24 Reasons Veterans Must Not Support and Cannot Vote for Trump in 2024
The application of the 14th Amendment's insurrection clause to disqualify a former President from election ballots is a momentous development in American constitutional history.
Since the events of January 6th, when a violent mob of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol building, the country has been in a state of shock and disbelief. The incident was a clear violation of the oath that all elected officials and public servants take to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States. For many military veterans, the events of January 6th were especially troubling, as they saw the actions of the mob as a direct attack on the democratic values that they have fought to protect.
For me, I was frozen in disbelief. I watched the crowd of murder-hungry possessed mob under the spell of a conman attack the capitol of the country I served. All on the pretense of lies. All at the alter of truth.
For WHISKEY SOLDIER®: We're fucking sick of the excuses made for these folks. There is no excuse. The events of January 6, 2021, serve as a flashpoint in understanding the MAGA movement and its disdain of American society.
The MAGA movement's version of events diverges significantly from documented evidence and widespread consensus.
These are folks that believe in fantasy in their core. Colorado court's designation of the January 6 events as an insurrection is a pivotal moment in the ongoing narrative of that day. The resistance to this explicitly clear finding can be seen as a continuation of the postmodernist trend within the movement, where subjective truths and skepticism towards official narratives prevail over established facts and legal rulings. Its not frivolous to look at the MAGA cohort as a cult. Its not unwise to remember Hitler was elected.
For some veterans, the events of January 6th were the final straw in a long line of actions by the Trump administration that they could not support. Many veterans see Trump's behavior as a betrayal of the values that they hold dear, including respect for the rule of law, the importance of democratic institutions, and the need to put the country's interests first.
One of the most troubling aspects of the events of January 6th was the fact that many of the rioters were veterans themselves. This has led to a great deal of shame and soul-searching among the veteran community, with many questioning how their fellow veterans could have been drawn into such a violent and destructive act.
Malcolm Nance, a former U.S. Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer, cryptology specialist, and now, a relentless voice against the insidious rise of domestic extremism. Malcolm Nance's "They Want to Kill Americans" paints a chilling picture of "Titus," (Trump Insurgency in the U.S.) a decentralized insurgency fueled by conspiracy theories, white nationalism, and stolen election rhetoric.
This movement, Nance argues, seeks to dismantle democracy through violence and intimidation, employing disinformation, weapons stockpiling, and targeted harassment. While the potential for large-scale conflict exists, the more likely threat lies in a gradual erosion of public trust and heightened political polarization. To counter this, Nance emphasizes fact-checking, promoting social inclusion, and vigilant law enforcement, urging us to recognize Titus not as isolated pockets of extremism, but a coordinated assault on American values.
In the wake of January 6th, many veterans have spoken out against Trump and his supporters. Some have even gone so far as to call for Trump to be held accountable for his role in inciting the violence. For many veterans, the oath they took to defend the Constitution is not just a piece of paper, but a sacred promise that they take very seriously.
It is clear that the events of January 6th have shaken many veterans to their core. While some may still support Trump, many others cannot in good conscience continue to do so after his clear violation of the oath of office. As the country moves forward, it will be important to listen to the voices of these veterans and to work towards healing the divisions that have been exposed by these events.
The unwavering commitment of veterans to their oath – a solemn vow to defend the Constitution of the United States – stands in stark contrast to actions witnessed violating all constitutional principles, particularly those with the responsibility to hold it in its highest form.
This oath represents an absolute allegiance, not to any individual or office but to the foundational document that embodies our nation’s highest ideals: democracy, the rule of law, and the rights and freedoms of its people.
When veterans observe a breach of these constitutional tenets, it strikes at the very core of their values and service. This is not merely a matter of political disagreement but a profound ethical and moral conflict. The identity of a veteran is deeply interwoven with values of honor, integrity, and duty, making any perceived undermining of the Constitution not only troubling but fundamentally irreconcilable with their sworn oath.
Such a scenario forces veterans to confront a painful dissonance – the clash between the devotion to the principles that they have pledged their lives to protect and the actions of those they were taught to respect and follow. This conflict goes beyond the realm of politics, touching the essence of what it means to serve and protect the American ideal as such.
I'm ready to look at others that took an oath to the constitution with their eyes open and shoulders square and ask them how they reconcile their fidelity to the constitution and support for the tyrant?
Gregory Daniel Collins, Jr. is a KY Army National Guard veteran and a dynamic entrepreneur. As the Founder of Wall of Fame Entertainment, WHISKEY SOLDIER®, and Chair of the Veterans Corporate Council, he blends his military and business acumen to champion veterans' causes and the creatives in the entertainment industry.
