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To live is to war with trolls--Henrik Ibsen
_________________
A few days ago a brave ANON commenter called Ranger a "latte-drinking faggot" on an older post "Bait and Switch". The recent post, Dead Babies Don't Cry, must have got him searching for other places Ranger disparaged what has become of the Special Forces.
In part, ANON brags: "We LOVE to KILL our enemies!! HA! what do you think of that? DOES THAT REPULSE YOU? Good... Bunch of queers."
The attacks are always prompted by my anti-war stance, which logically leads my antagonists to imagine I do not really have my tabs and am, therefore, a godless poseur. I must be a phony, and the presumption continues that I must be anti-military, which may be understandable in our new Glenn Beckian world, if unjustified.
In part, ANON brags: "We LOVE to KILL our enemies!! HA! what do you think of that? DOES THAT REPULSE YOU? Good... Bunch of queers."
The attacks are always prompted by my anti-war stance, which logically leads my antagonists to imagine I do not really have my tabs and am, therefore, a godless poseur. I must be a phony, and the presumption continues that I must be anti-military, which may be understandable in our new Glenn Beckian world, if unjustified.
It returned me to the days when I drank thousands of cups of C-ration coffee in a nasty, dirty canteen cup. The closest I came to latte was when I mixed the C-rat creamer and sugar in my hot cocoa mix to help fight off the cold. Ranger doubts this individual ever drank out of a canteen cup or used ration issue toilet paper.
If he did, the military experience was wasted on him. Those who have served in the military should understand perhaps even better than those who haven't the reasons we fight. The reason should be to protect our freedoms, premier of which is freedom of speech.
Labels: 2nd amendment, bait and switch, hate mail
posted by rangeragainstwar at 8:35 PM
26 Comments:
Sometimes i wish i had access to the numbers indicating active pro/con war stances on the interweb with supporting demographics. They must exist. Although I get the feeling the number would be hard to swallow. Clues are pointing towards an overwhelming callousness towards war and gov't/corporate "incest", a callousness which, it appears, our leaders are "acting-out" in order to give a sense of being in the "right frame of mind" in order to withstand this evolving 100 year war. If only the facts could cut through all the bullshit, if only for a few days. but there's sooo much bullshit. truly overwhelming. these psychopaths knew what they were doing.
"The attacks are always prompted by my anti-war stance, which logically leads..."
Jim, I think it is the 'logically leads' part of your writings that has more capacity to upset a certain segment.
Hi Jim,
I was shocked, yes shocked, to hear that you are a "latte-drinking faggot". Do you also wear Birkenstocks?
Great cartoon and post.
Dave
U.C.,
To quell any concerns:
I recently extended an invitation to RAW to attend a wine-tasting @ the local food co-op.
He immediately declined for the reason of having no Birkis. (Though the reason may be more nefarious, and he would be outed as one of them if he were recognized by a bunch of the denizens...)
So who can really know anything about anyone other than oneself.
Hi Jim and Lisa,
I hit the hotlink and read anon's comments.
I've noticed that, generally speaking, trolls write badly. I always wince when I read troll-words.
If I were to ever come across two people who disagreed, and I had no other way to judge the better from the worse, I'd go with the better writer.
Anon, if you're out there, this carpenter would also like to wish you a happy mother's day.
Dave
Dave,
I call the natural food store folks the KGB crowd.
-kayaks
-granola
-birkies
I still wear jungle boots to formal affairs.
jim
I find that the more "war-like" the comments the less likely the speaker/writer was ever in uniform, much less in combat.
Jay in N.C.
Jay,
In my original reply to this writer i called him a mother fucker and i think this was inappropriate, after i thought about it. I'm sure his mother would be more discriminating.
The appropriate reply should have been that it's obvious that this commenter is one child that GWB left behind.
Thanks for your comment.
jim
hello, i am anon the homophobic jerk who posted that letter. I called u those names because your "anti-war" stance is just getting old dude...I mean, it's getting old when ANYBODY says it to me now. I admit I am angry (understatement of the year) but thats because I watched a friend of mine die because one of these "non-combatants" (who nowadays apparently deserve civil rights)shot a good operator from behind a pregnant woman. Now, I understand you are probably gonna say : Hey man, i get your anger but you should not be so angry with people like me who simply express their views. ...Well you are right and i apologize. Ok? I shouldn't. I defend that right everyday. But baiting by our sharpshooters is not a "evil" strategy....Trust me. I have seen the priceless look of an AQI insurgent who we had been hunting for weeks trying to plant a bomb in a whole that a gunnery sgt of ours had dug and then put a nailbomb in it. This hole was by a f***king preschool bro. Now, should we not have done this? And now u say: But I THINK ITS MORALLY WRONG. So does everyone! But it works. And ps I believe YOU are the one we wasted training on buddy. I, at least, have the lack of morals needed for this work. I am not conservative, not republican. Just a realist. Please just keep in mind that I do apologize, but maintain my stance and believe most of my counterparts have voiced the exact same sentiment too. And next time you wanna talk about me, publish everything i said. Not just the clip you make fun of on your blog with all your 'fans". I bet you do wear bergenstocks like underground carpenter says ha ha. j/k But seriously bro, I am sorry. and i don't hate homosexuals. I just use such ignorant terms because of my upbringing and instict to say them when i get mad. I am working on it...Trust me. I hope you take away something from what i am saying..although i bet you think i am still just a dumb jerk. I am the part of you that knows there is NO OTHER WAY. The part of you that understands the enemy we fight. The part of you that knows that they WILL NOT STOP until every infidel is GONE. and no, not imprisoned or deported etc...But DEAD. We may just have to deal with being the lesser evil for a while ok? Its ugly, I know. So just close your eyes and thank those who made a career of being damn good hunters of the first REAL LIFE DEMONS we have encountered since the Nazis. If you are a ranger, then you shouldn't even be saying anything other than "go get 'em boys. Hooah." At least if I pussed out, I would stand on the sidelines and critique everyone else. I would just let war stay ugly and not try to be an armchair admiral or leftist nay-sayer of any strategy thats not bloodless... And tell your readers that I apologized.at least if you are gonna discuss what i post. Of course, I am not really one of your readers, just someone passing by. Ok I have said MORE than enough.. I had a few too many lattes myself. Hope i don't start huggin trees..
oh and ps... i hate glenn beck. he is an idiot. I am not with right of left. But i understand if your readers think i am the former. I hope my apology quells some of the "motherfucker" comments. if not, they can eat a big one. And I am not a Bush -OR- Obama supporter actually. Crazy huh? oddly enough, i am just a nut who enlisted too young and don't have any manners. Sorry and I guess i might as well not stay anonymous, lest you guys think i won't own up to what i said. My name is Sgt. Steve Rhodes ..former SF and now work with a special advisory detachment (OEF-HOA)
Anon,
Your entire comment is posted on our blog for all to share your wisdom.It's posted where you commented.
I am confused b/c you call yourself former SF, but you talk of a Gy/Sgt which we don't have in the Army.
My tabs had blood on them before you were shitting yellow.Just so we can keep things clear. I am also sniper trained and qualified as shown on my displayed dd 214.
Everybody that is against war isn't a fag , some are also into other kinks.I'll bet yours is.....
It's nice having you out there, it makes me feel so safe that we have ruthless killers at our beck and call.In fact i'm delirious with secure feelings.
jim
Sgt. Rhodes,
Rather than merely taking an oppositional stance, it would be interesting if you chose to interact with the writing. Remember, this is not about a man, this is about ideas. The idea of "fans" or enemies is really irrelevant to the ideas.
If you wish to interact, you are welcome.
Sgt.R,
I'd suggest that you come over to milpub for look at what some other former soldiers have to say about the things that you have discussed.
I'm not gonna write further on our exchange b/c we would be at cross purposes, and i really don't have the energy or inclination to do so. But there is one key point for me; you are not any part of me. Nada.I do not need or want anyone to do dirty work in my name. You are not even authorized to think that you are.If i need it, i'll do it myself.
I've been to a few rodeos and you are not the first bucking horse to enter this forum. I'd heartily suggest that you seek mental health counseling asap, this is not said in any angry or hostile way. Whether you acknowledge the fact or not-you need help.I'd suggest a Chaplain , but do not believe this would fit your need. You can save your soul after you reclaim your humanity.
I apologise for the MF cmt. as i usually give one freebie, which i didn't do in your case.
BTW, i find it an indictment of Rangers and SF men that they don't oppose these endless , senseless wars.An indictment of the first order which borders on shame.
Lisa speaks for both of us, you are welcome on this site as long as you remain civil, which i believe you can approximate.
jim
Ah, God, now that I've read that long comment from the previously anonymous Sgt, I am conflicted. If he is, in fact, in uniform and if he has, in fact, been deployed to a "hot" zone, then I have some sympathy.
My comment could go on for pages but I'll boil it down to suggesting our anger and criticism should be reserved for and directed at the top echelons of government that put our troops in such a nonsensical and critically dangerous situation. It seems to me that the American way recently is to blame the lowest man on the totem pole for all our national ills. This applies whether it is our war strategy and tactics or illegal immigration.
I am inclined to allow wide margin for the man in the fight but am not at all tolerant of those who sit at home and love the killing.
Ranger, how can active duty military personnel oppose our senseless wars? Go to the zone but don't fight? Refuse orders to deploy? Fling one's self upon a political cross of martyrdom by making some useless public gesture?
Obviously, this is just my personal opinion.
Jay in N.C.
I think one of the hardest things for returning vets to comprehend is that we were used, abused and lied to. Sgt Steve, I hear you, but VN vets went through the same things you went through. Our indoctrination was called the Domino Theory. If VN falls to those dirty commies then the rest of those countries will fall to them one after another. We lost and it didn’t happen! 35 yrs later you can take a vacation to VN and they’re quite a capitalist country. The VC and NVA had lots of extremists that were real bad dudes, REAL LIFE DEMONS. They wanted to kill all Americans too. I’m sure many of the VN vet readers here could tell you lots of stories of atrocities. They killed lots of their own people for sympathizing or just to keep them inline. Our IED’s were called boobie traps. Kids were used against us too. War is hell, as you well know.
Allot of us come by our anti war stance because history has shown us that we were in an illegal war we had no business being in. We saw lots of our brothers killed and for what! Lots are still screwed up. We were lied to and used. It wasn’t apparent to us when it happened, wave the flag and send them in, but over the years we’ve seen it for what it was and now we see it happening again and that’s why we speak out.
When I went to VN in 68 they patted me on the back and said go get em. When I came home a year later the first person I met on a civilian flight said to me “oh, you had to go to VN, too bad!” The country and the popularity of the war had changed and we had to deal with it along with the rest of our burdens. Will history repeat itself? It seem like a very familiar story to many of us and that is why many of us speak out.
TW,
Thanks for the cmt.
I just hope that Sgt Steve can bic.
jim
Jay,
I have no answer to your question.
I can't even answer what we non soldiers can do.I believe that we are helpless to do anything, all we can do is not agree to be part of it. Even this is illusion since we pay taxes that end up in the DOD and secret budgets.
Indeed, what can we do.?!
jim
Jay in NC,
I do not know how AD military could protest, other than taking an action like LT. Watada's. That would be effective protest, but it would come at a cost.
Civilians could more easily protest by exercising our very precious right of free speech. Writing, as we do here, is one way. But the written outcry must have a preponderance of weight behind it, or it must be taken to the stage of physical action before it may have effect.
Otherwise, we remain Nixon's Silent Majority.
Hi Jim,
Looks like you've kicked another hornet's nest. Good for you!
For shoe style, y'all ain't got nuthin' on me. My idea of formal footwear is a new pair of work boots with no scuff marks. Wal-Mart, $19.97. I've also been known to pull on a new pair of Wrangler jeans if I'm in the company of high society.
I'm even more ungrateful than you are for the sacrifices of our Orcs, I mean, soldiers. When it comes to homeland security, like you say, "If i need it, i'll do it myself."
Jay in N.C.,
I don't "hate the war, not the warrior". I wish bad chess to all players--president, congress, commanders and soldiers. Every human is given a brain to think with, and now would be a good time. Just because a guy makes a mistake and enlists doesn't mean he has no choice but to kill people he shouldn't be killing. He might have to make a tough choice, but that is what character is made of. A good example is Mohammed Ali.
Dave
UC,
I once bought a pair of woodland camo boots on sale @ Walmart for $5.97 (boy's section). I thought them fabulous with shorts. In L.A., I would've been haute.
It's my opinion that a nice pressed pair of Wranglers could take one to the opera, with the right shirt -- just ask George Jones :)
Dave? Underground Carpenter?
Did you read RAW's "Coffee Shop Thoughts?" You can't always talk 'em to death, you know.
What the hell is bad "chess?"
Jay in N.C.
Jay in N.C.,
Chess, Players, get it? Ah hell! You got me. It's a typo--I meant "cess". One bad thing about commenting is that you can't edit your mile-a-minute typing after you hit the button.
Yes, I read all RAW posts. What's wrong with talk? Sometimes it leads to understanding. Sometimes people don't need to die just because they stand in the way of Halliburton's profits. Or do I not understand your question?
Dave
Sgt. Rhodes,
This is fr. a recent documentary, Wisconsin Vietnam War Stories:
Speaking of Vietnam, he said, “A lot of the vets tried to justify, rationalize for all the death and dying. But there is really no explanation to it. Figuring it out is a waste of time. It’s just another war that’s started by old men and fought by young boys.
"Old man, look at my life. I'm a lot like you were"
Sometimes reading this blog makes me very fucking happy... Thanks Jim and Lisa
William,
I try so hard to spread happiness.
Glad some hit you.
Your friend,
jim
RangerHazen,
It pleases me to make you smile. I am always at your service,
L.
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