# US Military Parade **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 7, 2018, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-military-parade/808340 "2018-02-07T01:14:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-military-parade/808340/121 "2018-02-08T15:56:24Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > ETA: I do wonder what people would think if this had been suggested by Obama, or Bill Clinton. Approval probably. Great question. Let’s ask. Hey folks, would you be more likely to approve of a military parade if Obama or Clinton had demanded it instead of Trump? Here, I’ll go. No. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-military-parade/808340/122 "2018-02-08T15:59:29Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > Great question. Let’s ask. > > Hey folks, would you be more likely to approve of a military parade if Obama or Clinton had demanded it instead of Trump? > > Here, I’ll go first. No. I’ll add my _ **No** _ vote to the mounting total. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-military-parade/808340/123 "2018-02-08T16:10:26Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Trump won’t understand that. Remember, he said it was treasonous that the Democrats didn’t clap for him at the SOTU. > > Like I said, the pilots have to fly anyways. I say we just have a regular parade. The type you usually see going down the streets on your community’s founder’s day. Marching bands, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, that sort of stuff. Then you can let trump (pretend to) drive the fire truck. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-military-parade/808340/124 "2018-02-08T16:18:36Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > Great question. Let’s ask. > > Hey folks, would you be more likely to approve of a military parade if Obama or Clinton had demanded it instead of Trump? > > Here, I’ll go. No. No. I’d actually be more upset, because I’d be shocked and confused that Obama or Clinton would ever ask for such a thing. With Trump, I find the idea pretty disturbing, but completely within the realm of what I expect from him. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-military-parade/808340/125 "2018-02-08T16:47:09Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > No. > > I’d actually be more upset, because I’d be shocked and confused that Obama or Clinton would ever ask for such a thing. With Trump, I find the idea pretty disturbing, but completely within the realm of what I expect from him. And that’s the thing. You voted for Clinton and Obama because you didn’t think that they would do something like this. The people that voted for trump knew he would do something like this, that’s why they voted for him. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-military-parade/808340/126 "2018-02-08T16:51:24Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > But I thought the US was a first-world nation! > > I kid, I kid. I think. And that’s why we deserve the parade! But yeah, our social and political institutions are no longer resilient and we are sinking quickly into a kleptocracy with a permanent lower class that is easily manipulated with racism and promises to bring back coal jobs. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-military-parade/808340/127 "2018-02-08T17:21:01Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > Great question. Let’s ask. > > Hey folks, would you be more likely to approve of a military parade if Obama or Clinton had demanded it instead of Trump? > > Here, I’ll go. No. No, of course not. It would still be a garish display of military might that would serve no good purpose. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-military-parade/808340/128 "2018-02-08T17:25:49Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > Great question. Let’s ask. > > Hey folks, would you be more likely to approve of a military parade if Obama or Clinton had demanded it instead of Trump? > > Here, I’ll go. No. No. But as has been pointed out, Obama didn’t ask for such a parade. One of the many, many reasons I think Obama was a better president is he wasn’t constantly embarrassing my nation with these kinds of things. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-military-parade/808340/129 "2018-02-08T17:38:50Z")
Maybe someone has already said this, but I think the best way to protest the parade is to stay home. I know thump will claim it was the greatest turnout to any parade ever in the history of the world, but, as with the inauguration, the photos won’t lie (even though thump will claim the photos ARE lying.) And he will likely accuse the non-attendees of treason, but whatever. If the parade happens, that is. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-military-parade/808340/130 "2018-02-08T17:39:25Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > And that’s the thing. You voted for Clinton and Obama because you didn’t think that they would do something like this. > > The people that voted for trump knew he would do something like this, that’s why they voted for him. That’s not “the thing”. People say “Oh but if _Obama_ did it…” (or the reverse) because they’re essentially accusing the person of partisan hypocrisy. “You only don’t like it because my guy is doing it but if your guy did it, you’d love it” In reality, people who voted for Obama would have mainly been dismayed if Obama said “Hey, let’s build a giant wall” or “Let’s install people to tear apart the Department of Education” or “Let’s have a big military parade because I jerk off better when I’m looking at tanks”. I understand some people love that stuff but it’s not a “It’s only because your guy…” issue, it’s just basic differences in opinion on what good governing looks like. ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-military-parade/808340/131 "2018-02-08T17:47:22Z")
I can hear Obama saying it, “W-why would I want to spend twenty million dollars on a parade?” ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-military-parade/808340/132 "2018-02-08T17:56:21Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > That’s not “the thing”. People say “Oh but if _Obama_ did it…” (or the reverse) because they’re essentially accusing the person of partisan hypocrisy. “You only don’t like it because my guy is doing it but if your guy did it, you’d love it” > > In reality, people who voted for Obama would have mainly been dismayed if Obama said “Hey, let’s build a giant wall” or “Let’s install people to tear apart the Department of Education” or “Let’s have a big military parade because I jerk off better when I’m looking at tanks”. I understand some people love that stuff but it’s not a “It’s only because your guy…” issue, it’s just basic differences in opinion on what good governing looks like. I think that you are agreeing with me here in text, but not in tone. I am just saying that the sort of people that I would vote for are not the sort of people who need the self-aggrandizement of throwing themselves a big parade. I am not sure how I would react if Obama had done the same, but one of the reasons that I voted for him was so I would not need to find out. Anyway, speaking of Obama, wasn’t there some sort of giant uproar about him having a marine hold an umbrella for him? any of those people expressing any concerns about trump using the entire military to play out his fantasies? ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-military-parade/808340/133 "2018-02-08T18:00:55Z")
I think this parade is a fantastic idea and here’s why: We know Trump can’t be bothered with details so he’s not going to bother vetting the units to see which ones may have lost friends in military misadventures since Trump took office. His subordinates have shown themselves to be incomptent and even if they do find concerns there’s a chance Trump won’t listen because of his lack of an attention span. He’s also just the type of guy who would feel that much more of a strongman if the troops going past were carrying live ammunition. This is going to make a military coup trivially easy. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-military-parade/808340/134 "2018-02-08T18:06:55Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > Anyway, speaking of Obama, wasn’t there some sort of giant uproar about him having a marine hold an umbrella for him? any of those people expressing any concerns about trump using the entire military to play out his fantasies? I think it was minor rumbling. I’d have probably asked the guy to get another umbrella for himself, and gotten him in trouble with his officers. I don’t remember what branch of the service the guy was in. Putin probably has major generals hold his umbrella. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-military-parade/808340/135 "2018-02-08T18:11:29Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I think it was minor rumbling. I’d have probably asked the guy to get another umbrella for himself, and gotten him in trouble with his officers. I don’t remember what **branch of the service the guy was in**. Putin probably has major generals hold his umbrella. Marines. They’re not allowed to use umbrellas themselves but they were following the direct order(request) of the C-in-C. And it wasn’t just for Pres. Obama but also the PM of Turkey. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-military-parade/808340/136 "2018-02-08T18:14:21Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > Hey folks, would you be more likely to approve of a military parade if Obama or Clinton had demanded it instead of Trump? The question makes no sense. They would \*not \*have demanded it. The reason we know this is that they didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-military-parade/808340/137 "2018-02-08T18:18:30Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Marines. > They’re not allowed to use umbrellas themselves but they were following the direct order(request) of the C-in-C. > And it wasn’t just for Pres. Obama but also the PM of Turkey. Thanks, running coach. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-military-parade/808340/138 "2018-02-08T18:21:34Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > Obama had 8 years to suggest this, and he never did. He wouldn’t, and he didn’t. Wonder why? > ETA: Bill had 8 of his own, too. Apply above point accordingly. W was in there for 8 years, did he ever have a military hardware parade? Because I am not remembering one. > [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Maybe someone has already said this, but I think the best way to protest the parade is to stay home. Or maybe, > [@BobLibDem](#): > > I say have a counter-demonstration along the parade route. Everybody dress up like hippies and hold up signs saying love not war … we could get out there and have an American version of Tianenmen Square. Make the Chinese job look cheap by comparison. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-military-parade/808340/139 "2018-02-08T18:22:57Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > The question makes no sense. They would \*not \*have demanded it. The reason we know this is that they didn’t. Can anyone think of a president since Eisenhower who would have demanded it? > [@eschereal](#): > > W was in there for 8 years, did he ever have a military hardware parade? Because I am not remembering one. > > Or maybe, > > we could get out there and have an American version of Tianenmen Square. Make the Chinese job look cheap by comparison. No. Thump would LOVE that. We need to starve his ego, not feed it. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-military-parade/808340/140 "2018-02-08T18:26:01Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > Anyway, speaking of Obama, wasn’t there some sort of giant uproar about him having a marine hold an umbrella for him? any of those people expressing any concerns about trump using the entire military to play out his fantasies? [Holding umbrellas was not exclusive to Obama](https://www.google.com/search?q=marine+holding+umbrella+for+bush&newwindow=1&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=m0EhtlmUp-JFgM%253A%252CZXgoermHKlff0M%252C_&usg=__nPAKUnFoMOaFSwYg-abuOtXnMbY%3D&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjJlMGc-JbZAhVI0oMKHbWsD9sQ9QEILTAB#imgrc=m0EhtlmUp-JFgM:) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-military-parade/808340.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-military-parade/808340.md?page=8)