Unpatriotic and Servile
"To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic & servile, but it is morally treasonable to the American public." - Theodore Roosevelt
On Veterans Day, Patt Svodoba began screaming at Peace Vigil participants in Margaretville. She lectured us concerning not having a permit; on being unwelcome outsiders in her village and our unpatriotic demonstration on Veterans Day. Ms. Svodoba disagreed with my sign “No more Blood for Oil”. I introduced myself as a veteran and Alan Kirby a disabled Vietnam veteran, who was standing next to me. Our group decided to turn away and faced the market across the street. Ms. Svodoba responded by recklessly driving across the street and resumed screaming at us. We didn’t respond and she eventually left.
Originally, Veterans Day was known as Armistice Day, because it celebrated peace at the end of WW I. I’m proud to have been one of the Peace Vigil participants on Veterans Day. The primary reason I traveled from Delhi to participate in the Peace Vigil was that it was Veterans Day.
The first amendment to the Constitution reads: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”
Patt Svodoba’s disrespect for the first amendment is troubling. She suggests in a letter to the Catskill Mountain News, that freedom of speech, press and the right to peaceably assemble be abridged under certain circumstances, such as Veterans Day, Columbus Day or the Cauliflower Festival. In her letter, she took to task the newspaper for publishing pictures taken of peace vigil participants on the same day as the Cauliflower Festival and on Columbus Day.
Ms. Svodoba quoted Edmond Burke “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” I’m not sure whether she is suggesting that the Peace Vigil participants or their actions deserve the label of evil. Peace Vigil participants could use this same quote to justify their actions.
I prefer to quote legendary Marine Corps officer Major General Smedley Butler, who was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor twice for separate acts of outstanding heroism. In a 1933 speech, Butler asserted: “Only a small inside group knows what war is about. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few at the expense of the masses... I wouldn't go to war again as I have done to protect some lousy investment of the bankers. There are only two things we should fight for. One is the defense of our homes and the other is the Bill of Rights. War for any other reason is simply a racket.”
Svodoba claims that Peace Vigil participants maligned the mission of democracy and freedom for the Iraqi people. Smedley Butler would be the first to inform her, that an independent, stable, and free Iraq was never the mission. Bush will not withdraw our troops until Iraq becomes a docile client state, run by a puppet regime for the benefit of international oil conglomerates.
Bush has acknowledged that he'd have gone to war knowing the intelligence was wrong. His reason was that Saddam Hussein was a "bad man". Americans would not have been willing to risk the lives of thousands of their sons and daughters to remove a "bad man". Since, Bush was determined to invade Iraq long before 9/11, he and his propagandist convinced many Americans and Congress with the threat of a mushroom cloud.
If Bush supporters want democracy for Iraq, they could begin by recognizing that; eighty percent of Iraqis resent the occupation of US forces for delivering death, destruction and destitution upon their shattered nation and seventy two percent want our troops out. Our occupation created and continues the terrorism upon the Iraqi people.
In anticipation of our Civil War, John Brown wrote on the day he was hung: “I am now quite certain that the crimes of this guilty land will never be purged away but with blood. I had, as I now think, vainly flattered myself that without very much bloodshed it might be done.”
We vainly flattered ourselves that our military will bring democracy and peace to Iraq. It would be wise to get out of Iraq in the next 6 months and allow them to purge their land with Iraqi blood.
On Veterans Day, Patt Svodoba began screaming at Peace Vigil participants in Margaretville. She lectured us concerning not having a permit; on being unwelcome outsiders in her village and our unpatriotic demonstration on Veterans Day. Ms. Svodoba disagreed with my sign “No more Blood for Oil”. I introduced myself as a veteran and Alan Kirby a disabled Vietnam veteran, who was standing next to me. Our group decided to turn away and faced the market across the street. Ms. Svodoba responded by recklessly driving across the street and resumed screaming at us. We didn’t respond and she eventually left.
Originally, Veterans Day was known as Armistice Day, because it celebrated peace at the end of WW I. I’m proud to have been one of the Peace Vigil participants on Veterans Day. The primary reason I traveled from Delhi to participate in the Peace Vigil was that it was Veterans Day.
The first amendment to the Constitution reads: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”
Patt Svodoba’s disrespect for the first amendment is troubling. She suggests in a letter to the Catskill Mountain News, that freedom of speech, press and the right to peaceably assemble be abridged under certain circumstances, such as Veterans Day, Columbus Day or the Cauliflower Festival. In her letter, she took to task the newspaper for publishing pictures taken of peace vigil participants on the same day as the Cauliflower Festival and on Columbus Day.
Ms. Svodoba quoted Edmond Burke “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” I’m not sure whether she is suggesting that the Peace Vigil participants or their actions deserve the label of evil. Peace Vigil participants could use this same quote to justify their actions.
I prefer to quote legendary Marine Corps officer Major General Smedley Butler, who was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor twice for separate acts of outstanding heroism. In a 1933 speech, Butler asserted: “Only a small inside group knows what war is about. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few at the expense of the masses... I wouldn't go to war again as I have done to protect some lousy investment of the bankers. There are only two things we should fight for. One is the defense of our homes and the other is the Bill of Rights. War for any other reason is simply a racket.”
Svodoba claims that Peace Vigil participants maligned the mission of democracy and freedom for the Iraqi people. Smedley Butler would be the first to inform her, that an independent, stable, and free Iraq was never the mission. Bush will not withdraw our troops until Iraq becomes a docile client state, run by a puppet regime for the benefit of international oil conglomerates.
Bush has acknowledged that he'd have gone to war knowing the intelligence was wrong. His reason was that Saddam Hussein was a "bad man". Americans would not have been willing to risk the lives of thousands of their sons and daughters to remove a "bad man". Since, Bush was determined to invade Iraq long before 9/11, he and his propagandist convinced many Americans and Congress with the threat of a mushroom cloud.
If Bush supporters want democracy for Iraq, they could begin by recognizing that; eighty percent of Iraqis resent the occupation of US forces for delivering death, destruction and destitution upon their shattered nation and seventy two percent want our troops out. Our occupation created and continues the terrorism upon the Iraqi people.
In anticipation of our Civil War, John Brown wrote on the day he was hung: “I am now quite certain that the crimes of this guilty land will never be purged away but with blood. I had, as I now think, vainly flattered myself that without very much bloodshed it might be done.”
We vainly flattered ourselves that our military will bring democracy and peace to Iraq. It would be wise to get out of Iraq in the next 6 months and allow them to purge their land with Iraqi blood.
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