Posted on Feb 17, 2015
LTC Chief Of Public Affairs And Protocol
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Are we so afraid of offending someone that we will allow traitorous and treasonous acts, even to the point of our own demise?
Posted in these groups: 872a0ff National Security
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Responses: 8
MSgt Michelle Mondia
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I think we're afraid because these offensive are punishable by death (by firing squad at that)...and in today's politicical climate anyone can be set up using social media and gossip. It would be the Red Scare all over again. You think we're ready for the new McCarthyism? Besides, were all being spied on as it is, no worries.
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MSG Signal Support Systems Specialist
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The same Section of the Constitution that defines treason also states that Congress shall set the punishment, 18 USC 2381 doesn't specify firing squad, only, "death, or shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States."

Lethal injection is currently the sole method of federal or military executions.

And, as you see, death is not the sole possibility.
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MSG Signal Support Systems Specialist
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Do they clearly apply? Treason, in the US has a very specific definition--the only offense defined by the Constitution.

"Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court."

Not only is it very narrow, but the burden of proof is elevated.
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Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS
Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS
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Not only is the only crime specifically defined by the Constitution, it's one of only three crimes mentioned by name in the Constitution (Piracy and Counterfeiting being the other two).

With the abuses our Founders & Framers suffered at England's hands, they built protections into the Constitution itself to safeguard the citizenry from similar issues.
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SGT Jim Z.
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I think people are just afraid to call a spade a spade. The media in my opinion is one of the worse in spinning certain situations. For example, some media outlets made Snowden sound like a hero and a whistleblower when in fact he was a traitor and committed treason.
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SFC William Swartz Jr
SFC William Swartz Jr
10 y
I couldn't agree more..between Snowden and Manning we seem to have "lost" our way in stating what is treasonous. I can remember instances during the '70s and '80s where similar acts were committed by servicemembers or contractors that we had no problem with calling them what they were, treason, but seems to me, and this is only my opinion, that with the end of the Cold War, these acts couldn't possibly happen, at least in the eyes of some......
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