The Limits of Free Speech -- An Update

Several weeks ago, I noted that Ward Churchill was a pretty reliable bellwether of where the DKos-and-tinfoil-hat segment of the left is headed.

Today I have an update. Ward's latest meme is being picked up by a number on the left. Here's one, courtesy of Michelle Malkin's examination of "why the FBI watches the left."

It looks like Ward's advocacy of fragging is catching on. A few choice morsels:

At the height of the Vietnam War, fragging became an anarchic epidemic. Over a thousand fragging attempts were made throughout. In 1969, there were 126 successful assassinations. In 1970, 271. In 1971, there were 333. After that year, the military stopped keeping count.

Recently Ward Churchill pointed out that the assassination of military officers does a hell of a lot more to stop war than conscientious objection. Ken Blanchard and Jason Heppler, in response, are expressing outrage at the suggestion that such mutinous behavior be propagated to subvert the war.

It's obviously a very frightening development for those Americans behind the rape and pillage of Iraq, but the numbers show it makes some sense for the common soldier. Warmongering flag-wavers might not approve, but you better believe there's a reason for fragging. The US invasion of Iraq ranks with the Nazi invasion of Poland and Soviet invasion of Afghanistan as one of the most despicable war crimes in recent history. Thank the Lord that the American military and "intelligence" services are so brain-dead that rag-tag bands of rebels armed with homemade bombs are kicking their asses a la "Red Dawn."

Good officers don't get fragged. Fascist, asshole officers get fragged. If you don't like that, Uncle Sam, than you should train your officers better, and pull your prick out of defenseless third-world nations.

This invasion isn't just a mistake-its the most evil atrocity of the new millenium. Only a fool would think there wouldn't be hell to pay (how could we learn so little from 9/11?). If you supported the American invasion, if you rape and pillage and murder innocents, if you benefit from this occupation, you better believe you have it coming.

One last comment: I DARE YOU TO DRAFT THIS GENERATION! If you think the Vietnam-era hippies were mutinous, you haven't seen nothing yet!

This has moved past the point of over-the-top "humor." I believe these folks are (or are becoming) serious.

These people need to realize several things:

1. This is not your daddy's army. The US military in 1971 was an industrial age relic. The surface forces were full of disaffected, poorly trained and poorly led youth drafted mostly from social classes that could not afford to dodge via college or other deferment. Today's military consists entirely of volunteers for whom the profession of arms is more a vocation than an occupation. There were folks of this type in the armed forces in Vietnam, but they were a minority; not today. You will find the enthusiasm for fragging, shall we say, somewhat lessened today, even in the land forces' enlisted ranks. (PS: No chance of a draft; we have no use for such people in a professional force.)

2. Many who take on the "vocation" of arms today do so partly in reaction to the treason, chaos, and weakness in the face of barbarism they experienced as youngsters in the US during Vietnam. Many--myself included--joined the military in part as a statement against everything the Baby Boomers and their sick, decadent, over-pampered generation stood for. Many--myself included--(regardless of whether they thought the Vietnam War was a good idea or not) vowed to fight any repeat of the treasonous Vietnam-era incitement that undermined that war and to see any repeat of things like fragging, spitting on veterans, terrorizing their families, etc., were punished appropriately.

3. We are trained by the finest military machine in history--which we had a large stake in creating (it certainly wasn't in 1971). We understand far more about the subtler uses of force than any military ever has before--we don't have to kill you to get what we want. We are strong believers in the real reason for the Second Amendment (that high-quality weapons in the hands of citizens makes the government more trustworthy) and most of us are familiar with a wide variety of weapons.

4. We are patient people, with full lives--not dessicated vegan fruitbats or sad, pimply teens acting out their angst in the comment pages of dKos. We are very patient. (We have to be, since politicians are our lawful masters.)

But our patience is not infinite. And if it wears thin, you don't stand a chance.

Think it over.

Monk