Letter to the editor 11-25-25

As a person who spent 12 years in the Army as a Private, a Non Commissioned Officer (Sergeant) or Commissioned Officer (Captain at time of my medical discharge) I want people to understand how ridiculous and dangerous the rhetoric from this Administration is regarding the members of the Legislative Branch telling soldiers they have a DUTY to not follow illegal orders. This is drilled into every service member from boot camp through their entire time in the service. The reason that these legislators did this is because this administration has made it very clear the military works for them, and not the American people. This is to help service members to remember that they have a duty to not follow ILLEGAL orders. Like blowing up boats in the Caribbean or Pacific without due process. Younger and lower ranked individuals need this reassurance because if some Colonel or Major starts telling them to shoot a civilian or blow up a building full of people when not under attack or in a state of war they can feel someone has their back. We all know that it is illegal to text and drive, yet we don’t have a problem with commercials reinforcing it for those people, especially teenagers, who feel they have to do it to keep in touch with others by answering texts while driving. If I took out a billboard on the side of 481 and it said, “You shouldn’t run over people and leave the scene” I am sure people would make fun of it, but it doesn’t mean it’s not right to do it. Nobody is telling people not to follow LEGAL orders but just trying to ensure in the chaotic and explosive atmosphere created by this administration that those good people who might be blamed later, and not the people telling them to do it, know what is right and wrong. I also feel if you have not served or been in the situation these people are in, you should be spending your time ensuring that anyone you love that is serving is being supported and not spend time exacerbating the issue by making ridiculous and ill-informed social media rants.

Thank you

Jim Cannon

Fulton, NY

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