Mickey Z
Cool Observer
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Veteran's Day, revisited
Good morning all...thanks, Mickey for reminding us of Hugh Thompson. Vet’s Day should be changed to “Remember the victims of the Vets Day”. Some in VFP have discussed this issue many times. I have suggested that the name of the Bennington Battle Monument be changed to “The Bennington Peace Monument”. It won’t happen in my lifetime. Too many love the glory and guts of war. There is an amazing amount of historical inaccuracy in the retelling of all of our war efforts. In the case of the Battle of Bennington - it didn’t happen in Bennington. It didn’t even happen in the state of Vermont. The monument is honoring a place where ammo was stored. Seems a little dumb to me. Locals refer to the monument as the big phallic symbol on the hill.
joe...from last night. You say, “...and so here we are adapting to these thoughts that are reality...” It is either accept reality or live in denial. I know that the mental pictures of torture and warfare are offensive to many, but the reality of those who are the victims is even more painful.
The news paper in my old hometown near Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania published one of my articles yesterday. I have been getting some interesting feedback. I am surprised to be getting some nice comments. That area is a stronghold of patriotism. The title of the article is “Poodle Skirts, Buzz Cuts, and Bombs”. It is also up on the MWC site.
Posted by RMJ on from Mickey Z 4 Prez Hdqts 11/10 at 09:18 AMGreat post, Mickey. I spent four years in the Air Force and I couldn’t agree more. I was discharged in the May 04 and, fortunately, I never had to go to Iraq. I knew damn well if they gave me orders, my ass would have been sitting in jail, because I find this occupation (and any form imparialism for that matter) completly wrong. The only thing I really got out of the miltary, was the ability to consume massive quanities of alcohol. Oh yeah, and the G.I.Bill. Wait a minute that was because of the Bonus Army. Currently, I’m fed up on how academia works. I’ve learned more from book by Parenti, Zinn, Chomsky, Zinn, you then from any college class.
On another note, Lance Hanh of the DIY punk band J Church and Cringer has passed away from kidney failure. If you’re not familar with him or his band, you can due a simple search on wikipedia. Lance wrote some of the catchiest tunes about his anarchist beliefs and observations of the world. Even with touring, putting out albums (his band has released more 7” than any other band I can think off) and constsntly writing about old obscure punks for Maximum Rock n Roll, he would still make it to demonstrations fighting for justice egalitarianism. Although I never met him, he was geat person, because evetyone that has met speaks nothing but good things of him.
Posted by Richard on from Buffalo 11/10 at 09:56 AMRMJ...1...exactly...and I publicly denounced torture and war criminals this morning.
Posted by joe of maine on from 11/10 at 10:42 AMDid anyone say we need a day of mourning for those who were slaughtered by american veterans? But then, would this legitimize, for some people, the slaughter? Christ are we fucked up!
Hello Helga
Posted by joe of maine on from 11/10 at 11:33 AMHugh Thompson in the “Americans Who Tell The Truth” portraits: http://tinyurl.com/2e5dtq
Howard Zinn on Veterans Day: http://tinyurl.com/ywoeuk
Zen Prole on Veterans Day: We’re such an advanced country that people can get PTSD and/or gunshot wounds without going overseas or even wearing a uniform! In fairness, there are regular parades to recognize this achievement. They happen every morning and evening at the nation’s prisons. (I sense this is a recycled bit...my memory only works for about three weeks, then into the byte bucket it goes.)
Welcome back, Helga. You were missed. The news is there’s a Yank author in Oz. Joe Bageant is down under for a book tour, and was on “9AM with David and Kim” this past Tuesday http://tinyurl.com/2dncdq and was on Late Night Live radio http://tinyurl.com/2yyp6m There are a few more stops scheduled, I think, and surely more interviews. Apologies about the election.
Posted by Zen Prole on from Urth 11/10 at 12:47 PMI was doing a quick scan of various violent crimes and domestic crimes here in the u.s. I didn’t take notes on percentages, which are high. What causes this kind of anger, hate and rage in the u.s.? Senior officers might be offering torture as an outlet for misunderstood rage...so soldiers don’t turn their weapons on decision makers?
Posted by joe of maine on from 11/10 at 02:38 PMZen #5...You make an important point. I don’t remember the statistics but I remember hearing that the chances of a young black man getting shot and killed were greater in Newark that in Baghdad.
Richard...I learned more from the Internet and C-span than I have from all the time I spent in schools. About learning how to consume large quantities of alcohol - that’s what academia is all about in a lot of schools. Your time in the AF prepared you well for campus life.
joe #4...Showing compassion and empathy to the victims would hopefully expose the misdeeds of the perpetrators - but there is an even more important reason for giving empathy, and that is for many it helps give meaning and peace to those who are empathetic. Being empathetic is not a wholly altruistic act. It benefits the giver. It seems to me that one of the best ways to achieve a feeling of calm and joy is to focus on the outward, on that which is outside ourselves. I, like most people, have some unpleasant issues to deal with in my own life. Focusing on my own life can sometimes be depressing.
Posted by RMJ on from Mickey Z 4 Prez Hdqts 11/10 at 04:40 PMHello Expendables.
Some veteran news:
http://tinyurl.com/2zeegpPosted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 11/10 at 07:52 PMEvery Sunday:
http://postsecret.blogspot.comPosted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 11/11 at 07:27 AMGood morning Mickey...I used to walk with Maine veterans for peace in the annual veterans day parade in Portland, maine. I can relate to all the mixed-emotions that the Colorado article indicated. The ridicule, the applause, it’s all crap. Perhaps the larger number of people marching, gave permission to the onlookers, it’s okay to disagree with authorities?
The psychology professor stood in front of the class holding the textbood in the palms of both hands in front of him. He said, “reading about all these theories and studies can be fun and entertaining,”...he slammed the book shut..."but what we have are people responding insanely to an insane society!”
Posted by joe maine on from 11/11 at 11:33 AMHi all..Mickey #8...VFP has been being barred from parades all over the country. Here they have been put at the back of the parade for so many years that they no longer participate.
Nader was on C-span2 last night. Every time I hear him speak I am more impressed, if that is possible. His IS a voice of sanity in an insane nation. One of the things that he said while talking about his childhood, was that every day his parents asked him if his teachers taught him to believe, OR to think that day in school. In spite of an awful political/electoral system, I believe that this would be a much different world if Nader had been elected in the past. The usa voters have brought this holocaust on the world.
Posted by RMJ on from Mickey Z 4 Prez Hdqts 11/11 at 12:31 PMAbout the link of the front page about homeless vets… maybe some would say it is poetic justice. How many homeless refugees have been created in Iraq since the usa started this war?
Posted by RMJ on from Mickey Z 4 Prez Hdqts 11/11 at 04:16 PMRMJ...yes...it would take a great deal to convince me the u.s. is NOT the worst instigator of violence for profits and control Everywhere on this planet.
Posted by joe of maine on from 11/11 at 05:34 PMjoe...you, I, and MLK are in agreement. MLK called the United States “the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today.”
Posted by RMJ on from Mickey Z 4 Prez Hdqts 11/11 at 06:09 PMRMJ...14, I’m sure there are people looking at the eastern most tip of Somalia for a u.s. naval air base under the guise of guarding...[controlling]...the entire region of land and sea.
Who is MLK? Is he the ceo of Frank’s Hot Sauce? Did you read about the $925 million dollar buy out of bunko Burt’s Bees all natural bullshit by some large conglomerate?
Posted by joe maine on from 11/11 at 07:21 PMJoe, thanks for the heads up about Burt’s. What a downer - the press release alone is enough to cause hives. The same thing happened to Clearly Natural soaps a while back - bought up by someone on the make. The quality and service went into the toilet.
Just fired off a nastygram to Burt’s. I’m sure it will matter a great deal. Now, to check out that hemp-based lip balm I saw…
Posted by Zen Prole on from Urth 11/11 at 08:35 PM
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