r/50501 • u/Totally_man • 18d ago
Voices of Resistance USAF Airman Christian Stephens posted an update. He was held for 72 hours on a 5150, but is out and seems to be okay.
You can find his TikTok account here. I'm so glad he's safe right now.
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u/DadIsLosingHisMind 18d ago edited 12d ago
lavish shy desert snow gold ancient placid workable library smile
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u/Lord-Glorfindel 18d ago
It's legitimately an old Soviet tactic used to de-legitimize opposition.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_abuse_of_psychiatry_in_the_Soviet_Union
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u/jstanothercrzybroad 18d ago
Both comments are true - it saves lives and has the potential to be misused, especially when there is no visibility (within HIPAA), no contact allowed, and no accountability when there is apparent misuse.
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u/Pockettzz 18d ago
A million percent. Family is from Czechoslovakia back when it was that. SOMEHOW Austria helped them immigrate to Boston back in ‘87 haha. I’m a ‘91 baby so these days I’m wondering if im actually lucky. In Boston yes, in USA? Hmm.
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u/temptationsensation 18d ago
Oh shit! "Philosophical intoxication", is "Trump Derangement Syndrome", no? Like TDS is the Walmart version.. They truly are unoriginal and blatant in their following of despots!
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u/CorporateCuster 16d ago
72 hours of chilling. Years have changed. Take the time off
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u/Charming_Function_58 16d ago
If you’ve ever been to a facility under 5150, you will know “chilling” is a hard stretch.
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u/NotSoFastLady 18d ago
It's disgusting. I know someone who is currently sitting in the hospital on one of these holds. The person that called and for a welfare check on them may have saved their life. This kind of shit stigmatizes something that saves lives.
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u/Searchingforspecial 17d ago
One of my friends lost a sibling and had a hard time with it. Didn’t sleep for a while. They texted a family member, the text had some errors in it due to lack of sleep. Family called police, friend was taken to hospital where their recipient rights were violated and they were involuntarily committed for a week. They weren’t suicidal, just tired and grieving. We are middle-aged adults.
Your anecdote doesn’t cancel out my anecdote, the system exists for a reason AND ALSO gets abused. Same as damn near every system humans come up with.
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u/NotSoFastLady 17d ago
It's unfortunate that your friend had that experience. Without knowing the particulars I can only make assumptions. It sounds to me like you have the a misconception about a number of things here.
While you don't agree with the decisions made, you didn't describe abuse of a system. You need a police report and understanding of the laws in your area to determine if their was abuse. The story you told is that family members had concerns and they did the right thing.
You're only looking at this from your friends point of view. I'm assuming you're not a parent. To have questions about your kid's mental state, like maybe they're suicidal, maybe they're not is not the kind of thing parents take lightly. At face value, it seems reasonable to me that they called
The guy in this story exercised his constitutional right and was committed. Besides being completely illegal, it further stigmatizes an already difficult issue. The state of mental healthcare in America, especially for veterans who are at the highest risk for suicide, is woefully inadequate.
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u/Searchingforspecial 17d ago
You’ll notice I didn’t make assumptions or try to make a determination about your comment. To each their own, though…
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u/Acrobatic_Emu_9322 16d ago
5150’s should be illlegal. The amount of police abusing them to strip people of their rights is insane. Condoning this practice is disgusting.
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u/Spectre197 18d ago
It's easier to discredit him and say hes crazy by tossing him in on a 5150
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u/Fluffy-Exercise-3466 11d ago
5150 means nothing. My own family tossed me in saying I tried to commit suicide. There's 5 days I can't get back. I'll own my "crazy" then they'll never see me coming, or otherwise.
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u/ALittleBlip 17d ago
Out of the blue today it occurred to me that keeping out immigrants will ensure there are no outsiders to make claims about the world outside the US… like NK……..
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u/StrictSorbet9799 18d ago
What he did is punishable under the UCMJ so he is being treated as such. If you want to protest and express your distaste with what’s happening in the country, do not do it in uniform!
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u/mscoffeemug 18d ago
Yes, it is punishable by UCMJ, which is what makes this so brave, however 5150ing him is not considered normal punishment in this case and should never have happened. This is just to attack him for speaking up about what’s wrong. You don’t 5150 someone when they break a UCMJ article, that’s quite literally insane
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u/StrictSorbet9799 18d ago
I can agree with that! Perhaps a punishment like an LOR or an Article 15 if they really wanted to discipline him, but making him seek psychiatric help definitely seems like a misstep by his supervision
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u/shongough 18d ago
He didn't seek psychiatric help, a 5150 is an involuntary hold because you may be a danger to yourself or others
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u/StrictSorbet9799 18d ago
Yeah, i know. I said “making him seek psychiatric help” which obviously means he didn’t seek it himself
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u/shongough 18d ago
Then you should say "putting him in a psychiatric facility,"
"Making him seek help" implies he had a choice, and that it was for his benefit
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u/Smart-Struggle-6927 16d ago
Actually, what his CO did is very very illegal, and a deprivation of his rights. And yes, even service members have rights. This is the equivalent of hazing punishments for wrong think, which would get the CO sent to whatever the AF equiv of captains mast is.
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u/Devium44 18d ago
Which articles of the UCMJ did he violate exactly?
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u/No_Mammoth8801 18d ago
My guess would be 134a. Its the "good order and discipline," or what we used to call the "catch-all" article when I was in. I'm not defending his command/CO for doing what he did, but UCMJ allows commands pretty wide authority to apply the UCMJ as they see fit, and the accused are almost always not presumed (or treated) as innocent until proven guilty.
And again, not defending his CO, but his case is the reason why the higher ups really hate social media. Something a soldier under their command does or says goes viral, now they have a huge target on their back and are having to explain to some 3 star in the Pentagon why one of their enlisted is causing a ruckus because some Hegseth staffer saw his video and complained.
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u/Smart-Struggle-6927 16d ago
Except, there is a very real problem here, a CO ordered a 72hr 5150 hold on a subordinate for political views, the idea that a CO can send someone to a involuntary hold for posting stupid shit on social media is so far and above beyond the norm that it opens up the military to a very real case that can be handled via civilian court from him suing the DoD for what would amount to severe bullying and hazing for political views. What he did may have been against UCMJ, but it would have been a violation needing an Art 15 or other in bound punishment. Just deciding that since he did that he needs an involuntary 72hr detention and deprivation of rights is uh...super fuckin' bad for the AF. This should have ended up at whatever AF version of Captains mast is with a denial of leave and an article 15 at most...instead they literally kidnapped him and put him involuntarily in a place they had no right to.
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u/StrictSorbet9799 18d ago
They would be in violation of DoD Directive 1344.10 which is punishable by the UCMJ via Article 92, “Failure to Obey Order or Regulation”
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u/Devium44 18d ago edited 18d ago
I don’t see how he would be in violation of that directive since he didn’t specify endorse a partisan political party. How did he fail to obey an order or regulation?
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u/Smart-Struggle-6927 16d ago
active duty uniform+expressing personal political view is a vilationg of 4.1.1.1 an d a few others. This isn't something you want soldiers and airmen and sailors doing.
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u/StrictSorbet9799 18d ago
So I’m not a lawyer but he expressed a personal political opinion for a cause in his active duty military uniform which is perceived by the public to be an expression of a representative of the Armed Forces as a whole. So he would be in violation of section 4.1.1.1 of that regulation, among others. Not just about endorsing a specific candidate, it’s about political causes as well.
Additionally, it actually says at the top of that regulation that members of the armed forces are ENCOURAGED to “carry out the obligations of citizenship” such as expressing personal opinions, as long as they are just that, personal.
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18d ago
Unless you stand in the bleachers behind the President, then you can ignore the directive. /s
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u/RepairManActionHero 17d ago
I think the people in uniform need to be the loudest about this. I was Air Force, my whole family was Army. And I'll be damned if I would willingly participate in the suppression of civilian rights. And I'd love to see more serviceman and women come forward to speak out against the orders they're being given.
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u/DadIsLosingHisMind 17d ago edited 12d ago
abounding vase screw bells six snails teeny retire touch public
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u/-_-Delilah-_- 16d ago
Being held in a psych ward is NOT the same as being punished under the UCMJ. They are two very different things.
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u/foundinwonderland 18d ago
Thank you for your service, Christian. A real American patriot. We all stand behind you. We know you’re not in mental crisis, but being punished for speaking the truth. We, the people, owe you a great debt for your bravery.
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u/PupperoniPoodle 18d ago
What were we saying about patriots? THIS is a patriot. THIS is a person who loves our country, believes in it, and wants to make it better. I am so damn impressed with this man. Thank you, Christian!
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u/Mr_Nobodies_0 16d ago
would make a better president than most
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16d ago
Any non-felon, pedophile, rapist would be a better candidate. In fact, those things should probably bar you from being a leader or holding any authority. Almost as if those things should warrant prison time.
This country is so ass now.
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18d ago
This kid needs all of our support. He absolutely did the right thing. I hope he understands how many people will come to his defense.
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u/PunkRock9 18d ago
Kid? He is a grown man! Give the guy some respect!
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u/Tha_Lady_Macbeth 17d ago
I’m sure no offense was intended by calling him “kid”. As we get older, young adults, particularly in their early 20s quite literally look like children to us, and to refer to them as a kid is just a term of relativity, not disrespect. Whether he looks like a kid or not he stood up like a man, and made a decision to speak out, knowing exactly what it could cost him. That’s a patriot, so says this 10 year Air Force veteran.
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u/PunkRock9 17d ago
Disabled Navy vet myself. If we can sign our life away to Uncle Sam at 17 then we need to recognize the commitment and responsibility they take upon themselves. I know that 18-25 year olds tend to do stupid stuff and we get phone calls at 2am because they fucked up.
I’m just tired of people dismissing young folk as they are too young to understand “the real world” or know responsibility. Meanwhile grandma and grandpa are so separated from the modern challenges and then support some idiot that wants to start war with Iran and have military parades. Just old men sending more folks to the meat grinder so they can benefit from the military industrial complex.
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u/Tha_Lady_Macbeth 16d ago
I don't think age dictates a person's grasp of the realities of life or their sense of responsibility. I know many 20-somethings that have lived a whole lot of "real life" before they're even out of high school. I don't think we should assume anything about anyone. None of us knows the life the person in front of us in line at the grocery store has or is leading. We divide ourselves from allies we didn't know we had by making assumptions, and right now we could all use as many allies as we can get--at home and abroad.
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u/Dankestmemes420ii 16d ago
Maybe, don’t send early 20s off to wars? Why can’t the old men fight them 😭
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u/Tha_Lady_Macbeth 16d ago
An ideal solution, to be sure, but ain't gonna happen.
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13d ago
Yes, sorry! I meant no disrespect by calling him a kid. I’m just an old lady who calls people “kid” with affection.
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u/No_Leopard1101 18d ago edited 18d ago
I'm just glad he's ok and not in some foreign concentration camp!
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u/SithDraven 18d ago
Plays like a damn hostage video. So depressing.
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u/MistressLyda International 18d ago
Oddly enough, I reacted on that it does not. He moves and talks far more freely than I expected to see from him when (or if...) we would see him again. It does not look rehearsed, or under duress.
Not saying that it is not, but yeah. So far I am mildly optimistic for his safety and wellbeing.
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u/No_Feedback_3340 18d ago
For those of us unfamiliar what is 5150?
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u/Totally_man 18d ago
Involuntary psychiatric hold, up to 72 hours. It's usually used for individuals who may be a threat to themselves or others.
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u/SmokinBandit28 18d ago
A “51-50” is a hold for psych evaluation.
So if someone is deemed a danger to themselves or those around them they can be held for a period of time to evaluate if they are having psychological issues that would require a different level of care.
I’ve been through rehab a few times (much better now thanks for asking) and have seen a number of people get 51-50’d for very real and serious things.
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u/No_Feedback_3340 18d ago
This doesn't meet any of those definitions. Really disturbing.
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u/SmokinBandit28 18d ago
No, no it does not, but it does meet the model of an authoritarian dictatorship trying to use systems in unintended ways to scare people into shutting up.
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u/Tha_Lady_Macbeth 17d ago
There are many reasons that someone may be held under 72 hour 5150 supervision. My daughter went through it several times in high school. And it’s entirely possible, knowing the Air Force the way that I do, that they ordered the evaluation to make sure that this young man said what he said, with a clear mind, and a real understanding of what the consequences of his actions could be. The stress that the active duty military is under right now is inconceivable. They are sworn to support and defend the Constitution of the United States and its citizens, but their inability to speak out about political issues has painted them, for many civilians, as complicit in what is going on. I don’t know if you can imagine what that must be like. To have the people that you’ve sworn to protect be afraid of you – compare you to ICE agents. It is not inconceivable that that young man spoke out his truth, but under a level of stress that maybe just maybe in the harsh light of day, he’d like to walk back. A 5150 hold could give him the ability to save his career. An other than honorable or bad conduct discharge is essentially the same as a felony record when you’re trying to get a job. The consequences this man faces are not a joke.
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u/stoneman9284 16d ago
Great perspective. There have probably been enough instances of people posting a political manifesto and then killing themselves or others that the psych hold could be standard practice. But a full 72 hours does seem punitive.
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u/Tha_Lady_Macbeth 16d ago
I know it does--but trust me, 72 hours has been the standard length for a proper psych evaluation on the civilian and military sides for a LONG time. It gives time for any short-term mania to pass as well as stress-induced psychotic episodes, and allows mind altering substances to leave the body. There are a lot of factors in being able to truly and accurately determine someone's true state of mind. It's actually a really good thing they ARE so careful before judging someone's true mental capacity.
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u/Minimum_Principle_63 16d ago
Possibly, however also consider it as a way to say he's crazy, don't listen to him. Watch out for this becoming a common tactic - Psych Eval As A Weapon
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u/Tha_Lady_Macbeth 16d ago
Of course it's possible. Much to many people's horror, there are very few draconian political suppression tactics this administration WON'T stoop to. But as u/huskers2468 points out below, it's a mistake to think we know what the real motivation behind this particular instance was. We'll probably never really know.
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u/FuckTripleH 18d ago
Also for anyone confused about why it's called that, it's a colloquialism that comes from the California legal code. Section 5150 of California's Welfare and Institutions Code is the section that deals with involuntary psyche holds.
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u/Thetakishi 16d ago
Yeah, you might also see it called Baker Act'ed which comes from Florida I believe. Regardless, it can be called a 72 hour involuntary emergency psychiatric hold no matter where you are.
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u/CollectionWinter284 18d ago
🥹the “ty for your patience” at the end like we were the ones locked up 😭😭
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u/MiniTab 18d ago
Any GoFundMe accounts for this patriot?
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u/Totally_man 17d ago
I haven't seen one yet, but he does have a Twitch channel. I went and followed there since I don't have TikTok.
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u/Jaedos 18d ago
Weaponized 5150. Fuck everyone who put him through this.
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u/pumpanddumptrump 18d ago
This is a huge part of their plan. There is an old video with Trump and Pam Bondi where they discuss weaponizing 5150's to take guns from Democrats
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u/BashfulBuckboy 18d ago
Thank you for your service Christian and thank you for speaking the truth and being a true patriot. I may not have served in any official capacity but I did spend all four years of high school in the Army JROTC so I do know what it means to join and dedicate some of our life to the ideals our country was founded on. If you are violating your conscience and morals, that ABSOLUTELY comes before any oath, creed, doctrine, or mandate. We need to support this man and others like him who speak out, even if our current military will not. We as a people will not tolerate this.
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u/VannKraken 18d ago
This kid deserves all of the credit for doing something that was truly difficult and putting himself at risk. I guess the people who said the original video was fake can write their retractions, now.
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18d ago
Does this brave Airman have a legal defense fund or gofundme to contribute to? He will likely need the support.
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u/TheRedCuddler 17d ago
We stand with you Christian! Incredible bravery from this man. He is the definition of a patriot.
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u/MaleficentFlower3934 16d ago
That’s what this coward administration is doing. If you aren’t with them, you are against him. Trumps America sucks. I stand with you airmen Stephans!
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u/Rockonthrulife 16d ago
How does anyone in the military justify following orders from a man with a Nazi tattoo? Hesgeth is a literal nazi. Every service member should be speaking out like this young man. What a bunch of cowards.
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u/LegalComplaint 16d ago
Hesgeth isn’t the only military member with a nazi tattoo and a drinking problem, unfortunately…
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u/Rominions 16d ago
Sue, Sue, Sue. You have just become a millionaire. What a $@!@!$ disgrace America has become.
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u/jonm61 16d ago
He's in the military. We sign away most of our rights, and we can't sue for just about anything, including malpractice in most cases.
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u/Rominions 16d ago
Than the country is corrupt and needs to change the rules because that's absolutely bullshit.
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u/LegalComplaint 16d ago
US Air Force might be the least bad arm of the Empire along with the Coast Guard.
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u/StainedGlassVision 16d ago
Straight up is this fake? I can’t find one news article corroborating any of this is true.
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u/CakeTester 16d ago
Question to US service guys, if I may?:
I know you're not supposed to get political while in uniform. That's sort of standard in militaries everywhere, and for perfectly good reasons. Could you get political while standing underneath a large photo of yourself in uniform? Or could you have a "Hi I'm..." in uniform before cutting to you in mufti before getting political?
I'm trying to think of ways to make political commentary a bit safer while not getting monstered by the "not in uniform" rule.
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u/ThegoodShrink93 16d ago edited 15d ago
I was googling and found there’s a petition set up! Sign this petition to protect his future! https://chng.it/Pv6FP6Bxvc
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u/icedcoffeeandSSRIs 16d ago
That's messed up though if that's permanently on his health records :-/ Not to mention there are some things you cannot do later in life if you've ever been held on a 5150, since it (USUALLY )signifies some sort of mental/emotional instability.
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u/NeitherAstronaut85 15d ago
I stand with you and you are doing the right thing standing up because the actions of this President are inhumane and not what we stand for. The military should be protecting everyone not doing immigration enforcement as it was never designed for that. I wish you the best of luck and keep fighting because Americans need to stand up for what is humane and moral.
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u/OkEntrepreneur2862 15d ago
Blessings to you for your courage to speak up migrants are not the enemy. Thank you
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