Earlier this evening a good friend of mine posted a video of military personnel returning home to their families for surprise visits or coming home after their tour and I have to say that it moved me to tears and to remembering my own experience coming home from the Iraq war in 2003. We came in around 3am on a rainy morning and I will never forget the sight of my wife and my children running towards me or the sounds of my then 5 year old son yelling "daddy" at the top of his lungs and practically mowing me over as he ran up to hug me, I was hurt and I was tired but nothing could ever compare to the joy and the happiness that I felt at that time to come home to my family. My wife wasn't concerned with the injuries or with the illness that came with it, she was simply glad to have me home and I was glad to be home.
It was that night that I had my first nightmare. I won't go into gory detail about it except to say it was so real that when I awoke from the dream I had no idea where I was or how my wife had got there. I wasn't home, I was still in Iraq in my mind. I had gone from physical casualty to mental. The nightmares have eased up over time and the physical isn't so obvious anymore but still I and my family became casualties.
This video clip has reminded me of how much Afghanistan and Iraq have been in the news lately as our president decides that it's time to end things in Iraq and yet continue on in Afghanistan. It leads me to this question; have we forgotten the casualties of war?
American press ,as well as the BBC and others have made quite a big deal of the civilian casualties in both wars. They are quick to politicizes our conflicts and work very hard at painting a bad picture of our military. Every time there is a civilian injured or killed it is all over the news. Some in the press, as well as politicians, have tried to suggest that some of this has been done on purpose, painting those of us who have fought as if we relished the idea of killing simply for the sake of it, as if we purposely targeted civilians.
I am not here to defend our governments policies, I think that it is high time we called it quits and brought everyone home. Let the world sort through it's own messes, they don't want our help and I think we would be better off spending the war money on home projects and improving our economy, but I AM here to defend the troops that are quickly forgotten and their families.
As I said earlier, we focus a lot on the civilian casualties and we forget our own casualties here at home. In some ways it is understandable because unlike WW2 not everyone in this country is involved in this war,so for those who don't have a personal stake in any of it , it is easier to be critical and forget the real human cost for those that go to our wars and come home. I have heard many a speech from various politicians praising our troops over seas and the job that they are doing and yet I hear almost nothing about those of us who have come home, and those of us for whom this war has ended and yet we live with the consequences of it.
I grew up during the Vietnam war and I remember watching the news with my grandparents and I have never forgotten how those men and women were treated when they came home.Sadly we haven't learned a damn thing. If there is a photo op to be had, the so called "leaders" of our land will be there to show their support but after the cameras and the press are gone it is the veteran and his or her family that is left to pick up the pieces. I will be the first to say that these wars are wrong and should have never been fought, I will also admit that I think it's all about big business and to a certain degree empire building. Having said that though, I simply want people to remember that the average vet has done nothing more then serve their country, doing what they thought was right at the time to do. I can tell you for a fact that when the bullets are flying, you don't give a rats backside as to the politics involved. Your mind is on staying alive and keeping your buddies alive, politics and the politicians can go to hell because it has nothing to do with them when the proverbial doo-doo hits the fan.
Most of your young vets have various reasons for joining. Some have nothing else better to do, some are looking for money for college, some are simply hoping to learn a trade that can be used in the civilian world. Others like myself had a family to support. All of us were average people who simply were doing what we thought was the right thing to do,politics and big corporations never even crossed our collective minds.
I am all about freedom of speech and the press.If you are against the war or for it, have at it, speak your mind but remember the human cost. Remember that there are people out there who are now civilians that went to war for their country and did what they were asked to do. Remember that most of them have families and that those families suffer along with them as they try to go back to something of a normal life.
I am not asking you to ignore injustice. I am not asking you to ignore the truth and to do everything in your power to bring about an end to the wars. I am simply asking you to think about what you do or say and then remember that there are real people and families living in your communities that are casualties of this war and they need your support. Seek them out.Help them. Those that have sent them to war are ignoring them, and it would seem that most of America has forgotten.
End these wars, change the way the government conducts foreign affairs, but don't forget the Veterans who have fought these wars, many of them will be your best allies in preventing it from happening again.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Americans Spying on Americans
Americans spying on Americans. Who would have thought that would really happen here in the good old US of A ? I know I would never have believed it could happen here but alas that is exactly what IS happening here.
Many articles have been written, and are all over the Internet, on how various civilian,working for the government, and government agencies, are spying on what you are doing, all for our supposed security. Everywhere you go their are security cameras watching your every move, not to mention satellite capabilities. Every thing you do now is being monitored somewhere and with all the new powers that the Federal government has it will only get worse.
How many of you have seen the commercials out there encouraging young people to spy on their neighbors? How about Firemen? People you wouldn't think about, such as a cable man or you local minister is being used by the government for their agenda.
If you don't believe the minister part, I won't be able to persuade you except to say that I was once a pastor and we were supposed to tell you, in the event of a national or local crisis, to obey the government because you are told to in the scriptures.
Google it it's there.
I remember when I was a kid we used to hear about Nazi Germany and how the SS and Gestapo had spies everywhere and if you lived in one of their occupied countries they were going to be watching you.They were looking for Jews or anyone who was sympathetic to them, they even had Hitler youth, young people, boys and girls alike, that would spy on everyone including their parents, all for the glory of the fatherland and Hitler. Millions died because the German people allowed it to happen.
The former Soviet Union, China, North Korea, the list of nations that have used the people against each other is incredible and all of it has ended with the deaths of millions. Are we next?
Today I read another article that talks about government agencies using hackers to gather information on people and pass it on the the various " three letter agencies". We are talking volunteers, not people who are paid to do it, but people who are willingly selling out the privacy of friends and neighbors to the government.
What have we become or worse yet what are we becoming?
Where are all the protests? Where is the MSM? Shouldn't they be justifiably outraged at all this. Where Are all those that protested so loudly when Bush wanted the Patriot act? Why the silence all of a sudden? Am I to assume that most Americans are OK with this?
I remember going to my local library sometime after the Patriot act had taken effect and they had a petition going to try and get rid of the government knowing what books you were taking out, it was privacy, it was the government prying in on our personal lives. There were people out in front of Federal buildings protesting all aspects of the Patriot act but now it is strangely quiet.
Is it because it's a different president and congress it's now OK ? I don't get it.
Perhaps Americans general attitude on the subject can best be summed up this way; " If your not doing anything wrong, you have nothing to hide?"
I wonder how many people had thought that over the years just before the SS came and arrested them or the communists sent them to labor camps in Siberia. I wonder how many of them were turned in by people they thought were their friends but in reality were spying for their government.
Even as you are reading this, there are people out there right now that are investigating you because your reading this. I have used key words that they look for and I am already on at least one list as a potential terrorist because I am a war vet. Nervous yet? You should be.
Someone posted a comment one time that said " when you are on the Internet you have no right to privacy". Really ? Why is that? Does your right to privacy only extend to your front door? Perhaps that came from someone who has never read the constitution.
The 4Th Amendment says this;
Amendment 4 - Search and Seizure. Ratified 12/15/1791.
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
So does that mean that you have no rights beyond your home? What about papers and effects? Seems to me that the things you write and the things that are stored on your hard drive would be the modern equivalent. Certainly if you post something on the Internet such as I am doing you can't expect a whole lot of privacy, but the people that are being employed for this are hackers , which means they know how to get into your personal accounts and files on your hard drive as well.Where is the probable cause AND the warrant that would allow them to do this? I haven't seen one have you?
Did we the people give these "volunteers" the right to do this? Is our government above the law and the constitution now?
We need to wake up America. Some of this is our own fault because we stupidly put personal information out for everyone to see on our social networking sights. It is also partially our fault because we bury our heads in the sand and pretend that these things are not happening, but it is completely our fault for electing people over the last 30 years who have done nothing but slowly take away our rights and freedoms and then re electing them. We are worse then complacent and docile , we are a stupid people who just don't seem to get that fact that our Republic is being destroyed right in front of us.
Take to heart the words of Thomas Jefferson;
"Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny."
Thomas Jefferson
Sound familiar to anyone? Do you see the very pattern that he mentioned? It's the slow ,quiet things that they are doing under the radar that should concern you.
Americans Spying on Americans, who would have thought it.....
Ignacio
Many articles have been written, and are all over the Internet, on how various civilian,working for the government, and government agencies, are spying on what you are doing, all for our supposed security. Everywhere you go their are security cameras watching your every move, not to mention satellite capabilities. Every thing you do now is being monitored somewhere and with all the new powers that the Federal government has it will only get worse.
How many of you have seen the commercials out there encouraging young people to spy on their neighbors? How about Firemen? People you wouldn't think about, such as a cable man or you local minister is being used by the government for their agenda.
If you don't believe the minister part, I won't be able to persuade you except to say that I was once a pastor and we were supposed to tell you, in the event of a national or local crisis, to obey the government because you are told to in the scriptures.
Google it it's there.
I remember when I was a kid we used to hear about Nazi Germany and how the SS and Gestapo had spies everywhere and if you lived in one of their occupied countries they were going to be watching you.They were looking for Jews or anyone who was sympathetic to them, they even had Hitler youth, young people, boys and girls alike, that would spy on everyone including their parents, all for the glory of the fatherland and Hitler. Millions died because the German people allowed it to happen.
The former Soviet Union, China, North Korea, the list of nations that have used the people against each other is incredible and all of it has ended with the deaths of millions. Are we next?
Today I read another article that talks about government agencies using hackers to gather information on people and pass it on the the various " three letter agencies". We are talking volunteers, not people who are paid to do it, but people who are willingly selling out the privacy of friends and neighbors to the government.
What have we become or worse yet what are we becoming?
Where are all the protests? Where is the MSM? Shouldn't they be justifiably outraged at all this. Where Are all those that protested so loudly when Bush wanted the Patriot act? Why the silence all of a sudden? Am I to assume that most Americans are OK with this?
I remember going to my local library sometime after the Patriot act had taken effect and they had a petition going to try and get rid of the government knowing what books you were taking out, it was privacy, it was the government prying in on our personal lives. There were people out in front of Federal buildings protesting all aspects of the Patriot act but now it is strangely quiet.
Is it because it's a different president and congress it's now OK ? I don't get it.
Perhaps Americans general attitude on the subject can best be summed up this way; " If your not doing anything wrong, you have nothing to hide?"
I wonder how many people had thought that over the years just before the SS came and arrested them or the communists sent them to labor camps in Siberia. I wonder how many of them were turned in by people they thought were their friends but in reality were spying for their government.
Even as you are reading this, there are people out there right now that are investigating you because your reading this. I have used key words that they look for and I am already on at least one list as a potential terrorist because I am a war vet. Nervous yet? You should be.
Someone posted a comment one time that said " when you are on the Internet you have no right to privacy". Really ? Why is that? Does your right to privacy only extend to your front door? Perhaps that came from someone who has never read the constitution.
The 4Th Amendment says this;
Amendment 4 - Search and Seizure. Ratified 12/15/1791.
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
So does that mean that you have no rights beyond your home? What about papers and effects? Seems to me that the things you write and the things that are stored on your hard drive would be the modern equivalent. Certainly if you post something on the Internet such as I am doing you can't expect a whole lot of privacy, but the people that are being employed for this are hackers , which means they know how to get into your personal accounts and files on your hard drive as well.Where is the probable cause AND the warrant that would allow them to do this? I haven't seen one have you?
Did we the people give these "volunteers" the right to do this? Is our government above the law and the constitution now?
We need to wake up America. Some of this is our own fault because we stupidly put personal information out for everyone to see on our social networking sights. It is also partially our fault because we bury our heads in the sand and pretend that these things are not happening, but it is completely our fault for electing people over the last 30 years who have done nothing but slowly take away our rights and freedoms and then re electing them. We are worse then complacent and docile , we are a stupid people who just don't seem to get that fact that our Republic is being destroyed right in front of us.
Take to heart the words of Thomas Jefferson;
"Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny."
Thomas Jefferson
Sound familiar to anyone? Do you see the very pattern that he mentioned? It's the slow ,quiet things that they are doing under the radar that should concern you.
Americans Spying on Americans, who would have thought it.....
Ignacio
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