I just find it interesting that Blackwater mercenaries are wandering around New Orleans with “shoot to kill” orders, and that media folks trying to cover the cleanup efforts have been threatened by US troops for photographing those activities.
Doesn’t sound like too big of a stretch to call that sort of stuff an “occupation”…
Blackwater mercenaries armed with M-16s with shoot-to-kill orders…
Are you fucking shitting me?!
Never mind, you’re not, I can google “Blackwater Mercenaries in New Orleans” as well as anyone.
I’m going to have to do some more reading on the matter before I completely flip the fuck out, but I have to say that my visceral reaction to the thought of armed mercenaries roaming American fucking city streets armed with “shoot to kill” orders and M-16s, makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. It gives me chills down my spine. It makes me want to get up out of my chair, march to Washington all the way from Dallas, TX starting right-the-fuck now and ask one of the fucks I’m supposed to call my government, “WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON? WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING TO MY COUNTRY?!?”
Admittedly, that’s my visceral reaction. I’ll try and weigh in later with a more rational reaction when I’ve done some more reading.
Even if we accept at face value the rather hysterical article from “antiwar.com” I’m curious why you wouldn’t march on Baton Rouge instead of DC. The “deadly Blackwater mercenaries” are reported to be wearing Lousiana state law enforcement badges, not federal badges. If they are wearing Lousiana state law enforcement badges, what would the purpose of your march to DC be? To ask directions to the capital of Lousiana?
This is nice. We’ve already gone from “The fed underreacted so Bush sux” to “The government is overreacting so Bush sux.” Truly the healing has begun. :rolleyes:
And to all those folk who are pointing out that Bush is exploiting people too, it’s okay to be mad at both.
I pity Mrs. Sheehan because she lost a child. And just as I give John Walsh a free pass for being strident, abrasive, and narrow minded, I also give Mrs. Sheehan a free pass for having gone over the edge of reason. One day I do hope she regains a sense of peace for no other reason than because being her must be hell.
Her latest words will surely mean that the left will distance themselves from her. Good. The right needs to show some of the compassion that they talk of and distance themselves from her as well. No matter how nutty she is, she did sacrifice a son for her country.
Her statement appears to have been inartfully worded. I also agree strongly that order has to be maintained. However, I read her statement as bemoaning the use of the military to preserve order and protect wealthy people’s belongings when there are still people who lack necessary resources. For example, a far more prominent portion of her writing says:
To the extent that the priorities are the protection of people’s belongings and the restriction of movement OVER the provision of medical and other resources, I agree with her (see also rjung’s and choie’s posts). However, ultimately I would not encourage the removal of troops; I would demand the reordering of priorities.
See also: Cheney orders diversion of power from hospitals to pipelines
and DOJ resources used to blame environmentalists for levee breaches
and perhaps most importantly Political operative Karl Rove in charge of Gulf Coast reconstruction
I’ll admit that Sheehan’s response clipped from the article seems irrational and over the top. Did anyone wonder why we need machine gun nests in the US. We definately needed security forces in NO and other places but if you want things to PIT one small portion of an article by Cindy pales in comparision to all the shit going down. Confiscating legal firearms? Not allowing the news media to actually cover the news? High paid private security forces employed by the DHS? When it comes to weighing what offends me most it those bastards in Washington far far more than anything Cindy says. This administration is fucking with the basics of democracy one small prescedent at a time.
How has he not? Whenever his poll numbers tank, he has no problem being talking about 9/11 families while he wraps himself in the flag.
Whatever my feelings on Ms. Sheehan, our president is one of the most cynical, self-serving men who have ever graced the Oval Office. He’s nothing special, but he’s got so many people telling him he’s the shit that he believes them.
Robin
I agree with others that someone is obviously still telling Cindy Sheehan that the world cares about her opinion and that she misses the attention. She is on her way to becoming a media whore like Jesse Jackson and is apparently jumping on the Katrina train.
The one thing that I’ve heard so far about Katrina and the aftermath is the fact that the story will be with us for months, if not years. Most natural disaster news cycles last about two weeks, but Katrina will have legs.
That will provide plenty of opportunities to selectively filter reality and portray Bush and the administration as the ultimate evil, snatching newborns from their mothers breast to roast them over an open fire.
On that note, I’m beginning to see all this anti-Bush passion as completely pointless. The ideological lines are long drawn and he’s not facing re-election. His opponents will never give him credit for anything and will never be satisfied by anything he says or does. That’s why I thought it was brilliant for him to “take responsibility” for anyones perception of federal failures. What did he have to lose by doing so?
I respectfully disagree. He’s quite the shit actually. He’s a person who is a self-made millionaire in business, and at a very young age; a two-term governor of the huge state of Texas; a two-term president of the United States; and as such a man who has never lost an election. A most remarkable record of acheivement, and I’d wager that if not for 9/11 he would be one of our most popular and well-liked presidents ever. (Much like Ronnie. ) 
Both sides will filter and spin. It’s what they do. As far as “taking responsibility”, I was not too impressed, as it’s just words. Action is what counts. Government at the local, state and federal levels was simply not prepared or organized. Government at all levels did not deliver in a timely or efficient manner. It isn’t only the feds, as some would say. It isn’t just the state as some would say. It isn’t just the city as some would say. They all fouled up. It isn’t based on party lines either. Reps and Dems both dropped the ball.
Actually, Blackwater discusses their involvement in NO on their home page, so no, it’s just not the hysterical rantings on antiwar.com, Bricker.
http://www.blackwaterusa.com/
I could not agree more, Steve.
Oh. My. God.
He is not a self-made millionaire. His foray into the Texas oil business, Arbusto Oil came within inches of going belly-up when Harken Oil rescued it. They were only interested in Arbusto because of Bush’s name; they felt that having him on board would help Harken. The buyout gave Bush enough cash to buy into the Rangers. That’s not skill, that’s just plain dumb luck.
He might’ve been a two-term governor, but he also presided over more executions than any other governor (152), going so far as to remark that he’d never spent more than 15 minutes considering each one before signing the death warrants. This fine, upstanding Christian also mocked a woman who was to be executed, who was pleading for her life. This is what he is known for.
He was re-elected by the barest of margins in 2004. Hell, were it not for 9/11, he would have probably been perceived as an ineffectual dolt.
Let’s face it. He’s gotten every opportunity because of who he is, not because of anything he’s done. He’s a rich boy who’s been handed the keys to the kingdom.
Robin
I was under the impression that her son volunteered of his own volition as an adult. How exactly did she ‘sacrifice a son’? Did she sign him up for the Army without his consent?
I’m sure it’s heartbreaking to her that he died, but she did not actively sacrifice anything. He signed up to be a soldier, he became a soldier, and he died in battle.
It was Bush and his administration who sacrificed her son. They knew when they pushed for this war that soldiers would die in it, and considered that acceptable.
Just a few short weeks ago, I remember being told in debate how lasting and relevant Sheehan was and how she represented a grass roots movement that would sweep the nation.
I remember being told how she represented a sea change.
Can you demonstrate that she didn’t? Or did someone claim that Sheehan would rise to power and personally bring Bush down?
And why all this need to send our young boys to smother any expression of discontent in New Orleans? That’s right, so GWB’s Haliburton cronies can loot the government of another few billion. As they clean-up NO, they clean up! It’s so obvious!!!
Come on Cindy: No Order for Oil! No Order for Oil! No Order for Oil! No Order for Oil! No Order for Oil! No Order for Oil!..
Ahhhhhhhh, who is suppose to keep the order then if the troops are pulled out? The Girl Scouts?
Heyyyyyyy
Cookie sales are up this year!