Thursday, July 29, 2010.

Military Provides Training On Extremists Preying on Servicemembers

October 5, 2009 posted by Robert L. Hanafin · 24 Comments 

uncle_sam_01 The military has been training service members on the dangers of right wing extremist groups, and how they may target service members and veterans, for years. That includes, yes, even under George W. Bush’s Pentagon." John Stolz, Iraq War Veteran

This is follow up to our article on a group that questions the constitutionality of our government to the extremes of recruiting active duty troops to take the Oath Keepers Oath that leads to the expectation that Our Troops disobey the orders of the duly elected civilian leadership in their Chain of Command.

We at Veterans Today make the assumption the Oath Keepers fits the definition of a right-wing group as used by DoD. It is up to DoD, the FBI, and Homeland Security NOT Veterans Today to determine if Oath Keepers warrants attention or not.

I don’t’ see eye to eye on all the positions taken by John Stotz, Co-Founder and Chair of VoteVets.org, and a young leader of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans community, especially his views on Afghanistan. However, I respect John’s views even if I don’t agree with all of them. That aside, when John or any other young Iraq and Afghanistan War Vet says something that makes common sense, who can argue with him?

Below is an extract of John’s reply to the American Legion when it demanded an apology from Homeland Security for an assessment that extremists groups prey on young Veterans. The truth be told at least one group that questions civilian authority over our military and that our government is ignoring the U.S. Constitution poses just such a threat by recruiting not only Veterans but moreso active duty Troops. We see nothing wrong with believing our government is not following the U.S. Constitution, even most of us at VT can agree with this notion, however recruiting our active duty troops against our government is not the way to fix the problem.

ROBERT L. HANAFIN
Major, U.S. Air Force-Retired     
Military Training On Extremists Preying on Servicemembers There was a big hubbub manufactured by the American Legion and Republicans surrounding the Department of Homeland Security finding that there is a possibility that returning veterans who were facing issues reintegrating into society could be recruiting targets for extremist groups.

rushlimbaugh_02The report makes no claim that veterans at large would seek out extremist groups, or would cause violence. It just makes the fairly logical conclusion that extremist groups who might be seeking to cause violence, but don’t have the skills, may seek out those who do have military training in addition to the usual profile of the types of people they seek out.

Well, that was it. The uproar from the right was fast and harsh:

"To characterize men and women returning home after defending our country as potential terrorists is offensive and unacceptable." – Rep. John Boehner R-Ohio.

"The department is engaging in political and ideological profiling of people who fought to keep our country safe from terrorism, uphold our nation’s immigration laws, and protect our constitutional right to keep and bear arms," Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla.

"You have a report from Janet Napolitano and Barack Obama, Department of Homeland Security, portraying standard, ordinary, everyday conservatives as posing a bigger threat to this country than al Qaeda terrorists or genuine enemies of this country like Kim Jong Il." – Rush Limbaugh

And, the American Legion chimed in with "outrage," especially that Timothy McVeigh was mentioned in the report. [Another Republican mouth piece. VT. Ed.]

"I think it is important for all of us to remember that Americans are not the enemy. The terrorists are." – David K. Rehbein, National Commander, the American Legion

Interestingly, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, which pretty much always is tied at the hip to the Legion, disagreed.

"The report should have been worded differently, but it made no blanket accusation that every soldier was capable of being a traitor like Benedict Arnold, or every veteran could be a lone wolf, homegrown terrorist like Timothy McVeigh. It was just an assessment about possibilities that could take place," said Glen Gardener, National Commander of the VFW.

So why the rare schism between the Legion and VFW here? Because the VFW, in this case, is acting like a reality-based organization.

I hate to break it to Republicans, and to the Legion (which knows this, or should), but the military has been training service members on the dangers of right wing extremist groups, and how they may target service members and veterans, for years. That includes, yes, even under George W. Bush’s Pentagon.

You can view Power Point presentations of these trainings here and here. (PowerPoint required)

For those who don’t have PowerPoint, here’s the gist of it.

The 2d Battalion, 46th Infantry warns its members:

"Soldiers are prohibited from active participation in organizations which promote supremacist causes, attempt to create illegal discrimination based on race, creed, color, gender, religion, sex or national origin, advocate the use of force or violence, or otherwise attempt to deprive individuals of their civil rights."

Geesh, you’d think that the military thought there could be a problem with service members being recruited by extremist groups which advocate violence, or something.

Another Army presentation lays out what it calls "Right Wing Ideology":

· America is in moral and religious peril

· Satanic forces are about to seize control of the world.

· Religions other than their own are false and not important.

• Anti-government [a lot of this going around since election of the first Black President].

In a slide shortly thereafter, the Army presentation uses Timothy McVeigh – specifically - as someone who bought into this ideology and used his military training to cause harm to his nation and his people.

Another Army presentation lays out what it calls "Right Wing Ideology":

· America is in moral and religious peril

· Satanic forces are about to seize control of the world.

· Religions other than their own are false and not important.

• Anti-government [a lot of this going around since election of the first Black President].

In a slide shortly thereafter, the Army presentation uses Timothy McVeigh – specifically - as someone who bought into this ideology and used his military training to cause harm to his nation and his people.

Oh my goodness, why does our Pentagon hate America and the military?!

The fact of the matter is, most military members and veterans – a vast majority – are good and decent people who only want to honor their nation. That’s never going to change. What’s also true is that extremist groups are always trying to infiltrate our ranks to get training, and if they cannot do that, they look for those out of the military who might be able to help them.

We who served in the military know it, which is why the military is constantly vigilant, and always training men and women to recognize extremists and keep away from them. The report from DHS says nothing new or different than what’s been said by the Armed Forces for years, with not so much as a peep from the Republicans or American Legion. The only thing new and different here is the [new] President. [A mixed race President at that. VT. Ed]

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jon Soltz, Co-Founder and Chair of VoteVets.org, 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.

Jon Soltz has quickly become one of the most authoritative voices on veterans issues and military issues. He has been interviewed by national outlets such as the Associated Press, Washington Post, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, TIME, Newsweek, among others, and in dozens of local outlets.

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24 Responses to “Military Provides Training On Extremists Preying on Servicemembers”
  1. Daniel Botsford says:

    Seriously, you have a fine site here. Why does your “comments section” operate like a “Flintstones” appliance? I’m going to give this one more try today.

    Mr. Hanafin,

    We share much in regards to Political Ideaology and I know we want many of the same things for our Country. I share your concerns for the elements of our society that “lean way over to the right”. I watched a show last night on Germany and what occurs when Fascism is allowed to florish.

  2. Daniel Botsford says:

    How a political idea can grow into a movement that causes Bakers and Bankers to murder their neighbors, start a World War and embrace the genocide of an entire segment of civilization is frighting indeed.

    I don’t think it is prudent to ostracize those segments of our society that are prone to embracing violence as a means to an end.

  3. Daniel Botsford says:

    The Oath Keepers organization clearly expresses its mission is to encourage all who take the oath to our Constitution to honor and obey that oath. It does not encourage anyone to disobey lawful orders.

    Time and time again at the end of WW2, the Soldiers of the German Army used the phrase “I was only following orders” to justify the most heinous crimes imaginable. To believe those crimes could never occur here is to be in denial of Human History. Indeed, Rwanda is the most recent example of the dark potential we Humans possess.

  4. Daniel Botsford says:

    I consider my membership in Oath Keepers as an exercise in balance. An opportunity to lend my perspective and add my voice to a growing chorus of Americans that love their country and want to see it ruled by laws not men.

    I voted for Obama. I don’t need four years to see he is not going to return our Nation to the rule of law nor perfom his duties in accordance with his oath of office. I see the extremist on the right capitalizing on that fact. We allow ourselves to remain divided at our own peril.

    • wendy says:

      Darn, the man just got in office – not even a year yet. My God, do you expect a miracle to happen in just a short year? It took 8 years to mess things up, but yet people expect the president to make all changes in a year?

    • Jim Doran says:

      This for Wendy.

      The bottom line is Bush didn’t break it, Congress broke it, you broke, and I broke it. By send people like Bob Byrd, Ted Kennedy and all of the other “do nothings” in the Senate and House back for term after term after term.

      Obama can’t fix it, no President can fix it. Only we can fix it and that’s by replacing the 435 people who bolloxed it up in the first place.

      BTW, I belong to Oath Keepers, too, and I agree with Dan’s statement.

    • KAsdrummergirl says:

      This is for Wendy, as well. Bush DID NOT cause the current situation. I agree with Jim Doran’s post: By re-electing the same candidates back to the House and Congress term after term is what has gotten us in our present situation. We only have ourselves to blame. I personally have decided to never again vote ANY representative in to office for more than 2 terms. If every voter would do this, we would have term limits imposed without Congressional approval/disapproval. The office of president is limited to 2 terms, why not limit our representatives to 2 terms?

    • Jim Starowicz says:

      Sorry to tell ya, to the two bush supporters, but cheney/bush, the Incompetence of their political appointee’s is still coming out as well as theirs, did hasten greatly what was already happening, and to Wendy it took more then 8years, the extreme right, coming out of reagan, were the ones in control in our congress, you don’t buy that, just check the Congressional Records, no ideology, no direction for country only for a twisted ideology, political and economic, obstruction across the board, It’s All In The Public Record!! That can really be seen with the cheney/bush administration and the their rubber stamp congress Especially as to Military and Veterans, not one mentioned a thing about enhancing the systems to handle the extreme rapid influx of damaged soldiers as they and the country, 75% support, beat the drums of the Wars/Occupations of Choice!! Nor were any, but us who saw what was coming, caring at all about the destruction of the ‘National Security’ as we created, now 8years later,tens of thousands of potential enemies to country and people by destroying and killing their own as well as trying to control them, your kids, grankids and great grankids are going to deal, destructively for all, with our failed policies for the next decades!! Once again research the Congressional Records of the past, especially for the recent, 108th and 109th, using this technology to educate not just whine especially doing so and showing no clue to what ideology for country you’re following!! You don’t just Vote, you stay active, and that doesn’t mean following the ideals that surpress You but by using that mass between those ears, if not already destroyed as you became a ‘cultist’!!!

    • Daniel Botsford says:

      Wendy its got nothing to do with fixing Bush’s mess.

      Among the troubling things I’ve witnessed in the early days of his administration is the use of “signing statements” to null legislation he disagrees with? Its a clear violation of the separation of powers the Constitution establishes. How about “Bank bailouts” with a complete lack of oversight, and the continuation of wars with no clear objectives or methods of financing?
      Precedent does not make objectionable behaviors of the past Constitutional. I want our country’s Constitution obeyed by all of our elected representatives and prosecution of those that haven’t or don’t. I don’t need more time to see he has no intention of doing that.

  5. The Blue Max says:

    Deliberately or by accident, this article is a DIVIDER and does not belong on a side dedicated to uniting Veterans to help Veterans in need.

  6. Freedom will never be Free says:

    Looks Like theft of FREEDOM in the Name of Banking, Looks like THEFT of Freedom in the Name of OBAMA, Looks like Theft of Theft FREEDOM in the name of a SOCALISTS COMMUNISTS NATZI GOVERNMENT NEW ORDER AGENDA. Americans and all Soldiers GET A CLUE. OUR CONGRESS has been invaded by the enemy, The American Government has and is still being INVADED BY enemys of the Constitution. The future is playing out faster now more then any other time in history of Planet Earth,This New agenda is directly out of science fiction “1984″ . Gather facts. Gather CLUES. TAKE TIME TO STRECH YOUR MINDS EYE, AND SEE WHAT IS COMMING. Fear that which goes against the origional Constitution.

  7. DA White says:

    Left and right, I think you are all idiots. I have taken oaths in my time, but they were of my own free will. Where do you get off talking about the right wing recruiting military personnel, do you think it is ok for the left wing to recruit. I think this is all bullshit and any soldier,sailor, marine, airman or member of the coast guard that cannot reason is not worth having anyway. All of you whining left wing, spoiled brats and the right wing chickenhawks make me sick. I will be glad when we get a viable third party.

    • Name a Left-Wing Group? says:

      "Do you think it is ok for the left wing to recruit"

      NOPE,

      In fact, DA name just one left-wing or any group opposed to the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars (and BTW not everyone opposed to these wasteful wars that led to a meltdown of the U.S. economy are left-wing) that has asked our troops to take any oath otherthan the one they did upon enlistment.

      I know of group who support those troops who resist redeployment over and over and over or try going to Canada, but I know of no group that encourages our troops not to redeploy or requires them take any Oath.

      If I did, I would not support them any more than I would Oath Keepers.

      BTW-when did you take your Oath to Oath Keepers?

      Major Hanafin

    • DA White says:

      I had never heard of oath keepers until some dumb ass airforce puke named hannifan came out with this stupid article. I took an oath when I joined the navy, I took an oath when I joined my union, I took an oath when I got married, I took an oath when I joined the Masons and I took an oath when I accepted Christ. So if this is classed as an oath keeper, then I am an oath keeper.

    • Tom Barnes says:

      DA White:

      You have been posting a long time on this website.  You know very well that personal attacks against a writer or commenter on this site are not allowed.  You have been warned by me personally at least twice about personally attacking any writer.

      I am now going to ask the editorial board to ban your IP.  You have gone too far.

      The normal rules for a high schoold debating team apply on this site.  One personal attack and you are out of the match.  You have lost.

      You have been given at least three chances that I am aware of.  I am now done with you and hopefull I can get you banned.

      CWO3 Tom Barnes, USCG (Ret.)

  8. Mike M. says:

    Wonder what happened to the Oath Keepers in Washington? Remember them? The fearless so-called leaders of our country that do the rich mans dirty work for so called campaign contributions to their cause which is to line their pockets and to hell with you and me. NAFTA , The UN, Trade deficits in the billions with China,No border security, Fighting two wars for as yet to be determined? Spending money we don,t have, No fiscal responsibility, Letting too many undesirables come in this country on a students visa, Then find out he plans to to commit Jahad on a bldg in Dallas. I wish you luck Oath Keepers!

  9. Corey Mondello says:

    Two points to ponder:

    Research which political party makes the most cuts in Veteran’s benefits, in protective armor for our active duty troops, within the last 40 years.

    HINT: Which takes the biggest dump, The Elephant or the Donkey?

    Check out this great organization:
    Military Religious Freedom Foundation – http://www.MilitaryReligiousFreedom.org

    • Thank you for says:

      mentioning the Military Religious Freedom Foundation. We need a secular military.

      Bobby Hanafin does us a tremendous service by posing questions asking for instance if the current oath that active duty troops take is sufficient to guarantee a secular, Constitutional role of the armed services. It is.

      Here’s the problem. And it’s from a different bunch of oath keepers, the rightwing dominionist Christians.

      Self-entitled rightwing, river-of-blood-for-Christ Christains see some God-inspired shit raining on agnostics, Jews, Democrats, and Greens, and they want to help rain down hell on the non-believers.

      If this were to happen in the presence of Bobby and most of the people here [whatever their political label], it’s clear action would follow.

      We don’t need the Oath Keepers. Our Constitution will do just fine, as Bobby says.

      It is the rightwing dominionist Christians who are the outlaws, what Ralph McGill called the "yapping feist pack" who self-consciously wish to change our armed forces into some obscene army for their version of Christ. These river-of-blood-for-Christ people have taken an oath far more insidious than the other oath keepers’.

      Check out Jeff Sharlet’s The Family and Chris Hedges’ American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War On America.

  10. Our Military Must Have Religious Neutrality says:

    Frankly, it is understandable that no one in Oath Keepers or supports Oath Keepers views are going to be happy with the exposure that those who still honor Oath take.

    Question for all you Congress haters out there, and I say that understanding why we hate Congress, but I can’t support your solutions.

    Who give U.S. military officers our commission the President of the United States or an Act of Congress? Who nominates cadets (Academy, ROTC, OTS, take your pick) for commissions, and who approves them.

    Yes, the answer is the President as Commander-In-Chief recommends each officer candidate to Congress for a Commission but Congress has the final approval authority. However, all that is nothing but symbolism to reflect what?

    Not only the U.S. Constitution we all took an Oath to but also the symbolic relationship between the executive and legislative branches of government as viewed by the Founding Fathers.

    If General Washington has wanted to be a King, hell he would have been a King – Period. He could have influenced Congress, yes Washington was also hell of a poltician into placing the small standing Army that the people preferred under total control of the President or whichever senior military officer served the executive branch.

    Washington could have established a dynasty, but he didn’t.

    The Office of the President of the United States is at the top of the executive branch, and there’s no requirement to be a Veteran or have had military service. In fact, out of all the President’s we’ve had very few have had military service, and those that did normally got elected through that service shortly after a war (Washington, Grant, Eisenhower come to mind, but there are of course others who exploited their military service to get elected, the debate over both John Kerry and John McCain using their military service as a poltical backdrop comes to mind, both unsuccessfully)

    However, the fact of the matter is that both the Constitution and our founding fathers (most of which made up the Congress not the Presidency) determined that instead of a monarchy (or anarchy) we would have a democracy.

    Though not perfect today, the key to that democracy today is the total civilian control of our Armed Forces by duly elected civilian authority. If that civilian authority happens to be a few Veterans that is nothing but coincidence for most Veterans have traditionally been apolitical, most likely to our own detriment as a warrior class.

    Regardless, even the military at least from the time that General Douglas McArther challenged the civil authority of Harry Truman, our military leadership has been taught and trained on the heavy price to be paid by military officers who challenge our elected leadership.

    Every top position at the Penagon, like it or not, is filled by a civilian, and not all are or have been military members. For every General and Admiral at the Pentagon there’s been a civilian boss they’ve reported to.

    This is not by accident but is part and parcel of civilian control of our military.

    For any outside group to encourage our military members, especially our officers to question civilian authority be it Commander-In-Chief Bush or Obama, Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld or Gates, or members of Congress (Repubican, Democrat, or wannabe Libertarian in Republican clothing) to the point of outright taking an Oath to question our government’s interpretation of the Constitution is more than ludicrous is violates the premise of democracy.

    They are asking our troops to challenge civil authority over them. What next take up arms to support their version of the Constitution against all others?

    Frankly, the federal government does not take groups like Oath Keepers as serious as it possibly should. Or does it?

    The Military Religious Freedom Foundation, which I’ve never heard of until recently, hit the nail on the head.

    Without really saying so, Corey Mondello notes what our military units are being told about EXTREMISTS, and this includes religious extremists.

    Don’t take our word for it just go to the official DoD traing slides.

    The 2d Battalion, 46th Infantry warns its members:

    "Soldiers are prohibited from active participation in organizations which promote supremacist causes, attempt to create illegal discrimination based on race, creed, color, gender, religion, sex or national origin, advocate the use of force or violence, or otherwise attempt to deprive individuals of their civil rights."

    What the U.S. Army defines as "Right Wing Ideology":

    · America is in moral and religious peril [religious extremism that not only comes from those who protest at Our Troops graves but use Chaplains to try converting troops to their religion is the only one or worse yet their Protestant version of Christianity is the only view taking the name of God in vain for their own political/relgious agenda. Major Hanafin's emphasis]

    · Satanic forces are about to seize control of the world. [most feedback we've received at Veterans Today in support of Oath Keepers takes the view that the Obama administration is composed of such Satanic forces - Oops!!! Major Hanafin's emphais]

    · Religions other than their own are false and not important. [Keep in mind that these criteria for avioding such extremists groups is not limited to Christian extremists but also to Muslims or anyother groups that uses religion to gain political momentum or to spin the U.S. Constitution in their favor or views. Major Hanafin's emphasis]

    Anti-government [a lot of this going around since election of the first Black President].

    Our military must have religious neutrality or the alternative is making regulations and laws that only Christians of a certain level of belief may enlist. Frankly, if that is the kind of military the entire American people want – HAVE AT IT.

    Then we can no shit call the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan what they really are CRUSADES without making no bones about it. However, keep in mind that a CRUSADE is nothing but a Christian extremists version of a JIHAD (wink).

    Suffice it to say that I’d have to take a closer look at Military Religious Freedom Foundation. [www.MilitaryReligiousFreedom.org]

    However, at first glance they appear to have more in common with the U.S. Constitution than Oath Keepers, and they are not asking our troops to take any Oath otherthan the one we are already happy with.

    My own personal opinion is that most of these groups, including the Minuteman Militia (an admitted right-wing militia movement) thrived under the Bush administration is it’s accesses and abuses of the Constitution.

    They FEAR that the Obama administration just may initiate a crackdown on militias ala the Clinton administration.

    However, my belief is that this is also nothing but that FEAR.

    Unlike the Clintion administration that had time on its hands and no distraction of deploying National Guard units to put down revolts in other lands so to speak, Clinton had time not only to dedicate federal law enforcement to such right-wing militias that gave us Timothy McVeigh.

    Frankly, I’m among those that believe Obama does not have the luxary or time to concentrate on cracking down on state level militia movements.

    My thoughts on those who FEAR the federal government is out to take our weapons away is thusly.

    Hunting season is about to begin in Ohio, hell my wife and I have seen folks out on farms and woodlands already preparing or getting in the mood -whatever.

    Name for us one just one federal, state, or local law endorcement agency that is making any move to take away hunters guns or collections during the first months of the Obama administration? Give us just one incident where a gun owner utilizing his right under the 2nd amendment (and not crossing the line) was harrassed by law enforcement for anyone outside of law endorcement does not have such a right.

    Yes, we’ve seen gun rights extremists with concerns about bans on automatic weapons, but my personal views on such bans are do you realize what an automatic weapon can do to a deer? What’s left wouldn’t be worth eating or admiring.

    Now if you resent law enforcement taking weapons staches away from gang members, drug dealers, or white or black extemists groups and wannabe National Gaurd units that need automatic weapons to out gun law enforcement, then these groups do not fall even within the 18th or 19th century definition of what state militias where.

    ROBERT L. HANAFIN
    Major, U.S. Air Force-Retired

  11. Jim Bridgens says:

    To Thank You For,

    Your generalizations about “right-wing” and “Christians” are tiresome. If all you can do is name-call you add nothing to the discourse.

    I speak from my military history which ended 29 years ago, so my view may not be up to date. When I was in the Navy, there was no religious indoctrination and no particular faith pushed. Has that changed?

    I followed Mr. Mondello’s link the MRFF site. They endorse religious freedom of the military, consistent with the Constitution. Personal secularism is constitutional; you’ve always had the right believe what you want. Forcing secularism on other people is not constutional.

    The only legitimate gripe I can see with the military oaths regarding religion is the phrase “so help me God.” In the Army, saying these words is optional. I do not believe any other branch would force a person to say them either, but have not researched far enough to know.

    From Lt Col Kenneth Keskel, at the web address: http://www.airpower.au.af.mil/airchronicles/apj/apj02/win02/keskel.html

    “So help me God became part of the officer oath in 1862, but the enlisted oath did not add these words until 1962. The Congressional Record provides superb insight into their meaning:
    The words, “So help me God,” are not a part of the obligation assumed upon taking the oath. They constitute rather an assertion of sincerity to undertake the duties of military service in good faith and with the aid of the highest power recognized by the enlistee. It is directed solely to his or her personal conception of the almighty, whatever that may be or whatever it may not be. There is no effort to impose on the enlistee any established religious conception, or even to require his acknowledgement of any religious conception. . . . For the vast majority of the persons taking the oath, however, this addition will assure a unique degree of personal conviction not otherwise attainable, and will thus prove a welcome source of both personal and national strength.40
    “Even atheists have a moral obligation from a societal perspective. One finds this concept as far back as 400 b.c., when Sun Tzu, in The Art of War, starts his first chapter with the statement “War is a matter of vital importance to the State. . . . Therefore appraise it in terms of five fundamental factors. . . . The first of these factors is moral influence.”41 Clearly, one of the greatest military minds of all time understood the moral implications of our actions and their importance for success.
    “So help me God also implies retribution if officers do not keep their word. Compare the part of the Soviet oath that ends with “If I break this solemn vow, may I be severely punished by the Soviet people, universally hated, and despised by the working people.”42 Although that is quite a condemnation, in actuality it is less severe than the potential consequences for someone who has a strong moral or religious foundation. So help me God acknowledges that no stronger commitment exists.43”

    So swear if you want, affirm if you want. What an oath stands for is what you make it. I swore my oath, and will continue to do so, So help me God.

    Like it or not friend, the constitution is a written contract between the people, and the states, to form a federal government, not between the federal government and the people and states. The Constitution allows for an orderly form of government. If followed, the best in the world. The Constitution does not tell the people what is allowed, it specifies what the federal is allowed, and not allowed to do.

    The Constitution has a method of making changes. If you don’t like the Constitution, lobby to change it through constitutional means, not through media and litigation, and not through the creep of secularism.

    Jim Bridgens
    Madison, Ohio

  12. Dennis Rick says:

    Oath Keepers? Who in hell are they? Never heard of them, some kind of secert cult, that kills goats and drinks their blood? Oath Keepers, don’t make me laugh and what oath have you broken today, I bet at least one.

    Hey Oath Keepers you better check out your Democrat Liberal Congress and the Oath they are breaking as we speak, They have not right under the Constitution to create this Health Form they are doing right now, it is breaking it..go ahead check it out dummies…

    AS a matter of fact I saw a news media ask a democrat congressman about it, he reply, ha, thats just one that we break there is a lot more going in there then you may know concerning breaking the constitution.

    So go get them “Oath Keepers” Go get get your own, I bet you won’t.

    God this site is so funny, I read it and laugh everyday, its a trip…keep up with the lies, you all Oath Keepers are doing “SUCH” a good job…hahahahahahahaha.

  13. Steve says:

    I consider myself an educated man with more or less moderate ideas but of course depending on the issue. I do see this though, it is necessary to report the news whether pro left or pro right and often times I see the news media report pro left issues and candidates and slam the right whether true or partly true. However, in listening to Beck, Hannity and Limbaugh, I see atheir share of distortion also and find their constant slamming of the Democrats rather sickening. On the issue above, its interesting that ex seals, special forces, paramarines, rangers or whatever, that leave the military and drive in Iraq, they are not allowed to carry guns. Seems the military doesn’t care what their records of weapons are and puts them out on their own. It seems this doesn’t mix but perhaps I am wrong.

  14. NOT FROM THE ROOFTOPS says:

    Like it or not friend, the constitution is a written contract between the people, and the states, to form a federal government, not between the federal government and the people and states. The Constitution allows for an orderly form of government. If followed, the best in the world. The Constitution does not tell the people what is allowed, it specifies what the federal is allowed, and not allowed to do. The Constitution has a method of making changes. If you don’t like the Constitution, lobby to change it through constitutional means, not through media and litigation, and not through RIGHT-WING,RIGHT-WING EXTREMISTS,UNAUTHORIZED MILITIAS,MILITIAS,NOT NATIONAL GUARD [s942.photobucket.com]

    ROBERT L. HANAFIN
    Major, U.S. Air Force-Retired

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Important Information for Veterans: Asbestos products were often used on military ships and within military housing, and Veterans may have been exposed. Previous exposure to asbestos is the only known cause of mesothelioma, a fatal cancer that has no cure and affects countless Veterans and loved ones. For more information regarding military asbestos exposure visit Mesothelioma.com
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