Quote of the Day via Internet Phone Call and Radio Show

"Land of the free because of the brave."

Lt. Colonel Fitzpatrick
F-15 Squandron
Based in Iraq

Nah, heard a better one on the pocketfives.com podcast from a US congressman.

When asked about the use of poker players joining a new lobby group he said they should instead just write to their congressman and senators for their seat, but to be sure they were registered voters before they did because...

Politicians care about the opinions of unregistered voters less than butchers do of vegetarians

raymond wrote:



"Land of the free because of the brave."

Lt. Colonel Fitzpatrick
F-15 Squandron
Based in Iraq

Says the guy that flies over people's heads and bombs them... My hero...

Veteran 1: ... I'm a war hero ...
Veteran 2: Why's that?
Veteran 1: I pushed a red button and killed a bunch of people
Veteran 2: How many?
Veteran 1: Oh, I dunno, few thousand I guess...
Veteran 2: Damn... You are brave... I only killed five or six of the enemy using my pocket knife and a shoe lase.
<Loud Speaker> Would Veteran 1 come up here to receive his medal.

Fear will keep the local systems in line... fear of this battle station.
    -- General Tarkin

"Land of the Iraqis, despite misguided revenge of the Bush family."
-- me

I am not liberated and free due to the actions of the USA in Iraq.
Sorry. Truth hurts the mindless patriot. My ancestors made me free.

Be a real patriot and stand up against tyranny, here and there.

We have nothing but Civil war in Iraq. We could have turned away.

raymond wrote:



"Land of the free because of the brave."

Lt. Colonel Fitzpatrick
F-15 Squandron
Based in Iraq

As pretentious as that sounds outside of the military (where it belongs), I can't help but think that the soldier who said this will not expect special treatment when he gets home, being himself one of the 'brave'.

The statement itself makes me want to keep telling you how our Constitutional rights are disappearing, how the Executive Branch is continually overstepping it's limits with Bush. It takes bravery to say that these days. I might be called a "Liberal" for such talk.

I guess this isn't a political thread.

I am a patriot. God Bless our soldiers and get them home.

raymond wrote:

"Land of the free because of the brave."

Lt. Colonel Fitzpatrick
F-15 Squandron
Based in Iraq

QFT

Doesn't matter who said it or what context.

Manip wrote:

raymond wrote: "Land of the free because of the brave." Lt. Colonel Fitzpatrick F-15 Squandron Based in Iraq

Says the guy that flies over people's heads and bombs them... My hero...

Veteran 1: ... I'm a war hero ...
Veteran 2: Why's that?
Veteran 1: I pushed a red button and killed a bunch of people
Veteran 2: How many?
Veteran 1: Oh, I dunno, few thousand I guess...
Veteran 2: Damn... You are brave... I only killed five or six of the enemy using my pocket knife and a shoe lase.
<Loud Speaker> Would Veteran 1 come up here to receive his medal.

If you had any kind of military experience he was probably saying that because of the overall actions not his. Most pilots (and most officers) know  that without ground troops THEY are nothing...

In all reality no soldier thinks themselves the hero...thus the Medal of Honor. You do what you have to...others recognize that.

JohnAskew wrote:

I am not liberated and free due to the actions of the USA in Iraq.
Sorry. Truth hurts the mindless patriot. My ancestors made me free.

Be a real patriot and stand up against tyranny, here and there.

We have nothing but Civil war in Iraq. We could have turned away.

So your family just decided we didn't have a Civil War here in the states and ignored it then to?

BTW: You are not liberated due to the actions of the USA in Iraq, but you are free because of the actions of the USA in Germany...or is it because it's your "time" you don't feel it's right.

Do me a favor...go over...spend some time there...then come back and tell me the same thing. If you're not willing to then shut up..you have no idea what you're talking about.

JohnAskew wrote:

I am a patriot. God Bless our soldiers and get them home.

No you're not...you say it because it makes you feel part of the "collective" and makes you feel better.

It is a volunteer military, you do have a time you can get out. No one forces you to join. And instead of supporting the soldiers over there and saying "I respect your decision and I hope you accomplish what you set out for by joining, and good job"...you say "President Bush is F'in up, the soldiers over there are in harms way, we should pull them back. It's a shame how our troops are treated,etc,etc..."

You sign a contract when you join the military you're not forced. When you swear the oath it's to Obey the President of the United States (if you're in the National Guard it's the Govenor of your state) and to carry out his directives. Recruitment to Oath is not fast...it takes some people weeks. On top of that...

We have enough war movies, war stories, wars to know what you're getting into...anyone who joins a military branch and doesn't think that something mights/is/will happen is a fool.

So if you're going to complain...complain about the PEOPLE who voted Bush in for not 1 but 2 terms...THEY are the people to be responsible for the way the country is...after all they put him in office.

Cybermagellan wrote:

You sign a contract when you join the military you're not forced. When you swear the oath it's to Obey the President of the United States (if you're in the National Guard it's the Govenor of your state) and to carry out his directives. Recruitment to Oath is not fast...it takes some people weeks. On top of that...

Roosevelt wrote:

To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. (1918)

Britney Spears wrote:

Honestly, I think we should just trust our president in every decision he makes and should just support that, you know, and be faithful in what happens.

So intellectualy you are with Britney on this one huh?

Cybermagellan wrote:

It is a volunteer military, you do have a time you can get out. No one forces you to join.

That's BS. You join for a variety of reasons. One of which is the lofty ideal of defending your country. The Iraq war is NOT about defending your country.

Cybermagellan wrote:

And instead of supporting the soldiers over there and saying "I respect your decision and I hope you accomplish what you set out for by joining, and good job"...you say "President Bush is F'in up, the soldiers over there are in harms way, we should pull them back. It's a shame how our troops are treated,etc,etc..."

Damn straight. What do you think the MILITARY approval of the Iraq war is right now? 6 fomer generals have already said the execution is shameful. Approval for the Iraq war was barely above 50% in 2005 according to the Military Times. The best support for the troops is not to send them to bogus wars.

Cybermagellan wrote:

When you swear the oath it's to Obey the President of the United States (if you're in the National Guard it's the Govenor of your state) and to carry out his directives.

BS again. You swear to obey REASONABLE orders, not ANY orders.

Cybermagellan wrote:

We have enough war movies, war stories, wars to know what you're getting into...anyone who joins a military branch and doesn't think that something mights/is/will happen is a fool.

Name the movies that educated you.

Cybermagellan wrote:

So if you're going to complain...complain about the PEOPLE who voted Bush in for not 1 but 2 terms...THEY are the people to be responsible for the way the country is...after all they put him in office.

The Supreme Court? Or the DieBold guys?

Godd@mn it, this always get me all riled up. I guess I can forget about going back to sleep.

These are times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.


Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.

Thomas Paine

raymond wrote:

These are times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.


Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.

Thomas Paine

Indeed!

Cybermagellan wrote:



JohnAskew wrote: I am a patriot. God Bless our soldiers and get them home.

No you're not...you say it because it makes you feel part of the "collective" and makes you feel better.

It is a volunteer military, you do have a time you can get out. No one forces you to join. And instead of supporting the soldiers over there and saying "I respect your decision and I hope you accomplish what you set out for by joining, and good job"...you say "President Bush is F'in up, the soldiers over there are in harms way, we should pull them back. It's a shame how our troops are treated,etc,etc..."

You sign a contract when you join the military you're not forced. When you swear the oath it's to Obey the President of the United States (if you're in the National Guard it's the Govenor of your state) and to carry out his directives. Recruitment to Oath is not fast...it takes some people weeks. On top of that...

We have enough war movies, war stories, wars to know what you're getting into...anyone who joins a military branch and doesn't think that something mights/is/will happen is a fool.

So if you're going to complain...complain about the PEOPLE who voted Bush in for not 1 but 2 terms...THEY are the people to be responsible for the way the country is...after all they put him in office.

I really don't understand what you are trying to tell me.

I mean no offense. I apologize.

Fact is, I vote. Fact is my ancestors have always fought for the USA, since before there was one. You could say we're more discriminating about who and what we actually risk our lives for than volunteering for duty in Iraq. I mean no offense to those who went/go.

You misunderstand me. I'm not a peace-nik, you are wrong about me. I'm not angry at soldiers. I am frustrated that any criticism of Bush or the Iraq mission is called unpatriotic. You yourself jumped to some strange conclusion that I still don't understand.

If you think you are more American than me since you served in the Military, I respectfully disagree. I don't know what you think, sorry.

Suggest we all view and reflect upon the following photos:


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/flash/photo/magazine/fall/index.htm


Remember 911

Cybermagellan wrote:



JohnAskew wrote: I am a patriot. God Bless our soldiers and get them home.

No you're not...you say it because it makes you feel part of the "collective" and makes you feel better.

It is a volunteer military, you do have a time you can get out. No one forces you to join. And instead of supporting the soldiers over there and saying "I respect your decision and I hope you accomplish what you set out for by joining, and good job"...you say "President Bush is F'in up, the soldiers over there are in harms way, we should pull them back. It's a shame how our troops are treated,etc,etc..."

You sign a contract when you join the military you're not forced. When you swear the oath it's to Obey the President of the United States (if you're in the National Guard it's the Govenor of your state) and to carry out his directives. Recruitment to Oath is not fast...it takes some people weeks. On top of that...

We have enough war movies, war stories, wars to know what you're getting into...anyone who joins a military branch and doesn't think that something mights/is/will happen is a fool.

So if you're going to complain...complain about the PEOPLE who voted Bush in for not 1 but 2 terms...THEY are the people to be responsible for the way the country is...after all they put him in office.

Its not just that the military is made up of volunteers, Cybermagellan...

the vast majority of people in the military are conservatives (and have been for a long time, voting Republican) and support Bush's politics and the war in Iraq. so saying "damn Bush for sending our soldiers to die" would not be greeted with sympathy by most soldiers---and when you know this it sounds a little pathetic.

At any rate, the executive branch has been increasing its power for decades, Bush's presidency is just a continuation---this is what is termed by political scientists the "imperial presidency". Clinton played a role also, by abusing his power of executive order. Some people seem to have woken up to these issues during Bush's presidency, though.

This is the oath that Air Force officers take upon their commissioning:

I, (Full Name) having been appointed a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force, 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; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter, so help me God.