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Semper I
A Russ Vaughn classic in honor of the fact it looks like Mad Jack's really going down this time. Originally posted 2006.07.23. Semper I
Murtha portrait courtesy of . |
A bugle blows in Arlington,|
Contributed by Bill Faith on November 1, 2008 at 01:15 AM in , , , , | | | |
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The Real Command Influence
In dismissing the very dubious war crimes charges against Marine LTC Jeffrey Chessani, his trial judge, COL Steven Folsom, said this: "Unlawful command influence is the mortal enemy of military justice," COL Folsom was referring to influence within the Marine Corps command structure, specifically involving two officers of general rank. We should all applaud the colonel’s decision as it would make no sense whatsoever for the Marines to try an officer for failing to investigate crimes that to this point several military courts have failed to establish ever occurred. With one exception, all of the Haditha Marines now have been exonerated. The exception is SSGT Frank Wuterich and if the Marines insist on pursuing his prosecution, they will find themselves in the position of trying to prove homicidal behavior on the part of a non-commissioned officer whose troops apparently killed no one in an unlawful manner according to Marine courts. The only conclusion is that he acted alone, and in the midst of battle, while commanding his troops, somehow single-handedly slaughtered more than twenty innocent Iraqi civilians. Sounds preposterous, right? Well, that’s apparently what the Navy would have us believe. And make no mistake about it, it is the Navy that controls military prosecutions in the Marine Corps, and the Navy appears willing to pursue this prosecution even though SSGT Wuterich’s subordinates and his two superiors who were charged have all been cleared by military courts. That leads us to speculate that either SSGT Wuterich killed those Iraqi civilians all by himself or Navy JAG is desperately in need of at least one face-saving conviction in this Haditha mess. Or is there another reason? Perhaps command influence from a higher level? Most civilians are unaware of the tremendous pressure members of Congress are able to bring to bear on military commanders. If a particular senator or congressman doesn’t happen to be on a committee or subcommittee with direct oversight over military budgets or affairs, you can bet one of his cronies does. This congressional pressure is particularly influential with flag rank Navy officers and generals in the other services because their promotions into these lofty ranks require congressional approval. By now you must have guessed where this is going. Consider…who is the most powerful person in this situation who stands to not only look like the grandstanding, blowhard fool that he is but could perhaps be threatened with defamation lawsuits by the young Marines whose lives he turned into hell by publicly proclaiming them “cold blooded killers.” Ah yes, that would be the reigning Prince of Pork and should-be federal prison inmate, John Murtha. Think about it, with a single conviction of any one of the Marines charged, Murtha can claim vindication and use that conviction as an effective defense against any defamation suits from any of the other defendants. So the question begging to be asked is whether or not this congressman, who was videotaped by the FBI as indicating he is bribable, is pulling strings behind the Navy/Marine Corps command structure to pursue this phony war crimes prosecution to the bitter end. Murtha claims to be an ex-Marine to which I say, you may have worn the uniform, John, but you are sure as hell no Marine. As I have said , the Marine Corps motto is Semper Fi, always faithful; John Murtha’s motto is Semper I, always him. |
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Contributed by Russ Vaughn on June 25, 2008 at 12:11 AM in , , , | | | |
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“They killed innocent civilians in cold blood…”
[This post has been bumped by the webmaster to keep it near the top of the site longer.] J. D. Pendry
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Two years ago I wrote an article titled . I wrote it on the same day that I received in my email internet photographs of the mutilated bodies of Private First Class Kristian Menchaca, 23, of Houston and Private First Class Thomas L. Tucker, 25, of Madras, Oregon. I reached the point where I could no longer tolerate the insane babble coming from the mouths of certain politicians who clearly and daily place their politics ahead of the well-being of the men and women the majority of them voted to send to war. Now, the article appears to be making its umpteenth lap around the internet (wish I had a nickel for each time it has been re-posted somewhere) only this time one of the unauthorized editors of it decided it would be better if I was identified as a USMC Sergeant Major.|
Contributed by J D on June 23, 2008 at 01:15 AM in , , | | | |
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We’ve Established What He Is…
Once again, John Murtha demonstrates his infinite capacity for hypocrisy and cynicism by being, to absolutely no one’s surprise, the king of the war profiteers: “…the Wall Street Journal reported that Murtha, chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, has directed more taxpayers dollars from the 2008 military-spending bill to his congressional district than any member of Congress.” () Of course, the most benign interpretation of this news is that Murtha, who is quickly filling Robert Byrd’s shoes in Congress as the “King of Pork” is merely a cynical, crass opportunist with an attitude of, “Oh, yeah, I’m against the war but what the hell, if we’re going to be there, my district may as well profit from it.” By extension, it is Murtha himself who ultimately profits, as his grateful constituents return him to office where he consolidates his power while circulating his alms plate past all those grateful military contractors, who for some mysterious reason, seem to find Murtha’s congressional district the Silicon Valley of federal contracts. Please note that I have made no mention of cash-stuffed envelopes or briefcases. Not yet. However, as a cynic myself, and a former warrior, I’m all too aware that those who exploit war most crassly for personal gain tend to be a pathetic, minuscule minority, like Murtha and John Kerry, who yes, have themselves served, but apparently with a winking eye and a viciously backstabbing hand, to further their future political careers. Shaming the Bard, I refer to this very small group of war opportunists as The Band of Mothers. Having been born on the eve of one Great War and having lived through several others, one of which I fought in, on the ground, down in the mud and the blood, I’m just jaundiced enough by life and politics to consider that perhaps Murtha’s motives are more self-serving than concerned with merely serving his constituents. As the old joke about the offended hooker goes, “Please, my dear, we’ve established what you are, now we’re simply haggling about price.” From the Abscam investigation the Feds have Murtha on tape acknowledging his willingness to be bribed by Middle Eastern power brokers, but only when it was most convenient for him. OK, we’ve established what John Murtha is. Perhaps we need to learn more about his going price. Russ Vaughn |
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Contributed by Russ Vaughn on November 8, 2007 at 10:35 PM in , | | | |
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Brace Yourself: Here They Come Again
Hat Tip: Glenn Reynolds While the American people are congratulating themselves for their victory over the Bush-Kennedy-McCain National Suicide Act of 2007, a new and tougher fight is on the horizon. According to The Politico, Harry Reid, along with Mad Jack Murtha and his leader, Nancy Pelosi, plan to set a new deadline for withdrawal from Iraq. They have already concluded that the surge, which went operational only last week, has failed. We have lost the war and have no choice but to bug out and leave Iraq to its fate. The Politico article begins like this:
Nancy's choice of deadline date could not be more appropriate--April Fool's Day. Veterans' groups, loyal military families and others who continue to support the war effort face a daunting task, made harder by the recent defections of important Republican senators and the lamentable loss of prestige incurred by amnesty diehards such as President Bush and Senator McCain. We have to whip up a firestorm of phone calls, e-mails, faxes, and face-to-face encounters with wavering pols. Above all, we will need to counter the Copperhead hordes, who will be out in full cry from now until September. Not a pleasant prospect, now that Summer is here, but it is now or never. |
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Contributed by 72nd TCS on June 29, 2007 at 02:02 AM in , , , , | | | |
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2007.04.29 Dem Perfidy // Islamism Delenda Est Roundup
See previous:
Joe Katzman has an excellent related post . Bottom line: Replacing HMMWVs with MRAP's saves American lives. The Army and Marines are waiting for money to replace a bunch of 'em. They don't have it yet because the Surrendercrats are playing political games instead of taking care of the troops. It is my fervent and heartfelt hope that when the jihadis finally manage to nuke DC Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, and Mad Jack Murtha are just far enough from Ground Zero to see the flash and have a split second to realize what happened before the shock front arrives and liquefies their bodies. Catching the three of them somewhere on the left coast for a moonbat convention would be even better, of course. Update after a night's sleep and some time to surf the web a little: I don't really want the Three Ratateers to die in the initial blast. I'd much prefer they die slow lingering deaths trapped in the rubble, preferably under the same rubble pile so they have time to congratulate each other on how well they managed the war. (No, Bill isn't "off his meds again." I'm not wishing any worse fate for the Ratateers than will be suffered by thousands of others if they succeed in implementing their proposed policies.) Below the fold (newest items at the top):
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Contributed by Bill Faith on April 29, 2007 at 01:06 AM in , , , , , , , | | | |
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Semper I
[Webmaster's note: I'm backdating this to keep it near the top of the site for a while. Newer posts will appear below it. Actually posted 2006.07.18.12:30.] Semper I A bugle blows in Arlington, [Webmaster's note 2006.07.18.23:30: Murtha portrait added, courtesy of . Click it to see their post, where they have a larger version. Now's a perfect time to visit .] |
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Contributed by Russ Vaughn on February 17, 2007 at 01:05 PM in , , , | | | |
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Making Bets Your Body Can't Cash!
“I want to make it abundantly clear: if there’s anyone who believes that these youngsters want to fight, as the Pentagon and some generals have said, you can just forget about it. No young, bright individual wants to fight just because of a bonus and just because of educational benefits. And most all of them come from communities of very, very high unemployment. If a young fella has an option of having a decent career or joining the army to fight in Iraq, you can bet your life that he would not be in Iraq.” – Charles Rangel. My mind shudders at the image of what contortionist position was achieved yesterday to allow John Kerry’s foot to fall out of Charlie Rangel’s mouth. This feat is perhaps even more stunning due to the fact that Charlie’s head has been on tour of his large intestine since the Democrat House victory earlier this month. Add Murtha to complete this Capitol Hill ménage à trois of ex-military malcontents and soon our troops will simply be seen as a marauding band of drooling, cross-eyed misfits that cannot be trusted to carry anything sharper onto the battlefield than the crayons they used to mark their “X” on the enlistment papers. Yeah, I’m sure the elitist, east coast, blue-blood, trust fund babies are statistically underrepresented in the military. So what? I’m not sure I would want to be stuck in a fox hole with someone with a hyphenated last name followed by Roman Numerals. But, I digress. |
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Contributed by The Gray Dog on November 27, 2006 at 06:46 PM in , , , , , , | | | |
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Murtha to Redeploy From House Leadership Battle
I'll be gloating big time at my place as the day wears on. . , Jack. Semper I. |
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Contributed by Bill Faith on November 16, 2006 at 11:56 AM in , , | | | |
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Murtha Accuses Dems of "Swift Boating" Him
(See previous: )
You know, if we were talking about anyone but Mad "" Jack I'd say he's entitled to a trial before we find him guilty of anything. But then, "Once a Marine always a Marine" and Mad Jack doesn't think Marines are entitled to trials.
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Contributed by Bill Faith on November 15, 2006 at 03:04 AM in , , | | | |
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Murtha to pro-Hoyer Dems: Stop swift-boating me!
Squirm you slimy bastard, squirm. There may not have been a trial but the world knows you're a hell of a lot guiltier than those Marines you're ready to hang. ***
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Contributed by Bill Faith on November 14, 2006 at 02:47 PM in , | | | |
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For Zero: Something that isn't about Jean Fraud
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Contributed by Bill Faith on November 1, 2006 at 02:52 PM in , , | | | |
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October Surprise.
Down to the wire, the October Surprise was unleashed upon the Democrats yesterday. Surprisingly it wasn’t launched by the Republicans, but instead the liberal’s very own “useful idiot” John Kerry. "You know, education - if you make the most of it - you study hard, you do your homework and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq," With that comment the Old War Dogs are pleased to make known their own 11th hour October surprise: The Old War Dogs Forum is now open for membership at This site was to be announced next week, but in light of Kerry’s comment and the importance of next week’s elections we hope you will visit what promises to be an exciting place for discourse on the issues of the day. Participation does require registration, so don’t be shy. |
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Contributed by The Gray Dog on October 31, 2006 at 07:57 PM in , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | | | |
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Vote or shut the @#$% up!!
This will be last of my pre-election rants. The experts, pundits, and wags are still calling the thing a toss-up. I think voter turnout with be the deciding factor. If there's any question, I'm gonna be voting anti-Democrats, yet again! I hate it, but it's the Devils choice. Here in WV there's a decent chance at the State level to see a real change. Whether that is an improvement or not, who knows. I have 3 things to close with. 1 - If you don't vote STFU!!!!! 2 - I'm headed back to PA this weekend (weather permitting) to do a small thing to Boot Murtha. What have you done? 3 - Term limits is a good idea that doesn't go far enough. If we're gonna think of changing the Constitution I'd like to propose we take it several steps further. We select our congresscritters out of the jury pool. If a jury is wise enough to decide life or death issues they are wise enough to sit in DC. They'd be paid and treated exactly like our military - live in barracks, eat military chow, etc. VOTE! [edit] I need to extend my emphasis somewhat. You need to make a real effort to change one mind, or one vote. Voting and doing nothing else is only a half step. |
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Contributed by Zero Ponsdorf on October 31, 2006 at 10:44 AM in , , , | | | |
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Breakin some rules
OK, I know the Chief Operating Dog has dial-up and really doesn't like pictures on the site. What's he gonna do, draft me and send me to Nam? That's Zero being "Silent No More!" The shirt came from our CafePress shop. He's had the attitude for a good while. Lotta that going around in these parts. *** I've come to my senses and decided to take mercy on those of you still on dial-up by moving the large version of this picture below the fold. Click the little one to see it.
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Contributed by Bill Faith on October 21, 2006 at 06:57 PM in , , | | | |
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Diana Irey: Jack Murtha Is Scared To Debate Me
Cross-posted from . |
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Contributed by Bill Faith on October 12, 2006 at 03:49 PM in , , | | | |
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John Murtha and his Deal With The Devil... Smell the Sulphur
FIRST - A little background about my anger
My political activites had been mostly limited to voting prior to the '04 presidential primaries. That all changed when John Kerry decided to run for Commander In Chief. It's a very personal thing for my brother and me. We both served in Vietnam in 1971- '72. I'm sure most Vietnam Veterans feel as betrayed as we do. You see John Kerry and his ilk were giving concieously giving aid and comfort to our enemy while we were fighting alongside our allies. As for John Kerry and his seditious Congressional Testimony statement; " ... ," many American patriots did exactly that.
In a largely unknown desperate battle in the Central Highlands of South Vietnam during the the Easter Offensive of 1972 better known as ''The Battle of Kontum', things really became much more personal. It was during this very little known, but one of the largest battles of the Vietnam War that I have a personal interest. In 1972, my unit, a regular line company of the 1st Cav Div, 3rd Bde (Separate), D Company 1/12th Cav had been operationally detached from the 1st Cav and OPCON to the Second Regional Assistance Group (SRAG) under command of then Military Region II, Sr. US Advisor, Mr. John Paul Vann. It was during this battle on 24 April 1972 that we were tasked to try and save a brave American Advisor to the 22nd ARVN regiment by the name of . Our small squad could not save him because overwhelming elements of three uniformed regular NVA divisions supported by tanks prevented it. Yeah Kerry/Fonda, they were only peasants in a civil war/ [/sarcasm]. We did try. The brave Captain Kenneth Yonan, an American of Assyrian descent, had to be left. We just didn't have the necessary force to rescue him. Although his remains were returned in 1988, his true fate is still not known. He was actually on the list of captured prisioners in 1973 to be returned. I blame his and other Americans deaths on the antiwar loud mouths in their demand to pull out of Vietnam too fast. The Left left us short handed as they wanted. Pun intended.
Although there were not as many U.S. deaths during this late part of the war, how do you measure the casualties? How many is too many? The leftist condemned body counts. So what's a life worth? How about a live one? In 1971 - '72 not only were there mostly U.S. volunteers fighting then as today, but many tens of thousands of brave South Vietnamese died fighting for their belief in democracy. We'll never forgive John Kerry or the to destroy a nation and scorn us. Never. May they rot in hell for eternity. Nor will we stand idly by while others such as John Murtha (D- Pa 12th ) condemn the mission yet claim to support the troops. What a croc. We have several active duty family serving now. Do you John Murtha?
Murtha's connection to my anger:
I've been following the anitwar crowd for quite some time. Their outright lies, smears, and deceit are destroying our country... again. Maybe permanantly this time and He not only supports the communist group Code Pink that protest our wounded troops at Walter Reed Hospital, but has received awards from them. I ask Murtha, why did you sell your soul to the devil and our nations enemy? or other shady dealings since then?
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just Smell the Sulphur ~...~
While researching POW/MIA documents online at I happened upon a very interesting find of John Murtha, then a newly elected Democratic Congressman from Pennsylvania's 12th District. Read John Murth's statements below from the official Congressional Record of July 16th, 1974 and judge for yourselves. Murtha sold us out. What changed his mind? Contrast his 1974 Congressional Record statements to his 'cut and run' statements today. He has literally sold his honor, loyalty, country, and our brave men in battle for his own personal gain.
For below references go and search for document # "2202307025" - a 10 page .pdf file.
[QUOTE]
Congressional Record - House July 16, 1974 H 6565
..."MR. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman very much. Mr. Speaker, I want to complement the gentleman from Mississippi. As a combat veteran, I want to repeat to the Members who are here that I know I complained on the floor recently that I felt that the criticism at home, in and outside Congress, hurt the war effort. I still believe that very strongly..."
H 6566 Congressional Record - House July 16, 1974
..."MR. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, let me again commend the gentleman in the well, and let me say this: I too believe the North Vietnamese read the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD. According to Page Robinson, they certainly knew of the antiwar speeches that were made before. I think it is important that we show unified support and concern for the families of the missing in action....
No John Murtha, I need no anger management classes. What I do need is for you to cut and run away from your 12th District Congressional seat before you get my family and other patriots killed.
If you want ot find out more about John Murtha visit And if you feel as I do about this turncoat please contribute to his demise |
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Contributed by 1stCav on October 10, 2006 at 06:35 PM in , , | | | |
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Fear Factor
It has become cliché to say that armies always fight the last war. That is to say they are unprepared to take on a new enemy with new strategies and objectives. Just over two years ago, like many veterans and other concerned conservatives, I locked on like a laser to focus my efforts and do anything that would lead to the defeat of John Kerry. And while the Swift Boat Vets led the charge, the small voice of The Gray Dog was just one of thousands of small BLOGs that ran their ads, displayed their commercials and waged a smarter more sensitive war against the Democratic nominee. The 2004 War against Kerry was a classic frontal assault against a well known and defined enemy. While many weapons were used, in the end it was brute force that carried the day Today, one month away from the 2006 mid-term elections, we face a new threat that is no less dangerous than the one we defeated two years ago. But unlike two years ago, this enemy has four hundred and thirty-five faces, most of which are unknown to the majority of Americans. Analogous to the War on Terror, there is no clearly defined front to wage a classic battle. Instead, the enemy is widely dispersed throughout the nation, campaigning under the protection of Democratic sleeper cells that have been planted within each congressional district. Republicans, whose intelligence had led them to believe the enemy was merely massing for the scheduled battle on November 7th, were literally caught with their cyber shorts down, as the Democrats launched their “October Surprise Offensive.” With one well timed strike, the liberals were able to personify the entire Republican congressional caucus with the singular image of Mark Foley. In response, Republicans, not content to merely lop off Foley’s head, have kept their sabers sharpened while circling House Speaker Denny Hastert and any other house member to whom they pass blame.
Emboldened by this Democratic success and the Republican’s ineffectual response, Nancy Pelosi, The Botox Bitch of the Beltway, is now, for the first time, openly acknowledging her liberal agenda to be enacted upon her ascension to the Speaker’s throne. Rolling back the Bush Tax Cuts, cutting off military funding, releasing GITMO prisoners, disabling the NSA surveillance program and opening our borders will just be the beginning. Pelosi and her minions will not likely waste much time scheming up charges in an attempt to impeach George W. Bush and at the current rate of Republican self destruction, there may not be many left around to offer resistance. Many of you may be thinking the senate is at risk too. Yes, it is and the possibility of having Majority Leader Reid is hateful to imagine. But we have witnessed over the years how a handful of Democratic senators in the minority can successfully stall all Senate business. Hopefully a few bright Republican senators have learned something from this experience and could keep the Senate stalemated. The House is another matter altogether for it alone controls the funding for the War on Terror and it alone can commence impeachment proceedings. Charles Wrangell has already signaled his intent to bankrupt America’s war effort once he becomes the new Ways and Means Chairman and Nancy Pelosi, power drunk since gaining the party leadership position, will not be satisfied to simply become the first woman Speaker. She will want to make her mark in the most spectacular way possible by bringing down George Bush. I know that most of the military bloggers, OWD included, have spent a great deal of effort to bring down Jack Murtha. He is deserving of all of the attention we have given him. But however despicable he is and however gratifying his defeat would be, Murtha is just one of four hundred thirty-five battles being fought. After all of the assaults that have been leveled at Murtha, other Democrats are more vulnerable and it’s high time we look at the bigger picture. Pelosi’s Eighth District seat in California is not just safe, it’s an absolute lock. Nothing short of a felony conviction or compromising pictures with farm animals will change that. Actually, in San Francisco the pictures might be of benefit to her. The only way to defeat Pelosi will be by keeping her as the minority leader. The only way to do that is to defeat Democratic candidates in every vulnerable district possible. The Republicans must put a face on the Democrats and make this mid-term election a national referendum on Pelosi’s party leadership and agenda. There is not a scarier face to do this with than Nancy Pelosi’s. Republicans have often been accused of using fear and scare tactics to win elections. Is it so wrong to do so when the fear factor is real? |
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Contributed by The Gray Dog on October 7, 2006 at 05:29 PM in , , , , , | | | |
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Johnstown rallies - at a glance
Still in Johnstown, gonna get this started, finish packing, and head back to West Virginia shortly. Woke up this morning with a clear sort of snap-shot image of the two rallies. Now if I can only get it from the brain to the fingertips. Set aside the specific political issues for a few minutes, if you will. A rally on Saturday had around 500-1000 in attendence. Sat. - free 100 hour hotdogs (thats dogs boiled for at least 100 hours). Kind of an aquired taste, but couple with being free it was tasty. Sat. - Sound system intermittent. Rain off and on. [Now at home] Sat. - Press took precedence over attendees. There was a small, roped off, area for VIPs directly in front of the dais, then the press platforms, then the great unwashed. [note] the venues WERE quite different so I'm offering only how they appeared to me. The plain fact was that at over 6 feet tall I couldn't see the speakers platform at the pro-Murtha rally except in glimpses. Sat. - High powered (and probably high paid) speakers who praised Murtha with the zeal of evangelists. I admit it, I was smart enough to get in out of the rain, so I did not hear all of the Pro-Murtha speakers. The first few, though, were a bit frightening (when the PA system worked) in their enthusiasm. And I admit that as an Event Marshall I did not hear each speaker at our rally either. |
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Contributed by Zero Ponsdorf on October 3, 2006 at 02:33 AM in , , , | | | |
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Murtha's critics call for his 'redeployment' out of Congress
1st Cav left part of this as a comment on . I can't risk letting it be overlooked.
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Contributed by Bill Faith on October 1, 2006 at 07:59 PM in , , , | | | |
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"Our Rally"
The latest mail from Zero:
I didn't think the "too dark" picture zero sent looked bad like it was but I let my photo editing program do an "autobalance" on it and thought it looked better after I did. If it's too bright now it's my fault, not Zero's. Since Zero took pics of the moonbats I guess I'll post 'em. Poor pathetic ignorant things. Kindest thing'd be to just step on 'em. |
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Contributed by Bill Faith on October 1, 2006 at 06:10 PM in , , , | | | |
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name dropping?
Met some interesting folks this evening, Check out BootMurta.com for many. And heard stories that I really can't share. But Google Ted Sampley for one. A few pix will follow, but camera may be broke. There was one poignant moment. I was getting some change from the front desk when I noticed this fellow and his wife checking in, hearing that he was using 'a' veterans rate I asked if he was Pro or Anti. He said he'd had some trouble getting here... he is David Beamer, father of Todd Beamer, leader of the anti-hijacker group on Flight 93 (the man who said, "Let's roll!"), and our Keynote speaker. Shook his hand and said good night. Either tomorrow or monday I will be visiting the Flight 93 site. Pictures will follow if the camera cooperates. |
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Contributed by Zero Ponsdorf on October 1, 2006 at 12:52 AM in , , , | | | |
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Behind Enemy Lines
. Since he got there a little early he decided to drop by and see what the enemy's up to. Hope this won't be the last pics I get from him. At least he's so they can't hang him for spying. Click the pics to see them bigger. |
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Contributed by Bill Faith on September 30, 2006 at 01:00 PM in , , , | | | |
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Pro Murtha Rally
Made it to Johnstown. It's cool and rainy. Pro Murtha rally started with a break in the weather, the sun came out, but the rains came back. They were also having sound problems, but what speeches I could hear were what you would expect, Talked to several people (including Larry Bailey) - best guess 500 to 1000. Forwarding pictures to Bill, but I couldn't get close enough for anything particularly good. Ate a free Murtha hotdog. Ran into Larry and we headed down to 'our' venue and I got a few more pictures. I'll get a bunch tonite and tomorrow. I'll be updating this post later. [update] Ist Cav reminded me. If there were 'ringers' and folk from 'code pink', et al I did not see them. There were some buses there when I got to town, but they were gone when I got back with the camera. |
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Contributed by Zero Ponsdorf on September 30, 2006 at 12:02 PM in , | | | |
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Murtha - the Big Fish that Got Away
Everyone is focusing attention on Jack Murtha's current anti-war raging. And a few vets are going back even further to question the reality of his claimed military record and supposed heroism in Viet Nam. But what about all those years in between? Hasn't he been a good congressman in the interim? Decide for yourselves. But first remember Abscam. The story of is here. So one thing we must give Murtha credit for... he's a lot more crafty than a lot of his fellow DEMOcrats. -Rurik *** 22:11 Bill Faith adds: See also . |
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Contributed by George Mellinger on September 29, 2006 at 10:04 AM in , , , | | | |
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Pre-rally SITREP
Needed to write this down for myself and figured to lay it out in case someone sees something I've missed. Hotel reservations with confirmation number -done. Cameras - video and still. Spare batteries, cables, manuals, tripod, spare recording media. A bag to carry all (except the folding tripod) in. Laptop with Wi-Fi ready. If feasible I will 'live' blog if anyone is interested, otherwise I will post from the room as I can. Some OWD togs and pins - new PVA stuff is supposed to be here by Friday. Hat, sweatshirt, t-shirt, and pins. Folding chair. Saturday weather is mostly sunny - mid 50's, sunday is showing 60% chance of rain - around 60. The Saturday thing is looking HUGE, Several new speakers have been added. Rather than trying to outdo the major press I will be focusing only on who and why. With 1st Cavs recent post the OWD clothing may draw some attention. Saturday nights meet and greet I will cover as best I can. The rally Sunday will be indoors, if there substantial protests outdoors I will cover what strikes me as most interesting. Any thoughts, comments or warnings? |
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Contributed by Zero Ponsdorf on September 27, 2006 at 01:03 PM in , , , , | | | |
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MURTHA in Trouble?
Murtha is now in a hellava fight for his seat in PA district 12. Some of our pack of Old War Dogs are helping to make a difference. Keep up the good work this weekend Dogs!. Wish I could be there. Two active duty Marine nephews are telling me that their respective units totally despise Murtha. That fits with the overwhelming majority of veterans and other active duty troops informally polled. Article is Diana Irey is pulling very close to defeating the once thought well entrenched and funded Murtha. This is gonna get real interesting especially with losers Max Cleland and sissy Wes Clark trying to counter the Veterans For The Truth (VFTT), the rally, and the grassroots campaign against Murtha. How dare Murtha say our troops "killed innocent civilians in cold blood" even before a final investigation is complete. A little would go a long way to help retire the traitorous Murtha.
WHEN: 11 AM
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Contributed by 1stCav on September 26, 2006 at 11:20 AM in , , , | | | |
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Veterans as an Ethnic Minority
[Webmaster's note: Please see first: , which inspired this post.] For at least fifty years now ethnic identity has been at the head of the American agenda. African-American, Hispanic-American or Mexican-American, Asian-American, and gradually Jewish-American, Polish-, Italian-, Irish-, and other Hyphenated-Americans. The rule is, we must never notice these differences, while remaining always carefully aware of them. We must remember which group is the "group of the month" and appreciate its unique contributions and specialness, while simultaneously denying that it is in any way different, or that its members can even be detected by appearance, accent, or name. More recently we have discovered Gay-Americans, and even deaf-mutes, and others with congenital disabilities are demanding to be treated as hyphenated minorities. Even women. Women who are neither "disabled" nor in any sense a minority often demand their Hyphenated recognition. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the desire of everyone for a special identity, and to have it recognized, just so long as it does not become self-satirizing. But what is an ethic group? It is not race or skin color, nor is it language, though these features may form a significant part of the formula. Essentially it is a uniquely defining background and shared experience which sets the members of the group apart. Frequently a part of this experience involves being stigmatized. Essential is a sense of self-identity. Gradually, I came to realize that I am a Veteran-American. Am I kidding? Veterans as an ethnic group? How can that be, when they’re all sorts of colors, have all sorts of weird accents? True. But there is something else. For over half a century, we have been singled out by society, and while once upon a time we were not a minority, but the majority, like the American Indian we have gone from being a majority to a minority in our own land. Special bond and experience? Of course. Its called war, though even those who served in peacetime share the experiences of training and barracks life. We have our own special language. Even if our language has dialects special to the World War, Korean, Viet Nam, and Gulf generations, we still understand each other as civilians cannot. We can understand military terms and make sense out of news reports as even the reporters cannot. And we have an understanding of what war is all about, and what is at stake in politics. There is a mindset which seems to be peculiar to Veterans, characterized by greater sense of self-discipline, and duty, of attention to detail and thoroughness, more attention to old-timey virtues. Like a number of the acknowledged minorities we have seen our members mistreated because of our identity. And called ethnic names. "Dago"? "Nigger"? "Kike"? Use those names at your peril. But "Babykiller", "Warmonger", "Fascist", they seem to be socially quite acceptable. Veterans are scorned, both by society and by government. Government budgets for caring for wounded and disabled Veterans is always limited, but budgets for the needs of other, civilian ethnics always seem to be limitless. And what company would deny a contribution to an Aids project or to a Rainbow Coalition shakedown? But when came begging a few corporate contributions for programs to help our newest veterans readjust, the CEOs of major companies such as IBM, EDS And now I hear about the National Guardsman in Pierce County, Wa., attacked by a gang of civilians for being military. and other incidents also have happened in the recent past. Other ethnics have sometimes tried to conceal their identities, changing their accents, and sometimes even trying to modify their skin color or hair. And then, every so often a few will try to emphasize their ethnic identity for political purposes. For how many decades have Veterans been concealing their status, not mentioning that of which they are most proud, trying to explain "two missing years" on their resumes, as if it were time spent in prison. And if Blacks have Rev’run Al and Jessie, we’ve got Kerry, McCain, and Murtha. Blacks hear "I don’t date outside my race", we hear "I don’t date babykillers". And yes, we also have Veterans whom we consider traitors to our ethnicity. See the above list for a few examples. The big difference is, we tend to disown those who would self-anoint themselves as our spokesmen. So of course, I am not speaking for you, I am speaking to you, urging you, us all, to stand up and demand our own share of recognition. I’ve got a case of the ass. A big one. I’m not impressed with "Thank you for your service" which is becoming almost a cliche as "Have a nice day", or "welcome home" about forty years too late. It is appropriate for greeting someone at the airport dressed in DCUs. But to an old guy who’s been called a babykiller for forty years, its just rubbing in the salt. In January 1977, Jimmie Carter amnestied all the draft dodgers, deserters and other swine, proclaimed them my, our equals. That is a whistle which, like an ex-president, cannot be unblown. Then they elected a draft-dodger as president. Twice! Now they wish to honor us, equally with those who spat upon us?! No, not really. They’re willing, finally, not to honor, but to to forgive us for our service, forty years after the fact. And only if we become penitents and supplicants, meekly standing in line to beg a pittance from some bureaucrat who "served" in Canada from 1968 to 1977. Then I observe the hedonistic slackers around me, those who do not, and will not serve. Those with no self-discipline or any willingness even to wipe their own lardbutts. Who demand, but do not give, who seek to cash in on the colors of their hides or their choice of sexual oddity, who worship only the Eternal ME. I say to myself, these are NOT my people. I do not care what the color of your skin, or of your uniform. If you served honorably, you are my brother or sister. By the Grace of God and the US Congress, I am a Veteran-American. And proud. And you WILL NOT make me hide in the closet. -Rurik Webmaster's notes: Check out and ! BZs, Rurik. It's going to take a few days to make it happen but as soon as we can we'll start selling Veteran-American bumper stickers, tees, etc in our CafePress shop. (Click the hat on the sidebar to learn about our shop.) Ross Perot sold EDS to GM years ago and has, in fact, been very supportive of Military Veteran and Family Assistance and The Phoenix Project. It's the current management of EDS that sucks. |
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Contributed by George Mellinger on September 6, 2006 at 12:48 PM in , , , , , , , , , | | | |
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Boot Murtha Rally
Those interested in or planning to attend should note this:
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Contributed by Zero Ponsdorf on August 30, 2006 at 06:46 PM in , , | | | |
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Re: Is it Time for Alan Schlesinger to do the right thing? (Comments)
No time for allegorical whimsy today. I just read a comment posted to the above titled by Bill Faith. This comment was written by a self-professed Conservative Republican by the name of Aakash Raut. In his comment Mr. Raut makes the observations that “Ned Lamont is no more liberal than Sen. Lieberman.” and “I see you have anti-Murtha links… Congressman Murtha is actually more conservative than Senator Lieberman.” Mr. Raut concludes his comment with, “The ‘right thing’ in this case, for Mr. Schlesinger to do, would be to take advantage of the Democrat divide (addressed in my recent entry) and WIN THIS SEAT for our party!” Well, I took the bait and followed one of his many links back to his BLOG. It was there that I discovered Mr. Raut is a conservative activist and student at a University in Illinois. As I read Mr. Raut’s BLOG I was absolutely floored to discover that I and other conservatives and Republicans have been duped – “due to a misunderstanding of the intricacies of political science and [even-recent] history – into thinking that these people (Zell Miller, Tony Blair and Joe Lieberman) are not liberal, or even that they are ‘conservatives’.” That Mr. Raut is a conservative activist shows that he started out on the “right” foot in his academic pursuits, so I am left to assume that it is his “left” foot that fell out of his mouth. Aakash, you are so wrong in so many ways, I don’t know where to begin, but I will try to categorize them for you. Pragmatism: While I do not live in Connecticut and must admit that I have no personal knowledge of Alan Schlesinger, I will accept from your right wing zealousness that he is by your definition a true conservative Republican. On the other hand, I have read the polls. In a poll of “likely voters” just released today, Joe Lieberman leads Ned Lamont 53% - 41%. If you studied math between political rallies and blogging, you should come to the conclusion that there may be better battles to fight ahead. Murtha: This is an issue you are not equipped to understand or address. The anti-Murtha movement has nothing to do with liberal vs. conservative, or for taking an anti-war position. This movement is about the disgraceful, slanderous libel that this “Gentleman from Pennsylvania” has vomited from his bloated face upon military personnel both past and present. Perhaps after you grab an M-16 and stand post for a while, you might begin to grasp the intricacies of this situation. The bile in my stomach is rising, so enough said on this topic. Party Line: Aakash, first I would direct you to one of my posts on why a conservative might choose to support Lieberman. You can find it at I would then contend that no one has been duped into thinking that Joe isn’t liberal or is in fact conservative. Any conservative support for Lieberman will not result from a misunderstanding of the intricacies of political science and history. It will more likely be founded in a very real understanding of American and World history that transcend beyond the dew meager years of your existence and will have nothing to do with conservatism or liberalism. Choosing candidates strictly on their party affiliation or their adherence to some narrowly defined concept of conservatism is no less folly than that practiced by the liberals. There are some defining issues that should and do rise above partisanship. Defending and protecting America is one of them. I’ll take 99 more Liebermans in the Senate right now to ensure a strong and united front against a foreign threat that needs to be eliminated. I’ll worry about their liberal and conservative views after we have taken care of the first order of business. Finally, I read with concern your statement “the true conservative and ‘republican’ position is against the war.” That you are anti-war, is your prerogative and that there are other individuals that consider themselves conservative who agree with you is fine as well. However, it is your use of the phrase “true conservative” that is frightening. The use of words such as “true” or “pure” within this context sounds eerily like other historical party stalwarts. Mao, Lenin, Stalin and Hitler come to mind. I am sorry to take such an opposing view against someone else that claims to be a conservative. I would caution you to learn to discern the difference between a conservative philosophy and a party dogma. Being a Kool-Aid drinker is still the same, no matter what the flavor. |
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Contributed by The Gray Dog on August 17, 2006 at 12:27 PM in , , , , , | | | |