MSNBC Story On Military Disobedience Highlights the Importance of Whistleblowers

 

MSNBC would have you think that this story about generals working to disobey their commander-in-chief is an awesome thing, because the guy in the chair at the time was Donald Trump. But what if the president was Tulsi Gabbard, who decides to end the wars we're involved in? Or a President Bernie Sanders, who decided to reduce the military budget? Or a president who decided to send troops to make sure that voters can vote without being harassed or to protests to make sure police don't beat said protestors up? 

While having the proverbial "just following orders" type of soldier is not preferable, neither is the "sabotage your boss" type. A better option would be what mainstream media and our increasingly tribal binary political system seems to shun now: whistleblowing. If you feel that the president is ordering something illegal, then tell people. Don't be a puppet or a saboteur.  And don't wait until it's "safe" and then write/have yourself quoted in a book talking about how you and a few others were the only ones protecting the country from complete chaos. 

It's definitely more difficult for military officials, as holding a press conference to say the president wants to bomb a country in order to turn it into a waterpark could be interpreted as treason, let alone a career-killer. But that's what "leaks" are for.