"If Americans had any sense, no one would vote in the November election." From a 10/13/2012 article by former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, Dr. Paul Craig Roberts.
Just gotta say: Refusing to participate in America's electoral system has been one of the most liberating experiences of my life. What a joy it is to be rid of Democrats, Republicans, and those would-be contenders running as Independents or - worse yet - clamoring for the "write-in" victory. Uncle Sam and the corporate thugs who call the shots in this country don't care who you vote for. Repukes and Demagogues are their puppets. Other candidates don't stand a chance. The objective is to sucker people into conforming. Get 'em to wear a red, white, and blue "I Voted" button on Election Day.
If you ever have time, read Anthony Downs' "An Economic Theory of Democracy." Ah, that beautiful touch of sarcasm in the title. Politicians don't worry about goodness or badness. They try to maximize their votes. Period. Its the only political behavior that's rational 'cause they gotta get votes to be in office. But maximizing votes takes money. And money is monopolized by about one percent of the population. Champagne sippin' bigwigs. Folks entrenched in perverse corporations that profit from stuff like American imperialism and taxpayer-financed bailouts for big banks. Crystal glasses tipped in a toast to "rich man's war - poor man's fight." Ever notice how the Repukes and the Demagogues always get together when it comes to that sort of thing? Shhh...
Grateful Dead legend Bob Weir put on a frantic effort to get folks to vote. Wonderful soundtrack. Misguided cause. I love it when people point out the role money plays in politics while simultaneously claiming they've found a candidate who'll beat the system. Win without corporate backing. Change the world. Save the planet. Happens every election. One of the best parts of the show. Twitter offered real-time feedback to Bob's effort, and I tweeted a link to my post titled "Why I don't vote."
Let's face it. America's military-industrial complex is in control. Power that ain't gonna be handed over at a ballot box. Look no further than recent legislation (NDAA) giving ol' Uncle Sam the right to incarcerate U.S. citizens for as long as he so desires without even filing charges. Wanna send a message to the warmongering thugs that run this country? Simple. Refuse to vote. Let 'em know you've caught on their two-headed one party sham.
I'm reminded of the notion that in times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act. Whatever. Come Election Day, at least I'll save the gas money it would cost to get to the polls and back.
Update 3/9/2017 - Ron Paul has it right: Voting is just a means of pacifying the public, the Deep State calls the shots.
Update 11/10/2016 - Real hoot watching the Electoral College make a mockery of this year's presidential election. Kinda fun watching an outsider "win," but no candidates were worth my time, and the one with the most votes wasn't elected anyway. It was also nice to see Big Brother's mainstream media exposed as a tool of the 1%. Talk about the absence of a free press...
Update 11/13/2014 - Hooray for the LOWEST national turnout in 72 years for mid-term elections. Newsday's article offers an apt summation from the field of Political Science: "It's moving away from a worry to a crisis," said Gerald Benjamin, distinguished professor of political science at SUNY New Paltz. "We are not talking about a natural ebb and flow. We are talking about a deep dip. . . . This could be a harbinger of a fundamental shift that we need to think very hard about." Maybe - just maybe - folks are indeed waking up to the government's voting scam.
Update 11/7/2014 - I'm delighted that South Carolina's voter turnout for mid-term elections is the lowest in four decades. Hopefully, folks are wising-up to the government's voting scam.
Showing posts with label war. Show all posts
Showing posts with label war. Show all posts
Friday, September 14, 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Massacre's whitewash - America's shame
The military proceedings have been a sham from the get go. From the time the Marines initially lied about what happened, to this week's plea bargain, which means not one single participant will serve even a day for the horrific killings of 24 civilians at Haditha, Iraq, back in 2005. Women, unarmed men - one 76-year-old amputee in a wheelchair - an infant, and children.
Including toddlers.
What kind of cowardly country is this, anyway? The facts were never in doubt, and former congressman John Murtha summed them up as "cold blooded murder." But before I go any further, I want to commend movie producer Nick Broomfield for his meticulous efforts in documenting what happened, and for his candor regarding the mentality of America's armed forces: "Its a thought process that justifies wanton, crazed killing, that demands a high five when a soldier announces they've killed an innocent child." Nick's award winning movie, "Battle for Haditha," needed to be produced.
One aspect of all this struck an especially strong chord with me. The final coat of whitewash was applied after troops involved in the massacre began to make connections between the massacre and the kind of training they had received.
The kind of training? Really?
My mind flashed back to the case of Marine recruit Jason Tharp, and the fact that this trainee's drowning - and previous assault - took place in front of other recruits. An ill, teenage recruit forced into a pool, screams unheeded by Marine swim instructors as he went under possibly six times, finally bobbing to the surface unresponsive. At one point, a swim instructor had even shoved Jason's head deeper into the water. Training indeed. What else are America's Nazi style storm troopers indoctrinated with before they're turned loose to terrorize those hapless inhabitants of foreign lands? And another thing. Like the victims in Haditha, Jason was poor. Defenseless. Pathetic.
I won't belabor the bloodcurdling facts of Haditha, the fraudulent war in Iraq, or the military's shamful (sic) response to an obvious massacre. That said, I ponder the notion that America has "gone too far" and is beyond redemption. Beyond reason.
Beyond sanity.
2/15/2015 update - I've come across two articles by ex-Marines exposing the way the Corps turns people into mindless killers: "Marine Corps Recruit Drownings: Dying to Serve Your Country" and "Learning to be a Killer." Apparently, I was right on target about Jason Tharp's drowning - sadistic, cold-blooded murder if ever there was - taking place in front of other recruits.
Including toddlers.
What kind of cowardly country is this, anyway? The facts were never in doubt, and former congressman John Murtha summed them up as "cold blooded murder." But before I go any further, I want to commend movie producer Nick Broomfield for his meticulous efforts in documenting what happened, and for his candor regarding the mentality of America's armed forces: "Its a thought process that justifies wanton, crazed killing, that demands a high five when a soldier announces they've killed an innocent child." Nick's award winning movie, "Battle for Haditha," needed to be produced.
One aspect of all this struck an especially strong chord with me. The final coat of whitewash was applied after troops involved in the massacre began to make connections between the massacre and the kind of training they had received.
The kind of training? Really?
My mind flashed back to the case of Marine recruit Jason Tharp, and the fact that this trainee's drowning - and previous assault - took place in front of other recruits. An ill, teenage recruit forced into a pool, screams unheeded by Marine swim instructors as he went under possibly six times, finally bobbing to the surface unresponsive. At one point, a swim instructor had even shoved Jason's head deeper into the water. Training indeed. What else are America's Nazi style storm troopers indoctrinated with before they're turned loose to terrorize those hapless inhabitants of foreign lands? And another thing. Like the victims in Haditha, Jason was poor. Defenseless. Pathetic.
I won't belabor the bloodcurdling facts of Haditha, the fraudulent war in Iraq, or the military's shamful (sic) response to an obvious massacre. That said, I ponder the notion that America has "gone too far" and is beyond redemption. Beyond reason.
Beyond sanity.
2/15/2015 update - I've come across two articles by ex-Marines exposing the way the Corps turns people into mindless killers: "Marine Corps Recruit Drownings: Dying to Serve Your Country" and "Learning to be a Killer." Apparently, I was right on target about Jason Tharp's drowning - sadistic, cold-blooded murder if ever there was - taking place in front of other recruits.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Occupy Wall Street wins round one
In the midst of millions unemployed, unpopular wars, and plunging house prices, America's power structure - 'bout 1% of the population - is on edge. Nowhere has this been better evidenced than by the systematic oppression directed against folks from all walks of life who came together in New York City on 9/17/2011, declaring a dug-in-for-the-long-haul protest under the banner "Occupy Wall Street." A mainstream media blackout was thrown at 'em from the get go, and peaceful protesters were arrested, pepper sprayed, and thrown to the ground. But in this age of the Internet, social media exploded. News of the blackout, videos documenting the size of the protest, and shots of police misconduct spread like wildfire. One video even documented a cop attacking a protester for simply carrying a camera. Beaten at it own game, mainstream media limped in, conspicuously late to cover the event.
Fast forward a few weeks, and Occupy Wall Street has now elbowed its way into the international spotlight. With 99% of the planet facing ruin - financial and otherwise - at the hands of governments beholden to wealthy power brokers, the "occupy" theme is ushering in protests from New York to London. The hottest hashtags on Twitter are #OccupyWallStreet and #ows.
So round one - a battle for recognition - goes to the occupiers. The government's heavyhandedness backfired, further inflaming passions against bailed out banksters, imperialistic wars, and the corporate sponsored politicians of America's two headed one party electoral system. This past weekend there were sizeable protests in U.S. cities coast to coast, with New York drawing the biggest crowd yet.
Not bad for a freewheelin', off the cuff effort.
I'm especially pleased that so many of the occupiers have caught on to the fact that Demagogues and Repukes are equally beholden to "Wall Street," and anti-voting sentiment is makin' headlines. I quit voting years ago. Wouldn't it be great if this corrupt, warmongerin' government and its corporate cronies gave an election and nobody came?
Update 10/10/2011 - Facebook has blocked this post from appearing in real-time Public Posts.
Fast forward a few weeks, and Occupy Wall Street has now elbowed its way into the international spotlight. With 99% of the planet facing ruin - financial and otherwise - at the hands of governments beholden to wealthy power brokers, the "occupy" theme is ushering in protests from New York to London. The hottest hashtags on Twitter are #OccupyWallStreet and #ows.
So round one - a battle for recognition - goes to the occupiers. The government's heavyhandedness backfired, further inflaming passions against bailed out banksters, imperialistic wars, and the corporate sponsored politicians of America's two headed one party electoral system. This past weekend there were sizeable protests in U.S. cities coast to coast, with New York drawing the biggest crowd yet.
Not bad for a freewheelin', off the cuff effort.
I'm especially pleased that so many of the occupiers have caught on to the fact that Demagogues and Repukes are equally beholden to "Wall Street," and anti-voting sentiment is makin' headlines. I quit voting years ago. Wouldn't it be great if this corrupt, warmongerin' government and its corporate cronies gave an election and nobody came?
Update 10/10/2011 - Facebook has blocked this post from appearing in real-time Public Posts.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Soulja Boy's Army-style language
I enlisted during the Vietnam Era. To say the military environment has gotten worse over the years is quite an understatement. Enter a rape epidemic featuring both heterosexual and homosexual assault, generals facing charges of adultery and forcible sodomy, and the list goes on and on. Wow.
Soulja Boy sure got the military up in arms when he utterd "f" the Army, and then dared advise troops to "be your own man." Somewhat curious though, was the absence of any indignation over Soulja Boy's trademark four-letter filth. In fact, as the military rushed to ban Soulja Boy recordings, the language thing seemed to be virtually off limits. And I think I know why.
Make no mistake: The Army was the absolute filthiest environment I ever had the misfortune to be in the midst of. Granted, I was no doubt a bit naive when I enlisted, but in all fairness, I was also a teenager. Like Marine recruit Jason Tharp.
That ol' Army recruiter really had me suckered. Slick literature, warm handshakes, and cordial, seemingly earnest conversations sorta like you might expect from a Sunday school teacher. Never ever not once did he utter so much as even the mildest slang.
Right. And talk about a rude awakening. When I started basic training at Ft. Jackson, South Carolina, four-letter filth spouted by those in charge was constant ad nauseum. And the "f" word reigned supreme. From sergeants to officers, there seemed to be a deliberate attempt to keep young minds in the gutter. On one occasion, a major was directing a march, and our group was to repeat after him an obscene scenario as we marched in cadence to the words. It depicted an encounter with a girl named Mary, concluding with "and there I f'd her on the ground."
Over the years, and especially considering the Army's pornographic torture of prisoners at Abu Graib, I've come to wonder if the constant barrage of verbal garbage has an even more sinister intent than one might think. Is it aimed, perhaps, at densensitizing "the troops" to such things as contrived sexual degradation? The programming, perhaps, of a subconscious willingness to rape, literally and figuratively, those hapless inhabitants of distant lands? I've had similar thoughts regarding the gang style savagery dished out - in front of other trainees - to Marine recruit Jason Tharp.
Soulja Boy's filthy, Army style language is most certainly repulsive. Nonetheless, he apparently suffered a few rational thoughts regarding the hired guns that carry out America's imperialistic, undeclared wars, dared to exercise a bit of free speech, and got waylaid by a country that can stand most anything except the truth.
Update 6/13/2017 - Here's a link to today's excellent article, "So, Your Daughter Joined the Military," by Laurence M. Vance
Update 10/6/2011 - Facebook blocked this post from appearing in real-time Public Posts, and immediately started blocking all of my subsequent posts from appearing in that venue, regardless of the topic. This latest bout of censorship remains in effect.
Updates 5/22/2013 -
The commanding general of Ft. Jackson, South Carolina, Bryan Roberts, has been suspended in connection with charges of adultery and involvement in a physical altercation: http://www.wistv.com/story/22378270/fort-jackson-commander-facing-adultery-charges
As mentioned above, this post met with censorship. That prompted me to publish another post, "Military rapes prompt censorship"
Update 5/5/2015 - Had to laugh regarding recent news that Christians are finally viewing the military as a "hostile work environment." Somehow, ever since reading the Sermon on the Mount, I've been unable to visualize Jesus decked out in a military uniform, intent on butchering His enemies. One of my all-time favorite literary works is Mark Twain's "The War Prayer." War is as un-Christian as anything gets.
Update 6/19/2019 via Dr. Paul Craig Roberts:"Classified: US Troops Rape Boys In Front Of Their Mothers" - more info has come out re the sexual hoorrors inflicted by American troops at Abu Graib.
Soulja Boy sure got the military up in arms when he utterd "f" the Army, and then dared advise troops to "be your own man." Somewhat curious though, was the absence of any indignation over Soulja Boy's trademark four-letter filth. In fact, as the military rushed to ban Soulja Boy recordings, the language thing seemed to be virtually off limits. And I think I know why.
Make no mistake: The Army was the absolute filthiest environment I ever had the misfortune to be in the midst of. Granted, I was no doubt a bit naive when I enlisted, but in all fairness, I was also a teenager. Like Marine recruit Jason Tharp.
That ol' Army recruiter really had me suckered. Slick literature, warm handshakes, and cordial, seemingly earnest conversations sorta like you might expect from a Sunday school teacher. Never ever not once did he utter so much as even the mildest slang.
Right. And talk about a rude awakening. When I started basic training at Ft. Jackson, South Carolina, four-letter filth spouted by those in charge was constant ad nauseum. And the "f" word reigned supreme. From sergeants to officers, there seemed to be a deliberate attempt to keep young minds in the gutter. On one occasion, a major was directing a march, and our group was to repeat after him an obscene scenario as we marched in cadence to the words. It depicted an encounter with a girl named Mary, concluding with "and there I f'd her on the ground."
Over the years, and especially considering the Army's pornographic torture of prisoners at Abu Graib, I've come to wonder if the constant barrage of verbal garbage has an even more sinister intent than one might think. Is it aimed, perhaps, at densensitizing "the troops" to such things as contrived sexual degradation? The programming, perhaps, of a subconscious willingness to rape, literally and figuratively, those hapless inhabitants of distant lands? I've had similar thoughts regarding the gang style savagery dished out - in front of other trainees - to Marine recruit Jason Tharp.
Soulja Boy's filthy, Army style language is most certainly repulsive. Nonetheless, he apparently suffered a few rational thoughts regarding the hired guns that carry out America's imperialistic, undeclared wars, dared to exercise a bit of free speech, and got waylaid by a country that can stand most anything except the truth.
Update 6/13/2017 - Here's a link to today's excellent article, "So, Your Daughter Joined the Military," by Laurence M. Vance
Update 10/6/2011 - Facebook blocked this post from appearing in real-time Public Posts, and immediately started blocking all of my subsequent posts from appearing in that venue, regardless of the topic. This latest bout of censorship remains in effect.
Updates 5/22/2013 -
The commanding general of Ft. Jackson, South Carolina, Bryan Roberts, has been suspended in connection with charges of adultery and involvement in a physical altercation: http://www.wistv.com/story/22378270/fort-jackson-commander-facing-adultery-charges
As mentioned above, this post met with censorship. That prompted me to publish another post, "Military rapes prompt censorship"
Update 5/5/2015 - Had to laugh regarding recent news that Christians are finally viewing the military as a "hostile work environment." Somehow, ever since reading the Sermon on the Mount, I've been unable to visualize Jesus decked out in a military uniform, intent on butchering His enemies. One of my all-time favorite literary works is Mark Twain's "The War Prayer." War is as un-Christian as anything gets.
Update 6/19/2019 via Dr. Paul Craig Roberts:"Classified: US Troops Rape Boys In Front Of Their Mothers" - more info has come out re the sexual hoorrors inflicted by American troops at Abu Graib.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Tharp case still makes me cry
I initially blogged about this case as it unfolded, then re-titled the blog and condensed my comments.
As far as I know, nothing has ever shut mainstream media up like the gang style savagery dished out to Marine recruit Jason Tharp, the teenager who wanted out of the military, then drowned during "training." Forced to tread water, Jason was surrounded by Marine swim instructors as he went under possibly six times, screamed repeatedly to be let out of the pool, finally succumbed to exhaustion and coughed, gagged, or vomited before bobbing to the surface unresponsive. At one point, a swim instructor shoved Jason's head deeper into the water.
Facts came to light only because NBC affiliate WIS-TV (a Columbia, S.C. station producing a series about the military) happened to videotape an instructor assaulting Jason on February 7, 2005 - approximately 24 hours before the next day's drowning - and turned their evidence over to authorities. The video prompted a brief spate of national media attention, but when the investigative report came out, it was hush up time in the land of the free. The Associated Press release - headlining Jason's death as "preventable," was an exercise in deceit, omitting the bloodcurdling facts and even getting it wrong regarding the videotaped assault. Jason was not merely "hit on his arm." In fact, the video is heart-wrenching, showing an emaciated teenager being yanked around and then knocked backward as he walks toward the WIS-TV camera crew - probably in a desperate attempt to get help. The tape does not include audio, and it was later revealed that Jason - a poor swimmer who had been diagnosed with a respiratory infection - was also being threatened with jail for refusing to get in the water. He had written home complaining of being singled out for harassment, and the day the drowning occurred, Jason was told to shut up and get in the water or be thrown in (the Marines lied, claiming Jason entered the water "voluntarily"). Jason's parents and his sister had been trying to persuade the Marines to discharge Jason, and when the Marines arrived at their home with news of Jason's death, the family thought they were going to be told that Jason would soon be back home.
The investigative report is almost beyond belief. Yet South Carolina's largest newspaper, the State, only found room for a tiny filler item giving trial testimony from the instructor in charge of the pool. He "heard screams but thought everything was normal."
To their ultimate discredit, WIS-TV declined to reveal the gruesome facts on their regular, televised newscasts, choosing instead to air an interview - conducted by the militarily well-connected Judi Gatson - that attempted to discuss this sordid affair in terms of a lapse in safety procedures. The interview - which omitted any reference to Jason's screams, etc. - was absolutely appalling. Are we really expected to believe that Marine swim instructors need underwater cameras to determine if a screaming recruit needs help?
Such barbarism perpetrated by a gang of civilian thugs would have been dutifully detailed and held up for public scrutiny. When investigators find - among other things - that Marine swim instructors need "guidance regarding first-aid for drowning victims," taxpayers have a right to know. Regarding media efforts to keep things quiet, I guess you could say this is one of those cases where a deafening silence spoke volumes.
But then again, Jason was just a poor kid. Had dreams of going to art school and enlisted hoping to help his parents with the expenses. Why should anyone in this good Christian country care anything at all about someone like Jason Tharp?
I'm sick and tired of America's damnable lies and deceit. If it isn't a full-fledged war based on false claims regarding weapons of mass destruction, it's one of our own - and his family - being treated worse than a dog, and a media-manipulated public too downright cowardly to say anything about it. Want national outrage? Burn a flag. Hurl a nonsensical remark at a basketball team, or give a celebrity a break on a misdemeanor rap.
The Tharp case makes a mockery of a free press and an informed electorate. The entire affair - including such niceties as America's "economic" draft - is a national disgrace so profound it should make anyone with normal sensibilities ashamed to be an American.
God bless the Tharps. When their son's case received its final coat of whitewash, Jason's mother tearfully told the military judge, "I hope you see Jason every time you turn around, and hear him screaming."
After I found out what happened to Jason, I sobbed. And this is one case that still makes me cry.
Only one media outlet gave a complete account of Jason's death:
http://wistv.com/global/story.asp?s=3529920&ClientType=Printable
I gave WIS-TV, the Associated Press, and the State newspaper an opportunity to reply to this post, but they declined.
Update 2/8/2015 - An ex-Marine has written an article, "Dying to Serve Your Country," which details how murderous the Marine Corps' "swim training" actually is. Especially interesting is Tim King's inability to find horrifying details anywhere on the Internet. As far as I can tell, any mainstream media references on the Internet to the investigative report's disclosure that the "swim instructor" shoved Jason Tharp's head deeper into the water as he struggled have now been removed, along with references to Jason coughing, gagging, or vomiting. America can stand most anything except the truth.
Update 9/10/2016 - Facts re this year's "suicide" of a Marine recruit who happened to be a Muslim confirms that recruits may indeed be singled out for exceptionally vicious treatment if not death. In this 2006 article - directly relevant to Raheel Siddiqui's "suicide" - retired Marine Sgt. Martin Smith exposes boot camp's racist, brainwashing environment:"Our hatred of the Arab 'other' was crafted from the very beginning of our training through fear and hate..." The article, aptly titled "Learning to be a Killer," is a powerful indictment of the society we live in. As Tim King states (see article 2/8/2015 update) "...Joining the Marines can be a death sentence well before combat."
Update 9/15/2016 - Siddiqui's family (see 9/10/2016 update) is disputing the Marine Corps' claim that their son committed suicide. We need an independent investigation into this matter, especially since the Marine Corps was caught lying about the circumstances surrounding the death of Jason Tharp, initially claiming Jason entered the water voluntarily.
Update 10/4/2016 - The Marine Corps has an incredibly scandalous history, but notice the Washington Post's article makes no mention of the Tharp case. Can anyone imagine why?
Update 11/7/2017 - I've published a post, "Siddiqui scandal: Amerika's military is a national disgrace"
Update 6/3/2019 - Looks like the atrocious environment in Amerika's thug goon military is coming home to roost. The U. S. (Unlimited Stupidity) Army was stupid enough to publish a tweet asking "How has serving impacted you?" Most of the thousands of responses were heartbreaking as "people used the opportunity that the Army had inadvertently given them to describe how they or their loved one had been chewed up and spit out by a war machine that never cared about them." Dr. Paul Craig Roberts sums it up well in the title to his reference to the article: "The Cost of Serving the Elite Who Rule the Dumbshit Americans." I loved Dr. Roberts' e-mail alert to this article. He wrote, "Go wave your flag, you dumbshit American."
As far as I know, nothing has ever shut mainstream media up like the gang style savagery dished out to Marine recruit Jason Tharp, the teenager who wanted out of the military, then drowned during "training." Forced to tread water, Jason was surrounded by Marine swim instructors as he went under possibly six times, screamed repeatedly to be let out of the pool, finally succumbed to exhaustion and coughed, gagged, or vomited before bobbing to the surface unresponsive. At one point, a swim instructor shoved Jason's head deeper into the water.
Facts came to light only because NBC affiliate WIS-TV (a Columbia, S.C. station producing a series about the military) happened to videotape an instructor assaulting Jason on February 7, 2005 - approximately 24 hours before the next day's drowning - and turned their evidence over to authorities. The video prompted a brief spate of national media attention, but when the investigative report came out, it was hush up time in the land of the free. The Associated Press release - headlining Jason's death as "preventable," was an exercise in deceit, omitting the bloodcurdling facts and even getting it wrong regarding the videotaped assault. Jason was not merely "hit on his arm." In fact, the video is heart-wrenching, showing an emaciated teenager being yanked around and then knocked backward as he walks toward the WIS-TV camera crew - probably in a desperate attempt to get help. The tape does not include audio, and it was later revealed that Jason - a poor swimmer who had been diagnosed with a respiratory infection - was also being threatened with jail for refusing to get in the water. He had written home complaining of being singled out for harassment, and the day the drowning occurred, Jason was told to shut up and get in the water or be thrown in (the Marines lied, claiming Jason entered the water "voluntarily"). Jason's parents and his sister had been trying to persuade the Marines to discharge Jason, and when the Marines arrived at their home with news of Jason's death, the family thought they were going to be told that Jason would soon be back home.
The investigative report is almost beyond belief. Yet South Carolina's largest newspaper, the State, only found room for a tiny filler item giving trial testimony from the instructor in charge of the pool. He "heard screams but thought everything was normal."
To their ultimate discredit, WIS-TV declined to reveal the gruesome facts on their regular, televised newscasts, choosing instead to air an interview - conducted by the militarily well-connected Judi Gatson - that attempted to discuss this sordid affair in terms of a lapse in safety procedures. The interview - which omitted any reference to Jason's screams, etc. - was absolutely appalling. Are we really expected to believe that Marine swim instructors need underwater cameras to determine if a screaming recruit needs help?
Such barbarism perpetrated by a gang of civilian thugs would have been dutifully detailed and held up for public scrutiny. When investigators find - among other things - that Marine swim instructors need "guidance regarding first-aid for drowning victims," taxpayers have a right to know. Regarding media efforts to keep things quiet, I guess you could say this is one of those cases where a deafening silence spoke volumes.
But then again, Jason was just a poor kid. Had dreams of going to art school and enlisted hoping to help his parents with the expenses. Why should anyone in this good Christian country care anything at all about someone like Jason Tharp?
I'm sick and tired of America's damnable lies and deceit. If it isn't a full-fledged war based on false claims regarding weapons of mass destruction, it's one of our own - and his family - being treated worse than a dog, and a media-manipulated public too downright cowardly to say anything about it. Want national outrage? Burn a flag. Hurl a nonsensical remark at a basketball team, or give a celebrity a break on a misdemeanor rap.
The Tharp case makes a mockery of a free press and an informed electorate. The entire affair - including such niceties as America's "economic" draft - is a national disgrace so profound it should make anyone with normal sensibilities ashamed to be an American.
God bless the Tharps. When their son's case received its final coat of whitewash, Jason's mother tearfully told the military judge, "I hope you see Jason every time you turn around, and hear him screaming."
After I found out what happened to Jason, I sobbed. And this is one case that still makes me cry.
Only one media outlet gave a complete account of Jason's death:
http://wistv.com/global/story.asp?s=3529920&ClientType=Printable
I gave WIS-TV, the Associated Press, and the State newspaper an opportunity to reply to this post, but they declined.
Update 2/8/2015 - An ex-Marine has written an article, "Dying to Serve Your Country," which details how murderous the Marine Corps' "swim training" actually is. Especially interesting is Tim King's inability to find horrifying details anywhere on the Internet. As far as I can tell, any mainstream media references on the Internet to the investigative report's disclosure that the "swim instructor" shoved Jason Tharp's head deeper into the water as he struggled have now been removed, along with references to Jason coughing, gagging, or vomiting. America can stand most anything except the truth.
Update 9/10/2016 - Facts re this year's "suicide" of a Marine recruit who happened to be a Muslim confirms that recruits may indeed be singled out for exceptionally vicious treatment if not death. In this 2006 article - directly relevant to Raheel Siddiqui's "suicide" - retired Marine Sgt. Martin Smith exposes boot camp's racist, brainwashing environment:"Our hatred of the Arab 'other' was crafted from the very beginning of our training through fear and hate..." The article, aptly titled "Learning to be a Killer," is a powerful indictment of the society we live in. As Tim King states (see article 2/8/2015 update) "...Joining the Marines can be a death sentence well before combat."
Update 9/15/2016 - Siddiqui's family (see 9/10/2016 update) is disputing the Marine Corps' claim that their son committed suicide. We need an independent investigation into this matter, especially since the Marine Corps was caught lying about the circumstances surrounding the death of Jason Tharp, initially claiming Jason entered the water voluntarily.
Update 10/4/2016 - The Marine Corps has an incredibly scandalous history, but notice the Washington Post's article makes no mention of the Tharp case. Can anyone imagine why?
Update 11/7/2017 - I've published a post, "Siddiqui scandal: Amerika's military is a national disgrace"
Update 6/3/2019 - Looks like the atrocious environment in Amerika's thug goon military is coming home to roost. The U. S. (Unlimited Stupidity) Army was stupid enough to publish a tweet asking "How has serving impacted you?" Most of the thousands of responses were heartbreaking as "people used the opportunity that the Army had inadvertently given them to describe how they or their loved one had been chewed up and spit out by a war machine that never cared about them." Dr. Paul Craig Roberts sums it up well in the title to his reference to the article: "The Cost of Serving the Elite Who Rule the Dumbshit Americans." I loved Dr. Roberts' e-mail alert to this article. He wrote, "Go wave your flag, you dumbshit American."
Saturday, April 4, 2009
U.S. imperialism and economic chaos
Obomba Afghanistan, pop bang ka-blam
'Tis the tear-jerkin' story of ol' Uncle Scam
A world-class BULLY
A MEDDLER
A THUG
Done in by derivatives (!)
Now not so smug
'Tis the tear-jerkin' story of ol' Uncle Scam
A world-class BULLY
A MEDDLER
A THUG
Done in by derivatives (!)
Now not so smug
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Why I don't vote
To begin with, voting simply isn't worth the effort for a country cowardly enough to tolerate the gang-style savagery dished out to Marine recruit Jason Tharp, the teenager who wanted out of the military, then drowned during "training." Forced to tread water, Jason was surrounded by Marine swim instructors as he went under possibly six times, screamed repeatedly to be let out of the pool, finally succumbed to exhaustion and coughed, gagged, or vomitted before bobbing to the surface unresponsive.
Only one mainstream media outlet revealed these bloodcurdling facts. Democracy depends on an informed electorate, and an informed electorate depends on a free press. The Tharp case epitomizes the fact that America has neither.
When it comes to the top office in the land, the Electoral College makes a mockery of majority rule. In a real democracy, the winner is the candidate who gets the most votes. One man, one vote. And if it's not the Electoral College, it's multi-billion dollar corporations deciding who gets elected and what kind of legislation gets passed. Corporations are not people. America's two-party system is a sham.
So go get 'em, boys and girls. Cast those ballots, support those imperialistic wars, and by all means, flap those flags. As for me, I'll make a deal. I'll vote for the first candidate who screams bloody murder about the Tharp case. Fair enough?
Only one mainstream media outlet revealed these bloodcurdling facts. Democracy depends on an informed electorate, and an informed electorate depends on a free press. The Tharp case epitomizes the fact that America has neither.
When it comes to the top office in the land, the Electoral College makes a mockery of majority rule. In a real democracy, the winner is the candidate who gets the most votes. One man, one vote. And if it's not the Electoral College, it's multi-billion dollar corporations deciding who gets elected and what kind of legislation gets passed. Corporations are not people. America's two-party system is a sham.
So go get 'em, boys and girls. Cast those ballots, support those imperialistic wars, and by all means, flap those flags. As for me, I'll make a deal. I'll vote for the first candidate who screams bloody murder about the Tharp case. Fair enough?
McCain v. Obama. And the Empress' new clothes.
One thing's for sure. McCain's got the best dressed running mate, hands down. I'll bet Biden's wardrobe doesn't cost half as much as Sarah's. But the real embarassment turns out to be John Edwards. Talk about cheap. Edwards was skimping by on those $400 haircuts...
Pardon the pun, but when it comes to warmongering, McCain doesn't beat around the Bush. And if McCain gets the nod, it might be kinda fun to see folks get exactly what they asked for.
Change you can believe in? I wish Obama was a non-smoker, at least. Yessir, he sure doesn't have any of that "baggage" from back when my generation put an end to one of America's filthy wars. Obama - like McCain - is shootin' for a bigger war in Afghanistan while he makes any withdrawal from Iraq contingent on conditions on the ground. Barack even threw a tantrum when MoveOn.org dared to run the Betray Us ad questioning the integrity of America's scandal-soaked military.
Too bad our last chance for world peace, racial harmony, etc. can't even get along with his minister. If only he would direct some of that hostility toward impeaching Bush and Cheney for war crimes. With Obama and his corporate lapdog Democrat party kissin' up to the Republicans and budgeting billions for America's latest wars, a small pocketful of coins left over after taxes will be the "change you can believe in" regardless of who gets elected.
Thank goodness I no longer bother to vote. This election has been better than an afternoon soap opera, and I can set back and enjoy the show.
Pardon the pun, but when it comes to warmongering, McCain doesn't beat around the Bush. And if McCain gets the nod, it might be kinda fun to see folks get exactly what they asked for.
Change you can believe in? I wish Obama was a non-smoker, at least. Yessir, he sure doesn't have any of that "baggage" from back when my generation put an end to one of America's filthy wars. Obama - like McCain - is shootin' for a bigger war in Afghanistan while he makes any withdrawal from Iraq contingent on conditions on the ground. Barack even threw a tantrum when MoveOn.org dared to run the Betray Us ad questioning the integrity of America's scandal-soaked military.
Too bad our last chance for world peace, racial harmony, etc. can't even get along with his minister. If only he would direct some of that hostility toward impeaching Bush and Cheney for war crimes. With Obama and his corporate lapdog Democrat party kissin' up to the Republicans and budgeting billions for America's latest wars, a small pocketful of coins left over after taxes will be the "change you can believe in" regardless of who gets elected.
Thank goodness I no longer bother to vote. This election has been better than an afternoon soap opera, and I can set back and enjoy the show.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Obomba (sic) sure ain't no Gene McCarthy
I saw a bumper sticker the other day that depicted the "O" in Obama as a peace sign. Did a double-take on that one.
Given Barack's promise to send more troops to Afghanistan, let me suggest turning the "O" into a depiction of a bomb. Or just change the name to Obomba. Whatever. I guess some folks think because Obomba has offered to withdraw troops from Iraq contingent on conditions on the ground, that makes him some sort of a peace candidate. Maybe they weren't around when we had real peace candidates like Gene McCarthy and George McGovern. At least my generation knew the difference between a peace candidate and a warmonger. Oh for the 60's again.
Given Barack's promise to send more troops to Afghanistan, let me suggest turning the "O" into a depiction of a bomb. Or just change the name to Obomba. Whatever. I guess some folks think because Obomba has offered to withdraw troops from Iraq contingent on conditions on the ground, that makes him some sort of a peace candidate. Maybe they weren't around when we had real peace candidates like Gene McCarthy and George McGovern. At least my generation knew the difference between a peace candidate and a warmonger. Oh for the 60's again.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Vote... for the warmonger of your choice
Amidst rumblings of war with Iran - and even an invasion of Pakistan (just to get Bin Laden, of course) - oBOMBa and McSame have both pledged their allegiance to a troop buildup in Afghanistan. Gotta change the focus of the "War on Terror" now that Iraq has become so unpopular.
Isn't it amazing how the two "opposition" parties can always agree on more war? How the Democrats - ushered in on anti-war sentiment - always wind up joining the Republicans for war funding? Talk about a two-party "system." It lapdogs for the military-industrial complex, promotes U.S. imperialism, and refuses to impeach Bush and Cheney for war crimes. Still wanna vote? I don't. And won't. But if you still do, save youself some time and just flip a coin. And use a dime to remind yourself that it won't make a dime's worth of difference which candidate or which party gets elected.
You can say the War on Terror is all about oil. Real oil for corrupt corporate interests, and snake oil for the rest of us. Hup, two, three, four, and The Great American War Machine is on the move....
Isn't it amazing how the two "opposition" parties can always agree on more war? How the Democrats - ushered in on anti-war sentiment - always wind up joining the Republicans for war funding? Talk about a two-party "system." It lapdogs for the military-industrial complex, promotes U.S. imperialism, and refuses to impeach Bush and Cheney for war crimes. Still wanna vote? I don't. And won't. But if you still do, save youself some time and just flip a coin. And use a dime to remind yourself that it won't make a dime's worth of difference which candidate or which party gets elected.
You can say the War on Terror is all about oil. Real oil for corrupt corporate interests, and snake oil for the rest of us. Hup, two, three, four, and The Great American War Machine is on the move....
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Like Tharp, Tillman case is troubling
The State newspaper refused to publish the comments I submitted regarding the death of Pat Tillman.
First it was Jason Tharp, the teenager who wanted out of the military and then drowned during "training." Forced to tread water, Jason was surrounded by Marine swim instructors as he went under possibly six times, screamed repeatedly to be let out of the pool, finally succumbed to exhaustion and coughed, gagged, or vomitted before bobbing to the surface unresponsive. Facts came to light only because NBC affiliate WIS-TV happened to catch an instructor assaulting Jason 24 hours before the drowning occured.
Next it was former NFL superstar Pat Tillman. He spoke out against the Iraq war and then got killed by "friendly fire." Mainstream media has a tendency not to mention Pat's opposition to the war. Instead, they simply refer to Pat's "notoriety." Come to think of it, I guess you could say notoriety is something Pat Tillman had in common with Jason Tharp.
Witnessed to have yelled out his identity, evidence suggests that Tillman was shot at close range according to investigators who claim their findings were ignored. They say he was shot from about ten yards instead of 90 as claimed by the Army. The military has given outrageously false accounts of how Tillman died, including at least one falsified document.
Appearing last Sunday on 60 Minutes, Tillman's mother emphasized that the public had been victimized by false information. At least the Tillmans - with resources sharply contrasting those of the Tharps - are managing to get the facts in front of the public, complete with a congressional inquiry.
Notoriety is beginning to look like a health issue...
If anything ever warranted a congressional inquiry, it was the case of Marine recruit Jason Tharp. Only one media outlet revealed the horrifying details of how Jason died:
http://wistv.com/global/story.asp?s=3529920&ClientType=Printable
First it was Jason Tharp, the teenager who wanted out of the military and then drowned during "training." Forced to tread water, Jason was surrounded by Marine swim instructors as he went under possibly six times, screamed repeatedly to be let out of the pool, finally succumbed to exhaustion and coughed, gagged, or vomitted before bobbing to the surface unresponsive. Facts came to light only because NBC affiliate WIS-TV happened to catch an instructor assaulting Jason 24 hours before the drowning occured.
Next it was former NFL superstar Pat Tillman. He spoke out against the Iraq war and then got killed by "friendly fire." Mainstream media has a tendency not to mention Pat's opposition to the war. Instead, they simply refer to Pat's "notoriety." Come to think of it, I guess you could say notoriety is something Pat Tillman had in common with Jason Tharp.
Witnessed to have yelled out his identity, evidence suggests that Tillman was shot at close range according to investigators who claim their findings were ignored. They say he was shot from about ten yards instead of 90 as claimed by the Army. The military has given outrageously false accounts of how Tillman died, including at least one falsified document.
Appearing last Sunday on 60 Minutes, Tillman's mother emphasized that the public had been victimized by false information. At least the Tillmans - with resources sharply contrasting those of the Tharps - are managing to get the facts in front of the public, complete with a congressional inquiry.
Notoriety is beginning to look like a health issue...
If anything ever warranted a congressional inquiry, it was the case of Marine recruit Jason Tharp. Only one media outlet revealed the horrifying details of how Jason died:
http://wistv.com/global/story.asp?s=3529920&ClientType=Printable
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