doesn’t. He was only repeating something he read on line.
HINT: Free speech is not a license to lie and although protected by the government, does not protect you from reprisal, unless you are reporting criminal activities or a whistle-blower. So, I ask you, which illegal command did this guy refuse to follow? None? Then all this guy was saying was "I'm in the US military and I hate our nation's leader and should be allowed to tell the world. Well, he was allowed and if the rest of the world sees that we freely allow our military members to question the authority of their leaders without reprisal, then this becomes a security risk.
Even worse, by naming his page "Armed Forces Tea Party", he blatantly disregarded the orders of his direct superiors by presenting himself as a representative of the military, which led to his discharge.
As a retired Marine Gunny I find his actions/comments deploreable. He got what he deserves. Seems odd... after 9 years in the Corps and he's still a Sergeant.... Was his OF top heavy, or was he a discipline problem.... Hmmmm
I concur Gunny. This man definitely had other issues other than being a little lacking in intelligence and discipline. Semper Fi
BMC(SW) USN-Ret
Maybe one of the right-wing people commenting here can explain to us why when many of us were critical of President Bush we were viewed as being unpatriotic and told things like, "America, love it or leave it", but for some reason you can dishonor President Obama and you consider yourself patriots? Bush stomped all over the same Constituion you accuse President Obama of not obeying---but he got a free pass (FISA violations, WMD lies, illegal detention and torture, exposing a CIA agent). This Marine forgot how to read the org chart, should have kept his opinions to himself and got what we deserved. I would have pressed charges under the UCMJ if he was under my command. He got off easy.
No sympathy. If I crapped all over my boss on facebook I would walk myself to the door.
Enjoy your new positon as a Walmart greeter!
akkkman, you're an idiot.
Kind of a dumb move he could have waited until he got out.
Stein:
The Racist Card: You're playing it wrong!
Wow, what a loudmouth douche bag this guy is. Whether he supports Obama or not, this soon to be former Marine works as a representative of the citizens of this country and that includes the President. His lack of verbal discipline and discretion, in my opinion, likely transcends into his commitment to his job overall. Wherever he ends up after this, he'll still be a boorish motor mouth. He and Ted Nugent should buy a vacation home together.
So as a representative of the citizens of our country, when you are representing, you should shut up and not disgrace our country for any reason? But you as the President of the citizens of this country, can go out amongst the world and apologize for our the citizens of this country's "misdeeds", bow before foreign leaders and ask permission from the world before we can take actions to defend the interests of this country? HMMM.
Freedom of speech is the right of every American. Use it wisely... don't be stupid.
Isn't technology great!! Until you post something and then try to take it back...
Of course he's sorry, he got discharged. He took an oath, then slammed our president. Sorry, but he knew that wasn't acceptable and he did it anyway.
Welcome to the soup line.
this marine should be coverd under the same the rights he has sworn to protect. He has protected all our freedoms with his very life for 9 years, he can say whatever he wants under our constitution. He cannot IGNORE an order from his commander in chief and it doesn't look to me like he ever did. wanting to do something and acting on it are 2 very different things. How many people state they want to smack the crap out of their boss and kiss butt in work? And their jobs do not include bombs and guns. Let him apologize to the president-he seems like a gentleman who would accept that and let him stay in the military-which last I checked was volunteer to serve us.
I have to wonder just how stupid this 'Marine" has to be, spending 9 years in the Military and thinking the Constitution applies to him.
Thats the irony of serving, protecting something that doesn't protect you. GIs have no rights and they never have.
And saying he wouldn't follow an order? Can't have that. The last time I went through the main gate my first thought was how I never again had to do something simply because someone told me to do it.
Theres an old saying that goes something like: You're free to complain about your orders, say jumping overboard from a sea worthy ship, but when you go to the Captain to complain you had best be wet.
Heres the thing, many of you people don't understand these things, you don't want to understand these things, you've never HAD TO understand these things, and because of me and people like me you remain free to spew your ignorance for the world to see and take note of.
I hesitate to respond to your post as I find myself at odds with what appears to be a very serious lack of understanding. But here it goes. The weakest link in a chain will be the cause of it breaking. His statement that he will not obey the orders of the President is not honoring the oath he took. He's a member of the United States Military. The best in the WORLD. Not the girl scouts. This is not a simple situation of "I take it back". Or "I'm sorry". He not only violated direct written orders, but did not honor his oath just by saying he would not obey the Presidents orders. There is a reason why military members say, "Death before dishonor". Everyone who has ever served HONORABLY would agree that honor is at the very core of a persons actions. You are right however that not everyones jobs include bombs and guns directed at them. That is even more of a reason to not allow dissention in the ranks. Honor is not something one uses whenever they need it to suite themselves. You are either honorable all the time or you are not honorable. He simply lacks honor, but did choose to act on that dishonor and now wants to back out of it to suite his needs. NOT ACCEPTABLE form any real leaders perspective. To respond to your statement that he should be covered under the same rights he swore to protect, HE IS. He just simply also is responsible to the UCMJ which he VOLUNTEERED for. Bottom line, simpathy should be given to those who are deserving of it. Not those who want it for a self serving purpose. Dishonorable discharge for a dishonorable person. (A person who willingly made a choice not to honor his sworn oath) Again, try to explain with any real facts how that is not fair.
Amen, Retired21!!
In nearly any organization, if you say you will not follow any order from the leader, you should not be in that organization. Especially an all volunteer organization like the marines. But even in a private company, if you won't do what your supervisor tells you to do, you will be fired.
Oh sure, the marine changed his mind and said that it only applied to illegal orders but that is not what he said before he was discharged. He said all orders. What kind of marine will not follow any orders.
Just another grandstander of mr grover, the gop, & the rushbo. They are in soooo much trouble nowadays that they have to get marines to say they will not follow any orders. The rushbo has such low quality sponsors. I have never heard of hardly any of them. And rupert should be fired. Fox news is way over the top. And the gop's main video contributor during elections, bin laden, has been recently buried at sea.