Same Old Excuse, Same Old Defense
"History repeats itself. That's what's wrong with history." So said the famous defense attorney Clarence Darrow. He was one of the great Americans who both witnessed history and made history.
It is uncertain that cavalry soldiers said "I was just following orders," unless they were facing serious charges in a court martial for slaughtering the Native Americans, and then it was probably something where they had to take the fall for an officer. Those who served in Custer's 7th Cavalry probably would have had more choice things to say about following the orders of their general, but we'll never know that.
The ICE people have probably said this, in a matter-of-fact way to the people arresting them (provided they spoke it in English, or perhaps in a Spanish translation).
However, we know the Germans said it, they said it repeatedly during the Nuremberg Trials. High ranking officers used that "defense" a lot. It didn't work. The vast majority were executed. However, Hermann Goering pulled a fast one on his captors. Thinking he had outsmarted them, he bit down on a cyanide capsule before the guards could escort him to the gallows. That's showing them, right, Hermann?
I don't know if our court system will survive this administration, but I hope I live long enough to hear what the excuse -- I mean, defense -- the ICE people and the ones who actually gave the orders, have to say, even if it is at the Hague.
Same Old Excuse, Same Old Defense
"History repeats itself. That's what's wrong with history." So said the famous defense attorney Clarence Darrow. He was one of the great Americans who both witnessed history and made history.
It is uncertain that cavalry soldiers said "I was just following orders," unless they were facing serious charges in a court martial for slaughtering the Native Americans, and then it was probably something where they had to take the fall for an officer. Those who served in Custer's 7th Cavalry probably would have had more choice things to say about following the orders of their general, but we'll never know that.
The ICE people have probably said this, in a matter-of-fact way to the people arresting them (provided they spoke it in English, or perhaps in a Spanish translation).
However, we know the Germans said it, they said it repeatedly during the Nuremberg Trials. High ranking officers used that "defense" a lot. It didn't work. The vast majority were executed. However, Hermann Goering pulled a fast one on his captors. Thinking he had outsmarted them, he bit down on a cyanide capsule before the guards could escort him to the gallows. That's showing them, right, Hermann?
I don't know if our court system will survive this administration, but I hope I live long enough to hear what the excuse -- I mean, defense -- the ICE people and the ones who actually gave the orders, have to say, even if it is at the Hague.