I HATE THIS SONTEKETTLE PLEASE STOP PUTTING HIS LIBERAL BULLSHIT ON MY GMAIL IN MY DAY GUYS LIKE THAT WOULD BE SHOT I CANT BELIEVE YOU READ THIS BLULSHIT I AGREE WITH ALOT OF WHAT HESAYS BUT HES A FN LIBERAL I E COMMNINISTS I THOUGT YOU WERE RAISED BETTER THEN THIS
I read that twice.
Then I scratched my head in puzzlement.
Why is an email to me talking about me in the third person?
I looked at the cat.
The cat looked at me.
I looked at the other cat, but it was licking its balls and was no help at all.
And: I agree with a lot of what he says, but ook! ack! Communists!
I wanted to be amused, but felt vaguely irritated at the shouting. COMMUNISTS! COMMUNISTS! OOK! OOK!
I read it again.
I checked the address. It was addressed to me, nobody else on the cc line. The subject was STONEKETTLE – which is why I looked at it in the first place.
I didn’t recognize the return email address and the domain wasn’t obviously from a mental institution or the US Congress (ok, that’s redundant, point taken).
I get some funny email, or email from people trying to be funny. Sometimes I get messages from people who are being snarky asshats and are attempting to disguise their jackassery as being funny. Some of them don’t speak English as a first language and sometimes the humor doesn’t translate (maybe if you SHOUT…). I also get some weird spam, and at first I thought this might be that – like it was almost legit, but not quite, which made me wonder if maybe it was a spear-phishing attempt (a sort of cyber attack directed at a specific target, like a blog). Some of these people try to provoke you into responding, then use your responses in various ways. But this didn’t seem to be that, and besides what kind of response would you expect? I mean, it’s me, right? You don’t need to spear-phish me, I’ll tell you to fuck off for free.
Well, then, maybe I was supposed to read it as from a relative or old family acquaintance, talking about Stonekettle Station in the third person as some sort of alter-ego of mine? I thought you were raised better than that! Communists! Communists!
I tried reading it again, while squinting my eyes.
That helped, but not enough.
Maybe somebody was sending me a response they got to something I wrote?
I tried reading it out loud, in that funny Billy Crystal voice from Running Scared ("Yes, hello? My name is Pinky…”).
No, that wasn’t it.
I looked at the cats, they were now both licking their crotches.
Which on the face of things, seems like an altogether reasonable response. I reached for the delete button…
Wait, hold on, of course. Not Billy Crystal, no no, it’s Clint Eastwood Shouting At Chairs! Sure, that’s it!
Only one way to find out.
…so, I clicked reply instead:
Do I know you? Jim Wright/Stonekettle Station
A couple hours later I got a response:
Im sorry please delete the e?mail as it was meant for somebody else Im not good at this new phone
Hypothesis confirmed. Old man shouting at clouds indeed. His (I assume it’s a he) mobile email client must have converted “jim at stonekettle.com” or something similar into a hyperlink in whatever email he got. At least that’s what I’m guessing happened (stop putting communism on my Gmail, dagnabit, and get off my lawn! Communists! Ook! Ack!). Then he clicked on that instead of replying to the original sender. If I had to guess.
Well now that’s just embarrassing.
You know me, right?
You know what’s coming next, don’t you?
You know.
We are unable to comply with your request. In accordance with glorious central policy, Stonekettle Station has performed a full search of your phone and submitted your personal contact information to the glorious security arm of the People’s Glorious Revolutionary Party of the People’s Glorious Revolution. You will now be added to the People’s Glorious Enemies List. After the People’s glorious revolution you will be provided with directions to the nearest People’s Reeducation Camp of Glorious Enlightenment Through Labor and Perspiration. If you are unable to complete glorious reeducation, you will be allowed to serve the Glorious People’s Revolution as either happiness fertilizer or as a tasty protein supplement.
- In glorious sincerity, Comrade Wright/Stonekettle Station.
No response yet, but I remain hopeful.
If you know who this guy is, if he’s your relative or something, I’m sorry for shining him on (Ok, not really). Be sure to leave a comment telling me how it worked out or if you want me to send him some brochures on the People’s Glorious Uprising.
Stonekettle Station, bringing families together since the October Revolution. Ook! Ack!
Thanks to all of you who emailed me this week, here’s some highlights from the mailbag:
Two dogs, One Water Bowl
Remember that bit in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the witch sketch?
Crowd: A witch! A witch! A witch! We found a witch! We've got a witch! A witch! A witch!
Sir Bedevere: How do you know she is a witch?
Peasant: Well, she looks like one!
Sir Bedevere: Bring her forward.
Witch: I'm not a witch! I'm not a witch!
Sir Bedevere: But you are dressed as one.
Witch: They dressed me like this.
Crowd: No, we didn't!
Witch: And this isn't my nose. It's a false one. [lifts up the false nose]
Sir Bedevere: Well?
Peasant: We did do the nose.
Sir Bedevere: The nose?
Peasant: And the hat. But she is a witch!
Crowd: Burn her! Burn her!
Sir Bedevere: Did you dress her up like this?
Crowd: No, no!
Peasant: No!
Other Peasant: Yes.
Peasant: Yeah. A bit. But she has got a wart!
Sir Bedevere: What makes you think she's a witch?
Peasant: She turned me into a newt!
Sir Bedevere: A newt?
Peasant: I got better.
Crowd: Burn her anyway!
Oklahoma Republican Senator Tom Coburn speaking at the Muskogee Civic Center on Wednesday announced that President Obama was “getting perilously close” to the constitutional standard for impeachment.
When queried as to what, exactly, that standard was, Coburn allowed that he was just talking out his ass:
“I don’t have the legal background to know if that rises to high crimes and misdemeanors, but I think they’re getting perilously close.”
Coburn further elaborated:
“What you have to do is you have to establish the criteria that would qualify for proceedings against the president, and that’s called impeachment,”
So, to recap, according to Senator Coburn, who admits that he doesn’t actually know what he’s talking about, impeachment is a “standard” but there’s no established criteria to define it. She’s a witch because we say she’s a witch and that’s that.
That’s like saying, “Well, we’ve got this standard unit of measurement we call a ‘Monty Python,’ now we’re not exactly positive how long it is but we’re pretty sure we’ve traveled about that far…” and everybody in crowd shakes their fists and shouts “Yeah! That’s what we think too!”
She’s a witch! Burn her!
Then under the Buzzfeed article linked to above, there was this comment:
“Obama has not ‘come close to committing any high crime?’ 1) He killed American citizens with drones 2) He illegally violated the privacy of the people with PRISM 3) He intimidated the AP with force, breaking down our constitutional right to free and unbiased press 4) He declared the Libyan war without congressional approval. Pretty sure this guy is a lot worse than Bush at this point, and far, far beyond the standards of impeachment. Like it or not, you have to look at the facts and see that this guy is corrupt.”
I, uh, hmmm, look at the facts you say? The facts? I, well now, the facts. Ook! Ack!
You know, it amuses me that folks calling for the summary execution of Army Major Nidal Milak Hasan without due process, are the same people who are so, so upset over the death of Anwar al-Awlaki (not that any of them could actually cough up the name of the American “Obama killed with a drone”). Honestly, al-Awlaki? That’s your poster boy for liberty? Anwar al-Awlaki? You’ve got to be kidding me. The guy renounced his citizenship and declared war on America.
Doesn’t matter, she’s a witch! Burn her! Burn her!
And whether or not the government violated the privacy of Americans though NSA, it was legal under the Patriot Act – something these same exact people were calling the rest of us unAmerican over when we opposed it. You want the Patriot Act repealed? You should try electing somebody other than Tom Coburn.
Don’t care, she’s a witch!
Our Constitutional right to a free and unbiased press? Buwah? I’ve read the Constitution, when did they add in “unbiased” to the First Amendment? Because, yeah, unbiased press, sign me up for that. Constitutional right to an unbiased press?
Jesus Haploid Christ, she turned me into a newt!
And the Libyan war? Declared the Libyan war? What the hell are we talking about here? What Libyan war?
Well, yeah, we did do the nose. And the hat. But she’s a witch! Burn her! Burn her!
Every single thing this woman is talking about is made up bullshit. It’s lunacy. It’s mass hysteria.
Here’s the thing, the Constitution that these idiots claim to revere, was designed to serve as the basis for rule of law – that’s its entire purpose.
Instead of law, what we have here is the equivalent of a Monty Python sketch with Coburn shouting “She’s a witch!” And when you ask, um, excuse me, Senator, but how do you know she’s a witch? Conservatives like Coburn point to the fake nose that they themselves strapped onto the President, and shout, “She’s a witch, burn her! Burn her!”
Every single thing that Obama does is proof of witchcraft to these people, even if he never actually did it.
Conservative tabloid The Daily Caller notes that the Obamas recently acquired a second dog. Like Bo, the new puppy, Sunny, is a Portuguese water dog.
A black one.
Black.
That means the Obamas now own two black dogs.
Two.
Black dogs.
Two.
The article concludes, “The Obamas do not have any white dogs.”
The Obamas, they don’t have any white dogs.
I’ll just pause for a moment so that you can fully contemplate what the once great party of Lincoln has been reduced to by Obama’s Magic Negro Ray of Chocolate Mojo.
Meanwhile, down in Louisiana, a Public Policy Poll taken last week shows that among conservatives in the Pelican State, just under one third blame Barack Obama for the federal government’s lousy response to Hurricane Katrina.
Hurricane Katrina.
Katrina.
Two. Black. Dogs. Ook. Ack!
Katrina, which flooded New Orleans and inundated the Louisiana coastline in August of 2005.
Barack Obama was sworn into office on January 20, 2009.
I’ll pause for a moment so that those of you educated in the US can do the math.
What?
Seriously?
Fine, fine, give me your worksheet. Lets see, 2009 divided by 2005, okay the zeros cancel out, round to the nearest red state… carry the one… divide by Jesus times socialism equals, Sweet Ben Franklin! Obama destroyed New Orleans!
Yes, that’s right. 29% percent of Louisiana conservatives blame Obama for the Katrina response, more than the 28% who blame George W. Bush.
44% of conservatives weren’t sure who to blame.
Weren’t sure? How in God’s Giant Hairy Lint Filled Bellybutton can conservatives be not sure of who was in the White House in 2005? How is that even possible? They voted for that fucking guy. And these are the same chuckleheads who want to implement ID cards to prevent liberals from voting? Honestly, how much worse could illegal immigrant voters make things really?
This is precisely what I was talking about in the previous essay. These people aren’t citizens, they’re an ignorant mob of simpletons.
Too bad we can’t turn them all into newts.
Meanwhile, in Oklahoma…
Speaking of the Obamas’ blatantly racist choice of house pets, under the Yahoo! article there were several hundred comments similar to this one:
“It is interesting that Yahoo sees it important to feature a puppy that Obama gets but ignores the horrible drive-by shooting of a white Australian baseball star who was jogging in Oklahoma and was shot and killed by three black teenagers who said they did it because they were bored. “
Yahoo! published a story on the Obamas’ dog, so that obviously means the Mainstream Media is ignoring the shooting death of Australian Chris Lane – well, ignoring it with the exception of the one hundred and seventy-five million news results a simple Google search returns on “Chris Lane.” Yeah, other than one hundred and seventy-five million news reports within the last twenty-four hours, other than that, the news media is ignoring the story.
Which makes me wonder how the above commenter, and the hundreds of others who expressed similar outrage, even heard about the shooting in the first place.
Since the press is obviously ignoring the story and all. Ook! Ack!
The main questions regarding the shooting of Australian baseball player Chris Lane by three (or possibly two and a half) black teenagers seems to be: Where the hell is the media’s outrage? Where’s Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson? How come liberals aren’t screaming racism! Racism! over this shooting?
Give it time.
Be patient.
There’ll be plenty of outrage on the left…
…just as soon as the local police decline to arrest the shooters and then blame the dead guy for walking on a public road in athletic gear.
Snark aside, folks, the two cases are in no way similar. Lane’s death is clearly an act of murder. Lane’s killers are clearly thugs. Nobody, nobody, is trying to justify the killing. This isn’t about standing your ground or self defense or neighborhood watches. Investigators say that race played no role in the murder, and even if it did it’s an aggravating factor, not the (alleged) cause.
Should Sharpton say something? He did. Should he say more? Probably not.
Should Obama say something? Whatever he says will just be confirmation of his witchery. Something else for one side or the other find outrage in. Better not.
The killing of Chris Lane is a tragic, horrible thing.
The motivation behind the shooting, if reports are accurate, and all that it implies is also a tragic horrible thing.
What do we do about it?
Point fingers. Lay blame. Rant. Chest beat. Bloviate. Run around in circles. Takes sides. Hate each other more.
And do nothing to fix the actual problem.
Just like Congress.
As I said in the previous essay, Simplification, our government is a reflection of us.
And that too, is a tragic horrible thing.
This is not my surprised face
Speaking of shootings.
Remember last year, when the National Rifle Association and their capering paid monkeys in Congress killed any chance at a reasonable discussion of gun violence in the the United States?
Remember that part about how a national gun registry would destroy liberty and freedom and bring about socialism and communists and Nazis? Remember that?
Guess who’s been compiling huge database of every single gun owner in America. Without their knowledge or permission.
C’mon, take a guess.
Why it’s the very people, the same exact hysterical hypocrites, who screamed bloody murder about such databases.
Because apparently, it’s fascism for law enforcement to know who has guns, but it’s sweet sweet Bald Eagle flavored liberty when the folks down at the NRA keep secret lists of gun owners.
This is so, so typical of these people, they hate a government answerable to the people, but want to hand everything over to the wise benevolent mercies of a private corporation.
Because, yeah, no criminals or crazies or potential dictators in the NRA, right?
And don’t call me Shirley
A bunch of you wrote asking what I thought about Bradley Manning.
Immediately after being sentenced to thirty-five years, Manning announced that he wants to be called “Chelsea” and live as a girl.
This is just more of the same from the little self-centered twerp. He betrayed his country, his service, and his oath, because he’s a self-involved narcissistic shitbag with delusions of grandeur, then, after he’s sentenced to prison he acts as if it’s a paid vacation to some Cuban health spa and the rest of us somehow owe him a pedicure and an elective medical procedure.
Manning owes us, we don’t owe him a goddamned thing and I can see absolutely no reason why the American taxpayers should foot the bill for gender reassignment therapy.
He wants to be a girl?
He’s going to federal prison. Wish granted.
And no, I don’t think prison rape is funny. Nor do I think anybody deserves it, not even Manning. But seriously, you’re on your way to prison and you announce on national TV that you want to be a girl? Seriously? Unless this is a subtle ploy to get himself put into isolation away from the general population (and so far Manning has shown no such level of devious cunning) he’s an idiot to a degree that boggles the mind.
Manning wants to change sexes, he can wait for parole and pay for it himself.
A fair trial and a fine hanging
Speaking of shitbags, Nidal Malik al-Hasan decided to punt.
Sounds good to me.
Trial’s over. The letter of the law is satisfied. He’s guilty on all counts, as if there was ever any question.
If they need help building the gallows, I’m an experienced woodworker and I’ll bring my own tools.
And Finally
The Republican National Convention says that they’ve decided to exclude CNN and NBC from the 2016 republican primary debates.
Conservatives aren’t happy that both CNN and NBC are currently working on documentary programs centered around Hillary Clinton. Because, yeah, former First Lady, senator, presidential candidate, Secretary of State, one of the most powerful people in the United States, why would anybody want to produce a TV show about her, right?
I find it ironic that the people most outspoken about market driven solutions, can’t seem to understand why media networks would create shows that people are interested in and want to pay for. I guess if she’d quit her job halfway through and then decided to do a gig on Dancing With The Stars, republicans would be more supportive.
The RNC passed a resolution that directed state party officials and other conservative organizations not to sponsor, sanction, or attend any debates hosted by NBC or CNN. The RNC can’t prevent the networks from hosting their own primary debates, but the idea here is to keep any conservative candidates from participating.
Snort. Talk about an empty threat.
Seriously, when’s the last time you saw politicians give up free media coverage?
No, really, pull my other leg. And here I didn’t think Republicans had a sense of humor.
The ban extends to CNN and NBC’s Spanish speaking networks – and hey, look, there’s more of that ongoing Republican effort to reach out to Latino voters.
Here’s the really funny part, the RNC announced that not only will they not hold their debates on two of the largest media networks in the world, they only want “real” conservatives to moderate – like Rush Limbaugh.
Rush Limbaugh. Ook! Ack!
That would power the political blogoshpere and late night comedy for weeks.
Can you imagine the YouTube parodies?
It’s like Republicans are already resigned to losing to Hillary Clinton and so they’ve decided to go down in spectacular fashion like Major Kong riding the bomb into oblivion at the end of Doctor Strangelove.
But, c’mon, Rush Limbaugh?
The RNC can do better than Rush Limbaugh as moderator.
If you’re go to go out in a blaze of glory, go big. Really big.
The RNC wants a real conservative as debate moderator?
Two words:
Vladimir Putin.
Bare chested.
On a tank wrestling a grizzly.
Oh yeah, tell me you wouldn’t tune in for that?
Because that would be awesome.
See you at the Glorious Revolution. Ook. Ack.
Ook! Ack!
ReplyDeleteJim, I'll bring my copy:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/Military_Law/pdf/procedure_june-1944.pdf
I think Pvt. Manning is going to the Military Prison at Ft. Leavenworth. He is still in the Army, still subject to discipline, will still wear a uniform and still has to keep is hair to regulation length.
Military discipline and order in prison? Is that true? Can we 'outsource' the prison industry to the military?
DeleteSeriously, Manning in uniform for the next 35 years is a form of poetic justice that had not occured to me previously. The idea is working out well for me.
I thought Mr. Manning was dishonorably discharged from the army.
DeleteSection 858 http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/ucmj.htm#SUBCHAPTER VIII. SENTENCES
DeleteWhen I was in, discharge, if ordered, followed confinement. It is possible to get the Discharge waived, it is a carrot at the end of a long stick.
And it doesn't matter if 'hard labor' was included in the sentence or not, it is automatic. Section 858 b
Whenever I need to smile, I look at your blog. I recommend it to everyone, even if they come back at me with, "Are you crazy? Why is a nun reading this shit?" Well, my Dad was a Marine, what can I say...I love nothing more than a soldier's sense of humor. Thanks for being you.
ReplyDeleteJim's blog really needs a Like button.
DeleteUp at the top, Lee, just under the subject line.
DeleteI use it all the time 'cause Jim's my favorite blogger.
I think we need something more than just a "Like" option. Something like "Prostrating oneself in worshipful awe" (aka ROFLMAO). Hmmm?
Delete...woof
I wanted to do a like for Sister Patricia. I do know the overall blog ratings.
DeleteThe "like" button under the title is for Facebook. Not everyone is on Facebook (including me), so it's not very useful.
DeletePutin, bare-chested, on a tank wrestling RUSH LIMBAUGH! Ook! Ack!
ReplyDeleteNow that comment needs a "Like" button click.
DeleteI'm just disappointed you didn't get in a mention that some of Cruz's supporters think that it's okay for this man, born in Canada, to be president since Canada is practically the U.S. http://www.nbcnews.com/id/26315908/vp/52832728#52832728
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteAs a Canadian trying to open a bank account in Pennsylvania I was told by the bank president that I needed to show her last year's tax return. "Umm, I'm a Canadian, eh? I don't pay taxes in the US." "You have to, everyone does. Isn't Canada a US protectorate?" She had to call somebody to confirm.
DeleteOh. My. "As far as I'm concerned Canada's not really foreign soil." I can't even begin to address that...
DeleteI was *this* close to following that link and then remembered just how vile the comments section on any online news story is and backed away from the link, slowly, as to not frighten it into life.
DeleteTo be frank, it's been glorious fun watching the right-wing tie itself into knots trying to figure out how to make Cruz having been born outside the US into a glorious display of patriotic President-making-righteousness while STILL maintaining that Obama is a foreign interloper. Glorious fun!!
Beth in Toronto
Imagine it was Mexico - is that "not really foreign soil" - also too.
Deleteoh, oh, canada - we were on our way to alaska few years ago with a new chevy truck - with chevy roadside assistance. we had trouble in british columbia and called for help. BRITISH COLUMBIA? what state is that? lotta dummies in the us.
DeleteI'll just let Lumberjack Ted ripen a bit.
DeleteI think eventually he'll earn his very own blog post.
Ook! Ack! I've been kissed by a dog! Get hot water! Get disinfectant! Get me some iodine! Dog germs!
ReplyDeleteThank you. Just thank you for making my day get better already. ;-)
ReplyDelete"He wants to be a girl?
ReplyDeleteHe’s going to federal prison. Wish granted."
From the bottom of my right-winged conspirator heart -- hell yes!
Mark N. (brother of a multi-decorated wounded warrior)
& keep rocking Jim, I love your liberal commie bullshit
Last night, I did read some comments about the Chris Lane killing and did you know how the righties (who are naturally doing the "this is worse than Trayvon Martin" schtick) are referring to the three killers?
ReplyDelete"Two blacks and a wigger". Isn't that just precious?
Clearly, we need a better disinfectant in the gene pool.
Beth in Toronto
Just for clarity's sake: the killers were--one WHITE, one bi-racial, and one black. All crazy.
Deletefreckles
@Anonymous/freckles: That's the sad point. "Wigger" was coined somewhere in the past couple of decades as a portmanteau of "white nigger". Which tells you pretty much everything you need to to know about anyone who'd use the term.
DeleteI loved your reply to the misdirected e-mail. I recently had a run-in with someone about "FEMA concentration camps." In the article she was citing, (yes, I did read it) there was a list of these purported camps, state by state. I pointed out that, as a lifelong resident of Arizona, I was familiar with all of the "camps" supposedly located here. I mean, Fort Huachuca??? Sedona???? and a couple of completely dismantled WWII Japanese internment camps. Her response? "Well, the list may not be completely accurate, but we know that the government wants to get control over us and our guns." I gave up at that point.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately your correspondent is probably going to use your e-mail as "proof" that there is indeed a commie conspiracy against good merkins.
Keep on writing.
NaluGirl
And may the Glorious Revolution be...well...glorious, right? Love that whole response. Had me laughing out loud.
DeleteNaluGirl, I had a good laugh. Merkin
Deletenoun
noun: merkin; plural noun: merkins
1. an artificial covering of hair for the pubic area.
I believe we usually spell it 'murkin?
I just want to point out that THIS is a REAL merkin:
Deletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merkin
JC
and I got it wrong. It is murican.
DeleteLady Cracker, I used merkin on purpose. Because those people really are.
DeleteSigned NaluGirl (I can't seem to make my google account work, which is why I have to sign in as anonymous.
DeleteOkay. I can't decide if it is funnier when accidental or intentional though. Very funny either way.
Delete....... but, will Mr Obama float ??
ReplyDeleteNo not Newts. We've already got one too many of those now!
ReplyDeleteOk, let me state that I lived in Louisiana for many, many years. Now I did not go through Katrina in New Orleans, I was some 200 miles east in Fort Walton Beach. But I know full well who was President at the time, and he wasn't a Marxist Kenyan Liberal Democrat, he was a clueless, classless Republican comic book character from Texas.
ReplyDeleteBut I shouldn't be surprised, five years of near constant hate coming from the GOP has warped time and space, the time period between January 2001 and January 2009 having never happened according to the GOP, and all the things that happened were either Clinton or Obama's fault.
They say nature has a way of fixing errors, but in the case of Texas and Louisiana, the only fixing should be done at a hospital or reproductive clinic... or even a veterinarian clinic, given the way they act more like sheep.
Abdulrahman al-Awlaki, Anwar al-Awlaki's 16-year-old son, was also executed without a trial, two weeks after his father was executed without a trial. So far as is known the son was seeking his father, who he had not seen in two years.
ReplyDeleteBoth executions, since there were no trials, violate our highest law. And since when has it been American law to execute the children of criminals? It is as if too much fighting in the Middle East and Central Asia has led us to absorb the worst failings of that culture.
Both executions, since there were no trials, violate our highest law.
DeleteNonsense.
I've covered this before, in detail and I'm not going to rehash it here - there's a link in the text.
The level of willful ignorance in this country is truly frightening. They are proud of their lack of knowledge. And frightened by anything that might cause them to actually think.
ReplyDeleteFacing 35 years of imprisonment, why would Manning not want to meet it as herself? What does she have to lose? The abuse she may see from other prisoners is perhaps no more than what she has already endured at the hands of her jailers.
ReplyDeleteAnd since when has torture been US penal practice?
"And since when has torture been US penal practice?"
DeleteIt's not, though one could argue that that's for a given value of "torture". (See the current hunger strike in California's prison system, or go dig up the book You Got Nothing Comin' from a decade or so back.)
In Manning's case, the sentence was not only reduced by time served but by several additional months, in a full admission that this is NOT the way the Army or any other service should run its prisons.
(If anything good comes out of this sorry mess, I suspect it's going to be a full and close review of brig and stockade standards - assuming there hasn't been action on the running of the Ft Meade stockade already. That, and maybe a little more hesitancy about keeping messed-up troops in sensitive positions; from the testimony in the courtmartial, I can only conclude that Manning was doing a shit-hot job, or the unit was woefully short of replacement personnel.)
Manning was not "tortured."
DeleteHis confinement might have been excessive, but it was far, far from torture.
Careful Jim.
DeleteI've been arguing with those leftier than me about Manning for a few days now and I warn you that they can get nasty. I didn't realize that I'm a paid right-wing troll and a fascist, for example.
- Medicine Man
@Jim Wright: "Enhanced Interrogation Techniques" perhaps?
DeleteLook, yeah, I know what "torture" technically entails by popular definition. But I also know some of what's used short of actual, physical, pull-out-the-fingernails-with-pliers (or waterboarding) shit.
As opposed to keeping a prisoner naked, depriving him of sleep, and generally fucking with him every minute, of every hour, of every day of his confinement.
Don't try to parse this shit. I've said before, I agree with you 95% - but Manning's treatment as a prisoner was demonstrably foul, and unworthy of the service you and I swore to.
"His confinement may have been excessive" sounds exactly like the bullshit GWB or his consigliere John Yoo might have come up with. Don't go there. Please.
Nine months (I was wrong about the duration) of isolation, sleep deprivation, and various other sorts of things that don't leave marks count as torture in my book, and I believe are so recognized in law. These things, unless the victim has outside support, will break almost anyone. Had Manning not had regular contact with his lawyer, likely Manning would have broken, begging for forgiveness and willing to accept any punishment, and perhaps that was the goal.
DeleteDon, at this point, with the routine use of electroconvulsers (tasers) and the endless talk of fictional "ticking bomb" scenarios, I think torture has been mainstreamed. That corruption was one of the greatest and most horrible works of the Bush II administration.
"Nine months (I was wrong about the duration) of isolation, sleep deprivation, and various other sorts of things that don't leave marks count as torture in my book,"
DeleteNine months? I thought it was nine weeks - and I think they call it Basic Training.....unless of course you sign up for SFQC or BUDS/SQT etc...
Research on Americans serving Germany in WW2:
Deletehttp://forum.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/showthread.php?t=397323
There were US citizens who were members of the Waffen-SS, but no unit was made up of American volunteers None were ever raised (despite some claims about an "American Free Corps" or "George Washington Brigade").
According to figures from the SS five US citizens served in the Waffen-SS in May 1940, but after that date no numbers are available.
Second Lieutenant Martin James Monti (born 1910 in St Louis) went awol to the Germans and entered the Waffen-SS as a SS-Untersturmführer in SS-Standarte Kurt Eggers.
Peter Delaney (aka Pierre de la Ney du Vair), a Louisiana born SS-Haupsturmführer in SS-Standarte
Kurt Eggers who is believed to have served in Légion des Volontaires Français
At least eight American volunteers are known to have been killed during their service. No real attempt by the US authorities to investigate the matter and trace the volunteers was made after the war.
The Berlin Document Center has the personnel records of 7 other US citizens who became officers in the Waffen-SS or SD:
Hstuf. Josef Awender, a medical doctor in the “Frundsberg” born in Philadelphia in 1913,
Ustuf. Robert Beimes, a signal officer in the “Hitler Jugend” born in San Francisco in 1919
Ustuf. Dr. Hans Eckert, born in Buffalo, NY in 1917 and assigned to the SS hospital at Dachau in November 1944,
Ostubaf. Viktor Fehsenfeld, born in Elk Rapids, Michigan in 1984 and an administrative officer in the SS-WVHA,
Hstuf. Franz Stark, born in St. Louis in 1901 and assigned to the SD,
Hstuf. Eldon Walli, born in New York City in 1913 in the SS-Kriegsberichter Abteilung (war reporters) and Hstuf. Paul Winckler-Theede, born in New York City in 1912 and who was a military judge? in the “Das Reich” division.
In a letter from July 1990, the former Ostuf. Gerhard Amler , who was a signal officer in the Artillerie Regiment 12 “Hitler Jugend” from June 1944 – May 1945 wrote about a unique radio reconnaissance platoon that his friend, Ustuf. Sigi Schneider organized in the signal battalion. This platoon was composed of men from the USA, Britain and Canada who returned to Germany at the beginning of the war and volunteered for the Waffen-SS.
http://www.feldgrau.com/interview6.html
An autobiographical narrative of Rudolph Salvermoser, born in Camden, New Jersey, and his service as a German tank crewman.
http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/history/famous-cases/nazi-saboteurs/george-john-dasch-and-the-nazi-saboteurs
Eight Nazi saboteurs who were landed on US soil. Former US residents, some were naturalized US citizens.
http://www.feldgrau.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=13747 “Washington Brigade”
c.c.thomas
C. C. Thomas, thank you for pulling all that together.
Delete@The Raven: In the main, I am well in favor of the use of Tasers in police procedure. I remember at least one instance in San Francisco - a druggie in a movie theatre, armed with a three-inch knife on the end of a three-foot chain - that could have been handled most likely non-fatally had the cops responding been armed with Tasers. In the event, they put fourteen 9mm rounds into him and shot one of their own in the ass via ricochet (or possibly bad aim.) SFPD still do not carry Tasers, 10+ years on.
DeleteHere's the thing: Tasers, for almost that length of time, have been designed to record the time, date and duration of firing. Whether these are actually observed and logged is a matter of police policy - and that is squarely YOUR responsibility. You want to know what your cops are doing with those marvelous electric "less-lethal" hoglegs? Make it policy. Make it your responsibility as a citizen. Those guys in the blue suits work for you - and you're a damn fool if you forget it. Or if you let THEM forget it.
On a minor note: I do not recall (please correct me if I'm wrong) any instance of a Taser or stungun being used against PFC Manning. Not really to the point, is it?
(Posting as Anonymous only because Firefox and/or Blogger won't recognize my e.mail URL as valid. Sigh. - Don Hilliard)
@Anonymous (uncredited) - Yeah, OK, flash us your gigantic balls. And then post your actual BUDS/SQT/SQFT quals. Maybe with a name - though I realize that if you ACTUALLY hold one of those quals, that might be a tad difficult. Maybe just a ping that CWO Wright or some of us other Service pukes might catch?
DeleteOtherwise, you're pissing in the wind. And making yourself look an ass in the process.
And here's the news: yeah, boot is 8-16 weeks of shit. If you ACTUALLY have any military experience and a pocket calculator, go figure that out to 3+ years, then go figure whether you could stand that shit on a constant basis for that duration. And if your answer is "Yes" then go to Confession, because you're a perjured liar.
One could make a crimes against humanity case against every wartime President since Eisenhower: Johnson, Nixon, both Bushes, and now Obama.
ReplyDeleteThe Tea Party Republicans and the radical left--the real radical left, not Nancy Pelosi--are not wrong in this. Wrong in their solutions. But not wrong in their recognition of the problem.
Yes, I'm bitter. This is not the America I was raised to love.
Just to make it clear: I am not aware that the Eisenhower administration was associated with any war crimes.
DeleteThen you're not reading very closely.
DeleteWar is by definition people trying to kill each other for their own perceived greater good. There are always going to be those who don't bother to look at the rulebook first; as Jim pointed out elsewhere, the real horror in the video Manning leaked wasn't the actions themselves - which met the technical standards of the law of war - but the attitudes behind those actions.
(And it goes back well further than Ike. The late George MacDonald Fraser, author of the thoughtful and frequently hilarious Flashman novels, wrote a memoir of his WWII British Army service - including the situation where he, as the lance-corporal heading a squad, had to decide whether to take a group of surrendering enemy soldiers as prisoners, as the Convention required, which would have rendered his squad useless in combat - or shooting them dead, dumping the bodies and carrying on, as the majority of his squad faovored. He admitted he was saved by the arrival of a relief column to whom he could turn the prisoners over - and by the interim support of an old mercenary in his squad - but was honest enough to admit how close a call that was.)
Raven, during WWII we killed hundreds of US Citizens who were fighting for the other side. If you've declared yourself a soldier for our enemies you are a legitimate target during war time. Period.
DeleteI don't know about Americans fighting for Nazi Germany, but if you're referring the "American Free Corps," as far as I quickly determine, they were fictional. There was a British Free Corps, however, which may be the source of the story.
DeleteLinks:
http://message.snopes.com/showthread.php?t=54351
http://www.feldgrau.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=1262
Raven, you're starting to piss me off here. You start off by saying that you don't know anything about it, then proceed to tell the rest of us we're wrong based on, what? A two minute websearch and discussion on a snopes forum that consists of three guys talking? C'mon.
DeleteIt may not have been "hundreds," as Lucas said, but it was damned sure more than the "five" mentioned in your link.
Look up Martin Monti the P-38 pilot from WWII, he's most certainly not fictional. That's a good place to start. And again, I provided a link in the text.
And seriously, Raven, if you're defending Anwar al-Awlaki, you've lost your way. The man renounced his country, joined the enemy, and declared war on the rest of us. He gave up his rights, publicly and loudly. And just for the record, the US didn't kill his son, HE goddamned well killed his son. Actions have consequences. Oh, yeah, and one more thing, Yemen asked us to come in and get him, there was nothing illegal about it.
There is in fact a German-language Wikipedia page on the American Free Corps, but no English-language one. However, if I understand Google's translation correctly, it also says the the AFC, aka the George Washington Brigade, was fictional.
Deletehttps://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Free_Corps
(ooops. I wrote that at the same time you were writing.)
DeleteI did find Monti's name and mention of other turncoats. The problem was that I can only find three links on the AFC/GWB and they all say it was fictional. If it was real, there ought to be more, there ought to be cites of solid historical sources. I didn't find any. There's a history of treason here that I don't know, but I didn't find any George Washington Brigade.
All of this falls down, of course, if someone can find reliable historical documentation of the AFC/GWB/whatever, but I'm not holding my breath.
No, I am not defending Anwar al-Awlaki, who seems to me not defensible. Now, the constitution has been set aside in wartime before. But there are aspects of this that seem to me of great concern. This sets a precedent. John Brennan, now DCIA, was repeatedly asked during his confirmation hearings if this authority of summary execution extended to US soil. If he just meant no, he would have said no. But he didn't. He evaded the questions instead. So our executive branch has apparently arrogated to itself the power of summary execution.
Beyond that, there is the death of Abdulrahman al-Awlaki, Anwar al-Awlaki's son. I devoutly hope that was a mistake, as the administration claims, not a deliberate execution.
To which I will add that, in my original post, I was wrong about the death of Abdulrahman al-Awlaki; I thought it had been another publicized execution, which would have been horrible. Bad enough as it is.
DeleteI laughed merrily at "Sweet, sweet Bald Eagle-flavored justice." My husband pointed out the irony years ago of the NRA's existence, since it was clear that right there was an organized group of Americans voted in high school to be "Most likely to own a basement arsenal and survivalist bunker."
ReplyDeleteThe range he belongs to requires NRA membership, and he harbors a twisted glee at answering election-time phone calls from them when he gets to point out that, no, not all of their members think Obama is the antichrist.
If he shuffles off the mortal coil prematurely, I will harbor notions of moving to Alaska and camping on Jim's doorstep. At least until his wife appears with a firearm of her own.
By the way, every time I read "Ook, ack!" I think of Bill the Cat. Though, he pronounced it "Oop."
Correct, Bill the Cat used the phrase Oop Ack! as a general purpose statement.
DeleteOok! Ack! is more the sound you make when your brain slips a gear.
And just for the record, my wife is armed and a damned fine shot.
"You will now be added to the People’s Glorious Enemies List" And they'll none of them be missed...
ReplyDeletePutin spends a bit too much time shirtless to be straight. Waiting for someone to out him...unless his lovers are all in a gulag somewhere.
Manning's announcement timing is a bit off. However, letting him start hormone therapy might make for an interesting penal experiment.
One of the criminal teens involved in the shooting death of Australian Chris Lane is white. He's the one who implicated the other two and has been edited out of a number of news articles.
Thanks. This was a much needed laugh break.
Sue Singer
"Putin spends a bit too much time shirtless to be straight. Waiting for someone to out him...unless his lovers are all in a gulag somewhere. "
DeleteWell, that would explain his recent divorce and why he is having all the LGTB folks arrested. He's building up his harem.
As a gay man, please allow me to say EEEEWWWWW. (On far too many levels.)
Delete" - In glorious sincerity, Comrade Wright/Stonekettle Station. "
ReplyDeleteThat's a nice try, but not the way it was normally done.
I visited the German Democratic Republic when it still existed under Communist Rule, and those declarations (reprinted in all newspapers) were signed:
"Der General-Sekretar des Zentral-Kommittees der SED"
(SED = Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands).
BTW, the newspaper I normally saw at my friends' house had - by the end of the eighties - a hilarious fake advertisement for the "Trabant Diplomat", a six door Trabant. Note that this was way before Photoshop made this easy, even in the West.
BTW, because Angela Merkel is a product of said GDR, and Vladimir Putin seems to fluent in German, they *could* talk to each other without interpreters ... but I doubt they ever do.
BTW II. On the Tonight Show, President Obama pooh-pooh'd the presses' discussion about the body language at his press conference (at the G20 in Ireland) with Putin, but I have never seen someone stare so obviously at his shoes as Putin at Obama's remark "We should put the Cold War mentality behind us".
Yeah, the Cold War was fun while it lasted (now that we know we - in Europe - safely survived it) ...
Brilliant, as always. Well, maybe not "always" brilliant. You mentioned newts and somehow forgot to add Newt to the essay.
ReplyDeletePreach on comrade!
ReplyDeleteThe cats has the right idea, but I can't see both the screen and crotch at the same time
ReplyDeleteWhile I generally agree with you on most subjects, I must disagree with you re: Manning's publicized desire for gender reassignment. It's not like this is completely out of the blue--Manning identified as transgendered long before the (arguably poorly-timed) announcement after the sentencing. Regardless of how you feel about Manning's role re: Wikileaks (and you certainly don't mince words about that), you seem ill-informed and insensitive when it comes to Manning's gender identity and desired transition. (And it's 'woman', not 'girl'. Girls are children.)
ReplyDeleteRespectfully,
san
I was about to say something similar. It is actually quite common for people dealing with gender identity issues to have those issues exacerbated so to speak when under great stress. That is why we see a lot of stories of people coming out as Trans in prison. If Manning does indeed suffer from gender dysphoria, then some sort of medical treatment would be completely appropriate in the same way a prisoner with any other health issue could expect treatment as prescribed by a doctor. Anything less is the definition of cruel and unusual punishment.
DeleteThis has nothing to do with Manning's guilt or the severity of the punishment for her foolish actions. But there are millions of transexuals out there who aren't foolish traitors and they don't need their issues trivialized because of one high profile idiot in their midst.
Agreed. Transsexuals coming out of denial, even up to early in transition, tend to be ... spectacularly self-destructive. And self-obsessed, yes. It's almost necessary in order to work up the courage. It's not like you can transition without anyone knowing about it.
DeleteI didn't see a suggestion that Manning expected the service or the state to pay for surgical reassignment. That's the spendy part (well, and electrolysis in a lot of cases, though Manning seems somewhat more blessed in that area than many). The request seemed to be for hormonal reassignment/replacement therapy. That's also considered the litmus test, in the treatment community: the folks who *like the effects* and want to continue are ... correctly (self-)diagnosed.
BTW, it costs (assuming access to medications at wholesale prices) about a dollar a day. Perhaps as much as three bucks a day if you're paying retail without insurance coverage, though the choice of androgen antagonist can vary that by quite a bit. Still, it's a fairly cheap way to make folks who actually *are* behaving irrationally due to ... being transsexual and untreated, calmer, more rational, and generally better behaved. Pretty cheap at that price.
you seem ill-informed and insensitive when it comes to Manning's gender identity
DeleteIt's entirely possible. I don't claim any particular expertise, but I think I understand the basics in that I had it explained to me by a trans acquaintance. She explained it in detail, I asked questions, I think I get it.
Note also that your statement appears to imply that all transgendered people are the same, with the same issues, and the same requirements, and that if you speak for one you're speaking for all.
You called me out on being ill-informed on Manning specifically, fair enough. But just for full disclosure's sake, please explain the part where you have detailed insight into Manning's particular situation.
I'm not trying to be a dick here, I understand what you're saying and I admit that you may be correct. But unless you know Manning personally, or have access to Manning's medical records, you're doing basically the same thing you accuse me of, just from the other direction.
You are however correct on the second item, I am indeed insensitive to Manning's bullshit excuses. And I didn't bring it up, Manning did, publicly. Manning made an issue of it, again, publicly, therefore it's fair game for commentary.
Here you go Jim. Zinnia Jones is a trans activist with personal experience with Chelsea Manning's gender issues.
Deletehttp://www.patheos.com/blogs/camelswithhammers/2013/08/why-chelsea-manning-deserves-to-be-allowed-to-transition-in-prison/
Like I said, you have every right to be skeptical of Manning. And I agree with your general take on his crime. I mostly worry about splash damage to other transexuals in a society still coming to terms with these issues.
I know one thing for sure and certain about being trans*, which is: if you are indeed trans*, in many cases - seven that I spoke to personally, and I - before you get hormone thrapy, *you aren't in your right mind*. And you feel it, but you don't KNOW it. Looking back, you can go "whoa, I was crazy." May be a factor with Manning. If insulin were "elective", diabetics would be in trouble. I know nothing about Ms. Manning except what I read, but we aren't talking about a nose job here. Gender dysphoria isn't imaginary.
DeleteAlso Ook. And Ack.
Kado, that tallies with bits of interviews I've seen. The military is notorious for forcing square pegs into round holes, but in Manning's case it was an especially wrong-headed thing to do.
Deletehttp://www.businessinsider.com/transgendered-seal-team-6er-issues-scathing-response-to-chelsea-manning-2013-8
DeleteHere's what the former Seal Team 6 Trans Gender thinks of Manning. I think her perspective is enlightening.
Lucas M, thanks for the link. That is certainly a strong opinion, and it certainly makes sense. I am impressed.
DeleteThe Raven, I thought so too. But there is never going to be agreement within the varying ideological schools about whether Manning's mistake was a huge fuckup or heinous fuckery. But anyone wno thinks a non-transguy would jump through THAT hoop is nuts, pun intended. Becoming a woman a man's worst nightmare. They cut your BALLS off. FWIW, I think she means it. I also think some folk should never join the Army.
Holy cow! Please tell us when your new email buddy writes back! He's funny!
ReplyDeleteTalking about cathartic! You do it EVERYTIME. Thank you, Jim Wright. Now if you would check out Kathleen Parker's recent article which accuses Obama of possibly causing the Oklahoma killing!
ReplyDeleteThe phrase she used: He possibly " exacerbated racial tensions." ( " Makes you want to holler, throw up both your hands," don't it? )
Actually, it just make me want to throw up. Period.
DeleteNaluGirl
President Obama did exacaerbate racial tensions - by existing. Well, maybe it wasn't his fault, it was the fault of all those voters who elected him President - TWICE. At times, I don't see the racism that many yell, but have reluctantly come to the conclusion that there is alot of racism directed at President Obama, but when there is criticism about getting a black dog? Some people are just so arrogantly ignorant.
DeleteIt seems there must have been an amazing feat performed by President Obama that has the conservatives in Louisiana blaming him for Katrina.
ReplyDeleteMost of them seem to have completely forgotten/lost the world before the Presidency of Barack Obama - that is an impact no other US President has ever achieved.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteAnd Shrub/Cheney obviously made a tremendous impression on Louisiana conservatives since they seem to have forgotten the Shrub years altogether...
DeleteI can spot plagiarism when I see it and Bill the cat is gonna be pissed. ;)
ReplyDeleteBill the Cat is dead. Again. I'm not worried.
DeleteSo just *imagine* the hysteria that would erupt in the asylum if the Obamas were to buy a *white* dog.
ReplyDeleteOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!
See, they are trying to set things up for teh Blakz to own your sons and daughters. Especially your daughters!
Hey! Hey! "Two black dogs"? Look at the pictures - "Bo" is part white!
ReplyDelete(snerk)
Excellent article, as usual. Jim, you're my new internet addiction.
c.c.thomas
Great Post Comrade...See ya in at the Revolution...Shall I bring Beer?
ReplyDeleteRe: the RNC and television coverage. If I remember correctly wasn't there a little law suit about a documentary that was uncomplimentary about Hilary Clinton that led the way towards Citizens United and the untrammeled dreck posing as political advertisement these day? And didn't the RNC support the right of those producing that video to air it during a hotly contested political season? So am I wrong to be astounded by the irony of their current complaints?
ReplyDeleteSeems like the RNC is experiencing a bit of blowback from Citizens United. I guess that they did not anticipate this sort of situation. Aaaahhh, poor babies .
DeleteSo often, when I check to see if there's a new post, I am disappointed. But, of course, I check every day since you, Juanita Jean and Mudflats are my morning ritual. These observations of yours must percolate for a while; the end result is always, ALWAYS satisfying. Have another cuppa soon please!
ReplyDeleteThis goes down as other classics I have forwarded.
Thanks for the laughs that are much needed these days.
JaneE
P.S. I have to say that all of the comments above were very entertaining as well, and especially in the Manning area quite informative and enlightening.
Deleteooh. I am always looking for new (to me) blogs to check out. Can you post a link to those two (assuming our benevolent overlord Jim and his even more benevolent overlady ShopKat approve?
DeleteHere you go, Juanita Jean's The World's Most Dangerous Beauty Salon http://juanitajean.com/ and another Alaskan who I stumbled upon when McCain made his worst blunder http://www.themudflats.net/
DeleteYep, thoze uv us who live in the Grate Repubic of Oklahomastan are dang prowd of hour senator Coalburn.
ReplyDeleteWeze awful soory to here that he wont be runnin agin.
Thems mitey big shooz ta fill.
But I noz the Sweet Baby Jeebus will provide.
Obama vs. Katrina:
ReplyDelete1) TIME-TRAVELLING alien in a rubber human suit. Haven't you been listening?
2) It was the title of Marvel Comics "Worlds of Make-Believe" #2, where Katrina was portrayed as a sexy super-villanness with yahoos that could fill the SuperDome. Joss Whedon and JJ Abrams are doing the movie. They passed on issue #1: "WMDs Among Us!"
Also, I have had 4 dogs in my life: 2 brown, one kinda yellow, and one black. What does that make me?
Bruce
(Serial Dog Racist)
OK, can't get this outta my head, due to the juxtaposition:
ReplyDelete"BUT HES A FN LIBERAL I E COMMNINISTS"
I E - as in " I, E, Ook Ook Ack, Ramalamma-ding-dong, COMMINISTS!"
Bruce
As reluctant as I am to come to the defense of the people of LA I do think there is some rationale behind them blaming Obama for the Katrina response.
ReplyDeleteJust last week Galveston (yes, in TX) received some reconstruction funds, etc for Hurricane Ike (2008) - five years later
I know that some of the Katrina reconstruction and funding was still being delivered early in Obama's first administration. I expect there were a lot of people still hoping for aid then but were denied.
More directly, there was still a lof of Katrina reconstruction going on under Obama so it is feasible that people associated the problems with that with Obama.
Too bad the TP/GOP Republican morons in that PPP poll were so totally ignorant of which branch of the U.S. government has been so stingy with reconstruction funds for ANY natural disaster = their very own gerrymandered U.S. House of Representatives with their loud, obnoxious TP/GOP "small government" minority of the majority.
DeleteAny non-commercial rebuilding efforts in and around NOLA after January 2011 have been practically halted in mid-stream thanks to the GOP House, which holds the federal purse strings.
I love how you blog! Thank you! I will slightly disagree with you about Manning though.
ReplyDeleteI think Manning, who is a turd, should receive counseling and perhaps hormone treatments (if warranted) in prison. On one hand, I do feel like this is a sleazy move on his part. It feels like just one more "LOOK AT ME!" move on his part to get special attention and I do despise that! He's selfish and dishonorable.. he's an insult to his fellow troops, who have also had difficulties in life but who did NOT stoop to betraying their country to solve their personal problems, and he's an insult to those who are/have/will struggle with gender issues and yet do not commit treason to get attention ... but... despise him or whatever... gender dysphoria, if that's what this really is, is a real mental and physical condition. Although Manning is a traitor and a criminal, I still think we ought to treat criminals humanely. Meaning, if he has mental problems, we really should provide him proper psychiatric counseling. If the mental is caused by the physical, we should treat him. Fix him up, if that's what the counseling leads to, why not?, and then let him, or her, sit there and consider what his/her life COULD have been like if he hadn't been such a selfish loser and betrayed his service and country. It would give the VA/prison doctors a little practice and keep our 'karma' clean in the process. (btw, yes.. part of me DOES, honestly, want to say screw him, let him rot... but I think that about a lot of prisoners and, well, that's just not the right thing... )
Anyway, I can't find my brochure for the Glorious Revolution, but consider this my RSVP. I'm bringing the potato salad.
Jim,
ReplyDeleteYou know it just makes you wonder... if Manning did this to end up in prison to get a sex change?
John
A quick question - what are your thoughts on Staff Sgt Robert Bales?
ReplyDeleteI think he deserves to spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole.
DeleteThat said, I can't help but feel gut wrenching sympathy for his wife and children. They waited for him to return though all those deployments knowing that he might die or be maimed, and then when he does return it's not as a hero but as a mass murderer and a criminal. If he'd died in battle, that would have been terrible enough, but they would have gone on. Instead what they have is far, far worse. That's pretty fucking horrible.
Hey, Jim, you know what I -- as a semi-regular reader of your blog who likes to link your commentary via Twitter -- would like you to do? Please??
ReplyDeleteIs there any way you could provide a hyperlink to your separate subtopics in each of your blog postings?
Like, for instance, the comment above on Senator Tom Coburn and his stupid take on impeachment, namely your heading, "Two dogs, One Water Bowl".
Similarly, a hyperlink for another subtopic, "Meanwhile, in Oklahoma…", the Christopher Lane killing in Oklahoma (which also happens to be Tom Coburn's bailiwick -- what, HE hasn't "said something"?? Too busy campaigning for dollars and bloviating on impeachment, I guess)?
And so on... If you were able to hyperlink your various subtopics, I could link to them individually. That might amount to 4 or 5 Twitter links! ;-)
That's probably not possible on the Blogger Platform, but I'll look into it.
DeleteAfore thangs git too riled up n funny here, Ah'd like ta mention that thur shore as hill ain't no Libeean war, but hit looks like wur crankin up for a Seerean one.
ReplyDeleteMs.? Manning has had two years to contemplate how he / she will enter the gates of Levenworth.
ReplyDeleteAs a diminutive fearful gay man, heading for gen. pop. who spewed his country's secrets out into the world, while serving in a fairly safe, behind the lines, comfortable gig in a very hot war zone.
.....or as a "transitioning" transgender women, most assuredly in protective isolation.
Quite the conundrum...apparently. Perhaps one he should have contemplated more thoroughly, as he was copying files onto that cd with "Lady Gaga's" name on it.....
I find myself a bit queasy in the prospects for Hassan.
ReplyDeleteDeath penalty, approved by the President as required: "Hassan wants to be a martyr and BHO approved it! Muslim infiltrator! Witch! Burn him!"
Death penalty, NOT approved by the President: "He's letting him off easy! Witch! Burn him!"
Life w/o parole or less: "The President had influence! He's getting off easy! Witch! Burn him!"
In the words of Wednesday Addams: "Wait."
I liked the take on the NRA. It seems that the NRA big wheels are only fearful of loosing the huge incomes they have become accustomed to because of their lobbying efforts.I have owned guns of all sorts all of my life and have never found it needful to join the NRA. No one wants to take my weapons because I don't threaten to start an armed revolution, unlike some prominent politicians I have seen in the last few years. These people have created their own fear bubble and live inside it at all times. The one hope they have is to draw others into that same bubble so all might share the paranoia. The NRA has a fine bead on this paranoia and is using it to feed their coffers. In my opinion they could care less about the individual gun owner. Unless they cough up cash.
ReplyDeleteYou've probably managed to stay off the NRA's secret registry then -- the same registry they warned us the government was going to force the industry to keep (a registry that is specifically PROHIBITED in current law).
DeleteMy father, who I don't think has voted for a Democrat since John F Kennedy, has now joined the NRA twice (once in the '60s, once in the '00s while in his Rush Limbaugh phase) - and dumped his membership both times, because as conservative as he is, he can't square his honest belief in reasonable gun ownership with their paranoid bullshit.
DeleteThat image of Vladimir Putin is now imprinted on my brain! Nooooooo!
ReplyDeleteBut yes, I'd watch that. Mostly in the vain hope that the bear would win, and have its way with him.
Bazinga! And seriously,Jim,you need a FOLMAO choice at the end. (Fell over laughing my ass off). I work in an office filled with Fox-new-worshipping Air Force officers and Cruz sycophants...and I still laughed my head off. Until you got to the serious stuff. Even then I had to snicker a bit.
ReplyDeleteRush? Oh, please, do. And? so much for freedom of speech philosophy, eh?
C'mon Jim. Knowing your commie/fascist/seekrit muslin/ proclivities that was no accident.
ReplyDeleteNothing to say except this is a really cool blog.
ReplyDelete