August 25, 200521 yr "We're anti-war, but we still support the troops..." riiiiight. I guess protesting at funerals wasn't enough . Anti-War Protests Target Wounded at Army Hospital By Marc Morano August 25, 2005 Washington - The Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., the current home of hundreds of wounded veterans from the war in Iraq, has been the target of weekly anti-war demonstrations since March. The protesters hold signs that read "Maimed for Lies" and "Enlist here and die for Halliburton." The anti-war demonstrators, who obtain their protest permits from the Washington, D.C., police department, position themselves directly in front of the main entrance to the Army Medical Center, which is located in northwest D.C., about five miles from the White House. Among the props used by the protesters are mock caskets, lined up on the sidewalk to represent the death toll in Iraq. Code Pink Women for Peace, one of the groups backing anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan's vigil outside President Bush's ranch in Crawford Texas, organizes the protests at Walter Reed as well. Some conservative supporters of the war call the protests, which have been ignored by the establishment media, "shameless" and have taken to conducting counter-demonstrations at Walter Reed. "[The anti-war protesters] should not be demonstrating at a hospital. A hospital is not a suitable location for an anti-war demonstration," said Bill Floyd of the D.C. chapter of FreeRepublic USA, who stood across the street from the anti-war demonstrators on Aug. 19. "I believe they are tormenting our wounded soldiers and they should just leave them alone," Floyd added. According to the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, nearly 4,000 individuals involved in the Iraq war were treated at the facility as of March of this year, 1,050 of whom were wounded in battle. One anti-war protester, who would only identify himself as "Luke," told Cybercast News Service that "the price of George Bush's foreign policy can be seen right here at Walter Reed -- young men who returned from Iraq with their bodies shattered after George Bush sent them to war for a lie." Luke accused President Bush of "exploiting American soldiers" while "oppressing the other nations of earth." The president "has killed far too many people," he added. On Aug. 19, as the anti-war protesters chanted slogans such as "George Bush kills American soldiers," Cybercast News Service observed several wounded war veterans entering and departing the gates of Walter Reed, some with prosthetic limbs. Most of the demonstrations have been held on Friday evenings, a popular time for the family members of wounded soldiers to visit the hospital. But the anti-war activists were unapologetic when asked whether they considered such signs as "Maimed for Lies" offensive to wounded war veterans and their families. "I am more offended by the fact that many were maimed for life. I am more offended by the fact that they (wounded veterans) have been kept out of the news," said Kevin McCarron, a member of the anti-war group Veterans for Peace. Kevin Pannell, who was recently treated at Walter Reed and had both legs amputated after an ambush grenade attack near Baghdad in 2004, considers the presence of the anti-war protesters in front of the hospital "distasteful." When he was a patient at the hospital, Pannell said he initially tried to ignore the anti-war activists camped out in front of Walter Reed, until witnessing something that enraged him. "We went by there one day and I drove by and [the anti-war protesters] had a bunch of flag-draped coffins laid out on the sidewalk. That, I thought, was probably the most distasteful thing I had ever seen. Ever," Pannell, a member of the Army's First Cavalry Division, told Cybercast News Service. "You know that 95 percent of the guys in the hospital bed lost guys whenever they got hurt and survivors' guilt is the worst thing you can deal with," Pannell said, adding that other veterans recovering from wounds at Walter Reed share his resentment for the anti-war protesters. "We don't like them and we don't like the fact that they can hang their signs and stuff on the fence at Walter Reed," he said. "[The wounded veterans] are there to recuperate. Once they get out in the real world, then they can start seeing that stuff (anti-war protests). I mean Walter Reed is a sheltered environment and it needs to stay that way." McCarron said he dislikes having to resort to such controversial tactics, "but this stuff can't be hidden," he insisted. "The real cost of this war cannot be kept from the American public." The anti-war protesters claim their presence at the hospital is necessary to publicize the arrivals of newly wounded soldiers from Iraq, who the protesters allege are being smuggled in at night by the Pentagon to avoid media scrutiny. The protesters also argue that the military hospital is the most appropriate place for the demonstrations and that the vigils are designed to ultimately help the wounded veterans. "If I went to war and lost a leg and then found out from my hospital bed that I had been lied to, that the weapons I was sent to search for never existed, that the person who sent me to war had no plan but to exploit me, exploit the country I was sent to, I would be pretty angry," Luke told Cybercast News Service. "I would want people to do something about it and if I couldn't get out of my bed and protest myself, I would want someone else to do it in my name," he added. The conservative counter-demonstrators carry signs reading "Troops out when the job's done," "Thank you U.S. Armed Forces" and "Shameless Pinkos go home." Many wear the orange T-shirts reading "Club G'itmo" that are marketed by conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh. "[The anti-war protesters] have no business here. If they want to protest policy, they should be at the Capitol, they should be at the White House," said Nina Burke. "The only reason for being here is to talk to [the] wounded and [anti-war protests are] just completely inappropriate." Albion Wilde concurred, arguing that "it's very easy to pick on the families of the wounded. They are very vulnerable ... I feel disgusted. "[The anti-war protesters] are really showing an enormous lack of respect for just everything that America has always stood for. They lost the election and now they are really, really angry and so they are picking on the wrong people," Wilde added. At least one anti-war demonstrator conceded that standing out in front of a military hospital where wounded soldiers and their families are entering and exiting, might not be appropriate. "Maybe there is a better place to have a protest. I am not sure," said a man holding a sign reading "Stop the War," who declined to be identified. But Luke and the other anti-war protesters dismissed the message of the counter demonstrators. "We know most of the George Bush supporters have never spent a day in uniform, have never been closer to a battlefield than seeing it through the television screen," Luke said. Code Pink, the group organizing the anti-war demonstrations in front of the Walter Reed hospital, has a controversial leader and affiliations. As Cybercast News Service previously reported, Code Pink co-founder Medea Benjamin has expressed support for the Communist Viet Cong in Vietnam and the Nicaraguan Sandinistas. In 2001, Benjamin was asked about anti-war protesters sympathizing with nations considered to be enemies of U.S. foreign policy, including the Viet Cong and the Sandinistas. "There's no one who will talk about how the other side is good," she reportedly told the San Francisco Chronicle. Benjamin has also reportedly praised the Cuban regime of Fidel Castro. Benjamin told the San Francisco Chronicle that her visit to Cuba in the 1980s revealed to her a great country. "It seem[ed] like I died and went to heaven," she reportedly said.
August 25, 200521 yr yes, you got us a few whack jobs represent all of us and we do really hate the troops. God damn it, I thought we were going to get away with it.
August 25, 200521 yr Well, I just found out some nice information about the author of this piece. He has exactly no credibility when it comes to fair reporting "Marc Morano is Senior Staff Writer for CNSNews.com and is previously known as Rush Limbaugh?s ?Man in Washington,? as reporter and producer for the Rush Limbaugh Television Show, as well as a former correspondent and producer for American Investigator, the nationally syndicated TV newsmagazine. His reporting has made national news with appearances and coverage on The O'Reilly Factor, Special Report w/ Brit Hume, USA Today, The Washington Times, The Wall Street Journal, the American Spectator and Human Events, as well as online with National Review, Newsmax.com, WorldnetDaily, and the Drudge Report. Additionally, Marc has appeared on Politically Incorrect, NBC and ABC News and the McLaughlin Group, and has also reported for a wide variety of radio programs, including the Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Oliver North Shows. Mr. Morano has both White House and Capitol Hill press credentials; and as a side note?holds the distinction of being the first journalist in history to have his video camera seized by the Clinton White House while on assignment."
August 25, 200521 yr Additionally, Marc has appeared on Politically Incorrect, NBC and ABC News and the McLaughlin Group, and has also reported for a wide variety of radio programs, including the Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Oliver North Shows. Mr. Morano has both White House and Capitol Hill press credentials; and as a side note?holds the distinction of being the first journalist in history to have his video camera seized by the Clinton White House while on assignment." 914767[/snapback] Politically Correct! There's a show I won't miss. But, it just proved how divisive and ignorant partisan politics can be. Two sides, unwilling to concede or even give a little leeway, even when they KNOW they're wrong... I had a real love/hate/hate/hate realtionship with that show.
August 25, 200521 yr The protesters hold signs that read "Maimed for Lies" and "Enlist here and die for Halliburton." I don't see how that's particularly anti-troop. Regardless, all liberals hate the troops and want to see them dead just like every conservative wants every black person in shackles and every non-WASP back in their own country.
August 25, 200521 yr "Enlist here and die for Halliburton." Seriously, some people are more stupid than 50 year drug addicts. Some protests go way out of hand. If I were an injured soldier in that place, I'd be asking for my M-16.
August 25, 200521 yr Not to say all anti-war people are anti-troops, but lets not defend this particular group of protesters. I mean: Code Pink, the group organizing the anti-war demonstrations in front of the Walter Reed hospital, has a controversial leader and affiliations. As Cybercast News Service previously reported, Code Pink co-founder Medea Benjamin has expressed support for the Communist Viet Cong in Vietnam and the Nicaraguan Sandinistas. In 2001, Benjamin was asked about anti-war protesters sympathizing with nations considered to be enemies of U.S. foreign policy, including the Viet Cong and the Sandinistas. "There's no one who will talk about how the other side is good," she reportedly told the San Francisco Chronicle. Benjamin has also reportedly praised the Cuban regime of Fidel Castro. Benjamin told the San Francisco Chronicle that her visit to Cuba in the 1980s revealed to her a great country. "It seem[ed] like I died and went to heaven," she reportedly said. That says it all about these people. They are not protesting this war, these people would protest ANY war becuase in the end, they are anti-US.
August 25, 200521 yr One of the dumbest threads of the month Accord. Bravo. I see you didn't reply to my War Pragmatist post. Kinda challenges your nice, neat little definition of left-leaning people. It might give you an aneurism. Tread lightly.
August 25, 200521 yr One of the dumbest threads of the month Accord. Bravo. I see you didn't reply to my War Pragmatist post. 914931[/snapback] Maybe he wants to refrain from posting something like you did in this thread. Arent you the one always calling people out for not contributing? Thanks Pat Robertson!
August 25, 200521 yr One of the dumbest threads of the month Accord.? Bravo.? I see you didn't reply to my War Pragmatist post. 914931[/snapback] Maybe he wants to refrain from posting something like you did in this thread. Arent you the one always calling people out for not contributing? Thanks Pat Robertson! 914944[/snapback] I think he enjoys refraining from reality. Go find some evidence of the last part of that post and me "always" calling people out for not contributing. And what the hell does Pat Robertson have to do with anything. Why do you have to be an idiot?
August 25, 200521 yr One of the dumbest threads of the month Accord. Bravo. I see you didn't reply to my War Pragmatist post. 914931[/snapback] Maybe he wants to refrain from posting something like you did in this thread. Arent you the one always calling people out for not contributing? Thanks Pat Robertson! 914944[/snapback] I think he enjoys refraining from reality. Go find some evidence of the last part of that post and me "always" calling people out for not contributing. And what the hell does Pat Robertson have to do with anything. Why do you have to be an idiot? 914972[/snapback] Pat Robertson is a hypocrite, much like your self Rock. Just one I quickly found, Id rather not waste my time looking at nothingness after nothingness in ur post archives... Passion of the Gooch starts the discussion off nicely with a nothing comment. Link Because Republicans Lie: http://www.marlinbaseball.com/forums/index...ndpost&p=803586
August 25, 200521 yr That's some pretty mountainous evidence there Passy. Arent you the one always calling people out for not contributing?
August 25, 200521 yr That's some pretty mountainous evidence there Passy. Arent you the one always calling people out for not contributing? 915047[/snapback] The fact remains that you do call people out for contributing nothing. You did the same in this thread. You are hypocritical. Im not sifting through 323 pages of posts just to prove the point that everyone else on here knows I made.
August 25, 200521 yr That's some pretty mountainous evidence there Passy.? Arent you the one always calling people out for not contributing? 915047[/snapback] The fact remains that you do call people out for contributing nothing. You did the same in this thread. You are hypocritical. Im not sifting through 323 pages of posts just to prove the point that everyone else on here knows I made. 915061[/snapback] This is just weak son. You have 2 instances of me calling out people to contribute, one of which obviously knicked you enough to remember it long after it happened (lol). You then make the leap to calling me a hypocrite? Not even real sure where to go from here. :plain I guess I could say that my response to this thread was to show Accord that his views on people against the Iraq War do not compose the whole picture. That's why I pointed him to my War Pragmatist post. Then you turned into some weird personal thing.
August 25, 200521 yr That's some pretty mountainous evidence there Passy. Arent you the one always calling people out for not contributing? 915047[/snapback] The fact remains that you do call people out for contributing nothing. You did the same in this thread. You are hypocritical. Im not sifting through 323 pages of posts just to prove the point that everyone else on here knows I made. 915061[/snapback] This is just weak son. You have 2 instances of me calling out people to contribute, one of which obviously knicked you enough to remember it long after it happened (lol). You then make the leap to calling me a hypocrite? Not even real sure where to go from here. :plain 915088[/snapback] I want you to be the No Substance Police for everyone in this forum. Make it fair and balanced. No matter what a person's political leanings or your personal dislike/like for them, call each one of them out. I love how the only threads you trash are those which you dont agree with or from a poster you dont like. I know if the thread had been your own personal pleasure toy, 'The War Pragmatist', you would be up in arms and probably get some mod action in there. Go for it Shamrock, be fair to all the users in here. Dont pick and choose...
August 25, 200521 yr Mod action? I've never once asked a mod to do anything in any thread. Everytime I hurt your feelings though, I'm sure you go wailing to the nearest one. This has become tiresome though. My point in responding to this thread was to present a different view to Accord of left-leaners against the Iraq War. That was my goal. All the personal s*** that obviously troubles you day and night is just clouding my point here. You made it personal, not me. You're just some religious dude who posts pictures of scantily clothed women to me. That's all.
August 25, 200521 yr Day and night? You say dont turn it personal, then make personal assumptions about me. I dont think about MB.com when Im not on here, you might, but I certainly do not. You've never 'hurt my feelings', lol, and I know you wish you had, since your whole purpose on this site seems to be to belittle and shoot people down. Just some religious dude...Ive never once criticized anyone's personal religious or non-existent religious beliefs on here so the fact that you do is offensive and it shows what kind of jerk off you are in real life. And I forgot your paranoia with women and women in bikinis in peoples signature, still scared someone is looking over your shoulder at the public library? Clown.
August 25, 200521 yr Take the last word. You needed it. Someone shut this mess down. :lol 915181[/snapback] Mod action? I've never once asked a mod to do anything in any thread. - Shamrock Timely.
August 25, 200521 yr Take the last word.? You needed it.? Someone shut this mess down.? :lol 915181[/snapback] Mod action? I've never once asked a mod to do anything in any thread. - Shamrock Timely. 915189[/snapback] He has a point on this one, though. This has turned into a flame war. I don't have a problem with Shamrock. He doesn't generally post to prove he's right. I've talked to him on AIM a lot, too, and he's generally a pretty thoughtful guy. This just got too stupid too quick.
August 25, 200521 yr Author One of the dumbest threads of the month Accord. Bravo. I see you didn't reply to my War Pragmatist post. Kinda challenges your nice, neat little definition of left-leaning people. It might give you an aneurism. Tread lightly. 914931[/snapback] This forum has reached a new low when you actually have to resort to criticizing people because they didn't reply to every single thread. There are 40 or 50 posts on the main page of the bullpen forum and I haven't even replied to, much less even clicked on half of them. The only thing you have against me is that I didn't reply to one of your threads, real incriminating. I didn't reply to the "Decorated Marine Denied In-State Tuition" thread, so I guess because I didn't reply, that automatically means I hate Marines and am glad this Marine was denied in-state tuition. You're an idiot.
August 25, 200521 yr Accord, I want you to tell me how this proves that everyone anti war is anti troops. Dont pull this post and run stuff.
August 25, 200521 yr Author Accord, I want you to tell me how this proves that everyone anti war is anti troops. Dont pull this post and run stuff. 915689[/snapback] Don't put words in my mouth. I never said everyone who is anti-war is also anti-troops.
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