A Collegial Reply to a Critical Comment on One of my Posts

Three days ago I received a comment on my posting concerning the DoD's 'survey' of troops regarding the repeal of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy.  I give this person very high marks for his/her candor and courtesy, but feel like I have to educate him/her a little on Constitutional matters and this seemed a proper forum.  Here is the comment and my reply afterward:

Separation of church and state is in the constitution. This is a human rights issue, not a spiritual/religious one. You have only expressed your opinion on this matter and it is obviously strictly influenced by your belief in God. I understand that for those that do believe in God that it is all-encompassing in that person's life. You mention that you are a Christian. The only time that I remember Jesus getting angry at sinners was when they defiled God's temple. He knew about the many differences in the way people lived, even contrary to what he taught, but he never got hateful and angry and attempted to stop anyone from making decisions. To me, thats what being Christ-like is. On another note, I learned long ago that you can't change the way a person operates or thinks, but you can influence them. I respect your belief in God, you as a human being, and especially as a soldier (thank you for your willingness and strength). I just hope that you can see that there is many people out there that have several ways of thinking. This comment was by no means an attempt to insult you or anyone else. God bless

 Reply:

First of all, thanks for the respectful nature of your commentary.  It's always refreshing to hear.

Second:  The overall intent of the commentary herein was to highlight the disingenuous nature the DoD conducted this 'survey.'  It was a far cry from how the media presented it.  It was (from PERSONAL experience) presented to servicemen as a statement of FACT and HOW we are going to deal with it.  It was "this is what is HAPPENING, how will it affect you."  It was in no, manner, shape, or form a questionnaire to present ones views on the subject and whether or not this is a positive thing.

Second:  'Separation' of church from state is a myth that has been perpetuated by those that wish to destroy the concept of God and the moral foundations of this country.  What the First Amendment prohibits is Congress passing a "law respecting an establishment of religion".  The actual original intent of this phrase was to directly prohibited Congress from interfering with already "established" state religions amongst several of the first 13 states.  The "separation of church and state" is a radically liberal interpretation of a phrase that has nothing to do with the original intent of the document.  A very scholarly article written on the subject is here: 

Third:  You are right, Christ in no way practiced anger or hatred towards any of the countless sinners around them.  However, he never once condoned sin, nor sanctioned it, nor tolerated it.  Many point to Christ's saving of the woman who was caught in adultery from being stoned to death as evidence of His cool, modern, Buddy-Jesus persona.  What people don't think about is that He said to the woman shortly thereafter, "Go and SIN no more."  What Christ showed was mercy for sin, not toleration of it.  He came not just to die and pay the penalty of our sin, He died to free us from the power of sin.  He does so because He HATES sin.

Lastly:  The militant homosexual agenda is not about equal rights.  They already have equal rights.  (They can marry someone from the opposite sex anytime they wish!!!)  What they are after is a complete acceptance of their lifestyle.  This is not about all gays.  Most do what they do with no problems, no issues, no pushing it in people's faces at all.  In fact the majority (and if someone can find the source on this I'd be very grateful) of homosexuals in the military do not wish to practice this openly.  This is all about imposing a lifestyle upon the sole remaining traditionally moral institution of the country.  I may not go so far, but others believe it is intentional to destroy the very foundations of our military.

So thank you for your comments and allowing me to respond.

But by the grace of God be I,

-Josh

Dear Amazon - What Happened to You?

So, I ordered a complete TV series the other day from Amazon and got it in the mail (surprisingly in only 5 days).  The USPS workers must finally be off their August-January vacation.  I pop in the first disc and half-way into the second episode, it freezes.  I skip past that part and it promptly freezes again.

I check the discs and they are all scratched.  Nice.  So, I have to return the things.  Turns out Amazon has recently changed their return policy making it ridiculously laborious and burdensome upon the customer.  Here's an email I fired off to them a few minutes ago:

What has happened to your usually great returns policy?  It used to be as simple as printing out a shipping label, and dropping it off at the Post Office, and I could expect a refund nearly immediately upon notification of return.

Now, I have to pay up front in postage for a return (of a completely defective item), only be reimbursed for what you spent on delivering the item (which due to my LOW volume, I could not dream of matching), and be held liable in case the extremely ‘reliable’ Army Postal System screws up delivery.

All this to correct being defrauded by this vendor you front, selling me an item that is completely, and obviously defective.

I used to be a very highly satisfied Amazon customer, but I’m starting to branch out in my online ordering due to these significant changes and several dissatisfying orders.  Most of this, I’m convinced, has resulted since you all became the world-wide front company for every 30-something living in his mom’s basement selling stuff on the side to fund his garage band.  You all have descended to around the level of E-bay, only slightly above Craigs list.

-Josh

Not Un-Common Courage from Two Marines Who Paid the Ultimate Price

Saw this in an email forward and had to share.  (Hat-tip to the great mil-blog Blackfive where I found it linked).

If you have five minutes to spare, read it.  It’s very moving.  What made such an impact upon me is not simply the bravery of these two men, but how utterly common it is across the broad spectrum of our fighting men and women.  This utter, borderline mindless devotion to training is testimony to the professionalism of our Armed Forces, the value of their training, and the nature of those it attracts to the service.  I find it not so much unusual.  Most combat veterans would have done the same thing.  This is not to take away from their sacrifice… it does not need me to speak for it… but it shows how our Soldiers and Marines act when faced with these circumstances.

“On Nov 13, 2010 Lt General John Kelly, USMC, gave a speech to the Semper Fi Society of St. Louis, MO. This was only 4 days after his son, Lt Robert Kelly, USMC was killed by an IED while on his 3rd Combat tour. During his speech, General Kelly spoke about the dedication and valor of the young men and women who step forward each and every day to protect us. During the speech, he never mentioned the loss of his own son. He closed the speech with the moving account of the last 6 seconds in the lives of 2 young Marines who died with rifles blazing to protect their brother Marines.  If you've been reading Blackfive long enough, you know exactly who we're talking about:”

"I will leave you with a story about the kind of people they are about the quality of the steel in their backs, about the kind of dedication they bring to our country while they serve in uniform and forever after as veterans.

Two years ago when I was the Commander of all U.S. and Iraqi forces, in fact, the 22nd of April 2008, two Marine infantry battalions, 1/9 "The Walking Dead," and 2/8 were switching out in Ramadi. One battalion in the closing days of their deployment going home very soon, the other just starting its seven-month combat tour. Two Marines, Corporal Jonathan Yale and Lance Corporal Jordan Haerter, 22 and 20 years old respectively, one from each battalion, were assuming the watch together at the entrance gate of an outpost that contained a makeshift barracks housing 50 Marines. The same broken down ramshackle building was also home to 100 Iraqi police, also my men and our allies in the fight against the terrorists in Ramadi, a city until recently the most dangerous city on earth and owned by Al Qaeda.

Yale was a dirt poor mixed-race kid from Virginia with a wife and daughter, and a mother and sister who lived with him and he supported as well. He did this on a yearly salary of less than $23,000. Haerter, on the other hand, was a middle class white kid from Long Island. They were from two completely different worlds. Had they not joined the Marines they would never have met each other, or understood that multiple America's exist simultaneously depending on one's race, education level, economic status, and where you might have been born. But they were Marines, combat Marines, forged in the same crucible of Marine training, and because of this bond they were brothers as close, or closer, than if they were born of the same woman.

The mission orders they received from the sergeant squad leader I am sure went something like: "Okay you two clowns, stand this post and let no unauthorized personnel or vehicles pass." "You clear?" I am also sure Yale and Haerter then rolled their eyes and said in unison something like:

"Yes Sergeant," with just enough attitude that made the point without saying the words, "No kidding sweetheart, we know what we're doing." They then relieved two other Marines on watch and took up their post at the entry control point of Joint Security Station Nasser, in the Sophia section of Ramadi, Al Anbar, Iraq.

A few minutes later a large blue truck turned down the alley way-perhaps 60-70 yards in length-and sped its way through the serpentine f concrete jersey walls. The truck stopped just short of where the two were posted and detonated, killing them both catastrophically. Twenty-four brick masonry houses were damaged or destroyed. A mosque 100 yards away collapsed. The truck's engine came to rest two hundred yards away knocking most of a house down before it stopped. Our explosive experts reckoned the blast was made of 2,000 pounds of explosives. Two died, and because these two young infantrymen didn't have it in their DNA to run from danger, they saved 150 of their Iraqi and American brothers-in-arms.

When I read the situation report about the incident a few hours after it happened I called the regimental commander for details as something about this struck me as different. Marines dying or being seriously wounded is commonplace in combat. We expect Marines regardless of rank or MOS to stand their ground and do their duty, and even die in the process, if that is what the mission takes. But this just seemed different. The regimental commander had just returned from the site and he agreed, but reported that there were no American witnesses to the event-just Iraqi police. I figured if there was any chance of finding out what actually happened and then to decorate the two Marines to acknowledge their bravery, I'd have to do it as a combat award that requires two eye-witnesses and we figured the bureaucrats back in Washington would never buy Iraqi statements. If it had any chance at all, it had to come under the signature of a general officer.

I traveled to Ramadi the next day and spoke individually to a half-dozen Iraqi police all of whom told the same story. The blue truck turned down into the alley and immediately sped up as it made its way through the serpentine. They all said, "We knew immediately what was going on as soon as the two Marines began firing." The Iraqi police then related that some of them also fired, and then to a man, ran for safety just prior to the explosion. All survived. Many were injured.some seriously. One of the Iraqis elaborated and with tears welling up said, "They'd run like any normal man would to save his life." "What he didn't know until then," he said, "and what he learned that very instant, was that Marines are not normal." Choking past the emotion he said, "Sir, in the name of God no sane man would have stood there and done what they did." "No sane man."

"They saved us all."

What we didn't know at the time, and only learned a couple of days later after I wrote a summary and submitted both Yale and Haerter for posthumous Navy Crosses, was that one of our security cameras, damaged initially in the blast, recorded some of the suicide attack. It happened exactly as the Iraqis had described it. It took exactly six seconds from when the truck entered the alley until it detonated.

You can watch the last six seconds of their young lives. Putting myself in their heads I supposed it took about a second for the two Marines to separately come to the same conclusion about what was going on once the truck came into their view at the far end of the alley. Exactly no time to talk it over, or call the sergeant to ask what they should do. Only enough time to take half an instant and think about what the sergeant told them to do only a few minutes before: ".let no unauthorized personnel or vehicles pass." The two Marines had about five seconds left to live.

It took maybe another two seconds for them to present their weapons, take aim, and open up. By this time the truck was half-way through the barriers and gaining speed the whole time. Here, the recording shows a number of Iraqi police, some of whom had fired their AKs, now scattering like the normal and rational men they were-some running right past the Marines.

They had three seconds left to live.

For about two seconds more, the recording shows the Marines' weapons firing non-stop.the truck's windshield exploding into shards of glass as their rounds take it apart and tore in to the body of the SOB who is trying to get past them to kill their brothers-American and Iraqi-bedded down in the barracks totally unaware of the fact that their lives at that moment depended entirely on two Marines standing their ground. If they had been aware, they would have known they were safe, because two Marines stood between them and a crazed suicide bomber. The recording shows the truck careening to a stop immediately in front of the two Marines. In all of the instantaneous violence Yale and Haerter never hesitated. By all reports and by the recording, they never stepped back. They never even started to step aside. They never even shifted their weight. With their feet spread shoulder width apart, they leaned into the danger, firing as fast as they could work their weapons. They had only one second left to live.

The truck explodes. The camera goes blank. Two young men go to their God.

Six seconds. Not enough time to think about their families, their country, their flag, or about their lives or their deaths, but more than enough time for two very brave young men to do their duty, into eternity. That is the kind of people who are on watch all over the world tonight-for you.

We Marines believe that God gave America the greatest gift he could bestow to man while he lived on this earth-freedom. We also believe he gave us another gift nearly as precious-our soldiers, sailors, airmen, Coast Guardsmen, and Marines-to safeguard that gift and guarantee no force on this earth can ever steal it away. It has been my distinct honor to have been with you here today. Rest assured our America, this experiment in democracy started over two centuries ago, will forever remain the "land of the free and home of the brave" so long as we never run out of tough young Americans who are willing to look beyond their own self-interest and comfortable lives, and go into the darkest and most dangerous places on earth to hunt down, and kill, those who would do us harm.

God Bless America, and..

SEMPER FIDELIS!"

Don't Ask Don't Tell Repeal Vote - Liberals Again Playing Politics with National Security

Which political party plays politics with national security again?

So, the US military, the last bastion of officially sanctioned traditional morals in our corrupt society received perhaps a mortal blow yesterday.  After weathering three earlier, diversionary attacks from the Democrat Senate this year, the party of lewdness, lasciviousness, infanticide, euthanasia, and perverseness, has once again played politics with our national security.  Does anyone have any doubts now about what the liberals think about the US Constitution?

It finds rights in that document to mandate private citizens to purchase health-welfare, to murder unborn children, and to confiscate income from the productive members of our society; but openly despises and persecutes one of the few things the Constitution actually mandates our Federal government do:  provide for the defense.

This vote took place on the Saturday night before Christmas, (the favored time for Liberals to sneak through abominable legislation), before the new Congress takes over.  This vote was given top cover by politicians in the Department of Defense and the Joint Staff.  Mullen and Gates are to blame for this debacle probably more than our lib political rulers; they SHOULD know better.  This panel, as I’ve already discussed here was simply a “this is what is going to happen; here is how you are going to do it.  What are your questions?”  This panel in no way, shape, or form, accurately represents the true opinions of our military.  This doesn’t even begin to describe the moral aspect of this repeal, simply the traditional idiotic liberal touchy, feely subjects they seem to care so much about.  Except when we are talking about the military of course… then they don’t care.

The gays who are in the military right now (even according to their abominable survey) do not want to have their sexuality exposed.  They have the right and correct belief that it would simply an extra issue that would disrupt good morals and discipline.  The ones who wish for this repeal to take place make their sexual identity the most important aspect of their entire life.  They put their sexual identity in higher place than the oaths they would swear to uphold.  That is the bottom line.  Therein lies the potential for vast disruption.

I already envision what will take place.  We already have a sizable minority of black soldiers who have been taught (by the Democrats of course) that they are a protected minority and a perpetual victim.  Thankfully, it is a small minority in the military, but it does occur.  They milk that perception, shirking their duties, being lazy, and when confronted with it, throw the race card!  “You are discriminating against me because I’m black!”  “No!  PFC Lazy, I’m discriminating against you because you are a do-nothing, lazy pain in my butt!”  This WILL take place.  I guarantee it.  And by this time, we will have a new ‘Equal Opportunity’ (an Orwellian titled program that fights ‘discrimination’ in the ranks) mandate to coddle and take care of our best-dressed soldier-boys from anything that would dare offend their sensibilities.

So, the next time someone tries to tell you the GOP is playing games with our national security, just think of this abomination.

Thoughts on the Lame Duck Session

Well, it's been almost two weeks since my last posting.  Apologies all around.  School, work, Christmas, and nasty sicknesses spread by my three and one year old walking petri dishes have seriously impacted my writing, and coherent thinking ability.

So, without further ado, quasi-organized thoughts on the travesty of the lame duck session:

Why is it that every time we send a loud and clear message to the establishment Republicans, they pretend they do not hear us.  Are they seriously this deaf?

Issue the first:  The Tax ‘Cut’ Compromise.  Let’s analyze this.  We get a continuation of the current tax “rates” (they are NOT cuts) for two years.  We get a slightly meaningless 2% cut in payroll withholdings (wait until they take that out of your precious tax ‘refunds’ you silly masses).  They get another year of unemployment welfare (let’s face it, it’s beyond ‘benefits’ when it’s beyond two years).  They also give Obama a chance to pretend this is some great compromise on his behalf, to benevolently attempt to ‘hear’ his subjects and prove to them once and for all that Reagan ‘trickle-down’ economics does not work.

Where is the benefit to us?  I’m sorry, I do not see it.  Businesses are not going to dramatically alter their current plans because the inevitable tax hikes has been put off for two years.  Unemployment is NOT going to go down, in fact it will increase once this goes into effect.  What the GOP should have done is to take the offensive like we the people mandated they do on November 2.  They should have said the Democrats had four years to make this deal, and they waited until the lame duck session.  They should have held out and hung this albatross of tax hikes around the neck of the Democrats.  When are they gonna learn that there is NO compromise with these people.  Their ultimate goal is the destruction of American exceptionalism and capitalism.  Our goal needs to be stopping this.  Not going along to get along.  The game has changed.

Issue the second:  This Omnibus Spending bill?!?!?!?!  The loony lefties in the House and Senate had all year to pass their own budget but knew they would have gotten murdered even worse in the election had they done one.  What’s worse, is all these lame ducks who got voted out are now sticking their finger up at the American people while they toss the match into the accelerant, walking away laughing as the fiscal house, already in a blighted state, goes up in flames.

Issue the third:  Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.  If anyone would have actually taken the time to ASK the soldiers their personal opinion of its repeal they would have gotten a vastly different picture.  But no, we, the good, dutiful soldiers, when asked how would it affect the military, looked at ways to accomplish the mission, as we could read between the lines that this was a fait-accompli.  We are not stupid.  We understand and can smell social engineering projects a mile away.  We’ve put up with these experiments for over thirty years now.  But, then again, these libs don’t care at all about the defense of this nation, nor do they care about the opinions of the military.  And this ‘panel’ study of the military is simply top-cover for spineless Republicans to weasel out of moral stances.  We should not be surprised at any effort that is made by Democrats to undermine and destroy our military.  They know the military is, apart from the American armed citizen, the ultimate check on their dream of destroying the Constitution.  And, no, this is not a loony conspiracy.  This is simply based upon sound logic and observation.  Remember, liberals ALWAYS lie.  That is all they can do, because if they disclosed their true motives, they would NEVER be in power.

I’m so tired of this.  My country is on the Highway to Hell and the party we patriots have entrusted our last remaining shreds of hope is simply throwing meaningless obstacles that slow down the federal behemoth just barely.  We are approaching the cliff folks, and the GOP is still just trying to be liked, make friends, and get invited to the next cocktail party.

AAFES - An Organized Criminal Enterprise

OK folks.  Something has to be done with AAFES (Army and Air Forces Exchange ‘Service’ for you non-military types).  I’ve been sitting on the sidelines far too long.  Maybe this is just an isolated experience, but I’d appreciate a comment if you’ve had a similar experience.

The PX at Panzer Kaserne habitually sells products that are factory seconds (and obvious ones at that) with no disclaimer, at full price, and with complete abandon.  This will continue until we servicemen and family members, who constantly get screwed by AAFES, do something about it.

1.  About two years ago my German wife bought (and returned) an article of clothing at the PX.  It was a German-manufactured article and had a small label on it.  It read “Zweiter wahl.”  That means “second choice” in English.

2.  Also about two years ago, we purchased an Hitachi plasma TV, 42 in.  I know… Sweet right…  Well, it worked for about two months, then developed a fatal flaw.  AAFES would not accept it as a return, but sent it off to get ‘repaired.’  Three months later, we got back out TV which worked for about one week and then experienced the same flaw.  Thankfully, the AAFES people took back the TV and refunded the money in the form of a gift card (hey, no competition has its benefits!).

3.  A month ago, my wife bought a pair of Buffalo shoes (a popular German brand name).  There was a strap loop completely missing on one of the shoes.  It wasn’t broken.  It showed no signs of damage.  It was just not there.  Factory second.

4.  Tonight, I’m reading a classic to my son (my first book successfully read, incidentally).  It’s called “Are You My Mother?”  I’m sure many of you have read that book too.  After a few pages, I completely loose where I am in the story.  Why?  Well, probably because it skips from page 20 to page 45.  It goes to the ‘end’ of the book and then starts over at page 20 or so again.  Oh, and the classic “Fish Out Of Water” had such horrific binding, I’m surprised I got through it without tearing the over-glued pages together, or tearing out the other loose-hanging-by-a-thread pages in other sections.  The books, by the way, were up and sold out in a matter of days, as those kinds of old, sentimental books are hard to come by here.

AAFES 'Quality'

Four times is NOT a coincidence.  This is ridiculous.  Who is ordering this stuff???  I want an audit.  CID fraud agents need to take a good hard look at this store’s operation.  I smell kick-backs.  Do any of you have ideas on how to actually combat this?  ICE will not work.  I don’t know how many times I’ve made complaints to them with no action.  These jerks get to run a tax-subsidized organization (poorly, I might add), charge us the equal price to anything anywhere (seriously, how many of you stateside shop at the PX???), sell us factory seconds at full price, offer horrific customer service many times (all in the name of hiring unqualified locals), and display disgusting self-righteous smugness when confronted with these things and answer with the company motto of “We are her to ‘serve’ you.”  Please sir!  May I have another?!?!  THWACK!!!

If I ever get to run for Congress, I will make it my platform to abolish AAFES and start over.  It is corrupt, inefficient, and unnecessary for the most part.  And you apologists who think it’s philanthropic, try to tell me they do not make a killer profit.  Don’t give me that “It goes to MWR stuff.”  Sorry.  I don’t golf.  And if I did, I’d rather pay a higher greens fee than subsidize these officers’ courses with my, and especially, my junior soldiers’ meager salaries.

AP and Defense Department Deliberately Misinforms Public on Military's 'Opinion' on Repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell

So, Fox News today has an AP story stating that Secretary Gates is set to publish the ‘study’ of how ending the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy would affect the military.

“The document totaled about 370 pages and is divided into two sections, the newspaper said. The first section explores whether repealing "don't ask, don't tell" would harm unit readiness or morale. The second part of the report presents a plan for ending enforcement of the ban. It is not meant to serve as the military's official instruction manual on the issue but could be used if military leaders agreed.”

The AP story claims that 70 percent of respondents to a ‘random’ survey said that the effects of repeal “would be positive, mixed or nonexistent.”

This entire story is so biased, and uninformed I do not know where to start.

1.  What does the AP prove when it says 70% of respondents have an opinion other than negative?  Does that imply that 30% (a vastly higher percentage than the homosexual activists pushing this abomination) have the opinion that it would have negative effects?

2.  From what this story implies, this survey (which I did not receive) did not ask service members or their families their opinion on the matter, just how would the affects be.  This is a deliberate push-poll technique and can in no way accurately reflect the opinions of the force!  How would you reply to a very senior DOD official when he asks you what the “effects” would be for lifting the ban (this is what actually DID happen)?  You would reply honestly what these effects would be.  We, in the military are used receiving missions that are complicated, risky, and difficult, and find ways to accomplish them.  This survey reflects that attitude, not the actual opinion of serving alongside openly homosexuals.

3.  The way the ‘survey’ group conducted their survey was in this very method.  I participated in one.  Every one of the answers to the actual and real concerns of how the dropping of this policy brought non-answers from the panel.  For example, the panel asked the participants for their concerns over “how” dropping this policy would affect their lives, jobs, careers, etc.  Every time a concerned Scout master or one concerned over Military Chaplains asked a specific, “how” question, he was deflected with a “well, we cannot comment specifically on exactly how your installation/commander will handle… blah, blah, blah.”  In other words, they told us senior NCOs and officers to receive the orders and execute, and to hell with the consequences.

4.  Gates and Mullen have both been championing this since Obama dropped the bombshell in his State of the Union address.  I believe it is because of pressure from the administration.  However, it reflects very unprincipled leadership in my opinion.  If they cannot from their position of responsibility and authority make clear the real and true opinion of the services to the Commander in Chief, then they are simply ‘yes men’ going along with this ridiculous social experimentation with our national defense.  I’m appalled by their lack of conviction and the underhanded method in which they conducted this ‘survey’ group.  Kudos to the service chiefs for standing up on principle on this one (especially to the two Commandants of the Marine Corps who made very clear their thoughts).

This abomination cannot stand.  Do not let the media or the Office of the Secretary of Defense deliberately misinform you of the opinion of the military on this matter.  It is being manipulated and coerced from us the soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen.

This entire article is premised upon a lie and a deliberate fabrication.  Please pray for principled, Godly leaders to take a principled, Godly stand on this matter, and let God handle the consequences.