• TachyonTele@lemm.ee
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    10 hours ago

    Towards the end of the night a security guard from the OPM came outside to lower the American and DC flags. One of the protesters questioned him about his role as a secretary guard if he was allowing un-credentialed third parties into the building to access commuter systems. He said he was just doing his job.

    Just doing his job. Just doing his job…

    • IninewCrow@lemmy.ca
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      8 hours ago

      At the Nuremberg trails at the end of WWII, this was the argument that many Nazi sympathizers and enablers made to remove their responsibilities from the events that happened.

      Officers argued that they weren’t responsible because they ordered people to do things and they did them … they were not responsible because the people below them had the opportunity to refuse orders.

      Lower level people argued that they were ordered to do things and they couldn’t refuse … they were not responsible because the people above them threatened them.

      “Always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented”

      • Elie Wiesel
    • thatsnothowyoudoit@lemmy.ca
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      10 hours ago

      This is the position people are put in. I don’t see “just doing my job” from low wage workers as a total cop out because I think, in many cases, it translates to “I cannot lose this job.”

      I am not American but Americans have been enslaved by having their wellbeing (healthcare) tied to employment (at least to some degree.)

    • Banana
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      9 hours ago

      Interesting, gee, where have I heard this before? 🤔