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Defiant-Passion-5129 OP t1_j6flnb5 wrote

Reply to comment by quietQuibble in My grandfather during a riot in new jersey in 1970 (on the gun) by Defiant-Passion-5129

by chance a more history based reddit page would be better to post to my apologies

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PsychophicaI t1_j6fnso5 wrote

Don’t apologize, understanding and accepting reality is old school cool.

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Block_Me_Amadeus t1_j6i67j5 wrote

Not your fault and not your grandfather's fault, but our government's use of weaponry against its own people was horrifying.

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Cross_22 t1_j6oolbk wrote

Very much his grandfather's fault - unless somebody forced him to aim a machine gun at people.

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Block_Me_Amadeus t1_j6opldv wrote

Some individuals feel it's safe to take a stand and refuse direct orders, and others do not. I have never been in that soldier's shoes and I'm guessing you haven't, either, so I can't know what consequences he would've faced.

If you're a member of US military forces and your commanding officer tells you to do something, you can definitely catch a court martial. Folks have been shot by firing squad for dereliction of duty, let alone having the livelihood that's supporting their family taken away.

"I vas just following orders" wasn't valid for full-on N_zi atrocities, but there's a spectrum.

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clce t1_j6jqly0 wrote

I would say the writing was horrified and the need to bring in forces to bring it down was also terrible but they were the good guys. I don't see why that can't be cool. I wouldn't want my neighborhood to be destroyed by rioters and looters

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