Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Airhead on March 19, 2008, 08:38:59 PM
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As some of you may know today marks the fifth anniversary of the Iraqi war...so Wifey and I went to San Francisco today for the Anti War Faire celebration. It's similar to a Renaissance Faire, only the theme is, of course, The War, so there's lots of gurella theatre going on and a few people dressed as oil barrels, plus the obligatory coffins and crosses.
It was actually not too bad- some of the speakers droned on and on, and they didn't have a beer booth, but the food booths weren't all that bad if you like raw spinach and tofu salads.
Some of the skits were actually kinda funny, if you like seeing guys in Saudi costumes pretending to pump oil up a guy's butt who's wearing a GWB mask, but some of the skinny old hippie lady poet recitals didn't make much sense to me- for example, one old hippie made a poem about Afghanistan and flowers, but to the best of my knowledge the only flowers they grow in Afghanistan are opium poppies- but all in all it was OK, although one major, MAJOR complaint I had was 35 dollars for an autographed Cindy Sheehan picture is WAY too spendy, even if a percentage of the proceeds benefit Hezbollah.
However, one thing I noticed about this crowd that was so different from the protests of the 60s was this group lacks the raw passion and pure hatred of the Establishment the 60s protesters had. I didn't see one protester blow a whistle, over and over again, in a cop's face- not a single car window got broken- and the only fire I saw was some guy lighting a joint. There were no fights, and no beat downs by the cops. No women wailing in agony. No couples overcome with the passion of the moment ducking behind a bush for a quickie.
This group might as well have been attending the Renaissance Faire. No fire, no passion- it was sad, actually. We walked from peace booth to peace booth, collected brochures advocating one peace cause after another, and listened to people advocate the causes of everything from baby seals to the Eskimos who kill them. It was depressing.
Not to be a Puxocanny Phil here, but if this is the best the peace movement can do I'll stick my head out of my cage, see my shadow and predict another four years of war in Iraq. When the people protesting the war have the passion of a lump of coal those of us who oppose this war have only one hope to inflame passions--and that is the draft.
Not only does our military need it, but our peace movement needs it too. We need the draft, or the war won't stop.
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No draft. I like to know when Im going to Afghanistan the guy watching my back was not forced to be there. Draft also means the training the draftees go through will be nothing compared to those prior to the draft. We have enough problems without draftees. Id rather do 2 more IA tours in Iraq or Afghanistan to stop the possibility of a draft. No thankyou.
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My countrymen, but not my culture.
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If I remember right, the San Francisco council tried to outlaw the Armed forces. So not to be hostile I'll just say they are weak. Amazing though, they benefit from our brave servicemen. I hope the irony isn't lost.
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On the other hand, you tend not to see artsy anti-war spooge festivals in poor, downtrodden countries.
Quite to the contrary, in a sick bastardization of the concept that it takes a rich biomass of fauna to support a small but healthy population of large predators, it generally takes a relatively wealthy, privileged nation to support a thriving population of flakey, pretentious twits.
So in a way I'm glad. Maybe the times aren't as bad as they seem.
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If I remember right, the San Francisco council tried to outlaw the Armed forces. So not to be hostile I'll just say they are weak. Amazing though, they benefit from our brave servicemen. I hope the irony isn't lost.
SF passed a proposition/ballot measure that asked the city council to discourage recruiting on college campuses. However, I assure you that the University of San Francisco's ROTC program is still in full effect.
Lots of talk, no substance.
Fleet week draws a huge crowd and I've never seen a demonstration during it. Don't let a handful of people characterize the whole population.
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Oh... so that's what that "gathering" was across from the federal building. The 20 or so anti-war protestors that showed up all had signs that said "out of Iraq NOW!" and "Stop War". I thought those were great signs and I'm sure the people carrying them were quite passionate as they posed for photos taken by another that had to put his sign down to use the camera.
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I can never tell if you're being serious or just yanking our chains Airhead. Well, maybe not never. :)
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Alas, here in Oregon it is just as bad, if not worse.
They burned some more American flags during the protests held here today, and even burned an effigy they made of our troops. And that really seems like a sort of sick thing for any American citizens to do.
(http://chenzhen.files.wordpress.com/2007/03/flagburning.jpg)
For some reason, the folks setting these fires were all dressed in black, with their faces covered up. I wonder why this often is the case??
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only in America :aok
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but all in all it was OK, although one major, MAJOR complaint I had was 35 dollars for an autographed Cindy Sheehan picture is WAY too spendy, even if a percentage of the proceeds benefit Hezbollah.
Couldn't find a keffiyah to match your shoes?
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airhead.. I think you are dead on even tho I am more for the war than against it.. If the soldiers were to say they didn't want it then that would be different.
I too went through the vietnam protests.. tear gas, riots, the whole thing.. way different.. the passion was there because that war did, as you say, have unwilling soldiers... you supported the troops by trying to get em out of a war that.. was either unjust and made no sense or.. was not fought to win... either way.. it was dumb. It would be hard to explain even today the way we fought that war...
iraq could have been like that but for what was learned in vietnam.. what Abrams taught us. and... that the soldiers are not draftees. There is no passion like the passion of someone who knows he will be dragged out of his bed and sent to die in some hellhole against his will.
But iraq.. nope.. just money and a very very slim chance of getting hurt... more likely to get hurt on leave in washington DC or in a field exercise in most cases.
And the surge.. the change in tactics.. it is impossible to paint a quagmire now.. impossible to say it is not working.. and.. the actual results.. no one can argue that the terrorists are pretty darn busy being target practice and test subjects for lots of gee wizz weaponry and tactics.
and the money... the money is the best thing to me.. if they were to take that money and pile it up and burn it that would still be better for the country than to give it to the democrats to start or pad some new or old socialist program...
It just doesn't bother me.. get the soldiers to all say it is worthless to be there tho and it will all fall apart.
lazs
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I always enjoyed protesting the protesters.
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only in America :aok
What?? That picture could have come from any one of a hundred different countries, Eagler....Our flags are burnt daily around the world...so much so the Chinese flag factory that makes American flags can hardly keep up with the demand.
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except they dont cover their faces in those other countries... dont be a coward and hide behind a mask...
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so much so the Chinese flag factory that makes American flags can hardly keep up with the demand.
LOL
Airhead is back!
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:rofl
I see you haven't lost your touch Airhead. Welcome back.
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Ahh another reason it is referred to as San FranSICKO.
As for flag burning too bad our weak government won't stand up like in the past.
Note they fly the flag upside down too. I say we have a job for the street thugs in our country.
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As for flag burning too bad our weak government won't stand up like in the past.
Note they fly the flag upside down too. I say we have a job for the street thugs in our country.
And those thugs should go to jail and be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. A brownshirt is a brownshirt, whether the flag he's defending has a swastika or stars and stripes.
Personally, I respect the Bill of Rights that includes the First Amendment and by extension the right to burn a piece of cloth that is only as good -- no more or less-- as the ideals it represents. Flags are nice, and I love ours. But, my enlistment oath never mentioned the flag...
I, (NAME), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Charon
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"no one can argue that the terrorists are pretty darn busy being target practice and test subjects for lots of gee wizz weaponry and tactics."
AMEN! :rock
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Alas, here in Oregon it is just as bad, if not worse.
They burned some more American flags during the protests held here today, and even burned an effigy they made of our troops. And that really seems like a sort of sick thing for any American citizens to do.
(http://chenzhen.files.wordpress.com/2007/03/flagburning.jpg)
For some reason, the folks setting these fires were all dressed in black, with their faces covered up. I wonder why this often is the case??
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Are you posting from 2007?
http://chenzhen.wordpress.com/2007/03/22/today-is-paint-a-democrat-as-an-anarchist-day/
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nah, he just like to manipulate facts and data :devil
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my premonition is that Airhead will be banned yet again....
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Are you posting from 2007?
http://chenzhen.wordpress.com/2007/03/22/today-is-paint-a-democrat-as-an-anarchist-day/
I guess Alzheimer's has finally set in. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
I do not appear to know what year it is that I am living in. :( :( :( :(
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my premonition is that Airhead will be banned yet again....
Sorry, the photo was indeed from last year's War Anniversary protest in Portland, OR, and not from this year's protest.
I have got to learn how to better use Google. I am finding that it doesn't always come back with current information. I need to inspect information more closely.
I did hear in our local TV news that there were more protests this year. But perhaps the protesters have become more respectful this year.
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nah, he just like to manipulate facts and data :devil
I just keep making mistake after mistake. My previous post was supposed to be a reply to you, yet I sent it instead in a reply to another person. What is wrong with me? :O :O
If you see any evidence that I am losing my mind, please notify me right away, OK???
I wonder if a brain scan could find anything??? I am not sure what is happening inside my head.
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sig... I hear that your loss of the ability to think clearly is not your fault..
Outgassing from the seats and carpet and plastic of prenus autos has been know to cause all forms of brain problems up to and including dementia.
lazs
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sig... I hear that your loss of the ability to think clearly is not your fault..
Outgassing from the seats and carpet and plastic of prenus autos has been know to cause all forms of brain problems up to and including dementia.
lazs
Actually, no, my doctor believes that it may be the result of a long lifetime of gun ownership. Mainly from cleaning guns in rooms not well ventilated, and thus breathing fumes into my lungs that are heavily contaminated with lead. And getting the skin of my hands heavily lead contaminated too, also when cleaning my guns. My disability does appear to be consistent with many known effects of lead poisoning.
Bottom line: Only clean guns in very well ventilated rooms, preferably with windows open and a fan circulating air. And use protective gloves on your hands too, to prevent lead contamination of your skin.
Symptoms of lead poisoning include:
Lowered IQ
Low Energy
Difficulty Sleeping
Attention or Memory Problems
Severe Constipation
And these are all things that I currently appear to be suffering from.
I am becoming a lazy, confused, stupid, forgetful insomniac, who is unable to have a bowel movement.
Have you not noticed how I often post in the middle of the night??
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good ole USA
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sig.. that stuff only happens to weak people.. it is natures way of thinning the gene pool.
lazs