Captured American in Afghanistan a fencer...

[erik_blank]

Just though it might be interesting to others that the captured american solder in Afghanistan was (is?) a fencer prior to becoming a solder in th US Army.
I heard this on an interview on NPR yesterday (Listen here) that not only was/is he a fencer he was also one of the only boys in a local Ballet group (the person being interviewed said that he enjoyed being surrounded by all the "beautiful young talented women" ).

[treehugginfencer]

Too bad he's a MURDERER (like all troops!) I hope he comes back so I can spit on him for killing innocent terrorists!

[thereom4]

^ Oh no!!! Just when I thought it was safe to jump back in the water.

[I_luv_saber]

Too bad he's a MURDERER (like all troops!) I hope he comes back so I can spit on him for killing innocent terrorists!

Idiot. Troll can't even take a day off for a fellow fencer (if he even fences). Fall on a broken sword, jerk.

[treehugginfencer]

Idiot. Troll can't even take a day off for a fellow fencer (if he even fences). Fall on a broken sword, jerk.

In case you're not smart enough to notice, I am merely emulating the sentiments of liberals, who actually do believe this.

[migopod]

In case you're not smart enough to notice, I am merely emulating the sentiments of liberals, who actually do believe this.

You got your talking points messed up dude. According to Faux News, we liberals are saluting this guy as a hero when in "actuality*" he's supposed to be a liar, a deserter and/or possibly mentally defective.

So your caricature of the liberal position is completely without foundation in reality and not even supported by the moronic right-wing echo machine. Remember, according to Faux News such liberal bastions as Air America Radio are calling Bergdahl a hero, right?

I think I can accurately represent the true hard-core liberal position by saying that while we generally oppose wars, none of us are happy to see a fellow American (let alone a fellow fencer) in the hands of the enemy, and rather than make him a political tool, we hope that he comes home safe and soon. Hell, some of us are actually praying for that, believe it or not.**



It's a little funny, because I was considering making a sock-puppet to imitate the whole right-wing extremist / mainstream republican poster, but you guys are so indistinguishable from parody that it would have been a waste of time.




*according to BillO and Faux News "Strategic Analyst" Lt Col (ret) Ralph Peters

** not me, of course. I'm an Atheist as well as a Socialist.

[erik_blank]

You got your talking points messed up dude. According to Faux News, we liberals are saluting this guy as a hero when in "actuality*" he's supposed to be a liar, a deserter and/or possibly mentally defective.

So your caricature of the liberal position is completely without foundation in reality and not even supported by the moronic right-wing echo machine. Remember, according to Faux News such liberal bastions as Air America Radio are calling Bergdahl a hero, right?

I think I can accurately represent the true hard-core liberal position by saying that while we generally oppose wars, none of us are happy to see a fellow American (let alone a fellow fencer) in the hands of the enemy, and rather than make him a political tool, we hope that he comes home safe and soon. Hell, some of us are actually praying for that, believe it or not.**



It's a little funny, because I was considering making a sock-puppet to imitate the whole right-wing extremist / mainstream republican poster, but you guys are so indistinguishable from parody that it would have been a waste of time.




*according to BillO and Faux News "Strategic Analyst" Lt Col (ret) Ralph Peters

** not me, of course. I'm an Atheist as well as a Socialist.

I had been considering bringing this up ever since I actualy posted this piece, but was reluctant since I was simply hoping to remind people that we still have fencers out in harms way.
When I had heard Retired Lt. Col Peters spouting about how "the Taliban can save us some money" I was outraged. This "Officer" was siting there on his rear end safe and secure in a TV studio saying that it was "OK" by him if these enemies of the US killed a fellow American solder.
Personaly, I am pretty darn Liberal, and have opposed the actions in Iraq since BEFORE we invaded, and questioned the overthrow of the Afghani government despite their tassid approval of the actions of our true foes AlCaida (sp).
Having said that, I am NOT one of those people that believes that our troops by default are savage mindless killers. Nor would I EVER spit on one, no matter what they had done in their past. These people risk their lives or us daily, subject themselves to the government 'approved' mind control that is the shaping of our modern warrior, and often after they have been used for their intended purpose, are left unable to function in our society due to the trauma that they had inflicted on themselves and what they had to do to others in the course of their duties.
As for Lt. Col. Peters.... to paraphrase an old Chinese curse: May he live to be present for "interesting" events. On second thought, I wold rather that he just managed to get off the ultra right talking points and realize just what an Ass he has become.

[I_luv_saber]

In case you're not smart enough to notice, I am merely emulating the sentiments of liberals, who actually do believe this.

I know what you are doing. My previous statement stands.

[Army Fencer]

Just though it might be interesting to others that the captured american solder in Afghanistan was (is?) a fencer prior to becoming a solder in th US Army.
I heard this on an interview on NPR yesterday (Listen here) that not only was/is he a fencer he was also one of the only boys in a local Ballet group (the person being interviewed said that he enjoyed being surrounded by all the "beautiful young talented women" ).

I got a dead link. I'm very interested in hearing this piece.

[erik_blank]

I got a dead link. I'm very interested in hearing this piece.

It's on the "All Things Considered" page from July 20th:
http://www.npr.org/templates/rundown...Date=7-20-2009

[PeterGustafsson]

Hi!

When I had heard Retired Lt. Col Peters spouting about how "the Taliban can save us some money" I was outraged. This "Officer" was siting there on his rear end safe and secure in a TV studio saying that it was "OK" by him if these enemies of the US killed a fellow American solder.

Wow.

If this statement can be confirmed (something that I have not tried to do) would it not only be offensive, but also an offence? Are there not laws against morale-sapping statements, if said my officers? Sedition or conduct unbecoming, maybe?

Personally, I think that this figure should be reinstated in active duty, promptly hauled to court, and maken an example of.


Have a nice time!

Peter Gustafsson

[erik_blank]

Hi!




Wow.

If this statement can be confirmed (something that I have not tried to do) would it not only be offensive, but also an offence? Are there not laws against morale-sapping statements, if said my officers? Sedition or conduct unbecoming, maybe?

Personally, I think that this figure should be reinstated in active duty, promptly hauled to court, and maken an example of.


Have a nice time!

Peter Gustafsson

Peter: There are a number of sources for you to see this guy speaking with his own words what I have quoted above. Here is one of them: http://mediamatters.org/blog/200907190011

Here is a rather right wing Fox News commentator doing her job on his comments: http://michellemalkin.com/2009/07/20...bowe-bergdahl/

All in all, I would LOVE to see this retired Col. back in service on the front lines making these statements to the rest of the troops and see what THEY think of him there....

[fencerchica]

Can you even imagine what it would be like if a "liberal" commentator said anything like what Ralph Peters has said? FOX noise even gave him a second chance to explain himself and all he did was dig himself in deeper. Here's another article on the topic:

Fox Analyst Suggests That Captured American Soldier Should Be Killed by Captors

But Ralph Peters is a lunatic whom Fox noise just keeps courting. No one seemed to notice when he used their soap-box a couple of months ago to call for indiscriminate violence by the military against the media:

Ralph Peters advocates the murder of war journalists

[I_luv_saber]

Cue 8 page long thread drift about conservative/liberal media bias...

[erik_blank]

Cue 8 page long thread drift about conservative/liberal media bias...

No, No, No, no.... it is not liberal vs. conservative, it is Corporate vs. Coprorate media bias!

After all, how do these people get to put their views on the air? Through corporate sponsorship. If you can't get someone to buy add time, you're not going to be able to put your message across to the rest of the people. The "Intertubes" (I just LOVE Ted Stevens for that one!) may help to put a few more dissenting views out there, but in reality, they are nothing more than an extra couple of people hand cranking their old memeograph machines in their basements... They will never be able to compete with the international corporate conglomerates... We are what we read, and the mega-corps will make ssure that we read what they believe is good for THEM, not us.

Hummm... Here I thought that I was going to have a humerous post and I turned it all preachy!

[Inquartata]

Coprorate media bias!

Was that intentional, or just an extremely apposite typo?

[Hauptman]

Can you even imagine what it would be like if a "liberal" commentator said anything like what Ralph Peters has said? FOX noise even gave him a second chance to explain himself and all he did was dig himself in deeper. Here's another article on the topic:

Fox Analyst Suggests That Captured American Soldier Should Be Killed by Captors

But Ralph Peters is a lunatic whom Fox noise just keeps courting. No one seemed to notice when he used their soap-box a couple of months ago to call for indiscriminate violence by the military against the media:

Ralph Peters advocates the murder of war journalists

It's right up there with the time Glen Beck sat there agreeing with his idiot "expert" guest who stated that the best thing that could happen to this country was for Osama Bin Laden to kill a ton of Americans so that we would all wake up to the threats that are out there. We NEED to be attack so that the gov't will start protecting us... scary logic.

Beck's response was along the lines of "thank god" Bin Laden is too smart to do something like that.... even scarier logic.

[erik_blank]

Was that intentional, or just an extremely apposite typo?

Gotta get my spell checker back on line at work....

[FencingJunkie]

^ Oh no!!! Just when I thought it was safe to jump back in the watercooler.

*fixed

[MyrddinsPrecint]

When I heard that NPR piece, I tried to find out more. The fencing club he seems to belong to isn't listed on the usfa website as far as I can tell........