Berkeley California calls Marines "unwelcome intruders" (UPDATED)

Land of the fruits and nuts lives up to the moniker  Click on the image and find out more.

Seriously sick bastards.

Tip of the fedora to Michelle, who's on this like stink on poop.

UPDATE: Speaking of poop, lots of it flying with our beloved Religious Left:

Deke in Tx:

I'm all for the military- but recruiters are a whole 'nother kettle of fish- 3 or more day old fish.
 
These people are under a quota system and have to get results and many of them lie to the young people they are dealing with. Most recruiters are, to use, an Irish term, Gombeen men. They will lie and twists the facts in anyway possible to get a 17 year old kid to sign.
 
Once in the concept of a "volunteer" force is moot. You can't back out after swearing in and it will not be what you signed up for. This is nothing new but with recruitment levels down it just gets worse.

Susan in Ca:

Deke,

that is so true. One of the young women in a previous church I served, wanted to get out of the house, and had a dream of being a pilot. She went down to the recruiters' office and they were promising the moon and the stars to her. But they also used another tactic by saying there was only one more spot available to her in the program she wanted. "So if you sign NOW, I can get you in." She did get sworn in, but was also able to get out of it, with help from the local congressional folks and her father speaking to them. She never went in. She wouldn't have made it into the program she wanted because of eyesight and asthma, which the recruiter knew and didn't tell her.

It made me really mad.

I am not a huge military fan, but I do think it is a necessary evil.

The military as evil.  Military recruiters especially.  Sweet eh?  And these are pastors folks...  wonder if those who sit in their pews know these thoughts?  Something tells me they're not too open about their hatred for their military.

Comments

[xtnyoda]

Sort of reminds me of when they didn't want to count the absentee votes of our fighting troops during the last presidential election in Florida.

xtnyoda thinks there is a backlash coming.

shalomed

[xtnyoda]

Oh yes, one more thing.

The marines will continue to stand ready to pour out their life's blood to protect CODEPINK and the city of Berkeley's right to despise them. And the marines will do it with grace, silence, and great skill. And...will neither ask for, nor expect a word of thanks in return.

xtnyoda shalomed

[tim]

Notice how these two are bitching about something they know nothing about. Neither of them offers any first hand experience of being recruited.

Susan tells of a second hand story that she can’t possibly verify as to what actually happened. She can’t imagine that maybe, just MAYBE, the young women didn’t exactly tell her the complete story and she MAY have left out some things that would make herself look bad. But coming from someone who thinks the military is “a necessary evil”, we shouldn’t expect anything less than some serious bias.

And then there’s Deke who doesn’t understand why someone can’t just quit the military if it’s “not be what you signed up for”. I guess Deke doesn’t understand the concept of fulfilling an obligation, an oath, a freakin’ CONTRACT!

Unlike this two swine, I served, my friends served, family members have served. NOT ONE has ever complained about being mistreated by a recruiter, but I guess these two who didn’t serve would know better.

[MRR]

Just for the record, I love swine... and poopy dogs, and people, sometimes when they are at their most unlovable... I even love the cat the neighbors renamed "Lucifer!"

Tim is complaining about two people who have shared out of their experience, probably not particularly verifiable stories, but also not necessarily false. That has been their experience. My experience with recruiters has been much more positive. My daughter was considering the Air Force Academy, but bronchial spasms in her medical history nixed that possibility. We've not experienced the kind of lying others report. However, that is not to say that it can't happen. Recruiters are human, too. I'm sure there are some who might exagerrate to the point of lying if they thought they could get away with it, while raising the numbers they sign on. Though I hope (and believe) that is not the norm. I also hope those who exagerrate too much will find themselves in martial court.

The truth is we will often remember and relate that which fits our bias. People against mandatory use of seat belts report incidents in which seat belt use was counterproductive. People with a bias against the military will remember the sins of the few rather than the faithful actions of the many (just as some elevate the biases of a few pastors, while the others who don't fit that bias remain unnoted).

[Mommynator]

My son also had an excellent recruiter who explained EVERYTHING - every last single little detail that we might have overlooked.

My son's discharge date was supposed to have been this last January, but he was stop lossed becaue of his method of service.

His new deployment length is 15 months of which he has completed four. And then when he returns, it will take about 3 months to separate out, what with all the paperwork.

The possibility of stop loss was also explained to us, and even though we all hate the additional time, we know that this was part of the deal and my son will serve his obligation to its full extent honorably without too much more grumbling than most healthy normal soldiers do anyway.

This is what it means to sign a contract, pledge a vow, make a promise, seal a deal. You stick with it because you promised and you see it through.

Period.

[tim]

Just for the record MRR, what exactly is your point? I mean, besides the condescending lesson in biases. BTW, let me guess, your a pastor right?

“Tim is complaining about two people who have shared out of their experience, probably not particularly verifiable stories, but also not necessarily false. That has been their experience.”

No their not. Deke isn’t sharing any experience just bitching about recruiters based on…nothing. Susan is relaying a story from someone she supposedly knew. (Yea right how convenient). This is not “their experience”.

You don’t think people who view military recruiters as “3 or more day old fish” and thinks the military is “a necessary evil” may have an agenda that may be less than honorable? Maybe instead of trying to be cute and the smartest person in the room you should consider who you are defending and what their rhetoric is based on.

~

Mom’s,

A big Thank You for your son's service and to you for raising such a man.

[MRR]

My apologies if I sounded condescending. I did not intend to be so.

And, yes, I am a pastor. As a pastor, we often walk with people through times of trial and temptation, sometimes so much so that we experience with people the frustrations of trying to deal with people who cannot see beyond their own narrow focus of "the way things have to be."

Some workers I know are wonderful, caring people, who have empathy for those who need their services. Others (as in any occupation) seem to be there because they think we owe them a job and a paycheck. These are the ones who seem to multiply the red tape rather than ease the way.

In case it matters, I didn't care much for the fish reference either. Objectifying people is dehumanizing (how's that for redundancy?) and unneccessary, IMO. The term "necessary evil" used by Susan was a reiteration of an option in the poll to which she was responding. It is a phrase which is meant to indicate something "less than ideal," rather than "evil," even though the word "evil" is in the phrase. Mea culpa.

Again, please accept my apologies. It was not my intention to condescend, merely to try to put the best construction on the comments as I see them.

[Rick]

The term "necessary evil" used by Susan was a reiteration of an option in the poll to which she was responding. It is a phrase which is meant to indicate something "less than ideal," rather than "evil," even though the word "evil" is in the phrase. Mea culpa.

Though I appreciate your pastoral attempt to defend Susan... knowing her (and Deke) as I do over the years, knowledge gained from my participation at that site for more than a decade, I can't help but think that their words are intentional... and indefensible.

They best represent the ignorance I see manifested time and again by too many liberals... especially those I deem to belong to the Religious Left. And again I wonder how long they'd remain in leadership positions in their church should their ideology became known.

[tim]

MRR,

Apology accepted. However, again, I don’t need a lesson on the meaning of a term.
I more than understand where someone who is “not a huge military fan” is coming from.(BTW, is she also “not a fan” of democracy, liberty, the pursuit of happiness? I mean besides freedom of speech of course). I find it more than curious why someone who hasn’t expressed the same attitude would feel compelled to defend it. Nevertheless, instead of doing that, maybe you could explain to Susan the necessity of a military. I’m assuming you agree that it is necessary.

Lastly, I agree with “objectifying people is dehumanizing” but I will not apologize for it when it comes to our military, the one thing that stands between us and the evil that wants to take away all that we have in this great country. People who don’t understand that should be ridiculed and scorned at every opportunity, for they are the enemy within and should be treated as such.

Good day sir.

[MRR]

Thanks, Tim,

Let me clarify. When I said "objectifying is dehumanizing," I was referring to comparing the recruiter with smelly fish. When I read your comment, it seems you thought I was referring to the objectifying of the soldier. I was not.

[tim]

Actually MRR, I thought you were referring to MY “swine” comment towards Susan & Deke but I stand by my statement(s).

[Lindsy]

Wow... this amazes me ... the total lack of understanding. Let me explain somthing to all of you the protest... And listen well if you dont believe me go talk to a member of the armed forces..

Heres how the recruiting process works you get what they called flagged for this duty.. its not by choice (sometimes they do make this a career but most of the time not) They get to pick a region of the country they would like to be sent most of the time its because they are from around the area or like the area. They work hellish long hours usually 8am till 8pm Monday through Saturday and I've heard of some places working on sundays.. they have numbers they have to meet.... Again this is not a job they asked for it was a job they were asigned to do and because they have pride in what they do they do it to the best of their ability. Just like there comrands in Iraq they are doing the job they were told to do.

Also people are starting to say now that the recruiters lie to people and tell them miss information let me tell you somthing else now of course in any society there is going to be a bad apple but it is written if you give misleading or false information to someone (i.e... you wont go to war) it could possiably be the end of your career. To most of the recruiters its not worth it.

A group came into a local recruiters office here pretending they were looking to join... they had a camera and said they were video taping so his mom could see what he was thinking of doing.. they aske many dumb and rude questions like... Can I smoke weed.... Can you get me outa of going to war.. and so on the recruiter answered truthfuly and honestly at the end they stood up said congradulations you passed the test (he never lied) if he had lied they said they were going to post it on You Tube... They were part of some orginaztion cant remember the name now though... but what I think is funny because they didnt get the answer they were really looking for they dont want to post the video on you tube because it was the truth.

And my last thoughts... You say you dont supoort the the war but you do the troops.. no you dont if you protest any function the military is doing you are not supporting the troops because most of the time now.. those recruiters have been in Iraq.. remember that the next time you protest them your saying you dont care what they did for you and this country.

Two facts :
1. You can back out of you have sworen in
2. Most people dont know but you cant even leave boot camp/basic training if you so wish... without fear of a dishonarble discharge.

[pvt. Bradley Armstrong]

You people make me sick you dare to sit by and insult the men and women who keep you safe at night if only i could lend you people my eyes so you could see what i seen just to let you ungrateful bastards live safely you f*****g people should be ashamed of your self why did i join the corps to protect you worthless piles of sh*t