This ain't Hell, but you can see it from here

Author: Sporkmaster

  • It is not hard to impress hippies.

    Yes seems that once again people flock to street theater as some how showing up “the Man”. In out lates one shows a guy claiming to be a Marine Sgt with two tours in Iraq braving shouting at Police nearby.

    United States Marine Corps. Sgt. Shamar Thomas from Roosevelt, NY went toe to toe with the New York Police Department. An activist in the Occupy Wall Street movement, Thomas voiced his opinions of the NYPD police brutality that had and has been plaguing the #OWS movement.

    Thomas is a 24-year-old Marine Veteran (2 tours in Iraq), he currently plays amateur football and is in college.

    Thomas comes from a long line of people who sacrifice for their country: Mother, Army Veteran (Iraq), Step father, Army, active duty (Afghanistan), Grand father, Air Force veteran (Vietnam), Great Grand Father Navy veteran (World War II).

    Yea cause I am sure that the Police were not simply acting professional and not falling for you antics at trying to be a martyr for the cause. Nothing like a Rodney King incident to fill the coffers for the protest. I guess that this was the back up plan since the original one failed.

    Here is a screen shot in case the video disappears. It shows a CAR so that should qualify for Stolen Valor. Is there anyone in the Marine Community that can check to see if this guy is a poser?

  • The difference

    I got asked this today.

    You personally have said in the past you hated the bailouts, etc. What’s the problem here (with the Occupy movement)?

    Well besides the face that the actions of these protesters are causing problems for the the same people that the Occupy movement claims to be action on behalf of? That would have to be how you handle yourself when addressing a grievance. Lets take Chase Bank for example.

    I would like to present Capt. Jonathon Rowles and how he challenged Chase Bank over home loans and related interest rates. He did this in a professional mater that his cause was taken seriously. When you are taken seriously people listen to you. It may not be flashy but itworks.

    What does not work is dressing up like Robbin Hood and Vikings to a “Raid” the corporate office. Nor is trying to make a makeshift bridge to cross the “Moat” at said office. Then you wonder why people call yourself drama queens and worse.

  • It is easy to be brave…

    When you are not the one doing it. But that does not stop people from telling people to do what they are afraid to do themselves.

    Hey, #occupydc…lots of weapons dealers hawking their wares to govt at Wash. Convention Center this week. Just sayin. http://ow.ly/6SR3Y

    Yea I did not see your picture in the “Occupy Austin” so what was your excuse?

    Or trying to blame the military spending for the failure of the green jobs that were suppose to bring us back to economic recovery?

    These stories will proliferate as the military contractor corporations push to protect their profits. When you see them, PUSH BACK. Military spending *costs jobs* compared to other ways of spending the money.

    It is so easy to tell people what to do when you are not the one doing it.

  • Professional Protesters in DC

    In the video below it shows people from the protest trying to enter the Air and Space Museum because that is some how connected to the economy today.

    But some people on youtube have noticed something interesting on it.

    Watch the guy with the black shirt holding the camera from 00:09-00:12 unharmed. then look at him screaming in agony from time 00:19 to 00:22

    Not to mention quite a few didnt even cover there faces until they came out then started “acting” like they were? harmed.

    Is there anyone that still needs convincing that all of this is still just a act for attention rather then getting anything real accomplished?

  • The Boys of Abu Ghraib

    I found out about this film project from a message that I got on YouTube asking permission to use one of my videos that I took in Iraq. I was considering doing it until I looked up what the plot was suppose to be.

    All American Jack Farmer leaves behind a fulfilling life to serve his country in Iraq at the peak of the war on terrorism. Stationed at the infamous Abu Ghraib prison, he is pushed to his limit as a daily bombardment of insurgent mortar attacks continually threaten his life. When an opportunity arises to work for the Military Police, Farmer jumps at it and finds himself behind the walls of the infamous Hard Site, a compound for the highest priority terrorists. He’s introduced to the world of military intelligence by Sergeant Tanner, whose harsh, and sometimes inhumane treatment of detainees raises doubts within Farmer about the Army’s procedure. Guided by a formidable moral conscience, Farmer treats the detainees well, even at the ridicule of his comrades, and befriends a wrongfully accused detainee named Ghazi, who becomes an unexpected confidant. When Ghazi is brought into military intelligence for interrogations, Farmer is forced to choose between his loyalty to his friend and his allegiance to his country. When his choice is proven wrong, the year’s worth of stress and trauma finally break him, driving him to commit an act he will forever regret.

    What makes it worse is that it sounds like something I read before.

    Even if you ignore all of this, there were things that did not make sense. Like Abu Ghraib happened in 2003 and I was there in 2008. Not to mention that I was no were near the prison during my tour and I have no idea what it looks like inside much less how it runs. It seems that they wanted this video because it had HUMVVs in them, but lets forget the fact that they are Iraqi with it’s national flag on the side. There is no way that you could play it off as US vehicles. Not to mention that there were no factory up armored vehicles like the ones in the video in 2003. After talking over with TAH resident film maker I decided not to agree to it.

    So now it is in production and I cannot help but wonder what will become of this this film. Will this be another redundant Iraq view that we have seen so far or have something out of left field.

    In short, we see how the dehumanizing effects of war are just as harmful to the soldiers involved as well as the prisoners of war. The film does not point fingers in this oft-discussed prison scandal, but instead is a psychological survey of how war wears away at the human in all of us.

    We shall see if they keep that promise.

  • Deployment yearbook for the 101st during Desert Shield/Storm.

    Back in July I managed to get a hold of a deployment yearbook for the 101st during the Gulf War. There are too many photos to upload but if anyone has any requests I will see if I can find that photo and post/email them.

  • Ah, the follies of Youth.

    I got this reply to a comment I made about this photo of some shirtless wonder being arrested at the Wall Street Protest. Mind you before you start that this person is still in High School. (I spaced it out for a easier read)

    warren, no offence, but that’s a rather ignorant view… Professional protesters? Really? I’d sooner believe over half of them were there to pick up chicks. This is why I don’t support non-violent protests.

    March as an army or not at all. I want no more martyrs and real changes. And if tearing everything down is the only way to make some changes, then so be it. And I guarentee some of these “hippies” (that just got assaulted for doing something that is specifically protected in the bill of rights) are starting to think more militantly as well. Hopefully they do something with those ideas within my lifetime (talking the next 20-30 years).

    I have been jumped by cops, I have had cops give false testimony in court after being beat by my gfs mom and stepdad, I have been profiled and prejudicely accosted by police for looking like I fit their statistics. Don’t even try to say that the police didn’t instigate it and assault foolish kids and true patriots. Pigs were probably just bored of sitting around and figured they’d get the show over with… And of course a big problem is that the protesters did leave. They should have brought tents. And as far as I’m concerned, they should have brought an armoury and taken the building. THIS is exactly what “the right to bear arms” is all about. A gun was practically a necessary tool for survival when the bill of rights was wrote, it has nothing to do with owning a gun, really. And for the record, I don’t think guns would be the best means of fire power anyways… I don’t feel much sympathy for these people.

    This is how American “non-violent” protest ends. the other side (police) instigates the violence and drag them away bloody and burned (if not gassed and shot with rubber bullets). History has a tendency to repeat its self. They knew it was coming, even if they WANTED to believe that THIS protest would be different. The time has passed for such nieve optomism. And you know, it’s funny how none of the cops ever make it to protect planned parenthood from protesters (or for similar protests) Simple fact is, the police are not here to protect and serve the people. They are against the people, even in every day interaction. And the judicial system is a running joke. And we’re basically back to the “nobility” stage. It’s time to remove this taint on our country! I say people need to start being MORE radical!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Do you prefer the “hippies” now?

    She reminds me ofBobby Whittenberg but double the douch.

  • This is not the Medal that you want.

    The Purple Heart is one of two medals I hope to never get. It is something that is given in compensation for the sacrifices in a armed conflict. It is something that should not be actively sought. But someone should have told that to David Perelman who shot himself in the foot figuratively and literally.

    A man who served three months in Vietnam as a cargo specialist in 1971 shot himself in the leg 20 years later and claimed it was a shrapnel wound. And as a result, he earned a Purple Heart and $180,000 in disability benefits from the VA in 1994.

    But he shot himself in the foot — figuratively — because he later pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud for stealing the disability benefits and for wearing the medal to a national convention of the Military Order of the Purple Heart in Las Vegas.

    Not surprisingly he tried to say that his actions of were simply freedom of speech. But you know your excuses are bad when even the 9th Court calls you on it.

    But this week, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco declared that argument a stretch. The court clarified the distinction for Perelman, saying he was clearly donning his medal with the intent to deceive others.

    Yep so I am sure you will have a fun time trying to explain how that hole in your foot got there to people.

    Update: Here is a link to the 9th Court Ruling thanks to the link posted by 2-17AirCav.