• Panamalt@sh.itjust.works
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    114
    ·
    4 days ago

    Hmm, aren’t over-the-top displays of military forces a sign of something? What could it possibly be, certainly not fascism or something silly like that . . .

    • Wispy2891@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      25
      ·
      3 days ago

      hey kim got a 3 miles parade, vlad got a 2.5 miles parade, who’s donald to have a shorter parade than them for his birthday? They’ll laugh at him at the next villain con

    • xor@lemmy.dbzer0.com
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      15
      arrow-down
      2
      ·
      4 days ago

      this is just so they can get a most of the military in one place, so that way russia’s sneak attack will be more effective

  • ThrowawayPermanente@sh.itjust.works
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    92
    ·
    4 days ago

    Trump crafted the idea for a military parade after witnessing a lavish Bastille Day celebration in Paris in 2017. Top US generals and officials were less thrilled about the idea. At one White House meeting, when Trump addressed his idea with Air Force Gen. Paul Selva, then the second-highest-ranking general as vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Selva suggested the idea was reminiscent of something often seen in dictatorships. When Trump asked Selva what he thought of the parade, Selva said he grew up in Portugal, which “was a dictatorship — and parades were about showing the people who had the guns.” “And in this country, we don’t do that,” Selva said. “It’s not who we are.” Trump then asked Selva whether or not he liked the idea, to which he responded: “No.” He added, “It’s what dictators do.”

    • elucubra@sopuli.xyz
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      4
      ·
      3 days ago

      Spain, under Franco had a yearly massive parade. When Democracy was reinstated, the tradition continued, but instead of celebrating the victory of the nationalists in the civil war, it became a celebration of the armed forces. It’s still held, but it has steadily been downsized, to a mainly ceremonial and testimonial level.

  • vortic@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    149
    ·
    edit-2
    4 days ago

    Trump doesn’t give a shit about anyone but him. They just cut $55M intended to fund training for rural teachers (because who wants educated educators?) and now he wants to spend more than that on a mile long military parade celebrating his birthday. And it’s not even a milestone birthday, just a birthday.

    From the article, Trump wanted to do something similar but, presumably smaller, in his first term but backed off after the price tag came to $92M. He instead opted for an event that ONLY cost $13M. How much do you think this one will cost? What will get cut to fund it?

    Fucking narcissistic traitor… He’ll probably figure out how to grift a few tens of millions from this by selling tickets, too.

  • melsaskca@lemmy.ca
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    3
    ·
    2 days ago

    “Let’s put on a parade for this great leader” as opposed to “I want a parade!” (for a greatly, less great leader).

  • MuskyMelon@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    129
    arrow-down
    7
    ·
    4 days ago

    Don’t show up, even to protest. He’ll just say everyone showed up for him. Let him have his audience-less parade like a retarded North Korean despot.

  • Lucky_777@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    46
    ·
    4 days ago

    Where is DOGE? This is like Charles Minor coming down on Michael Scott. Trump is just a huge fucking cry baby that needs constant validation. What a fucking loser.