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Article: Military form letters hijack soldiers' rights
- Article from:
- Chicago Sun-Times
- Article date:
- October 26, 2003
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 2003 Chicago Sun-Times. (Hide copyright information)
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Napoleon stated that every French private carried a field
marshal's baton in his knapsack. But American soldiers have always
carried in their backpacks the U.S. Constitution they are sworn to
"uphold and protect." For while some of their liberties may have been
curtailed under the conditions of military service, most remain fully
exercisable -- and none so vigorously as freedom of speech.
American soldiers since the revolution have horrified
authoritarian military commanders by loudly questioning their orders
and the reasons for them, writing to their congressional
representatives and the president of the United States, as well as
mom and dad, their significant others, and the local ...