Mikael of ImpeachforPeace Empowering citizens to hold our elected (or otherwise in power) servants accountable

Media Matters
Limbaugh: Service members who support U.S. withdrawal are “phony soldiers”

During the September 26 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, Rush Limbaugh called service members who advocate U.S. withdrawal from Iraq “phony soldiers.” He made the comment while discussing with a caller a conversation he had with a previous caller, “Mike from Chicago,” who said he “used to be military,” and “believe[s] that we should pull out of Iraq.” Limbaugh told the second caller, whom he identified as “Mike, this one from Olympia, Washington,” that “[t]here’s a lot” that people who favor U.S. withdrawal “don’t understand” and that when asked why the United States should pull out, their only answer is, ” ‘Well, we just gotta bring the troops home.’ … ‘Save the — keeps the troops safe’ or whatever,” adding, “[I]t’s not possible, intellectually, to follow these people.” “Mike” from Olympia replied, “No, it’s not, and what’s really funny is, they never talk to real soldiers. They like to pull these soldiers that come up out of the blue and talk to the media.” Limbaugh interjected, “The phony soldiers.” The caller, who had earlier said, “I am a serving American military, in the Army,” agreed, replying, “The phony soldiers.”

(Original Article)

No matter how much effort I and we of www.ImpeachforPeace.org put into holding the White House and other corrupt officials accountable, each and every veteran or active duty soldier has the authority in the public eye to have twice the effect I or any other ‘justice through impeachment for peace’ activists have regarding Peace and Justice issues around our military in half the time.

As it should be.

How powerful would the anti-war effort have become in a big hurry with Pat Tillman as the nexus along with Cindy Sheehan – bless her Gold Star heart?

If only Pat Tillman hadn’t been hit by enemy fire.
I mean…
If only Pat Tillman hadn’t been hit by friendly fire in a firefight.
I mean…
If only Pat Tillman hadn’t been hit by friendly fire in a firefight that we have found out didn’t actually take place.
I mean…

If only someone hadn’t put three bullets in Pat Tillman’s head from approximately ten yards away (what at least one veteran sniper has written looked very much like a hit and two confirmation shots), he would have been able to keep the appointment with war critic and fellow intellectual Noam Chomsky that his mother has shared was his plan upon being discharged or upon his next leave/furlough (I don’t know the lingo).

Tillman was ready to come home and likely would have emerged as the most potent high profile war and Bush Administration critic as a veteran since… well… since John Kerry.

Is a Court Martial movement the best means by which to pick up Tillman’s weapon of words and action to support and defend the Constitution of the United States from domestic enemies to it? I am not the one to say, but if it is, who will be the one they themselves have been waiting for?

The ‘new’ John Kerry won’t even invoke the First Amendment to keep you from being tazed for asking the wrong questions, thus supporting with his inaction a student being proscribed for asking questions outside the prescribed parameters of a public hearing.

Here and there around the country debates are raging over whether or not to open City Council meetings with The Pledge of Allegiance. This discussion is the very definition of the political “red herring”. Nothing could be less critical or more distracting from the real issues of priority facing our nation.

Most civil servants across the nation from members of Congress to Water Commissioners swear an oath upon taking office something along the lines of promising to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic”.

I would hope your City Council is no different.

The flag is a symbol which holds no intrinsic value apart from that with which it is embued by each individual beholder. Some see the American flag as a symbol of the highest patriotism and sacrifice, others as far too often being misused as a jingoistic manipulative tool.

Both perspectives are of value and should not be disregarded.

The Constitution, on the other hand, is a living document refined and perfected over 230 years of blood, sweat and Congressional review representing the highest evolution of democratic ideals and dreams such as habeas corpus (due process) which traces back to the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215 and before.

On the heels of Patriot Acts I & II, the Military Commissions Act and most recently S. 1927 which further gutted our 4th Amendment protections against illegal searches and seizures, our Constitutional “Liberty and Justice for All” are on life support in Washington D.C. under the misguided aegis of President George W. Bush and Vice President Richard B. Cheney.

Do you value your privacy? Your rights to it are dead. Did you notice?

It is high time for all Americans to reconsider our loyalties, which should not be to political party, to President or to any person and certainly not to a symbol. Our loyalty should be to the Constitution to which every public servant and every member of our military swears to support, defend, protect, honor and otherwise regard as our most precious treasure.

Debating whether or not to begin City Council meetings with a pledge that schoolchildren can recite in their sleep is a distraction and a misdirection. What all public servants must do at this time of grave crisis in America is be reminded of the oath they swore upon the commencement of their privilege of public service.

City Councils across the nation would make far better use of their time by authoring a resolution of support of the courageous stand taken by Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) in authoring H. Res. 333 and cosigned by nineteen of his contemporaries calling for impeachment proceedings to commence against Vice President Richard B. Cheney.

A collection recitation of their oaths of office to begin every City and Town Council in America would be a strong reminder of what their first and most important loyalty will always be – to the Constitution of the United States of America and the inalienable rights from which its genius was born.