Melanie Morgan is a Complete and Total MorAn!

[Vyan]

As highlighted tonight as Keith Olbermann's latest "Worst Person in the World" KSFO host Melanie Morgan has attacked Votevets head John Soltz for violating a completely made up Military Rule.

Click Here for MP3.

In her rant, Morgan was responding in support of criticizm that Soltz received on Hardball on his status as a reservist ...

Watch it:

As noted by Media Matters:

Melanie Morgan called VoteVets.org chairman Jon Soltz "a hypocrite and a liar" for criticizing Army Sgt. David Aguina's appearance in uniform at a YearlyKos convention panel but using a picture of himself in uniform on the VoteVets.org website and engaging in political activism while serving in the Army Reserve, which Morgan called "a violation of the U.S. Military's Uniform Code of Military Justice."

Actually to be fair here, Media Matters actually corrects Morgan's mistake. It would have been a least slightly more correct to criticizm Soltz for violating the "Uniform Code of Military Justice" but Morgan didn't do that - she said this.

RODGERS: Now, Mel can put it into context. This happened on, what, that Chris Matthews scream-fest, is that it?

MORGAN: Yeah, it happened last night. The producers of Hardball invited Jon Soltz on. Jon Soltz is this individual who says that he -- tells everybody he has the absolute moral authority to denounce the war in Iraq because he's an Iraqi war veteran. He's actually a reservist, and he has no business -- well, he's in violation of the United States Marine Corps Code of Justice by making these kinds of outrageous political and partisan statements.

Hello, Melanie - the there is no United States Marine Corps "Code of Justice"!

Point number two - Jon Soltz isn't a Marine, he's a Captain in the U.S. Army.

Jon Soltz is a leader of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans community and is originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. From May to September 2003, Soltz served as a Captain during Operation Iraqi Freedom, deploying logistics convoys with the 1st Armored Division. During 2005, Soltz was mobilized for 365 days at Fort Dix New Jersey, training soldiers for combat in Afghanistan and Iraq. He also served his country with distinction in the Kosovo Campaign as a Tank Platoon Leader between June and December 2000. Soltz is a graduate of Washington & Jefferson College with dual degree in Political Science and History. He has completed graduate work at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and International Affairs.

Ok, that's two strikes - and for number three the core point Melanie was trying to make is that Soltz is a hypocrite for critizing Sgt Aguina when he himself is shown on the VoteVets website in uniform.

Well, he is - but...

Although there is a rule that states that members of the U.S. Military are prohibited from engaging in political activity while in uniform -that rule is part of the UCMJ (Uniform Code of Military Justice), but that rule does not apply to photographs.

j. Wearing Army uniforms is prohibited in the following situations:

(1) In connection with the furtherance of any political or commercial interests, or when engaged in off-duty civilian employment.

(2) When participating in public speeches, interviews, picket lines, marches, rallies, or public demonstrations, except as authorized by competent authority.

(3) When attending any meeting or event that is a function of, or is sponsored by, an extremist organization.

(4) When wearing the uniform would bring discredit upon the Army.

(5) When specifically prohibited by Army regulations.

The above is exactly what Soltz was trying to tell Sgt Aguina when the latter attempted to make a statement at the YearlyKos convention while in Uniform. This wasn't simply an attempt by Soltz to stop Aguina from speaking - he did speak and was able to argue vehemently that the "Surge is Working"even though it's like - NOT - it was a warning that the Sgt was putting himself in jeopardy simply by being at the convention in uniform and that any political statments - whether pro or con the proceedings - might get the Sarge in extremely hot water, just as it had previously happened to two marines who attended an anti-war protest.

Two of the members of IVAW (Iraq Veterans Against the War), Adam Kokesh and Liam Madden are facing hearings by the Marine Corps for their protest attire. But if you read David Montgomery’s article, Antiwar to the Corps, in the Washington Post, you would think that the Marines were attempting to silence an anti-war voice. Not only did Montgomery miss the entire reason for the hearings, but he overlooked a few facts in his reporting.

Montgomery gave the background of the case...

In a case that raises questions about free speech, the Marines have launched investigations of three inactive reservists for wearing their uniforms during antiwar protests and allegedly making statements characterized as "disrespectful" or "disloyal."

Ultimately Kokesh had his honable discharge downgraded for his participation in the rally.

As far as being able to participate in politics while being a reservist, without being in uniform, if Soltz can't do it neither can several members of Congress.

In fact, military law does not prohibit reservists from engaging in political activities. Indeed, several members of Congress are members of the U.S. military reserve, including Rep. Stephen Buyer (R-IN), a colonel in the Army Reserve; Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), a colonel in the Air Force Reserve; and Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL), a Naval Reserve intelligence officer.

Rep Buyer even has a pictures of himself in uniform on his Congressional website!!

So much for the "inappropriate picture hypocrit" issue.

Aguina in his own counter attack on Soltz in Pajamas Media claimed of Soltz that ...

he’s in violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice Article 88 which says no commissioned officer can criticize a government official.

Except that that rule only applies to officers who are "on duty" which Soltz isn't right now even as a reservist. He also claimed that Soltz violated..

Article 91," he said, forbids a commissioned officer from criticizing a non commissioned officer, and behaving in the "condescending" manner in which he was treated.

Except that that rule only applies to subordinant non-coms, not to officers criticizig a Sergeant.

I know right-wingers have problems with y'know - the truth - but this is a clear-cut case of standard wing-nut socio-pathological delusion, only seeing what they want to see, not the facts.

"Liberals are Bad, mm'kay?!"

According the Moran's like Morgan, "they're bad when their in uniform, they're bad when their out of uniform - they don't even have to actually be liberal, they're bad simply for disagreeing with us and "hurting the troops" - particularly when THEY ARE THE TROOPS!

Fact is, the only person who violated the UCMJ in the dustup between Soltz and Aguina - was Aguina. And the more right-wingers keep opening their yaps about Yearlykos and Dailkykos - especially without knowing what the frack their talking about - the more important and powerful they make both of them.

Vyan

[wryter2000]

1. They really support the troops, huh?

As opposed to liberals who are always trashing the troops.

[Sparkly]

8. Precisely -- and they're all such experts, too. nt

[Eurobabe]

2. She's just a dumb bitch

there I said it, I don't care what the PC police say. She's Ann Coulter in a pantsuit.

[truebrit71]

6. Agreed. A total waste of air...

.

[SoFlaJet]

3. and of course

so is her MOMA

[underpants]

4. Excellent work Vyan

You covered all the bases. Well done.

[calimary]

5. Hey, melanie, why don't you put your botoxed face and your collagen'd bumper

lips on the line and go enlist?

Or do you feel safer and more comfortable sitting in the Monday-morning quarterbacking easy chairs with the rest of the chickenhawks?

Put up, or SHUT UP.

[Stephist]

7. Like all good conservative values gals

She gave berth at the black jack table.

[TomInTib]

9. Life is wonderful. KSFO called me about an hour and a half ago.

I am running the coolest little art festival in the country.

www.tiburonartfestival.com

They called and asked if we would like to run some spots next week.

I got the ad woman's email address and told her to check her email as I was sending her something right away (having seen this post a few hours ago). In my email I added that I would never advertise with them as long as that woman had a job there. I, too, am a combat vet and found what she said absolutely outrageous. I also added that I was on the Economic Development Council here in Belvedere/Tiburon (94920, the highest per capita income ZIP in the US) and I would do everything in my power to insure that no one that I deal with would do business with KSFO.

Then some asshat who works there called me back and said he was sorry that I was so offended by her comments which were "taken out of context" and they would like to do a PSA regarding the festival.

I told him that I would have to think about it and maybe call him on Monday.

Fuck 'em.

Tom

[Vyan]

13. Heh...

That's like the coolest thing I've heard all year. Seriously.

She was not "taken out of context" she was regurgitating a bunch of propaganda that started on Pajamas Media, worked it's way though Michelle Malkin on The Factor and finally spewed itself onto the SF Airwaves.

Garbage in - Garbage out.

Vyan

[Hieronymus]

16. Thanks for refusing to advertise with them and stating why.

[Az_lefty]

10. Melanie's trying to be the next mAnn Coulter. I's all about $$$$

[Hieronymus]

15. Melanie is a conservative host in San Francisco .. consequently, she'll do or say

anything for publicity.

[Doctor_J]

11. Well what does that make people who listen to her

and post yards-long dispatches from her?

[0007]

12. Ol' Hot Lips doing the Tokyo Rose thing again, 'eh?

[Hieronymus]

14. Yes, I saw that on Countdown and promptly sent her an email ...

she's a nutcake, who'd as soon lie as tell the truth. Obviously.

[JoeySoCal]

17. Thank you SO much for this.

I fucking hate that lying treacherous superficial collagen-lipped lip-gloss-dripping hack-of-an-individual troop-betraying.........

And if it weren't out of respect for the possibility that she is the mother or spouse of an actual troop (I don't know her background) I would really tell you what I think of her.

Sick, truly a sickening sight to behold.


GO JON SOLTZ and ADAM KOKESH and all the rest! We are behind so completely.

[Brick]

18. Melanie Morgan...

First of all, I want to say thanks for bringing up the fact that Melanie Morgan is a cold and vicious "morAn!"

There really isn't any rhyme or reason to her madness. Every time I see her on "Hardball" or whatever... I find myself getting terribly angry. I have never seen an ultra right wing conservative (radio talk show host) more at their worst. Of course, there is her fellow S.F. dweller, Michael Savage. They may very well be in a dead heat.

I've actually gone as far as E-mailing "Hardball" to tell them that Melanie Morgan has absolutely nothing productive to add to any discussion (unless it's about her publicly disclosed past). They ask her a question; they get the same old song and dance. So... Where is she so qualified to speak her warped mind? She only appears to stir up animosity.

I am writing about this now because of a recent appearance of MSNBC's Hardball. When asked about Dick Cheney's recently rediscovered 1994 (about the unpractical invasion of Iraq) comment that was found on YouTube, her answer was completely evasive. The end was priceless! She pulled the plug at the end of the show! LOL!

I'll need to get a transcript after I cool down. I simply needed to vent for the now.

Thanks for reading!

Brick