War Is The Obscenity - Anti-War Vets Drop Banner at Newseum

[kas125]

Run time: 09:38 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5SQUV1rbdE   Posted on YouTube: October 02, 2010 By YouTube Member: ebecker2000 Views on YouTube: 25   Posted on DU: October 02, 2010 By DU Member: kas125 Views on DU: 573

 

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. True heroes

I just love these guys.

[kas125]

2. I agree, and I love them, too. Many of the best people I know

are members of VFP, including my 81 year old father.

[JohnyCanuck]

3. K&R n/t

[annm4peace]

4. Veterans response to those who object to the word Fucking

I wanted to appreciate and thank everyone who took part in this vivid expression of our anger and disgust at wars and occupations being waged in our names with our tax dollars. I think we have opened another important door in the effort to end war and to end the economic system based on war, war machinery, enormous corporate profit at great cost and loss to the people of this world.

Perhaps a small, overly cautious, timid minority of the anti-war, peace movement may object to our use of the word "fucking" but to the vast majority it comes as a welcome, much needed expression of public anger over that which is profane and obscene in the deadliest sense. The time for timid, tepid, civil and polite responses to mass murder should have been over long ago. What we have said and expressed is really still mild.

This government, this vile, despicable, inhuman, brutal, goddamn stinking fucking (O.K. words fail me) militaristic, corporate system is destroying the people, animals, environment of this scared planet and some people are worried about the use of the "f" word? Children are being orphaned, maimed, killed.

Why are not the American people doing a hell of a lot more to end these wars, to bring justice and peace and end these murderous wars? That's what I want to know! Why are we not storming the houses of corporate government in mass and demanding peace and not leaving until we get it? That's what I want to know? And some people are worried about the "f" word? Give me a break. Thank all of you for standing up in no uncertain terms for peace. It's an honor to just be around all of you.

I think, "Mr. Obama: End These Fucking Wars! War is the Obscenity" is a significant, important message, even a breath of fresh air, so to speak, put out by individual members and I hope VFP National will be damn fucking proud to stand by it.

Mike Hearington, myself, Bruce Berry, Ellen Davidson, Nate Goldshag, Ward Reilly and Carol from Texas carried the smaller "End These Fucking Wars" banner and VFP flag throughout the entire One Nation rally and people loved it. Hundreds of people made us stop so they could take a picture. Literally tens of thousands of people saw that message live today and then we went to the White house carrying it all the way to take pictures there. Ellen will send some pics out soon to all of you.

Here's the excellent video by Eddie Becker, who we all especially thank.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5SQUV1rbdE

And Sandy Kelson couldn't be there with us, but his support, consul and current commentary was invaluable and is deeply appreciated. For those who may not have seen it, here's Sandy's latest inspired commentary below.

Peace, Solidarity and gratitude,

Tarak

[annm4peace]

5. another Vet for Peace responds

I am for civility, a tactic for change, and I am for the Fuck Banner too, another tactic for change, and I do not think they are in conflict, they are complimentary. The Fuck banner is an effort to get results. Tell me what results the peace mvmt has gotten with the tactic of civility. Tell me, have we had any results from writing letters to elected non-representatives or lobbying them or voting for them? Have we won any substantive successes by writing editorials, holding vigils, making presentations, working and voting for candidates like Obama, and peaceful and polite demonstrations? Look at Obama orchestrating killing and destruction on an industrial scale but, thankfully, he does it so civilly. He is such a polite man.

My understanding of the American political system is that it is controlled by powerful elites who give up nothing without a struggle. Civility is a tactic of our struggle. It has been used since the beginning of the Republic. Pray tell, what has been won by mere civility? Whatever average people have won has involved much more than the use of the tactic of civility. Whatever workers enjoy came about by aggressive union struggles, some struggles involving deaths. If you think American elites would never do to the American worker what they did in the 1850s through the beginning of WWII please think again. This time they are using foreign workers at slave wages while simultaneously disciplining American workers, not only with unfair and oppressive employment conditions, but with mass unemployment. They took the jobs overseas to gain larger profits with the help of USG taxpayer subsidies. But this was and is being done under law and with civility. The millions of Americans who are suffering below the poverty level, not able to afford the necessities of life, do so civilly. The war budgets are submitted and passed in Congress with civility. The arms manufacturers and their employees manufacture weapons and deliver them to the wars with civility. We pay our taxes used to kill on a grand scale with civility. Many German Jews congregated in the town square civilly when order to do so for that last train ride.

What, objective success has VFP accomplished with all its civility such that it is a tactic lauded so?

The Right, it seems, will garner measurable results this election through the use of the tactic of great incivility. Is the fight to see who is more civil or is it to get objective results, like the end of militarism? Can the Right win results, like electing the most radical fascist types, while the Left claims winning because we are so very civil, such polite ladies and gentlemen? I think one of the worst attributes of Americans is being civil in the face of the greatest incivilities being done in our names, albeit done so very politely, done under law. You know, we no longer execute people barbarically by drawing and quartering. We do it civilly by lethal injection. Oh, civility is such a soothing drug.

It puts us to sleep. I guess if we see one of our children being raped we will just civilly interrupt the effort, you know, maybe a tap on the rapist's shoulder and mouth a weak, polite, 'Excuse me, sir, but...' Is there occasion to act uncivilly? If not now, when? If not now, how about when we are being asked, oh, oh, so politely, by people with guns, to get into the cattle car? Who educated and socialized us to remain civil while our handlers are closet barbarians? What a great tactic. Let me get out my paper and pen and beseech my child's rapist to please cease and desist.

If we wish to win, we must use other tactics, too. Tactics like our forefathers used in the labor struggle. Tactics like used by the antiwar protestors during the 60s. Tactics like the civil rights activists used. Yes, of course, the means we use are important. Nonviolence seems to be a correct tactic but that does not mean we do not use more aggressive tactics. Tactics that were labeled in the 60s by the elites as a crises in democracy and excess democracy. Or is the risk too great, especially for those of us who live so very comfortably in the sea of such injustice, injustice that contributes to our physical comfort? Maybe only civilly objecting, a fairly safe activity (so far), may not be effective to make change but maybe it makes us feel so very good and proud about ourselves without personal suffering or risk?

This bemoaning the use of the word FUCK shows how unrealistic we are considering the nature of what is happening, what we are opposing, what we want to create. We need much more aggressive tactics or all we will win is the satisfaction that we acted civilly. What has VFP in 25 years accomplished? What measurable successes have we wrought?

I always hear us say things like, Well maybe we reached one or two people and you never know what they may accomplish some day because we reached them. We often say so happily, We got that crowd thinking. No, I am not asking about that type of accomplishment. I want to know what war did VFP shorten. What war did we stop? Even, I ask, about much lesser accomplishments than those. What are they? Or, we must ask, whether accomplishments are not the real goal. Maybe we like doing what we do and maybe we feel so much better, superior even, because we are so civil in our tactics. Are we mostly just masturbating? Ooops, forgive me for the reference to another sexual act.

Thank all of you who engaged in the Fuck Banner Drop. I was not there personally but I gave them comfort, support and legal advice. All within the purview of VFPs pledge to act in the best interest of the organization.

Sanford Kelson