I keep reminding people that yes we demonstrated against the Vietnam War but....we demonstrated almost every day and on weekends for YEARS before the tide of public opinion changed. In other words consistency over time is our best strategy! Be an obstacle, throw sand in the gears, keep pushing back to slow down the machine, keep showing up, speaking up, calling up, and never give up.
I do not have a solution or a good answer for you or anyone here today. I can tell you of the past and what we were thinking.
In 1971. I left the Marine Corps as a Sergeant after three years. Full court press to get me to stay. Instead, I told my Master Sergeant and C.O., I was going to NYC to see about a pretty girl (in so many words). And that was 54 years ago.
I was with 10th Marines then and we were kept on base at Lejeune some weekends to make sure the protests in Washington D.C, did not get serious. We were trained over a couple of weeks in crowd control. No live rounds. Just M14 and a sheathed bayonet.
We did not have a mad man in the presidency then either. He knew when to leave. We had a Congress that would react to a nation's needs instead of being a bunch of followers. We lack such a Congress today.
I can not believe the Federal troops sitting in LA are thinking any different than we did. The same holds true for the National Guard whose neighbors may be in the protesting crowd. However, the rioters are a far different beast. The Gov. and the Mayor could handle this.
Congress needs to get off their butts whether Republican or Democrat. The go-fetch-leader in the House "Mikie" Johnson needs to leave. There is so much wrong in Congress which can easily be corrected if they start to show some backbone and resist.
I read the carpetbagger Mike Rogers has returned to Michigan to be a Senator. That would be the worst thing to happen to Michigan. An instant follower.
I demonstrated during the Vietnam years and will do so today, but not without a modicum of fear.
yup. Goes with the territory
I keep reminding people that yes we demonstrated against the Vietnam War but....we demonstrated almost every day and on weekends for YEARS before the tide of public opinion changed. In other words consistency over time is our best strategy! Be an obstacle, throw sand in the gears, keep pushing back to slow down the machine, keep showing up, speaking up, calling up, and never give up.
Jack:
I do not have a solution or a good answer for you or anyone here today. I can tell you of the past and what we were thinking.
In 1971. I left the Marine Corps as a Sergeant after three years. Full court press to get me to stay. Instead, I told my Master Sergeant and C.O., I was going to NYC to see about a pretty girl (in so many words). And that was 54 years ago.
I was with 10th Marines then and we were kept on base at Lejeune some weekends to make sure the protests in Washington D.C, did not get serious. We were trained over a couple of weeks in crowd control. No live rounds. Just M14 and a sheathed bayonet.
We did not have a mad man in the presidency then either. He knew when to leave. We had a Congress that would react to a nation's needs instead of being a bunch of followers. We lack such a Congress today.
I can not believe the Federal troops sitting in LA are thinking any different than we did. The same holds true for the National Guard whose neighbors may be in the protesting crowd. However, the rioters are a far different beast. The Gov. and the Mayor could handle this.
Congress needs to get off their butts whether Republican or Democrat. The go-fetch-leader in the House "Mikie" Johnson needs to leave. There is so much wrong in Congress which can easily be corrected if they start to show some backbone and resist.
I read the carpetbagger Mike Rogers has returned to Michigan to be a Senator. That would be the worst thing to happen to Michigan. An instant follower.
I totally agree -- and admire your courage!
Semper fi, y'all
Jack
Oh Jack:
It takes no courage to talk. It takes courage to do.
And you did