Gentleman Agitator

BILLBOARDS BY THE FREEWAY OF LIFE / Common Sense

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Woman Kept Off American Airlines Plane For Offensive Shirt, Wins Stinky Sandwich Award

via www.huffingtonpost.com

"An unidentified woman claims that shemissed her American Airlines flight because staff found her choice of clothing offensive, according to the blog RH Reality Check.

That's because it bore the statement: "If I wanted the government in my womb, I'd f--k a senator." The slogan first appeared on a sign at a rally in Oklahoma in February. Oklahoma Sen. Judy McIntyre (D)famously posed with the sign, telling The Huffington Post, "I saw a sea of signs that caught my eye, but this one in particular -- I loved its offensive language, because it's just as offensive for Republicans of Oklahoma to do what they're doing as it relates to women's bodies. I don't apologize for it.""

American Airlines did the right thing. The shirt was offensive, not because of its message, but because of the way it was presented. At the Huffington Post one commentor asked, "So the next time I get on a plane and some s***kicker with a confederate flag t-shirt hanging over his gut comes strolling down the aisle, I can demand he be removed?"

I would want it removed, but it is up to the captain. I would want it removed because to many, the image of the stars and bars, while having historic significance from the Civil War, it is often used as a symbol of hate. For too many the stars and bars are a symbol that is the same as the "f" word in their message to African-Americans, Jews, Catholics, or the whole world. This woman's shirt was also an example of how low the discourse is in this society. She gets my Stinky Sandwich Award.

Italian striker intentionally misses last-minute penalty, from Yahoo! Sports

 

 

"The Coppa Italia Dilettanti may not be the most glamorous competition in Europe — it's contested by amateurs — but the tie between Torres and Unione Sportiva Termoli has thrown up an unusual guilt-induced last-minute penalty miss. Leading the match 1-0 (3-2 on aggregate), Termoli was given a dubious 90th-minute penalty when Vittorio Esposito went down in the box without being touched. Having been undeservedly awarded a spot kick, Esposito's conscience got the better of him when he stepped up and made absolutely no attempt to put the ball in the net."

via sports.yahoo.com

 

I am glad to find some really good sportsmanship left in the world. I see many times when in American sports, players and coaches think nothing of running up the score on their opponents. Here the player, not only did not run up the score, he knew that the penatly called was not even the correct call. Bravo, Vittorio! Bravo!

General Wesley Clark to Chair Dropout Prevention Program

Wes Clark, 2004 candidate for President and retired four-star general in the United States Army is one of the pilliars of my principles.

via www.prweb.com

"Dallas, TX (PRWEB) March 06, 2012

The Dropout and Truancy Prevention Network (DTPN), a program that provides an innovative solution for aggressively tackling chronic truancy and the dropout crisis, using Wounded Warriors and others with physical challenges as mentors for at-risk students, announced today that it has named General (Ret.) Wesley K. Clark as its Chairman.

“We are privileged and honored to have General (Ret.) Wesley K. Clark as our Chairman,” said Peter A. Gudmundsson, CEO and President of DTPN. “General Clark is one of the nation’s most distinguished retired military officers and shares DTPN’s passionate dedication to providing at-risk youth with the positive adult guidance and lifestyle accountability support they need to make better choices about school attendance. As Chairman, General Clark will use his experience as a national leader to bring attention—and provide a solution—to the national epidemic of high school drop outs that afflicts most urban and many rural school districts. We look forward to his contributions to our mission to save lives by keeping children in school.”

General Clark said, “Truancy is a national epidemic that can be addressed successfully through innovative solutions. I look forward to bringing the DTPN solution to school districts, government entities and foundations. I recognize the value of teaming some of America’s greatest, our Wounded Warriors, to serve as phone-based mentors/coaches.”

Well respected by national, state, and local leaders, General Clark is known for his lifetime of achievement in government service both in and out of uniform. During his thirty-three years of service in the United States Army, he held numerous staff and command positions, served in Vietnam, and rose to the rank of 4-star general and NATO Supreme Allied Commander. Now in the private sector, General Clark is chairman and CEO of Wesley K. Clark & Associates, a strategic advisory and consulting firm, serves on the boards of several private corporations and non-profit organizations and comments regularly on politics, diplomacy and public affairs.

About The Dropout and Truancy Prevention Network: 
The Dropout and Truancy Prevention Network (DTPN) provides innovative and progressive solutions for aggressively tackling chronic truancy and the dropout crisis. By combining location verification technology and the involvement of committed and concerned mentor/coaches, DTPN programs are highly successful at combating truancy, dropout rates and boosting daily enrollments. DTPN's flagship program is called the Right Back on Track Mentoring Program ("RBT"), which operates with human nature and student behavior in mind by providing structure and accountability. DTPN has conducted successful programs in Baltimore, Las Vegas, New Orleans, Chicago, South Carolina, Arizona, and Oklahoma. Web address: http://www.dtpnetwork.com http://www.dtpnetwork.com. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter at @DropoutTruancyP. 
Contact at Wesley K. Clark & Associates is Mary Lee Smith at 501-244-9522 ."

 

"Maybe what America needs is a Unity Party" - Gov. Buddy Roemer on The Rachel Maddow Show

via www.youtube.com

Reporter Faces Backlash for Teen Drinking Story, from CBS News and WUSA-TV

via www.cbsnews.com

I completely support Andrea McCarren's reporting on this topic. We really see the state of our society when we see parental behavior such as this. It is the vast majority of the society accepting this behavior. It knows no political, economic, racial or other boundaries­. There is no moral high ground and it is a black spot on our nation.

THE ORIGINAL STORY FROM WUSA-TV

 

The CBS Morning News interview with Andrea McCarren of WUSA-TV in Washington, D.C.

 

WUSA Follow Up Story:

 

Simon Laham: Defending Sin with Science

In pimping, errrrr, I mean promoting his book, "The Science of Sin," in Huffington Post essay, writer Simon Laham writes, "....Are you a sinner? The simple fact is that we all sin (or rather 'sin'), and we do it all the time. But fear not: the seven deadly sins aren't as bad for you as you might think.

This is the message of my new book, The Science of Sin [Three Rivers Press, $14.00]. Over the course of seven chapters, I take each of the deadly sins and review classic as well as cutting edge psychological research that highlights the upside of these allegedly mortal vices...."

Agitating at Huffington Post I commented on the essay this way,

"“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial­. I have the right to do anything”—­but not everything is constructi­ve." 1 Corinthian­s 10:23

Please. Saying that sin has an upside is like saying taking heroin has an upside. Yes, scientific­ally we can say that the chemicals produce a euphoric feeling for the user, for a brief time. Indulged in over time, heroin will destroy a person and often the lives those around them. We are all sinners, but their is ultimately nothing good about it for our minds, bodies or souls. That is why Jesus died, to save us from sin. Even knowing that does not give me license to sin at will without consequenc­e.

Life should be about striving to not sin. We should not be celebratin­g it, or making it seem like it is not so bad. I would say that whether you believe in God or not. Believing that the big seven are some how good for you is foolish. It is like saying that Al Capone, who probably indulged notably in all seven, and yet gave lots to the poor, made him a good guy. Also, science cannot be used as a shield to hide behind for immoral behavior. That is a misuse of science. Oh, and by the way, saying you offer "cutting edge" research is a horrible cliche that makes you sound questionab­le."

via www.huffingtonpost.com

Simon Laham wins my Stinky Sandwich Award:

MARINES USING "SS" IMAGERY SHAME VETS AND OFFEND THE JEWISH PEOPLE, from CBS News

via www.cbsnews.com

(CBS/AP)  

Updated at 12:45 p.m. ET, February 10, 2012

SAN DIEGO - A leading Jewish organization and others outraged by a photo showing Marine snipers in Afghanistan posing with a logo resembling a notorious Nazi symbol are demanding President Obama order an investigation and hold the troops accountable.

On Friday, a Pentagon spokesman said Defense Secretary Leon Panetta asked the Marine Corps to "look into" the picture.

"Racist and anti-Semitic symbols have absolutely no place alongside the men and women of America's armed forces," Pentagon press secretary George Little said in a statement to CBS News. "Secretary Panetta has asked the Marine Corps to look into this matter and to take appropriate action."

The Marine Corps has said it does not plan any discipline because there was no malicious intent. The Marines mistakenly believed the "SS" in the shape of white lightning bolts on the blue flag were a nod to sniper scouts — not members of Adolf Hitler's special unit that murdered millions of Jews, gypsies and others, said Maj. Gabrielle Chapin, a spokeswoman at Camp Pendleton, Calif...."

My commentary: I have had family and a friend in the Corps so this is no slight to them. However, the Corps and the Defense Secretary would be foolish if disciplinary action were not taken.

If those Marines involved are still in the corps, they should be met with nothing less than immediate court marital. They should have to meet with still living WWII vets and explain their actions. I doubt excuses like, "We were just having some fun. We meant it to mean "Scout Snipers,".....etc," would go very far.

One CBSNews.com commentor said:

by shenboe February 10, 2012 12:57 PM EST

I hold engineering and juris doctor degrees and am widely read. My dad was a GI who participated in the liberation of Dachau. Since retiring a year ago, I have read Churchill's WWII memoirs and am reading Shirer's rise and fall of the third reich and spent countless hours watching military channel. Although I have seen the SS symbol on the collar of the SS, I have never seen the fat SS symbol on the SS flag. Why should these young soldiers be expected to know the symbol as anything other than cool lightning bolts. I understand the sensitivity of Jews to Nazi symbols, but the attack on these young soldiers who are sacrificing to protect all of us is over the top and draws a negative reaction by many as shown above.

Wow! So he is an engineer and a lawyer! That makes him the font of all wisdom on this topic. Obviously, he was not listening hard enough to his father. His reading comprehension and attention span too poor for his history lessons. He thinks the width of the font counts? If he knew all the history from his dad and other sources, he would know the answer. Why should these young Marines have known? Because they are Americans! They should know their own history. They should know why their ancestors fought against the incredible evil that was behind that SS moniker. I have had all the media history lessons, the commentor, shenboe has had. I have also talked to a Jewish camp survivor. She went over with me the pictures of her murdered family. If you do not get it by then, you never will.

These Marines have spit on the memory of every Marine and every other service man and woman who wore the uniform in World War II. Another commenter at CBSNews.com asks how long do we have to hold that symbol as a mark of the Nazis in World War II. "How long will the Jews consider it offensive?" Forever. That is how long! That is how it should be. It is a sign of evil. And I will stand with each and every Jewish person against it for as long as I live!

 

P.S.: Since writing my inital draft, I have read another commentor on CBSNews.com who makes some good and relevant comments. It does not excuse the behavior in my mind, but helps with the context of the situation. And he is so correct on America needing to learn more about empathy. He writes: "by RW0311 February 10, 2012 2:09 PM EST

I served in the Marine Corps infantry back in the early 1990's. My company worked with Scout Snipers all the time. The Scout Snipers used the "Waffen SS" lightning bolts to represent the Scout Snipers (SS). When I first saw the lightning bolts back in the Marines it was on some of the Scout Snipers personal equipment. When I pointed the lightning bolts out to my fellow Marine and friend he told me it represented Scout Snipers. I informed him of the true symbolism and history of the lightning bolts. He and another Scout Sniper did not think a lot about the coloration to the Waffen SS. I realized they truly where lacking the historical knowledge of the Waffen SS and World War II. They were both smart men, however they lacked the knowledge and education when it came to World War II. They did not portray any Neo-Nazi ideology or glorify the Waffen SS in anyway. They truly believed the lightning bolts represented the Marine Scout Snipers....Reading over the comments it's clear that some people believe the Jewish community should "get over it" when it comes to the Holocaust. It's unfortunate that people are not empathetic. They are misguided misinformed and lack the true impact of the Holocaust that is still felt today....The idea of telling someone how to feel regarding the murder of their family or people is absurd. That would be just as inconsiderate of people telling a widow of 9-11 to "get over it". Even an American who was not at ground zero would have an issue of someone telling them to "get over it" and "stop milking the victimhood". America needs to work on empathy."

Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/8618-201_162-57374598.html?assetTypeId=41&messageId=11940760&tag=accordionB;commentWrapper#ixzz1mT6C5ODN

This story wins my Stinky Sandwich Award:

The New IMF Chief, Christine Lagarde: Can the World's Financial Fire Chief Answer the Alarm?

FROM THE WC3PO NEWSROOM VIA CBS NEWS: Yes. I think she can. Here is an economic leader who has their act together. I just wonder if she can stop the arsonists from thowning more Molotov cocktails into the global economic crisis. I like her strength and leadership abilities. They show through in this interview.

 

 

The CBS Evening News: Walter Reed Army Hospital Closing

 

Sadly, this storied institution will close soon. Please stay until the end of this video to hear how one solider came back from the void of a coma.