A SOLDIER'S PERSPECTIVE
THE WEB'S LEADING MILITARY BLOG SINCE 2004
Last year, I found out that there is a small gathering every Saturday in Huntsville of hippies protesting the Iraq war. What I found out when I went was that they also hated our military. The group was comprised of a small group of elderly women obviously suffering from Alzheimer’s or a botched lobotomy. I wrote the story of that warped alternate universe on the You Served blog.
Well, because of my high optempo and just wanting to really relax and unwind lately, I haven’t made the Saturday trek to the intersection in a few months. I went a few months ago, but no one else showed up on either side. I thought maybe every recognized that we had won the war and there was no need to oppose it anymore.
I noticed on the Gathering of Eagles page that there was an AAR from the counter-protests the past couple of weeks and vowed to get back out there. So, yesterday I asked my family who wanted to join me for a peaceful counter-protest against the hippies today. Chris was the only taker. This morning, we suited up and headed out to the corner of Whitesburg and Airport Rd. As we neared the intersection, my hands began trembling with utter rage.
(click on image for larger view)
Normally, there are about 4 or 5 people one side and about 4 or 5 people on the other. To show and see about 70 people on the other side and practically all of them waving the Palestinian flag on American soil wrenched my very soul. The lone American flag in the crowd was held by a man I was almost tempted to think was a hippie imposter, there to gather “intel” on the terrorist sympathizers on the other side. He didn’t seem to be chanting like the others. But, then, he traded my flag for their flag and I lost all hope that at least these people recognized the freedoms WE provide.
I approached our designated corner and began shaking hands and surveying the team – a dedicated, hard core group dedicated to the ideals this nation was founded upon of pride in our country and its serving troops. They were just as surprised at the gathering as I was. While we only had six people on our little corner (they eventually spread out to the other three), there was no doubt in my mind that our little group had more military veterans than theirs did.
On our side were signs that said things like “If you enjoy your freedom, thank a veteran” and “Soldiers fought and died for the people across the street to protest them” and similar phrases. We also had a large American flag and a POW/MIA flag waving gallantly in the strong winds of the incoming storm.
I leaned down to Chris and told him to look at all those people over there holding the flag of a foreign country proudly and defiantly on an American street corner. I couldn’t help educating him about how great this country is in which we live. I asked him what he thought would happen if he and I went to Palestine and stood on a street corner in downtown Gaza waiving an American flag and chanting “USA, USA”. He answered innocently that we would be arrested. I then explained to him the cold hard truth about what Israel – and our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan – are fighting: militant Islam and extremism.
I told him that if I were to take an American flag into Palestine, I would be immediately taken and my flag burned. I would be beaten, tortured, and dismembered. I may or may not be beheaded but most likely would be. Then, my body would be dragged through the streets while people on each side threw rocks at my cold, lifeless body.
I then told him to look across the street and tell me how many people were being beaten. None. How many were being arrested? None. How many do you think will be beheaded later today? None. And how many do you think were out here when their friends who fly that same flag were lobbing rockets and mortars into Israel, killing innocent men, women and children? None. But they are there now because they are ignorant and hate the freedom that we sacrifice so much for.
The good news is that the passing traffic was obviously honking more for our small band of relentless patriots than the large band of useless bigots. Most people went out of their way to ensure that they got our attention so we knew the honks were for US, not THEM. One passer-by went out of her way to yell “Baby killer” in my direction. Really? Baby killer? THAT is what she brought to the table? And she didn’t bother stopping to at least let me thank her for using the free speech I’m ensuring she is able to exercise.
At some point, the local media showed up and began speaking with some of the people in attendance on the other side. They moved from terrorist sympathizer to terrorist sympathizer to cover the event. A good amount of time was spent with their group. Granted, they outnumbered us 7:1.
After about 40 minutes, they came over to our side to talk to us. Maybe it was because I had been shouting at the top of my lungs to “come talk to some real Americans” and maybe it was because they wanted to at least appear impartial. The reporter asked for an interview with me and I answered maybe two questions and they were gone. That was it. I probably would have preferred “baby killer” to our token sound bite. Hopefully, I made the most out of it, though I felt bad later because I realized I got caught up in the moment and didn’t mention our true purpose for being out there that day: to show our troops we support them!
That is what it is all about. Today just happened to be a day when Hamas left their safe house on Jordan Lane to stand opposite our little corner of the city. And I was so enraged and pissed off at the utter gall of these pissants to fly a foreign flag in my country in such great numbers that I didn’t think to try and put in a plug that these guys and gals are out here every Saturday for our troops, regardless of how many idiots show up with their ignorant signs of “War Is Not The Answer” and “Stop Genocide in Gaza”.
I want them to know, as I said personally, how grateful I am for their weekly sacrifices. Like those brave citizen warrior outside the gates of Walter Reed each Friday night, these people show up in the cold, the rain, the heat, and the sunshine. And each time I show up, I feel welcomed and supported. So, to the little band of Eagles that were gathered today at the corner of Whitesburg and Airport, THANK YOU! And thank you for keeping my boiling rage contained. All I could think of the whole time I was there was where the best placement of a claymore would be given the terrain!
(click on image for larger view)
I really felt pity for all the children brought to the protest that carried some very anti-semetic signs. At least they weren’t as stupid as the Jew hating, Hamas supporters in New York (but they were close):
Check out Political Vindication’s blog for the wrap-up of the LA protest for Gaza.
Here’s a link to the story in which I was interviewed: http://www.waaytv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9653892&nav=menu635_1_1_2
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Doc Hal
Hahahaha…CJ you’re a good dude! That pic is representative of the mindless and intellectual stupidity of the other side. You’re inspiring and oh, bye the bye, a VERY personable fella. You’re, without question, welcome on the corner anytime to stand with us. You are a TRUE patriot!!!
Doc
yankeemom
Those Useful Idiots are so pathetically ignorant of the reality of the situation over there…
But then they seem to be woefully ignorant of a lot of things to do with reality.
Bless you, CJ, for being there and all the Eagles who keep showing up!
Donna
Thanks CJ for going to protest, we sure do appreciate you and others who were there! We have a wonderful country for these guys to be able to protest like that! Does make your heart sink I’m sure to see them flying another flag besides our flag! Makes me wonder and am afraid sometimes as to who walks among us who are our enemies right under our noses!
Critical Facts
CJ:
I hope that while explaining the Palestinian conflict to Chris you went all the way back to the beginning (circa hundreds of years ago) and moved to the present. After all, anyone who can categorize the conflict merely as one side fighting terrorists on the other really doesn’t understand the conflict.
SSgtJ
CF, maybe you can explain it. I sure don’t understand it. Wish I did, actually.
You want to go back hundreds of years. Do you have a ‘start date’? Where do you draw the line? Do we want to go back to when the Jews were slaves? Should we use the Roman Empire as the starting point? Then we can say, everything after that is ‘illegal’ and all of those lands need to be returned to ‘Rome’.
Critical Facts
SSgtJ:
As to the current conflict, we probably need not go back much further than 1948; but, on the other hand, to really understand the situation, it helps to go back another 400 or 500 years, maybe a thousand. Mark Tessler’s “A History of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict” provides an excellent and balanced historical perspective, albeit the reading is rather dense and academic.
CJ
Go ahead, CF, tell us about the conflict in your words. We’re all on the edge of our seats. Give us the “critical facts” we so desperately lack in your eyes. When you’re done, please tell which side of the street you would have been on that day?
SSgtJ
CF, do you support Hamas for bombing civilians in Isreal?
1948 … 400 years ago … 500 years ago … long time to hold a grude.
If we are going to hold a grude then shouldn’t the Jews bomb the Egyptians?
Do you CF, agree with Hamas that “Isreal has no right to exist”????? And that because of something that happened a thousand years ago?
Critical Facts
No, ssgtj, I do not agree with Hamas that Israel has no right to exist. Why would you ask such a stupid question? The whole point of my above comment was to point out that the situation is incredibly complex, and to suggest that one side is terrorist while the other side is not displays an incredible ignorance re the history of the conflict.
CJ
Still waiting on that “history of the conflict” that will suggest I’m incorrect in my assertion that Hamas aren’t the terrorists here…
Critical Facts
Some independent research will do you well, cj. I recommend starting with the book referred to above. It’s long, about 1,000 pages, but I am sure you are up to the task.
CJ
“I am sure you are up to the task.” ie: i’m just here to disagree, not present a coherent argument. Got it. I know the history, I just wanted to hear it out of your mouth. But you realize that it would defeat your argument, so you shift focus. Understood and noted.
SSgtJ
CJ, looks like you are right on the money.
CF, I asked you an honest question. Instead of answering it, you passed the buck and claimed that we needed to read 1000 pages of political propaganda to get to the answer. What, you don’t have the short version?
You attack me for asking a ‘stupid question’. Yet, you just said that we could go to 1948 to understand the current conflict. Isn’t that when Isreal was ‘created’? Sounds to me like you are supporting Hamas’s contention that Isreal should have never been ‘created’.
Critical Facts
ssgjt:
I backed away from rational debate with you the moment you tried to link all things bad with Israel to Rome. I further backed away from rational debate when cj equated Tessler’s quite academic and balanced perspective with political propaganda. And yes, for you to suggest that I agree with Hamas that Israel has no right to exist is stupid – you pass the buck just as you accuse me of doing.
Notwithstanding, for you and others to see the conflict as nothing more than terrorists acting against Israel is shortsighted and intellectually dishonest.
GunnNutt
CJ — thanks to you and all the patriots who stood in contrast to the smelly hippies. I hope the rain always falls on the commie corner and not yours!
CJ
CF, that’s an empty logic and an elementary one at that. “You sound dumb so I’m not going to educate you.” If that’s how you want to present your arguments, fine with me. I can’t imagine if every time someone said something I didn’t agree with, I just stayed quiet because it was just easy.
The truth is I don’t think you have an argument that supports the idea that Israel is wrong or Hamas isn’t a terrorist state. The fact that you want us to pretend your reasons are because of our “irrational debate” and not because you don’t have a counter.
You have the “critical facts” and I’d like to hear them. Asking if you agree with Hamas is a perfectly good question, but I’m glad you didn’t answer it because you haven’t answered mine. Thankfully, I don’t hold my breath for “rational debate” from you.
NY-David
Hi Sports Fans,
To be fair, its not just a matter of Israel defending itself. There are many sides to this situation. While I support Israel’s incursion into the region to prevent rocket attacks (no brainer, this one), the long term solution is a sticky situation. The Hamas-led government was elected by majority vote. Voting irregularities aside, there must be enough support that their solution was the best, or that no other one exists (more the latter, in my mind).
The above mentioned “exercise” of going back 50, 100 or 1000 years and to somehow make amemds is rediculous at best. We are better then that. I think the Egyptians may help the situation mainly because they are tired of hosting the tunnels on their side.
NY-David
Critical Facts
David:
The “exercise” is to understand the debate, not to somehow make amends. Let’s not forget that it is the Palestinians who have been shafted by the world since 1948. They were shafted by the west in 1948, they were shafted by their Arab brethren in the various wars since – e.g., 1967 and 1973 – and they were shafted by their own leaders at almost every stage of the conflict during the last 60 years. My only point to the above is those who view the situation with reference to “terrorists” being on one side of the equation only do not understand the history of the conflict.
CJ
Yeah, those poor, poor Palestinians all suffering. All they did was try to peacefully blow themselves up and all those people just had to get in the way of the blast. Maybe we should send them more explosive belts in order to express our sympathy…
Critical Facts
cj:
Thank you. You just crystallized my point, which is to say that many simply do not understand the history that led to the current situation. Indeed, if you don’t understand the history behind the current conflict, how can you possibly understand the war you just fought in Iraq?
PS. I can always tell when your panties get bunched up – you go into condescending mode which, btw, is so beneath you. Try to just stick with the facts!
CJ
Well, since you haven’t proven my facts wrong yet, I’ll stick with those. Not sure if you’ve noticed, but there are very few people I get condescending toward and they tend to include those WITHOUT any facts. Or at least those who refuse to give them to us and instead refer us to 1,000 page documents or reports when it’s convenient.
Doc Hal
CJ,
I just wonder why you are stooping to argue with this moron. If somebody approached me and told me that if I want facts, I need to go read some 1000 page document, I’m not going to bother because what it tells me is that they do not KNOW the facts…its a diversion. The FACT is that the Palestinians are indiscriminately lobbing rockets into Israel to try to kill as many innocents as possible. Ah, the heck with it…ignore this moron.
Doc
Critical Facts
Doc:
First, a 1,000 page book can provide an excellent resource for those desiring to learn; the entire book need not be read, but consulted where appropriate.
(cj, I refer you to the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine of Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price and the Discourse, for examples, if you know what I mean).
Second, you are wrong when you characterize “the Palestinians” as indiscriminately lobbing rockets. Rather, it is the radical elements on the Palestinian side who are doing the lobbing, not the Palestinians as a general society.
Third, why the reference to moron? Are you frightened by the prospect of delving into facts and maybe learning something outside bar stool politics? Broaden your horizons and think beyond the buxom blond serving you the kool-aid bush-swill. (sorry, but one good insult deserves another
)
Doc Hal
Last one…HA!!!
Doc
CJ
Great example, CF. The LDS scripture encompasses hundreds of pages, possibly into the thousands. Yet, if someone asked me to give supporting arguments about the LDS faith, I could do so and wouldn’t merely state, “go read the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, etc. for you answer.” I asked you to support your argument and you could not. Instead, you did as you normally do and pass the buck when cornered.
That probably explains the reference to moron, but I didn’t make so I don’t want to put words in people’s mouths.
Critical Facts
cj:
See below, for example. I mean, come on, are we really just talking past one another or, in fact, agreeing on principle but refusing to agree that we actually agree?
MIckey
I would like to say that if you go back in history and I mean way back you will find that Israelis are God’s chosen people.
NY-David
To be clear here, you have several groups:
1. Palestinians – Those living in the Israeli territory before the Brits gave it over to the Jews to being the new state of Israel. They live in territories that are managed by Israel largely because the Israeli’s don’t want them to have weapons. The more radical amoung them tend to use these weapons to shoot back at the Israeli’s. This makes getting a loaf of bread a difficult experience.
2. Hamas – Radical elements that want the Israeli’s to leave the land that they themselves gave up as being unhabitable.
3. Israeli’s – Jews that came from hither and yon after WWII to start the new state. Recall that it was originally a Communist country (not in the Stalinist method, but in the Kibutznik sense).
4. Palestinians that are Israeli citizens – probably the smartest of the bunch because the decided it was a better way to live then the refugee camps the Palastinians lived in.
I will remark that US media is very pro-Israel. If you want to find out what life is life for a regular Palestinian who dosen’t want Hamas to show up at their school to shoot off rockets, you can’t find anything.
NY-David
Critical Facts
To further clarify your point 1, David, the Brits did not give the land over to the Jews to start the new state of Israel. Rather, the Brits returned their mandate over the territory to the UN. The UN tried to solve the problem between Arabs and Jews co-existing with a plan for partition of the territory. The plan failed, and when the UN declared the state of Israel in 1948, the Arab states declared war against Israel.
Also important to remember that while Arabs were being expelled from land they lived on during this time, so, too, were Jews being expelled from lands they lived on. Today, it is the radical elements on both sides of the conflict that refuse to permit a permanent and durable solution.
CJ
You said, and I quote, “I hope that while explaining the Palestinian conflict to Chris you went all the way back to the beginning (circa hundreds of years ago).” I’m waiting on that “hundreds of years ago” explanation, not the 50 years ago one you describe here. I was pretty plain in my question and you continue to circumvent it.
Critical Facts
cj:
Your obstinacy is starting to shine. Why do you object to learning (for yourself) about the origins of the conflict? If your intent is to establish that I was wrong – I should have said 100 year rather than hundreds of years – then I concede, you win.
If, on the other hand, your intent is to learn about the historical aspects (some dating several hundreds of years ago), then read about those subjects. You can Google the subjects with your son, or perhaps take a look at the book I reference above. It won’t hurt, I promise you!
Frankly, I am perplexed at your seeming obsession with having me recite what is readily known or discoverable already to anyone with an inquiring mind – you do, I hope, encourage your kids to research such topics, don’t you?
Esoterik
Taking stock of the myriad mundane things in our lives that we should be thankful for, it is amazing.
We give no thought to dire circumstance for expressing to one another our views on any given subject. Oh to be sure, some my hurl angry invective our way, but at the end of the day we remain comfortably ensconced in our self satisfaction, not maliciously flung into some melancholy cavity of spiteful censure until our names and words are forgotten.
We read words of our choosing composed by either heretic or orthodox with no need to blister our fingers rescuing manuscripts from flame.
How far will we travel today? How many boundaries, how many borders will we cross? No authority will ask us why; we will require no permission. Our only limit beyond means our own desire.
For some, our precious blood bought freedoms are unfortunately as trivial in their minds as the air we breathe.
Be thankful for what we have today. Be thoughtful of its cost. Be watchful for its security. Assuredly there are those looking to us from without who malevolently pine for the day of its ending. It is however, often those among us who count themselves as brothers that frame the graver hazard.
CJ
CF, I – and my kids – are very well versed on issues with which we deem necessary to learn more about. You made a point, I asked you to back it up, you backed out instead. It’s that simple. I just got tired of you throwing out balogne arguments and called you on it, that’s all. I know I can reseach (and have) the conflict all the way back to the dawn of man. That wasn’t the point.
“I concede, you win.” That was the point.
And Esoterik, that was quite poetic!
Critical Facts
If you have researched the conflict back to the dawn of man, then you should be able to appreciate how oversimplified and off-base your above comments appear re the Palestinian people in general. While certain of your comments are applicable to the radical Hamas elements in Gaza (and equally so to the radical elements in Israel), they are not applicable to Palestinians as a people.
CJ
CF, exactly what do you expect me to teach a 10-year old? Should I grab my history books and sit him down for an entire dissertation or explain the situation as it is now? You started teh whole “hundred of years back” crap and now you fault me because you never back it up and pretty reverted back to the history I cited to my son. Pathetic, really!
Please send me a training plan so that I know what my 10-year old son should hear. You never have answered the original question to begin with.
SSgtJ
Thank you NY-David for a clear explanation of some of the history that contributes to the current conflict in Gaza.
Do you think that the ‘average’ resident of Gaza was actually intimidated into voting for Hamas?