Friday, September 4, 2009
Associated Press Disregards Family Wishes for Deceased Marine’s Photo
The Associated Press has released a photo of Marine Lance Corporal Joshua Bernard, which graphically portrays the Marine shortly after being hit by a Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) during a firefight in the Helmland Province of Southern Afghanistan. LCpl Bernard later died from the injuries suffered in the attack.
The parents of LCpl Bernard were shown the photograph from embedded reporter Julie Jacobson, who had been following the unit. LCpl Bernard’s father, John Bernard, specifically requested that the AP not release the photograph, citing that it was disrespectful to his son’s memory.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates described the decision to release the photo in spite of the parents’ wishes, “appalling” and later wrote to the wire services CEO Thomas Curley, stating, “Your lack of compassion and common sense in choosing to put this image of their maimed and stricken child on the front page of multiple American newspapers is appalling. The issue here is not law, policy or constitutional right — but judgment and common decency.”
I couldn’t agree more with the Defense Secretary. It is disgraceful that the Associated Press would not honor the wishes of the bereaved family. What kind of an organization wouldn’t go the extra mile to see that a family facing such hardship were comforted in any way possible, given the opportunity to do so, much less to disregard the one request they made from the organization.
This selfish, business first mentality, degrades human decency and serves no purpose other than to garner attention for themselves at the expense of a mourning family. That, Mr. Curley, is simply evil!
I’m not sure on the legalities involved in such a move, but if it is possible, the Pentagon should consider revoking the imbedded reporter privilege that the AP currently abuses. They have obviously shown they are not responsible or decent enough to responsibly utilize them.
The parents of LCpl Bernard were shown the photograph from embedded reporter Julie Jacobson, who had been following the unit. LCpl Bernard’s father, John Bernard, specifically requested that the AP not release the photograph, citing that it was disrespectful to his son’s memory.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates described the decision to release the photo in spite of the parents’ wishes, “appalling” and later wrote to the wire services CEO Thomas Curley, stating, “Your lack of compassion and common sense in choosing to put this image of their maimed and stricken child on the front page of multiple American newspapers is appalling. The issue here is not law, policy or constitutional right — but judgment and common decency.”
I couldn’t agree more with the Defense Secretary. It is disgraceful that the Associated Press would not honor the wishes of the bereaved family. What kind of an organization wouldn’t go the extra mile to see that a family facing such hardship were comforted in any way possible, given the opportunity to do so, much less to disregard the one request they made from the organization.
This selfish, business first mentality, degrades human decency and serves no purpose other than to garner attention for themselves at the expense of a mourning family. That, Mr. Curley, is simply evil!
I’m not sure on the legalities involved in such a move, but if it is possible, the Pentagon should consider revoking the imbedded reporter privilege that the AP currently abuses. They have obviously shown they are not responsible or decent enough to responsibly utilize them.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Remove Charles Rangel From Office New York!!! All Military read!!
I started working on an article earlier this morning about Representative Charles Rangel and his attempt to throw the race card into the healthcare reform debate. In researching past quotes of Charles Rangel, I came across a quote of his which makes me want to immediately fly to New York or Washington DC, wherever this uneducated toolbag is at, and confront him about it. The quote reads:
“Meanwhile, our young men and women whose economic circumstances make military service a viable career choice are dying bravely in a war with no end in sight.”
For those who do not know me already, I am a United States Marine. I have been a United States Marine for over 15 years. I say that not to receive accolades or “thank you’s” from anyone. I did not join the military due to some “economic circumstance” which, according to your wording, made me settle for such a second-rate career.
As I try to respond to this I am so flooded with anger and disbelief that I can’t even properly put my thoughts together. This is an elected official representing the United States of America!! The same United States that successfully defeated a far superior, better funded, British Army to gain their independence. The same United States that fought to defeat Hitler and the Nazis in Europe. The same United States that maintains the best trained, most powerful, most educated ALL VOLUNTEER fighting force this world has ever been witness to!!
New York allows this man…this weak, ill informed, uneducated, hate-mongoring, instigating coward to represent to represent them??? Either he should be removed from New York or the Statue of Liberty should be moved from New York to a State which is accurately represented by what she stands for!!
Let me give you a bit of education Mr. Rangel, scratch that…I don’t have enought respect to call you Mr. Rangel, Chuck.
I have served my country honorably, as so many other military members have in the past, the present, and will continue to well into the future. There are many reasons I joined the Marine Corps Chuck. Let me introduce a few new words to your vocabulary, which you obviously have little knowledge regarding:
LIBERTY- It is freedom at the center of why people join the military, Chuck. Sure some are attracted by other things as well, but the vast majority of the military is filled with freedom loving Americans who want to perform a job each day that they can be proud of. As hard as it is for me to admit this, I am proud to defend your right to say and act as you please, as ignorant as you may be, you are free to do it.
PATRIOTIC- I am as patriotic as they come. I still get a little choked up at times when I see our nations flag and hear our national anthem before a sporting event. I feel so strongly about liberty and our constitution that I want to do my part to preserve what we have in this great nation
HONOR- There is no more honorable act a man or woman can do in this country than to volunteer to defend the rights and liberties of the citizens of this country. There is an honor those of us who serve get to experience that others do not.
FREEDOM- We believe in freedom so strongly that we are willing to lay our lives down in order to preserve it. I understand that this type of dedication is certainly foreign to you, Chuck.
Liberty, Patriotism, Honor, Freedom!!! This country does not oppress it’s inhabitants to the point that they are forced to join the military, Chuck. You would love to think that true though, wouldn’t you Chuck? That would allow you to preach your hateful words and split this nation along racial lines. After all, that’s all you have to keep you in office, isn’t it Chuck? If you didn’t have the race card to play everyday, and the curtains were opened to reveal any real substance or qualifications you have to perform the job title you have, this nation and the State of New York would find you sorely lacking!
Liberty, Patriotism, Honor, Freedom!!! These are words which are like a foreign language to you. After all, these terms aren’t regularly mentioned when discussing the investigations by two House sub-committees into your personal finances and fund-raising, which have revealed that you failed to report hundreds of thousands of dollars in income. Not a lot of honor going on in that, is there Chuck?
New York, please do this nation and yourselves a favor and remove this undeserving cretin from office, and relocate him, preferably to a prison cell.
“Meanwhile, our young men and women whose economic circumstances make military service a viable career choice are dying bravely in a war with no end in sight.”
For those who do not know me already, I am a United States Marine. I have been a United States Marine for over 15 years. I say that not to receive accolades or “thank you’s” from anyone. I did not join the military due to some “economic circumstance” which, according to your wording, made me settle for such a second-rate career.
As I try to respond to this I am so flooded with anger and disbelief that I can’t even properly put my thoughts together. This is an elected official representing the United States of America!! The same United States that successfully defeated a far superior, better funded, British Army to gain their independence. The same United States that fought to defeat Hitler and the Nazis in Europe. The same United States that maintains the best trained, most powerful, most educated ALL VOLUNTEER fighting force this world has ever been witness to!!
New York allows this man…this weak, ill informed, uneducated, hate-mongoring, instigating coward to represent to represent them??? Either he should be removed from New York or the Statue of Liberty should be moved from New York to a State which is accurately represented by what she stands for!!
Let me give you a bit of education Mr. Rangel, scratch that…I don’t have enought respect to call you Mr. Rangel, Chuck.
I have served my country honorably, as so many other military members have in the past, the present, and will continue to well into the future. There are many reasons I joined the Marine Corps Chuck. Let me introduce a few new words to your vocabulary, which you obviously have little knowledge regarding:
LIBERTY- It is freedom at the center of why people join the military, Chuck. Sure some are attracted by other things as well, but the vast majority of the military is filled with freedom loving Americans who want to perform a job each day that they can be proud of. As hard as it is for me to admit this, I am proud to defend your right to say and act as you please, as ignorant as you may be, you are free to do it.
PATRIOTIC- I am as patriotic as they come. I still get a little choked up at times when I see our nations flag and hear our national anthem before a sporting event. I feel so strongly about liberty and our constitution that I want to do my part to preserve what we have in this great nation
HONOR- There is no more honorable act a man or woman can do in this country than to volunteer to defend the rights and liberties of the citizens of this country. There is an honor those of us who serve get to experience that others do not.
FREEDOM- We believe in freedom so strongly that we are willing to lay our lives down in order to preserve it. I understand that this type of dedication is certainly foreign to you, Chuck.
Liberty, Patriotism, Honor, Freedom!!! This country does not oppress it’s inhabitants to the point that they are forced to join the military, Chuck. You would love to think that true though, wouldn’t you Chuck? That would allow you to preach your hateful words and split this nation along racial lines. After all, that’s all you have to keep you in office, isn’t it Chuck? If you didn’t have the race card to play everyday, and the curtains were opened to reveal any real substance or qualifications you have to perform the job title you have, this nation and the State of New York would find you sorely lacking!
Liberty, Patriotism, Honor, Freedom!!! These are words which are like a foreign language to you. After all, these terms aren’t regularly mentioned when discussing the investigations by two House sub-committees into your personal finances and fund-raising, which have revealed that you failed to report hundreds of thousands of dollars in income. Not a lot of honor going on in that, is there Chuck?
New York, please do this nation and yourselves a favor and remove this undeserving cretin from office, and relocate him, preferably to a prison cell.
So Predictable…When The Going Gets Tough, The Libs Play The Race Card
Well I bet nobody saw this coming. Bogged down by sinking approval numbers for the President, and a growing disdain among Americans for the democrat led senate, Charles Rangel has enacted the ever-so-popular liberal defense mechanism, the race card.
Rangel, the Chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means committee stated that “bias” and “prejudice” toward Obama are fueling opposition to health-care reform. Rangel further stated, “Some Americans have not gotten over the fact that Obama is president of the United States. They go to sleep wondering, ‘How did this happen?’ “
Rangel said when critics complain that Obama is “trying to interfere” with his push for healthcare reform, “then you know there’s just a misunderstanding, a bias, a predjudice, an emotional feeling.”
Rangel went so far as to compare the battle for healthcare reform to the battle for civil rights stating, “Why do we have to wait for the right to vote? Why can’t we get what God has given us? That is the right to live as human beings and not negotiate with white southerners and not count the votes. Just do the right thing.”
REALLY?? SERIOUSLY?? How is it possible that this guy gets elected to public office. Such uneducated, thoughtless, baseless arguments, from the mouth of a Conservative, would spell the end of their career as a politician. This isn’t the first stupid thing Charles rangel has ever stated.
He launched a number of uneducated responses during the Hurricane Katrina fiasco, like, “The Iraq war took priority over domestic disaster prevention” and “The people who couldn’t get out of New Orleans to escape the storm were predominantly Black.”
Here’s another brainy quote from your elected official, New York…”Today many Caribbean workers can be found in the hospital, construction, service and hotel industries, but there is also a growing professional sector.” ??????
How about this one Rangel fans, “We love the ability of the people to influence the actions of decision-makers, of lawmakers and presidents to be removed from or elevated to office by the will of voters, and of the community to connect amongst diverse populations through the ballot box.” To know what Rangel really meant by this, substitute ACORN for “people” and MoveOn.org for “voters”
I, however, should not be so hard on ole Charlie I guess. He is only utilizing the liberals favorite play in their predictable playbook. Anytime the going gets tough, the liberals play the race card. Sure, it’s racism fueling the vast outcry at townhalls across the nation Charlie, because it couldn’t possibly be that the majority of Americans don’t support the socialized healthcare bill submitted by the liberals. It has to be something shallow like racism, because anyone intelligent enough to be a liberal would know that liberals always know what’s best for us.
If it is indeed racism, Chuck, how did Barack Obama get elected in the first place? If this nation is still so consumed by racism, as you seem to spew from your mouth on a daily basis, then how could an African-American be democratically elected by this nation?
New York, you should be ashamed and embarrassed that you routinely elect this undeserving, uneducated, hate-filled, poor excuse for a leader to represent your state. This is just the beginning of my focus on Rangel today. I found a quote which disturbes me so much, as a military member, that I most post separately on it.
Rangel, the Chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means committee stated that “bias” and “prejudice” toward Obama are fueling opposition to health-care reform. Rangel further stated, “Some Americans have not gotten over the fact that Obama is president of the United States. They go to sleep wondering, ‘How did this happen?’ “
Rangel said when critics complain that Obama is “trying to interfere” with his push for healthcare reform, “then you know there’s just a misunderstanding, a bias, a predjudice, an emotional feeling.”
Rangel went so far as to compare the battle for healthcare reform to the battle for civil rights stating, “Why do we have to wait for the right to vote? Why can’t we get what God has given us? That is the right to live as human beings and not negotiate with white southerners and not count the votes. Just do the right thing.”
REALLY?? SERIOUSLY?? How is it possible that this guy gets elected to public office. Such uneducated, thoughtless, baseless arguments, from the mouth of a Conservative, would spell the end of their career as a politician. This isn’t the first stupid thing Charles rangel has ever stated.
He launched a number of uneducated responses during the Hurricane Katrina fiasco, like, “The Iraq war took priority over domestic disaster prevention” and “The people who couldn’t get out of New Orleans to escape the storm were predominantly Black.”
Here’s another brainy quote from your elected official, New York…”Today many Caribbean workers can be found in the hospital, construction, service and hotel industries, but there is also a growing professional sector.” ??????
How about this one Rangel fans, “We love the ability of the people to influence the actions of decision-makers, of lawmakers and presidents to be removed from or elevated to office by the will of voters, and of the community to connect amongst diverse populations through the ballot box.” To know what Rangel really meant by this, substitute ACORN for “people” and MoveOn.org for “voters”
I, however, should not be so hard on ole Charlie I guess. He is only utilizing the liberals favorite play in their predictable playbook. Anytime the going gets tough, the liberals play the race card. Sure, it’s racism fueling the vast outcry at townhalls across the nation Charlie, because it couldn’t possibly be that the majority of Americans don’t support the socialized healthcare bill submitted by the liberals. It has to be something shallow like racism, because anyone intelligent enough to be a liberal would know that liberals always know what’s best for us.
If it is indeed racism, Chuck, how did Barack Obama get elected in the first place? If this nation is still so consumed by racism, as you seem to spew from your mouth on a daily basis, then how could an African-American be democratically elected by this nation?
New York, you should be ashamed and embarrassed that you routinely elect this undeserving, uneducated, hate-filled, poor excuse for a leader to represent your state. This is just the beginning of my focus on Rangel today. I found a quote which disturbes me so much, as a military member, that I most post separately on it.
A Letter From My Son's Middle School Principal
Upon hearing the news the other day that "The Chosen One" would be blessing children nationwide with his vast amount of wisdom that only comes from being a community organizer, I immediately fired off a letter to the principal of my son's school, in order to determine if he would be getting a parent sponsored day off next Tuesday. His response is below:
Mr. Williams,
Thank you for your question and concern about our curriculum and instructional practices. I sincerely appreciate your interest. Your email was the first I had heard about a speech by President Obama. The last week has been filled with activities and meetings regarding fundraising for our middle school sports program, planning for a sports program with limited funds (still looking for a wrestling coach), PTO Meetings, and the normal daily activities of a middle school.
To answer your question, there is no plan to interrupt the school day to participate in a speech; other than Student Council elections late next week during Homeroom. Our focus is student learning and meeting & exceeding the Arizona State Standards. Feel free to contact me regarding further questions.
Having read this, I feel much better about the school system my son is in. Maybe I was reading into his letter too much, but it almost seems to me he is indirectly saying that they have more important things to do than listen to the speech. Anyone have any opinions on this letter??
Mr. Williams,
Thank you for your question and concern about our curriculum and instructional practices. I sincerely appreciate your interest. Your email was the first I had heard about a speech by President Obama. The last week has been filled with activities and meetings regarding fundraising for our middle school sports program, planning for a sports program with limited funds (still looking for a wrestling coach), PTO Meetings, and the normal daily activities of a middle school.
To answer your question, there is no plan to interrupt the school day to participate in a speech; other than Student Council elections late next week during Homeroom. Our focus is student learning and meeting & exceeding the Arizona State Standards. Feel free to contact me regarding further questions.
Having read this, I feel much better about the school system my son is in. Maybe I was reading into his letter too much, but it almost seems to me he is indirectly saying that they have more important things to do than listen to the speech. Anyone have any opinions on this letter??
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
OBAMA IS GOING TO SPEAK TO ALL CHILDREN AT SCHOOL ON SEPTEMBER 8TH
Maybe he will play this video for them and have them all join in a rendition!
My children will not be attending the first brainwashing session of the Obama Youth Movement
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
DO IT FOR TED!!!THERE IS NO DEPTH TOO LOW FOR LIBS
Liberals have wasted no time in politicizing Ted Kennedy’s death. Rather than spending time honoring their fallen comrade, an idea which quite honestly makes me throw up in my mouth a little, they instead are using his death as a political rallying cry to tug at everyone’s emotions to support Obamacare.
Almost immediately after the attending physician called “time of death” Nancy Pelosi was on the airwaves saying, “Senator Kennedy had a grand vision for America, and an unparalleled ability to effect change.” “Ted Kennedy's dream of quality health care for all Americans will be made real this year because of his leadership and his inspiration.”
House Majority Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C. stated, “As we move forward with health reform legislation, his absence will be palpable, But let us use his inspirational words as our guide, to rise to our best ideals and finally provide decent quality health care to all Americans as a fundamental right, not a privilege.”
Wow!! There really are no limits to what the statists will sink to in order to gain more power. It’s amazing to me what a few years will do to repair a persons reputation. I don’t believe in re-writing a persons life upon their death. My father has always maintained that someone who is no good in life, is still no good after death. I would have remained silent on Kennedy’s death, invoking the “if you don’t have anything nice to say” philosophy, but this “Do it for Ted” pep rally has inspired me.
I was at a get-together with friends a couple of weeks ago when a friend from work approached me. Somewhat inebriated, he informed me that he was about to get lucky with a young female who was attending the party. He asked that if his wife called to cover for him. I thought quickly about his level of intoxication, coupled with the fact that it was difficult to get home from my residence. I also pondered his ability to successfully get across the rickety old bridge not far from my home. I proudly handed him the keys, patted him on the back and said, “Do it! Do it for Ted!”
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