Life in an echo chamber

So I found Anna through my brother’s blog and visited her site. I found this poem...

"It's the Soldier, not the reporter
Who has given us the freedom of the press

It's the Soldier, not the poet,
Who has given us the freedom of speech

It's the Soldier, not the politicians
That ensures our right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.

It's the Soldier who salutes the flag,
Who serves beneath the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag."

So I wanted to try and put a different perspective into play and said:

I thought that it was the Creator who had imbued into each of us an inalienable right to these things. It is the soldier who has over time and age been the one to allow death and killing to be excused as virtue and duty. It is the soldier who has been the victim and the crime. I think we should support the troops by not making them do any more killing. Ever.

I was then subjected to the rather expected attack on my patriotism, factieness and lack of appreciation for the job the soldiers are doing for we the 'Mericans.
Anna asked me to never post again, I was told I had "fetid breath" and called a "troll" and my post was described a "hate filled" by commentators, which doesn't surprise me at all. So I apologized for making these people feel uncomfortable and made that my last comment. I did check back and here is what Anna said:

Scot,
This is my objection: It is the soldier who has over time and age been the one to allow death and killing to be excused as virtue and duty.

I have stated several times that I have no problem with the dissenting views and honest debate. But if you want to believe it’s over your differing viewpoint, you just go right ahead. You believe a lot of things that have no factual basis and I have asked to to show me where you are getting your facts and you have yet to do so. If you would like to spout your talking points without backing it up, please do so on your own blog.

Once again, I asked you to no longer post here because of the above statement not because of your differing viewpoint. Is that clear?

So my viewpoint is that soldiers through time have allowed the will of the politicians to be carried out through the force of killing. They justify it by calling it "duty" and "honor" and excuse the actions which with the veil pulled back amount to slaughter, plain and simple. It is the taking of human life.
Some of the actions of troops are heroic and noteworthy. Not all kill civilians. Being a part of a war machine is kinda like being part of a criminal gang. Even if you just drop a package into a car window, you are allowing the crime to take place.
Soldiers who follow their leader’s orders without conscience are automatons. They are the clout that otherwise ineffectual leaders need in order to execute their will. Some leaders call it the will of the people. Some call it defending the Nation. Clearly leaders through history from Genghis Kahn to Mubuto Sese Seko depend on troops being loyal and following orders.
I submit that troops, soldiers, humans, can lay down their arms, stop getting on the bus to go to war and cease killing their fellow man. That would be a good way to stop the madness. But no. I am a freak and a libtard or whatever you like to call me. The fact that this war was fought to enrich corporate power and not to defend anything is more of a dis-honor to the troops than anything I have said. Call the troops "heroes" and say that you support them all you like but until they are not killing others there is no honor.

I don't believe this

FOXNEWS.COM HOME > POLITICS > U.S. SENATE
Report: Hundreds of WMDs Found in Iraq
Thursday, June 22, 2006

WASHINGTON — The United States has found 500 chemical weapons in Iraq since 2003, and more weapons of mass destruction are likely to be uncovered, two Republican lawmakers said Wednesday.

"We have found weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, chemical weapons," Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., said in a quickly called press conference late Wednesday afternoon.


Sen. Santorum while lovingly holding his pet fetus called the conference to announce:

"Look everybody!!! WE FOUND THE W'SMD in IRAQ!!! Ummmm well we found the ones that Rumsfeld delivered to Saddam in the 1990's that is... Well they ARE chemical weapons. We know that Sarin and Mustard gas are bad stuff and that this PROVES Saddam was a bad man. Right! We invaded a country to discover stockpiles of decayed weapons (that we sold to Iraq) that David Kay already told us were there. They might still pose a threat... Really NO REALLY!!!
Gosh I have nothing here...
Bill Clinton had SEX in the Oval Office!"

end of conference

WASHINGTON - Senior U.S. intelligence officials said Thursday they have no evidence that Iraq produced chemical weapons after the 1991 Gulf War, despite recent reports from media outlets and Republican lawmakers.

This was why we were told that we invaded Iraq in the first place.

Okay you war mongers go crazy!

Government of the people by the wealthy

As reported by MSNBC

WASHINGTON - Despite record low approval ratings, House lawmakers Tuesday embraced a $3,300 pay raise that will increase their salaries to $168,500.

The 2 percent cost-of-living raise would be the seventh straight for members of the House and Senate.

Lawmakers easily squelched a bid by Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, to get a direct vote to block the COLA, which is automatically awarded unless lawmakers vote to block it.

Notice that a Democrat tried to stop this but the Republican controlled House took care of his lofty idealism with the ruthless efficiency they are known for.

Now why can't we raise the minimum wage? Oh that's right, if we pay people a living wage they will have time to think about the policies and might even question a few decisions that the "Decider" makes.

People need to stop blaming the Democrats and look squarely at who has been in control for the last 6 years. Who was that again? Oh, Right! THE DECIDER

So What If...

What if the US government found Abu Musab al-Zarqawi based on the tips from Al Quaida?

Follow along here...
25 MILLION dollar reward.

Osama calls up Abu Mustafazacaanary and sez something like this:

O: Beloved brother Zacarazie I speak to you today as the mouthpiece of Allah. Allah Akbar! Death to the infidel! Death to America! Praise to our Mujahadeen (this goes on for a while with intermittent gunfire in the background as they alternate between happy fire and angry fire)

AL-Z: Most holy warrior Osama why do you call me now? What is your bidding?

O: As you know the American devils are closing in on us. We must find the source of the traitorous leaks in our ranks. To do this you will martyr yourself. We will feed information to suspected enemies of Allah and then when the evil Americans have shown us who is the leaker we will have a loyal agent of Islam act as the source to inform them where you are hiding. Once the American devils know that you are in the safe house you will most certainly be bombed and killed.

Al-Z: Holy warrior of Allah how will this help our cause. I am willing of course to give my life for Allah but I do not see what we will gain from this aside from discovery of who is leaking our information to the evil American dogs.

O: you see Zacrazee the source of your location will be an Al Queaida agent of the deepest most secret order and they will be give the 25 million American devil dollars as reward for the information on your whereabouts. We will have all the money we need to fund our operations, the Americans will gain nothing because you will be a martyr, the information seized in the raids will be phony and we will smoke out the insiders who betray our cause.

Al-Z: you are truly the most powerful warrior of Allah! ALLAH AKBAR ALLAH AKBAR!!! (gunfire and ululating) I will do as you say. Let the American devils choke on the spit from my corpse!!! Are we still on for croquet Saturday? Will your third wife make those sesame treats? I just love those? I have the new Ann Coulture book too. It is great! She is truly the manliest of women.

O: Yes I'll have Sahessehea make you some sesame treats. I can't wait to read Coulture's book of lies. She makes my job so easy. Truly her adams apple is more massive than most men's and she was once a strong man. If only.. Well never mind

Al-Z: what is it Osama? Do you still long for his touch? I mean her touch?

O: I must go now. Allah AKBAR!

See we lose no matter what when we resort to violence and killing as a means to an end. So we killed a bad dude. I tend to agree with Mr. Berg that this diminishes us more than it does edify us. Too bad most Americans think that killing is justified and that we are moral in our actions. All we do is continue the cycle of hate, fear and death.

Culture of life indeed!

We need a coherent energy policy not a ban on gay marriage

DETROIT - Less than a week after announcing plans to offer the first diesel-powered full-size sport utility vehicle in the United States, DaimlerChrysler AG’s Chrysler Group said it is halting production of the diesel version of its small Jeep Liberty SUV.

This is a bad decision.

We need more autos that can run on bio-diesel not fewer. The reason they stopped production was that they couldn't meet the emissions requirements. Those could be met using bio-diesel.

Imagine being able to make your own fuel. Imagine how hard and fast gasoline prices would fall if Americans started co-ops making and distributing bio-diesel for their cars.

What if American farmers grew corn, soybean and (while I am in the realm of fantasy) hemp, that was then converted to diesel fuel. We could run most oil heaters on the stuff. Any diesel engine will burn it. We could stop funding the Islamic terrorist regimes and regain energy independence without killing thousands of Iraqi's or Iranian's, destroying our Arctic wilderness, costal areas and national parks. To me it looks like this is exactly what Bush doesn't want to happen.

This administration has no desire to see America succeed.

Bush and his cabal want America in debt, scared, perpetually at war and dependent on petroleum. He wants to create prison industries that will eliminate the need for migrant workers, destroy unions, and force everyone to shop at Wal-Mart because that is all they can afford. No more middle class, just ultra rich and dirt poor. To do this he needs to create class warfare. So we see an assault (no pun intended) on gay marriage. Why is it that people continue to believe the lies? Why are we on a course for destruction and people are shouting "GO FASTER!" huh?

Idiots.

Bush is a Stupid Turd

Bush is such a retarded fuck that it makes me wonder how anyone supports him. Gay marriage??? WHY are we dealing with this NON-ISSUE? No one cares except for the religious freaks out there. Why are we wasting the resources of Congress on this issue? I want gay's to get married. The only thing that is a threat to marriage is divorce. Why don't we have a constitutional amendment outlawing divorce?

GET YOUR RELIGION OUT OF MY GOVERNMENT!!!

If we turn the tables

Then this guy is a stooge, a disgruntled loser who is incompetent:

Sgt. Peter Damon, 33
Damon lost his right arm near the shoulder and his left arm above the wrist when a tire on a Black Hawk helicopter exploded while he and two other soldiers were servicing the aircraft on the ground in Iraq. His left arm later had to be amputated at the elbow. One of Damon's colleagues was killed.

Now he is suing Michael Moore.
In a suit that also names Miramax Films and several other film companies. Peter claims Moore never sought his consent for using segments of an NBC Nightly News interview with Damon while he was in hospital.

So if I were part of the Rethuglican propaganda machine I would immediately point out that he never really served in any significant role and that his contribution was limited to minor tasks. That he was at fault and his injuries were caused by his lack of professionalism and failure to take personal responsibility.
But this would only happen if he were pointing out ways in which the Bush administration had failed.
Since he is a loyal TOOL he is of course painted as a hero.

Poor guy, personally I think it is tragic. Personally I think that he deserves his house and more. I don't want you to think that I am attacking him. I'm just trying to frame this the same way that the Rape-ublicans do. This is how they act when trying to avoid facts and issues.

Now how does that strike you?