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Once, during the Clinton administration, I asked a Marine who was doing Toys For Tots outside Walmart what he though of his Commander-in-Chief. Bear in mind that servicemen are not permitted to make any derogatory remarks about their superior officers. He said, "I am proud to serve under the current Commander-in-Chief, and I will be even more proud to serve under the next Commander-in-Chief."
The story didn't quite make clear whether the veterans was able to resolve the issue while trying to have lunch. Did he take off his jacket or did he leave and later spoke with the franchise owner? The story stated that he had not yet spoken to the manager and thereby implying that he had left without his lunch.
Your story about the toys for Tots Marine was one of the most wonderful quotes regarding our present Commander in Chief I have yet to hear.
Semper fidelis to you and to him.
Fred Speckmann
mailto:commonsenseforamericans@yahoo.com
Me...I see 20 year old snot nosed "shift manager" who doesn't know shit from Shinola.
As a teacher, many teens today are more interested in who Eminem is screwing and Miley Cyrus pretending to have sex with foam objects on TV. Whenever I bring up something of importance in class, kids are like...who cares about that S$#T Mr. C.
Hell, the colors red and blue are off limits in the local Junior High schools.
Ever seen the kid who wears a baseball cap but it isn't in the team colors? Like red and black for the Yankees. The punk at school is always looking for an angle to get around the rules. So the school just bans the colors.
And for you business folks...remember some of this shit wouldn't be happening if corporate America would quit peddling this shit as if it was legit. All they see is making a quick $$$$ on a trend.
I find myself in full agreement with everything you say. However, especially as a teacher, it would behoove you not to get quite so angry and use vocabulary that is best left under your breath. You can't influence youngsters when you don't set an appropriate example. despite my words, I do understand your emotional reaction to this story and I must admit that under my breath I had a few words to say myself.
Respectfully yours,
Fred Speckmann
commonsenseforamericans@yahoo.com
If I may quote one Mr. Buggs. W. Bunny, when referring to said clueless manager... "What a maroon!" If they doesn't know what the Eagle, Globe and Anchor is, I know some nice folks downtown who would be happy to send him to this garden spot in North Carolina (or San Diego) for enlightenment! Good times (and memories) Guaranteed... ;)
Semper Fi, Captain.
Sarcasm is a wonderful use for the English language.
Fred Speckmann
commonsenseforamericans@yahoo.com
Bravo for your statements. I am an immigrant who arrived on these shores in december of 1959 after escaping from East Germany. Even before the wall was built you took your life in your hands when crossing the border. Even as a child I remember the VOPO's, (unformed police) and the secret police, coming aboard the subway before reaching west berlin and pulling people off the train. some were never seen again. When we arrived in the United States, we did our best to learn the language and become American. I've never used the term German American and would correct anyone who called me that to remind them that I am a United States of America citizen and proud to be so. I later joined the U.S. Marine Corps to fight communism in Vietnam.
I would remind you however that I've never heard a member of the Jewish Faith call themselves Jewish-American, nor have I heard any European use the hyphenated version.
Respectfully yours,
Fred Speckmann
commonsenseforamericans@yahoo.com
When the left started pushing multi-culturalism, it started a chain reaction which is destroying the dedication and pride of being an American... It has turned many into just citizens of the US instead of Americans.
Starting to remind me of cute little flower child girls standing outside military gates in 1970 calling returning vets baby killers and imperialist pig slaves.
That's what happens when political correctness has taken over our culture. It is surely time to take a stand and among many others, vote out the idiot congressman you mentioned. If you know his name and others like him, please post them on this site and send me a copy, please.
Of course I'm reasonably sure that list will start with Harry Read.
Fred Speckmann
commonsenseforamericans@yahoo.com
The Fortify & Unite Communities to Keep Veterans’ External Threats Secure Act (H.R. 1874) which was introduced on Tuesday, would require military veterans to register with the Department of Homeland Security and periodically “check-in” with a case officer, in addition to going door-to-door in their neighborhood to notify people nearby that they are a powder keg of post traumatic stress, alcoholism, murder, and hate just waiting to blow.
Read more at http://visiontoamerica.com/17303/lawmake...
This is the same idiot Congressman that was crying the blues a few weeks ago that congressmen don't make enough money and can't live on $140,000 plus. This clown definitely needs to get voted out and soon. furthermore a lot of veterans need to move in next to his house so that they can scare the hell out of this jerk.
Fred
But, hypothetically, if a marine walks into a restaurant with his badges --he gets to keep his jacket as far as I am concerned.
You are correct about the lack of thorough information, but that the manager couldn't tell the difference between several Marine Corp patches and gang patches is just absurd and shows bad judgment in choosing a manager on the part of the owner of that store.
Even gang bangers usually are smarter than to think those emblems are from rival gangs.
Fred Speckmann
commonsenseforamericans@yahoo.com
I did have the opposite happen a few times. I have an embroidered jean jacket that often the emblem covering the back of the jacket is mistaken for the Marine Corps when in fact it is a crest displaying the four house symbols for the Hogwarts School of Wizardry.
It is certainly possible that the story may be a fake, however, the reason it is of such repugnance to all vets and all decent people is that we now live in a society where these signs of disrespect are in fact common.
I read the story on RARE as well, but would remind you that if you want to debunk the story, then the responsibility to disprove lies on your shoulders. I have debunked several stories appearing on various websites over the years when I read a report that just didn't sound right. I encourage you to do whatever research to either prove or disprove the validity of this story.
I must also question your own claim regarding your experience of anyone who would mistake your jacket with the Hogwarts School of Wizardry being mistaken for Marine corps emblems. of course since there is no information as to when, where and witnessed by whom, it's impossible to prove it other than based on your own veracity.
Fred speckmann
commonsenseforamericans@yahoo.com
I don’t like stories that are meant to direct traffic to a website using faux-outrage. Is this one of those stories? Maybe, I really don’t know. The story didn’t provide the who, where, or when, so the stage is set. Let’s just leave it at that.
Our vets have enough real serious issues to deal with without being used as pawns for advertising purposes if that is the case. Our vets issues are more complex and overwhelming on scale than having to deal with some naive, under-educated Pizza Hut manager. My image of a marine doesn’t include behaving indignant over a small trifle. Should I lower my expectations? Of course if we were talking about a WW2 vet then the Pizza Hut manager should have had a clue the ex-marine probably wasn’t in a gang, and I will happily provide the marshmallows if someone wants to roast the idiot.
I still have the jacket.I didn’t get the mistake myself. It doesn’t look anything like the Marine Corp emblem. I guess I could post a shot later or something, but I suspect you weren’t really asking for more information; your intent was to be snarky. Right?
I'm with mimi on this. the story is heresay. the manager accused was not interviewed, the vets jacket not shown, etc. It reads weak. I'm not saying it didn't happen just as stated, but why so weak when it's probably quite easy to get down to the nitty gritty. Seems kinda smear Pizza Hut to me. My little kids were once asked to remove bandanas (red and blue) because they were gang colors. It's absurd. But then I never had gang related incidents happen around me where I was in charge of maintaining order for a business establishment. It's a weak story and a little bit of false outrage. It's not about disrespecting vets that I could see.
A public apology to the marine and to all veterans is called for in this situation by Pizza Hut corporate management.
Not only for their own benefit, but to make sure that such an incident will never happen again.
They deserve one chance to correct this, but only one.
fred Speckmann
commonsenseforamericans@yahoo.com
b) Only a sociopath takes pride in having been trained and deployed as a professional killer by an organization which derives all of its funding from violent extortion and fraud.
Same message as the one above applies to you, sir.
Fred Speckmann
commonsenseforamericans@yahoo.com
Jan, ex-Zoomie
That's a wise quote. But I don't see how a group of people can say they are protecting my freedom by forcing me to pay them to do so. How do I opt out?
Slogan of the modern Tea Party: "No taxation!"
Methinks the original tea partiers understood something the modern iteration doesn't...
BRILLIANT! :) (Discriminated against AND persecuted!...and Maph is part of it.)
Maybe you forgot to answer but if you need a refresher here is the link
http://www.galtsgulchonline.com/posts/6c...
That's different from the modern Tea Party, which just doesn't want to pay any taxes at all, regardless of whether they have any representation or not.
In short, the original Boston Tea Party was merely opposed to lack of representation, while the modern Tea Party is opposed to taxation itself.
You have your history correct but you miss your understanding of the present day Tea Party by a mile.
In fact one of the complaints of the Tea Party is that congress no longer represents them by continuously raising the debt and thereby clearly not representing the public in a responsible manner. I have never heard a Tea Party member stating that they are unwilling to be taxed, only not to excess and being ignored by the Congress.
Fred Speckmann
commonsenseforamericans@yahoo.com
Do you know much about the whiskey rebellion? From what I heard it's ironic that we had a revolution over taxes and then the newly formed government immediately put a 25% tax on whiskey.
You are correct as to the whiskey tax, but incorrect as to the difference between the two situations.
"No Taxation without Representation," ultimately was the spark that began the Revolutionary War. The whiskey tax was passed under the new national government with representation in the new Congress. perhaps it might have been a view into the future tax policires of this nation and it wasn't good.
Fred speckmann
commonsenseforamericans@yahoo.com
Anyway, I think there will always be a need for some kind of taxation. I can see a legitimate argument against a permanent income tax, but things like sales tax, capital gains tax, import duty taxes, etc., will always have a legitimate place in government.
You don't know what I understand, nor I you. If you think I am failing to see something feel free to bring it up, ask me what my thoughts are or what my position is. Try furthering the discussion instead of this tit for tat nonsense.
Since I don't know whom you were responding to and knowing that it wasn't me since I posted to you after your comment above, I would however remind you that responses can only be based on your own posts. If a point is not clear, it can be easily misunderstood and lead writers down a wrong path.
With few exceptions people seem to intend to further discussions and I believe it to be unfair of you to arbitrarily denying that fact.
I personally wished that in order to avoid this kind of confusion, a reference as to whom the response is directed would be included in these posts.
Thank you for your consideration,
Fred Speckmann
Really? I can not find that slogan as a universally adopted "plank". I find many others, but the only universal is the Acronym itself (TEA-Taxed Enough Already).
Respectfully,
O.A.
As a courtesy I have researched an "OPT out" Option for you.
http://travel.state.gov/content/travel/e...
I'm glad that you assert I have a right to believe what I want. I don't mind in the slightest that you disagree with my position. And you know what? I would never force you to support my position. I wish you would grant me that right, to ACT on my beliefs. As grateful as it must be for you to allow me to think what I like, it doesn't do me much good when you support the people who don't let me act on those beliefs.
Very well put, although I fear that it won't register with some of the people on this site.
Respectfully yours,
Fred Speckmann
commonsenseforamericans@yahoo.com
Have we really sunk so low in this once proud nation that military service in providing security for this nation and its citizens as the Constitution requires of the government is now equated with criminal gangs. If that's the case, then I fear for the future of this nation more than ever.
Fred Speckmann
commonsenseforamericans@yahoo.com