Patrick Ruffini said:
When we launched We Win, They Lose last week (now closing in on 10,000 signatures), the usual suspects came out of the woodwork with the "chickenhawk" canard.First Shakesville makes a comparison between 1900 active military members against our actions in Iraq and the Appeal for Courage with over 2800 active military members FOR our actions in Iraq within a much shorter time frame.They're not likely to do the same with AppealforCourage.org, a coalition of nearly 3,000 active duty and reserve personnel petitioning Congress not to surrender. That's right, I said, active duty, so even veterans of past wars don't qualify to sign. And a majority have served in the Iraq theater.
As has been pointed out time and time again, the idea that only those who serve or who've served are qualified to comment on matters of war and peace is ridiculous on its face. (Actually, they usually stack the deck like this: only if you've served can you support a war, but anyone, regardless of past service, is qualified to oppose a war.) Last I checked, we do not have a military government and we do have a First Amendment. It's curious to see the left at cross-purposes with these two very basic tenets of Constitutional government.
But the case that seldom gets made is this. If we did follow the Kossacks' advice and let only interested parties decide our Iraq policy (service personnel and their families), the decision would be clear and it would be for victory. Want to know once and for all if the mission is worth it? Just ask the troops on the ground.
Be careful when you invoke Absolute Moral Authority (tm). You might not like the answers you get.
Then Shakesville says:
Military Families Speak Out [my emphasis]: “[A]n organization of people opposed to the war in Iraq who have relatives or loved ones currently in the military or who have served in the military since the buildup to the Iraq war in fall of 2002. Our membership currently includes over 3,400 military families, with new families joining daily.”
Gold Star Families for Peace: This is the group Cindy Sheehan co-founded; it is specifically for families of men and women who have died in Iraq since the war started. GSFP has close to 100 family members.
Iraq Veterans Against the War: “a national group of veterans and active-duty servicemen and women of the ‘Global War on Terror’ who are working to bring our brothers and sisters home now.” IVAW has over 400 members all over the country.
Bring Them Home Now!: “a campaign of military families, veterans, active duty personnel, reservists and others opposed to the ongoing war in Iraq and galvanized to action by George W. Bush’s inane and reckless challenge to armed Iraqis resisting occupation to ‘Bring ‘em on.’Our mission is to mobilize military families, veterans, and GIs themselves to demand: an end to the occupation of Iraq and other misguided military adventures; and an immediate return of all US troops to their home duty stations.”
Veterans for Peace: a national organization of U.S. war veterans from many wars, including the current war in Iraq. VFP’s members “… draw on our personal experiences and perspectives gained as veterans to raise public awareness of the true costs and consequences of militarism and war - and to seek peaceful, effective alternatives.”
So, you ask , where is the intellectual dishonesty?
Well, Shakesville, while pointing out these other groups, completely misleads its readers by doing EXACTLY what it accuses Patrick Ruffini of doing by ignoring the following:
The American Legion:
The American Legion was chartered by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic, mutual-help, war-time veterans organization. A community-service organization which now numbers nearly 3 million members -- men and women -- in nearly 15,000 American Legion Posts worldwide. These Posts are organized into 55 Departments -- one each for the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, France, Mexico, and the Philippines.
The American Legion's national headquarters is in Indianapolis,Indiana, with additional offices in Washington, DC. In addition to thousands of volunteers serving in leadership and program implementation capacities in local communities to the Legion's standing national commissions and committees, the national organization has a regular full-time staff of about 300 employees.
Their latest staement:
WASHINGTON, DC (May 9, 2007) – The leader of the nation’s largest veterans organization today voiced his organization's strong opposition to Congress’ piecemeal funding approach to the war in Iraq.
"Don't nickel and dime the men and women you placed in harm's way," said Paul A. Morin, national commander of The American Legion, to those Members of Congress responsible for funding the Global War on Terror.
Earlier this year, Cmdr. Morin wrote to the congressional leadership asking for timely passage of the President's Emergency Defense Supplemental Appropriations to fully fund the on-going cost to fight the Global War on Terror.
"Wake up!" warned Morin. "Our troops have their hands full fighting for their lives and don't have time for the kind of 'political gamesmanship' that the Commander in Chief and the military leadership are having to endure."
Turning to the spoiled terrorist plot to attack Ft. Dix, NJ, Cmdr. Morin said, "Is there any doubt in anyone's mind that the threat is real? Will blood shed on American soil be the only proof that terrorism is real?"
The American Legion adopted Resolution 169 mandating full support for the Commander in Chief, the Congress, the military leadership, and, most importantly, the service members. "The Global War on Terror is not about partisan politics, it is about the survival of freedom," Morin explained.
"By turning away from real threats to democracy anywhere in the world there is a direct threat to freedom everywhere."
"To the leadership of Congress, my message is very simple: pass the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations to fund the war through the end of the fiscal year," he said. "Take it to the floor of Congress for a public debate, then vote on America's role in the Global War on Terror."
"Those ready to surrender should speak up, vote and stand by their decision," Morin added. "Those who are willing to win this conflict can do the same so that ‘We the people’ can have the final say."
Founded in 1919, the 2.7 million-member American Legion is the nation’s preeminent service organization for veterans of the U.S. armed forces, including active duty, National Guard and Reserves, and their families.
Shakesville also deliberately misleads its readers by ignoring the GOE:
Their Mission Statement:
1. Gathering of Eagles is non-partisan. While each member has his or her own political beliefs, our common love and respect for America and her heroes is what brings us together.
2. We are a non-violent, non-confrontational group. We look to defend, not attack. Our focus is guarding our memorials and their grounds.
3. We believe that the war memorials are sacred ground; as such, we will not allow them to be desecrated, used as props for political statements, or treated with anything less than the solemn and heartfelt respect they–and the heroes they honor–deserve.
4. We are wholly and forever committed to our brothers and sisters in uniform. As veterans, we understand their incredible and noble sacrifices, made of their own accord for a nation they love more than life itself. As family members, we stand by them, and as Americans, we thank God for them.
5. We believe in and would give our lives for the precious freedoms found in our Constitution. We believe that our freedom of speech is one of the greatest things our country espouses, and we absolutely hold that any American citizen has the right to express his or her approval or disapproval with any policy, law, or action of our nation and her government in a peaceful manner as afforded by the laws of our land.
6. However, we are adamantly opposed to the use of violence, vandalism, physical or verbal assaults on our veterans, and the destruction or desecration of our memorials. By defending and honoring these sacred places, we defend and honor those whose blood gave all of us the right to speak as freely as our minds think.
7. We vehemently oppose the notion that it is possible to “support the troops but not the war.” We are opposed to those groups who would claim support for the troops yet engage in behavior that is demeaning and abusive to the men and women who wear our nation’s uniform.
8. We believe in freedom at all costs, including our own lives. We served to protect the freedoms Americans enjoy, and we agree with Thomas Jefferson’s assertion that “From time to time, the tree of liberty must be watered with the blood of patriots and tyrants.”
9. We will accept nothing less than total, unqualified victory in the current conflict. Surrender is not an option, nor is defeat.
10. We stand to challenge any group that seeks the destruction of our nation, its founding precepts of liberty and freedom, or those who have given of themselves to secure those things for another generation. We will be silent no more.
Shakesville also ignores Vets For Victory.
They ignore Rolling Thunder:
In 2004, Rolling Thunder®, Inc. spends hundreds of thousands of dollars each year in financial support, food, clothing and other essentials to sanctioned veterans' groups, veterans and veterans' families in need, homeless veteran programs, women's' crisis centers, and toys for children.
In 2004, Rolling Thunder®, Inc. expended over $300,000 educating the public and increasing awareness about the POW/MIA issue and other injustices suffered by veterans from all wars, and to improve legislation that would rectify the POW/MIA situation and improve veterans' benefits from all wars.
Thousands of hours were logged in by members of the Rolling Thunder®, Inc. organization in the year 2004 at local VA hospitals around the country; members visited with and provided moral support to nursing home veterans, patients suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and homeless veterans.
Rolling Thunder®, Inc. veterans often speak to youth groups about the honor of serving their country and educating them about the POW/MIA issue.
The organization regularly donates POW/MIA flags to local area schools, youth groups, non-profit organizations and special interest groups, and organizes flag raising ceremonies promoting public awareness about the POW/MIA issue.
Rolling Thunder®, Inc. helped facilitate the publishing of a POW/MIA U.S. postage stamp through the U.S. Postal Service that displayed dog tags with the declaration, "POW & MIA - NEVER FORGOTTEN."
Rolling Thunder®, Inc. is on the Board of Directors of the Ride to the Wall Foundation, a veterans' fund established through the sales of the musical C.D., "Ride to the Wall," produced for Rolling Thunder® XIV by the legendary Paul Revere and the Raiders in cooperation with Rolling Thunder®, Inc
Rolling Thunder®, Inc. participated in the dedication of the World War II Memorial in 2004 and assisted with organizing the World War II parade that took place on that historic date.
In 2005, Rolling Thunder®, Inc. united with the National Alliance of POW/MIA Families to petition the U.S. Government to use the designation “Prisoner of War” (POW) – a designation recognized by the Geneva Conventions - not “Missing/Captured” (MIA-C), to ensure that prisoners’ rights and protections remain consistent under the Geneva Conventions.
They ignore Move America Forward:
They ignore Families United for the Troops and Their Mission:
Families United is a grassroots coalition of Gold Star and Blue Star families including some with loved ones in harm's way, Veterans, and Americans who share a deep appreciation for our men and women in uniform and support them in their efforts to make America safer by allowing them to complete their mission.
They ignore American Protest.
They ignore 12 Marine Association.
They ignore Gold Star Mothers (who UNLIKE Cindy Sheehan, these mothers actually honor their childrens choices instead of betraying them after death as Sheehan continues to do) and all the others that SUPPORT our troops.
Shakesville, in accusing Patrick Ruffini of ignoring the sites they listed, does EXACTLY the same thing in an act of complete intellectual dishonesty and ignores the massive amounts of Veterans and active military, as well as Blue and Gold Star families that do, indeed, support our troops and their mission.
This is what Liberals do, they accuse at the same time as they repeat the offense they accuse others of.
Typical Intellectual Dishonesty as only the far left can do.
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