Military veterans were among a riotous mob breaching the U.S. Capitol on January 6 which to one San Diego retired general was "disappointing."
“It's very disappointing when you see the Marine Corps battle flag flying with other service flags, along with a confederate flag,” said retired Major General Anthony Jackson.
Maj. Gen. Jackson served as a Commanding Officer at Marine Corps Installations West on Camp Pendleton from 2009 to 2011. He said he found the violent actions in Washington D.C. disturbing.
“It was scary to see that people could actually break into our nation's Capitol," he said.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff were also troubled by the insurrection and sent a letter signed by military leadership to all active duty service members, National Guard, and reservists denouncing the actions of the rioters and condemning the violence on Capitol Hill.
They called the storming of the Capitol a "direct assault of the U.S. Congress, Capitol Building, and our Constitutional process.”
The Joint Chiefs also made it clear that Joe Biden was elected the 46th President of the United States and will soon take office.
Local
MajGen Jackson who also has a Master’s degree in history told NBC 7 that he believes the military veterans who participated, “Were duped just like anybody else," adding that the scene in Washington D.C. reminded him of 1930s Germany -- a time he said when lies led to war.
President Trump has repeated false information that the 2020 election was stolen. In fact, Trump lost the election by millions of votes to Democrat Joe Biden in a free and fair democratic election.
“The people have to take time to educate themselves to that truth otherwise our democracy will be forever threatened,” said Maj. Gen. Jackson.
And with calls for more violence leading up to President-elect Biden’s inauguration Maj. Gen. Jackson’s has a message.
“There are peaceful ways to participate in government. As a 13-year-old kid in Houston, Texas, I sat at the lunch counter in protest of segregation.”
And if they truly want to protect American Democracy and the Constitution, Maj. Gen. Jackson said, “In no way should you bring violence to any one of our Capitols across the 50 states or the nation’s Capitol. You are doing exactly the opposite of your oath of allegiance.”
