FVAW?

I had no intention of making this female vocal artist week, but that is what it is turning into. Enjoy!

Women in combat

 Women will now be allowed to participate in combat- in the near future. I'll admit, I am decidedly in the anti-war, or is it pro-peace camp, and I, for sure favor non violence.  I'm not happy with Men in combat either. I do think current soldiers are used as pawns in the military industrial complex. I genuinely mean no disrespect.

The most decorated Marine in U.S. History, Smedley Butler, declared that War is a racket, and went on to say politicians should be paid the same pay as the lowest paid soldier, during wartime. He also said only those who would go to combat, should be the ones to decide if the country goes to war.

There are issues with Women-- they want them to pass equal physical requirements as male soldiers must pass. There are probably issues w menses (lucrative contracts w tampon and sanitary napkin manufacturers!) & having separate latrine, dressing, sleeping quarters & shower areas. The military already has huge issues w female military members being sexually abused, & discriminated against. One female soldier dubbed it "the Brass ceiling", certain higher ranks which women have never been allowed or admitted.

I don't view this so much as equal opportunity, but more like equal exploitation. I'll just say it-- I'm not looking forward to our Sisters in the military coming home in flag draped coffins. By the way, no one has ever answered Cindy Sheehan's question: What IS the noble cause?
Because officials always use that line (this deceased soldier) "Died for a noble cause".

What are we still doing in Afghanistan? Warring since 2001.. honestly if the US superpower can't win the war in 10 years, an additional 3 or more years is really not going to yield anything different.
Why do the slow wind down?
They got bin Laden-- call it a victory & get the hell out-- now & stop playing 911 to the world.
 Military spending is the biggest expense in the budget. You don't hear the GOP demanding we cut back on that spending-- it's not even mentioned, or it's justified heavily. It IS the elephant in the room of budget issues. Let's go to the chart:

So there you have it. I heard someone say you generally have to do time in the "theater of war" to move up the ranks in the military. Yes it is a career track, but I am turned off by a career track that involves blood on your hands (I'm not talking about medics & such, I am talking about the dirty work of being in the military. Last year more US soldiers died committing suicide, than were killed in the Afghanistan war.  I don't need to elaborate on that-- it speaks volumes, that soldiers would rather die than have to do multiple tours in endless wars, that they are not even sure why they are still fighting, more than a decade later. The problem with the "surge" strategy is you can't sustain it. Once troop draw downs happen the problems resume, and or the trouble makers simply set up shop elsewhere. 

The war profiteers are already working on new products....  body armor that is designed to fit the ladies, and other misc stuff. I suppose the fashion industry will have a surge of it's own, with camo bras, unders & accessories. Gross. 

So many women have lost their lives already. 

152 in the line of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan alone. 

About 1 in 3 female soldiers (30%) 

are raped by male soldiers. 

Actual numbers are higher, as many do not report sexual assault, for fear of threatened retaliation. 

I'll wrap this up w one hellova oxymoronic statement:

Rep Loretta Sanchez D-Calif said"We're saying if they can be effective & they can be a good soldier or a good Marine in that particular operation, then give them a shot."

Problem is that "shot" can land you in a flag draped casket. 

Cornell West has something to say

I'm with Dr.  Cornell, I am relieved that Mitt Romney is not president, but Obama is no MLK & his lifelong dedication to non violence is not a shared "resume" or intent w President Obama.

MLK jr

I heart MLK jr. not only did he dedicate his life to a higher cause, but he insisted on non violence. 
Lots of people helped him along the way, but he had a great deal of personal sacrifice, jail time, and 
personal threats, including some who felt he should not address the Vietnam issue. 
King spoke the truth & openly stated this country as one of the greatest purveyors of violence. 
He did not shy away from the truth & worked hard to get to civil rights. 
Peace, Justice, & equality today still remain issues that must be dealt with. 




“I have decided to stick to love...Hate is too great a burden to bear.” 
― Martin Luther King Jr., A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr.

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
― Martin Luther King , Jr.

“Only in the darkness can you see the stars.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.

“There comes a time when silence is betrayal.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.

“People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don't know each other; they don't know each other because they have not communicated with each other.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.

“A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.

“The choice is not between violence and nonviolence but between nonviolence and nonexistence.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.

Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?”
― Martin Luther King Jr.

“We must rapidly begin the shift from a "thing-oriented" society to a "person-oriented" society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.

“We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history, there "is" such a thing as being too late. This is no time for apathy or complacency. This is a time for vigorous and postive action.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.

“Those who love peace must learn to organize as effectively as those who love war.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.

“We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.

“He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.

“Occasionally in life there are those moments of unutterable fulfillment which cannot be completely explained by those symbols called words. Their meanings can only be articulated by the inaudible language of the heart.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.

“We are prone to judge success by the index of our salaries or the size of our automobiles rather than by the quality of our service and relationship to mankind.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.

* P.S. Congratulations President Obama, sure glad today is YOUR inauguration & not Mitt Romney's. Way to go re using executive orders for good & not evil.
You have my full support on taking action re the gun madness in this country.
You are right- we can;t tolerate this anymore (random gun massacres). We need to change.

Gun appreciation day?

This kid looks depressed. Pulled away from the pro gun rally, even too young to own a gun, someone saw fit to drag them to this "Gun appreciation day" (nothing screams *sanity* like creating a day to celebrate an inanimate object that is designed to kill).
OK Junior, you carry this threatening semi automatic logo flag.
Probably felt too intimidated to tell the parent "Don't tread on ME".

The gun nuts are carrying signs saying essentially, more guns in schools to protect my loved ones.
On the same day, 5 people shot themselves or others accidentally at gun shows on gun appreciation day, not knowing a bullet or bullets remained in the chambers.
Honestly, I wish they could come & take it, away from civilians (semi automatic military style guns, & high capacity ammo magazines).
Apparently, common sense is out of stock.

GUN$ - ALL ABOUT THE PROFIT$

Not only is selling weapons a profitable gig (that is what the NRA is all about)... but I came across a few ads in the classifieds. Obviously 2 of these ads are geared towards fear & encouraging teachers & administrators to lock & load. The irony of this first ad--"A SANE CONVERSATION ABOUT ARMING TEACHERS". 

JUST FOR FUN, I AM THROWING IN THE CEASEFIRE OREGON GUNS IN SCHOOL SONG, IT IS A RERUN, BUT BLENDS WELL W THIS POST. 

Fire Sheriff Tim Mueller

Linn County Oregon Sheriff got his panties in a knot about upcoming gun control laws, & before any new laws are in place, he fired off a letter to Vice President Joe Biden:

This Sheriff of Linn County (population 118,122)  thought it was wise to tell off the VP of the United States that new gun control laws "shall not be enforced by him or by his deputies, nor will he permit enforcement of (what he himself ) deems unconstitutional regulations or orders by Federal officers,

 within the borders of Linn County, Oregon". 

I for one would like Sheriff Tim Mueller to get his ass fired. 

His job is to uphold the laws, and not to determine which ones he agrees with or not,

 and or if he chooses to enforce laws. 

I see on the web site, Mueller has 3 kids. Lucky for him his kids were not massacred at age 6 or 7, or in a theater, on a college campus, a member of Congress public meet & greet, or a shopping mall, but the fact of the matter is that other kids & people ARE getting gunned down by assault rifles w high capacity magazines, designed for military use. 

Sheriff Mueller is not even bright enough to figure out the control of high capacity ammo assault rifles might even save his own life some day. 

Sheriff Mueller should turn in his badge, because he just publicly stated

 he refuses to uphold laws of the land in the county in which he resides. 

He just announced to the Vice President he won't do his job. 

I think the Feds should tell the State of Oregon & the County of Linn

his job just ended. 

 Or maybe send in Homeland Security to investigate his operation. 

Sheriff Tim is going rogue & telling off the President & Vice President?

Could he be any more inappropriate or unprofessional?

Meanwhile the State of New York (population 19,465,197),

just enacted a list of gun control measures. 

"The new law mandates a life sentence without parole for anyone who murders a first responder, the so-called "Webster Provision."

With some provisions due to take effect immediately, the legislation expands the state's ban on assault weapons, puts limits on ammunition capacity and has new measures to keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill.

"People who are mentally ill should not have access to guns, that's common sense," Cuomo said at a signing ceremony in Albany. "That's probably the hallmark of this bill, coming up with a system that allows for mental-health screens."

The measure limits magazine capacity to no more than seven cartridges - the current limit is 10 cartridges - and requires a statewide re-registration of all handguns and grandfathered assault weapons.

"Seven bullets in a gun, why? Because the high-capacity magazines that give you the capacity to kill a large number of human beings in a very short period of time is nonsensical to a civil society," Cuomo said."

Feel free to call the Linn County Sheriff's office to let them know what you think about a Sheriff refusing to uphold the law. 

Click here for Phone & e mail info 

Good enough for the Founding Fathers

Flintlock pistol

So many pro gun advocates insist it is their "Constitutional right" to own whatever weapons they like. 

To back it up, at the time the founding fathers wrote this constitutional right, the guns of that era were flintlock pistols & muskets. If gun lovers were strictly following the constitution, we should do away with modern day semi automatic guns...

"Allow for the unrestricted ownership and use of guns and ammunition as they existed in 1789, when the Constitution and its first ten amendments were written. This would conform EXACTLY to the intent of the framers. It would satisfy the 2nd Amendment freedom to “bear arms,” without allowing for any deviations from ‘strict interpretationalism’ that would excuse the weaseling in of ownership of semi-automatic and automatic guns, and anything beyond ball, shot and black powder for ammunition: no full metal jackets, no nitrocellulose propellant, no late 19th century cordite-filled cartridges, not even percussion caps (from about 1830). Just flintlocks.

If it was good enough for the Founding Fathers, it’s good enough for you."

~Manuel Garcia jr.

Flintlock Musket


Not a beautiful day in the neighborhood. 
Someone in my neighborhood got mad @ how the care of a family member

in a care facility & ranted they had guns & concealed weapon permit. The facility called the police to report it & turns out the guy is a convicted felon, who is prohibited from owning any weapons. This is what they found in his bedroom, loaded & ready to fire, with five, 30 round bullet magazines. He also had a few other guns in the house.

Even Grandma is not safe!

The guy was arrested for being a felon in possession of firearms, a probation violation, but due to lack of funds @ the jail, he may be released the same day. The police want to go after who sold it to him... not punish the guy who knew he was prohibited from owning them. 

Personally, I'd feel better if he had a one shot at a time, musket, if he is going to be roaming the neighborhood, with a catch & release "justice system". Because I can't imagine the Care facility is resting any easier knowing this guy could show up, even angrier & this time with a gun in tow. 

I heart Gabby Giffords

I have to say, reading an article about a CT legislator giving Gabby Giffords crap about " the potential for the (Sandy Hook school massacre) event to be exploited for political purposes."

What?????

She is talking to a Congresswoman who was shot in the head point blank, was hospitalized for a long time, had to give up her job, and endure months of surgery & therapy, has a traumatic brain injury & is partially paralyzed, and whose life will never be the same.

"Connecticut State Rep. DebraLee Hovey, the state's assistant Republican leader, posted a note on her Facebook page saying, "Gabby Gifford stay out of my towns!"

She later (sort of) apologized, but her apology expresses her concern about politicizing the massacre. 
Debra Lee Hovey, your state just buried 20 children & 6 adults, teachers & school administrators. 

   

                                      

Which side are you on Debra Lee Holvey?

Because if you think massive slaughter ought not be political, 

you are so out of touch as to insult a person who endured hell, with a direct

gunshot to the head, then you clearly want more of the same. 

Giffords & Kelly

On the second anniversary of a mass shooting in Arizona that wounded Giffords and killed six others, the couple launched a political action committee, Americans for Responsible Solutions, along with a website calling for contributions to help "encourage elected officials to stand up for solutions to prevent gun violence and protect responsible gun ownership."

The acronym for the PAC is "ARS", maybe they inadvertently mean to kick the NRA in the ARS???

What a class act Giffords & Kelly are to insert some sanity into this topic. 

If anyone is entitled to weigh in on this topic, it is the family that suffered a gun spree & lived.

A Snarky tune about guns in schools....

Hat tip to New Trajectory/Ceasefire Oregon

Picture this: Girl Power

SEE THE 4 PHOTOSHOPPED IN, ON THE TOP ROW

This photo was released with the following disclosure:

Pelosi’s office distributed the manipulated image on Thursday, sending out an email noting, “this version has the four members who were late photo-shopped in.”

So many had their panties in a knot because this photo was  "historically inaccurate". 

"Ron Sachs, president of the White House News Photographers Association, said Friday in a statement to TODAY.com, "Today's 'doctored' photo is not a true representation of the moment that happened yesterday, which brings into question the integrity of photos released by the government."

At a press conference on Friday, Pelosi said, “Yeah, it was an accurate historical record of who the Democratic women of Congress are. It is also an accurate record that is was freezing cold and our members had been waiting a long time for everyone to arrive.”

Really? This is the big problem/issue Washington needs to fuss about?
"Photo integrity" vs actual integrity within the government, is wherein serious problems lurk?

Forget the $16 trillion dollar debt..... 
or that Hurricane Sandy victims have been waiting more than 2 months for serious aid $. 

When you state, up front, that latecomers were photoshopped in, there is nothing deceptive going on.  These are the 61 women of the  113th Congress. 
(100 women overall, when you include the Senate). 

 With 61 women in the House Democratic Caucus, this group makes history as the largest number of women ever in a party Caucus in the United States Congress.

The more interesting story, is these new Women in government were saying  topics like birth control, Women's right to choose, and equal pay would no longer be acceptable topics to banter about  (the last session of Congress did just that). They are sick of the gridlock, not under the influence of dominant testosterone, ready to work together & get things done. 

Maybe the Women in government will finally turn things around re basic/equal rights, and perhaps install some sanity regarding the out-of-control gun problem in the U.S.