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U.S. military purging 'birthers'?
WND
Jack Minor
3/24/2012
Excerpt:
"Dr. Terry Lakin, an officer who was drummed out of the Army for questioning Obama’s eligibility, says that a veteran Marine facing discharge after he posted a comment on Facebook contending the president’s birth certificate is fake shows the need for the military and Congress to resolve the issue.
As WND reported, Marine Sgt. Gary Stein is under investigation and facing possible discharge over a Facebook page he created for military members to speak out called Armed Forces Tea Party, in which he, too, questioned Barack Obama’s eligibility to be president under the U.S. Constitution.
Lakin said there are many soldiers in the military like Stein who have questions about Obama, but they are often afraid to speak out.
“While I was in the Army there were a lot of people in the Pentagon who were concerned about this issue,” Lakin said, “but they were concerned about their career and paycheck.”
Stein is under investigation for online remarks made as an officer, but contends his page makes it plain the page is not affiliated with the U.S. military, saying, “We do not represent, and are in no way affiliated with the military, or the United States Armed Forces.”
Further, Stein says, “There is no picture of me in uniform anywhere on Facebook; there is no way anyone can say I am presenting myself as a representative of the Marine Corps.”
Since its inception in 2010, the page has been critical of Obama and his policies. Stein said he had been warned about by superiors to be careful with what he said, but after he posted a comment about the president’s birth certificate possibly being a forgery, the Marine Corps suddenly became more interested in his postings.
Stein said he was told by officials that he was being investigated for making a “disloyal comment about the president” through his personal Facebook profile during a discussion on “NATO allowing the trial of U.S. troops for burning the Koran” on a Facebook group.
“I was responding to a hypothetical question,” Stein explained, “and I said I would not obey any illegal orders.”
A Marine Corps spokesman, however, gave WND a different reason for the investigation.
According to Maj. Mike Armistead the public affairs officer at MCRD San Diego, on March 8 the Marine Corps began a preliminary inquiry after receiving allegations that Stein had “posted political statements about the president of the United States on his Facebook web page titled ‘Armed Forces Tea Party.’” No mention was made about Stein’s post on a Facebook group.
Armistead said after reviewing the findings of the preliminary inquiry, the commander decided to address the allegations through an administrative action and that the base commander has recommended Stein be discharged.
While Armistead would not say which comments the Corps had a problem with, on March 4 – five days before the investigation began – Stein posted a link to a YouTube video about the investigation by Maricopa County Sheriff County Joe Arpaio with a statement, “Just in case you forgot … I’m sticking to my guns and saying that president, so-called President Obama’s brith [sic] certificate is a fake.”
“I think there is enough evidence that some federal agency should investigate whether the document is a fake or not,” Stein told WND. “However the real issue is, do we in the military have the right to express our opinion off-duty?”
“Joe Arpaio has finally addressed this issue properly, and look at his findings. It is very apparent there is a legitimate question out there about Obama’s eligibility,” Lakin added. “I’m still waiting for our generals, admirals, congressional leaders and judges to do the right thing and address this issue properly. Arpaio has finally done this, and look what is happening: The media and officials are attempting to hide what he has found.”
Lakin was court martialed, served prison time and given a dishonorable discharge after he refused orders to deploy to Afghanistan until concerns he had about Obama’s eligibility were resolved. Prior to his refusal to obey orders, Lakin had attempted for almost two years to get his questions answered through the chain of command but was rebuffed at every turn.
He said the issues that caused him to disobey orders are still there and until they are resolved there will continue to be situations like this.
“Until the generals and admirals decide to deal with this, there are going to continue to be problems with soldiers such as Stein who have questions about the president’s birth certificate,” he said.
Stein says he intends to fight the decision to discharge him from the Marine Corps, insisting he has a right to discuss and express his opinion about the president’s policies."
.................................................. .....
View the complete article at:
http://www.wnd.com/2012/03/u-s-milit...ging-birthers/
WND
Jack Minor
3/24/2012
Excerpt:
"Dr. Terry Lakin, an officer who was drummed out of the Army for questioning Obama’s eligibility, says that a veteran Marine facing discharge after he posted a comment on Facebook contending the president’s birth certificate is fake shows the need for the military and Congress to resolve the issue.
As WND reported, Marine Sgt. Gary Stein is under investigation and facing possible discharge over a Facebook page he created for military members to speak out called Armed Forces Tea Party, in which he, too, questioned Barack Obama’s eligibility to be president under the U.S. Constitution.
Lakin said there are many soldiers in the military like Stein who have questions about Obama, but they are often afraid to speak out.
“While I was in the Army there were a lot of people in the Pentagon who were concerned about this issue,” Lakin said, “but they were concerned about their career and paycheck.”
Stein is under investigation for online remarks made as an officer, but contends his page makes it plain the page is not affiliated with the U.S. military, saying, “We do not represent, and are in no way affiliated with the military, or the United States Armed Forces.”
Further, Stein says, “There is no picture of me in uniform anywhere on Facebook; there is no way anyone can say I am presenting myself as a representative of the Marine Corps.”
Since its inception in 2010, the page has been critical of Obama and his policies. Stein said he had been warned about by superiors to be careful with what he said, but after he posted a comment about the president’s birth certificate possibly being a forgery, the Marine Corps suddenly became more interested in his postings.
Stein said he was told by officials that he was being investigated for making a “disloyal comment about the president” through his personal Facebook profile during a discussion on “NATO allowing the trial of U.S. troops for burning the Koran” on a Facebook group.
“I was responding to a hypothetical question,” Stein explained, “and I said I would not obey any illegal orders.”
A Marine Corps spokesman, however, gave WND a different reason for the investigation.
According to Maj. Mike Armistead the public affairs officer at MCRD San Diego, on March 8 the Marine Corps began a preliminary inquiry after receiving allegations that Stein had “posted political statements about the president of the United States on his Facebook web page titled ‘Armed Forces Tea Party.’” No mention was made about Stein’s post on a Facebook group.
Armistead said after reviewing the findings of the preliminary inquiry, the commander decided to address the allegations through an administrative action and that the base commander has recommended Stein be discharged.
While Armistead would not say which comments the Corps had a problem with, on March 4 – five days before the investigation began – Stein posted a link to a YouTube video about the investigation by Maricopa County Sheriff County Joe Arpaio with a statement, “Just in case you forgot … I’m sticking to my guns and saying that president, so-called President Obama’s brith [sic] certificate is a fake.”
“I think there is enough evidence that some federal agency should investigate whether the document is a fake or not,” Stein told WND. “However the real issue is, do we in the military have the right to express our opinion off-duty?”
“Joe Arpaio has finally addressed this issue properly, and look at his findings. It is very apparent there is a legitimate question out there about Obama’s eligibility,” Lakin added. “I’m still waiting for our generals, admirals, congressional leaders and judges to do the right thing and address this issue properly. Arpaio has finally done this, and look what is happening: The media and officials are attempting to hide what he has found.”
Lakin was court martialed, served prison time and given a dishonorable discharge after he refused orders to deploy to Afghanistan until concerns he had about Obama’s eligibility were resolved. Prior to his refusal to obey orders, Lakin had attempted for almost two years to get his questions answered through the chain of command but was rebuffed at every turn.
He said the issues that caused him to disobey orders are still there and until they are resolved there will continue to be situations like this.
“Until the generals and admirals decide to deal with this, there are going to continue to be problems with soldiers such as Stein who have questions about the president’s birth certificate,” he said.
Stein says he intends to fight the decision to discharge him from the Marine Corps, insisting he has a right to discuss and express his opinion about the president’s policies."
.................................................. .....
View the complete article at:
http://www.wnd.com/2012/03/u-s-milit...ging-birthers/