The PACT Act

Senate Republicans actively blocked a piece of good legislation that would bring some relief to veterans.

(See post: Get it Straight)

Jon Stewart goes after 'em - "Senator Toomey won't sit down with this man - because he is a fucking coward."

Today's Today

the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month

They Didn't Know

he lay there

under the sun

dried blood on his lips.

the heat was oppressive.

his clothes were dusty,

dark blotches on them.

i could see the ants

moving,

entering him

exiting him.

how i hate this place.

how i hate the people

who're responsible

for all this unbelievable madness.

how i hate myself

for volunteering to be here.

i watched the ants

crawling over the body.

i wanted to hate them too

but they didn't know

and the hating

had to stop somewhere.

--Kyle Schlicher, USMC 05-15-1968

Today's Today

"I will not change my mind."

--

"Then you will die stupid."

(Dr Who - The Zygon Inversion)

Mike Prysner - 2009

John Kerry - 1971

MLK - timeless

Kill For Peace - The Fugs - 1966

Everlast - 2009

Today's Today

"We wear our widow's weeds like nuns, and perpetuate war by exalting its sacrifice."

And while we're at it, let's all be sure to ask 45* about that little incident from a coupla years ago, when he was so very actively trying to "help our brave beautiful veterans."

AP (11-08-2019):

NEW YORK (AP) — A judge Thursday ordered President Donald Trump to pay $2 million to an array of charities as a fine for misusing his own charitable foundation to further his political and business interests.

New York state Judge Saliann Scarpulla imposed the penalty after the president admitted to a series of abuses outlined in a lawsuit brought against him last year by the New York attorney general’s office.

Among other things, Trump acknowledged in a legal filing that he allowed his presidential campaign staff to coordinate with the Trump Foundation in holding a fundraiser for veterans during the run-up to the 2016 Iowa caucuses. The event was designed “to further Mr. Trump’s political campaign,” Scarpulla said.

He pimps a worthy cause to raise money for the veterans, but instead of giving over the full amount, he puts a big chunk of the money in his own pockets - which is consistent with his pattern of self-dealing, and why he and his kids are now barred from being involved in charitable organizations.

Anyway -

This is a day for remembering the fallen
The lost
Those who won't grow old with us.
And yet they're still right here
Forever young
Forever by our sides
And will remain for as long as we don't forget their names
I raise my glass to them

'Bout Fuckin' Time

Better late than never, I reckon.

Here's a man who was trained as an Army engineer - one of the guys who can clear mine fields and build bridges and make sure the airplanes can land and take off so everybody gets the beans and the bullets and the bandaids they need - but was deemed no more valuable than to spend his time doing laundry for three white officers.

AP - New Orleans:

A man considered to be the nation's oldest living World War II veteran was serenaded and showered with kisses during a celebration of his 110th birthday at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans.

Lawrence Brooks was born Sept. 12, 1909, and served in the predominantly African American 91st Engineer Battalion stationed in New Guinea and then the Philippines. He was a servant to three white officers and his daily routine included cleaning their sheets and uniforms and shining their shoes.

There's something seriously wrong with this country. Sometimes we get around to doing something to make up for it, but it seems like those efforts are few and far between, and they don't come along at all unless something or someone kinda forces the issue.

Happy birthday, Mr Brooks. You've deserved a lot better than what we've delivered for you.

Some of us will keep trying.

Today's Today

The eleventh month, on the eleventh day, at the eleventh hour.

The end of the war to end all wars - part 1.

45* Punks Out - Again

Water-soluble hair products don't stand up to the rain very well, so yesterday, "POTUS" just couldn't take a chance that he might look bad.

Guess what, Mr Trump - you look really bad.

Max Boot:

On Saturday afternoon, the president was scheduled to attend a ceremony at the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery, where 2,289 U.S. soldiers are buried — a small part of the 116,000 Americans who gave the last full measure of devotion during World War I. It was the sort of solemn occasion that U.S. presidents have considered an integral part of their duty at least since the Gettysburg Address. But Trump couldn’t be bothered.

There's no honor and no courage in that tiny little man at all.

Today's Today

It's not just about the shitty things the other guys do to our kids.

And it's not just about the shitty things our kids do to the other guys.

In the end, it's mostly about the shitty things that happen inside all of those kids because of what we teach them to do to each other in a war.

Today's Today

Armistice - at the 11th hour, on the 11th day, of the 11th month

Today's Tweet

Need some fake news? Look no further than your nearest Self-servative Media outlet.

BTW - what this jagoff has done is illegal. And it's a federal rap. (Stolen Valor Act 2013)

And wouldn't it be nice if somebody charged DumFux News with being an accessory? Yeah but - you know - 1st Amendment. Dammit.

Fox anchor on 'Navy Seal' extolling Trump: "God bless John Garofalo"
Fox correction: “All Garofalo’s claims untrue" https://t.co/uoJDvu9lUn

— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) October 20, 2017

Ad

This one dropped this morning.

.@realDonaldTrump, we’re debuting this ad on @Morning_Joe, and taking it to other morning shows you watch, too! pic.twitter.com/LVINhUenaV

— VoteVets (@votevets) February 6, 2017

@VoteVets

votevets.org

Today's Today

Jack Leroy Tueller

On the 11th day of the 11th month at the 11th hour

Every year for 98 years now. We can always hope.

The Blue Falcon

Go ahead - tell any one of these tigers she's wrong.  I'll hold her coat while she fucks you up - I just wanna watch.

BTW - Blue Falcon

Today's Tweet

Guy traumatized by a microphone suggests PTSD victims lack strength.https://t.co/aKSJ8mBGch

— LOLGOP (@LOLGOP) October 3, 2016

To be charitable, I'm pretty sure Trump wasn't really saying PTSD sufferers are weak - he was (prob'ly) trying to say that some veterans get hung up and they don't handle it as well as others.  

But given Trump's monumental Empathy Deficit which he articulates in practically no uncertain terms on a regular basis, there's no real reason to feel charitable towards him, or to give the guy any leeway at all.  He's made his bones by attacking everybody's perceived weakness; every little mis-step; every time anybody leaves even the tiniest opening, in order to set himself up as the Superior Being by contrast.  At this point, even if Trump is somehow being unfairly maligned, so-the-fuck-what?  This is just Karma working the way Karma is supposed to work.

Payback's a motherfucker, motherfucker.

Jesus knows you're a dick, Mr Trump

Trae Crowder

Today's Tweet

@aquintinilla
Compassion for service disabled #Veteran
is treatment
and support;
NOT punishment. pic.twitter.com/yukdSHtvHs

— Amphitrite Plays (@Pamela_O_Plays) April 24, 2016

Month 11, Day 11, Hour 11

Barely A Start

So that's 1 down and only 1,499,999 (veterans living in poverty) to go.

Our veterans would be a lot better off it we'd just stop making so many of them, and if we'd stop acting like spoiled children when it comes to paying what we owe.

It Just Ain't Healthy

Mashing up Christianism and Patriotism and Militarism - then taking impressionable young men and training them to put aside their instincts for compassion and kindness - and then arming them to the teeth and turning them loose in a place halfway around the world where they don't speak the language and the native culture is a complete mystery to them - what could possibly go wrong?



This is not (and never was) only about the wounds we can see - the savagery of war is trained into the minds of the people we send to fight it.  There's no way we can justify feeling shocked or appalled or somehow indignant when we find out some of these people have done what we've told them to do.

And let's try not to pretend these veterans can come home and "be normal" - nobody comes out of a war not fucked up way or another, civilians included.

In Remembrance

Lux aeterna, Luceat eis, Domine
Thy everlasting light shine upon them, O Lord.
Turn to me and be gracious, for my heart is in distress.
Oh God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?
My tears linger at night, but joy comes in the morning light.
Lord, in your infinite mercy, grant them rest.
Rest forever more.