Police fatally shot a Camp Pendleton Marine who struck an officer with a car in a parking garage in Palm Springs, authorities said Monday.This is one of those intrepid warriors that the rah-rah patriots over on TTAG were celebrating the other day. The picture would have been taken during basic training, about three-and-a-half years ago. He looks to have been just 17 or 18. I doubt very much if the following jingoistic nonsense applied to him.
The Marine repeatedly ignored orders to stop after being approached by officers on bike patrol around 2 a.m. Saturday, the Palm Springs Police Department said in a statement.
One of the officers partially climbed into the passenger window to stop the car, but the Marine accelerated, striking the other officer, the department said. The Marine kept driving with the officer hanging out of the window until the car crashed near the garage exit, it said.
Both officers were treated for injuries at a hospital and released. They have been placed on administrative leave while the department investigates.
The Marine died at the scene and the lone passenger, another Marine, was not injured, authorities said.
"In the course of these events, fearing for their safety and the safety of others both officers discharged their weapons," the statement said.
To answer the call for service, to put on the uniform and steel yourself to step in harm’s way, is a step in beginning to repay the debt of honor owed to our ancestors.
No, most who join are too young to possibly have such lofty motives. In fact, most join for the wrong reasons, usually to escape one thing or another. Then boot camp training and a year or so in a combat zone, who could possible be whole. As former servicemen, it's all about aggrandizing what they'd done.
No, these guys, in most cases are not heroes to be honored but suckers to be pitied. They fell into the trap set by old politicians who almost to a man had not served. As I said the other day, if you consider the foreign involvements we've been engaged in over the last 45 years, is there anything there to be proud of? No, there's not. And to have participated is not something to be proud of either.
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
My opinion is that denegrating those who serve on the grounds that some aren't worthy and some are in need of help makes you a piece of shit.
ReplyDeleteThat's a pretty strong opinion, Greg.
DeleteWow. I actually get to agree with BOTH Greg and MikeB. Not something that happens very often at all.
DeleteWhat Greg said +1
DeleteMikeb, you're the prime example of how an unarmed society--the Internet, in this case--is not a polite society. You toss out your disparaging remarks, secure in the knowledge that no one's going to harm you for saying it.
DeleteThat's your right. I support your right to be a jerk. But that doesn't mean that I approve of your doing it. If you had any honor, you'd stop trying to smear people you've never met and know little about. The good news is that you show your true character all the time for all of us to see.
Greg, my opinion about young servicemen is based on hard experience. What's yours based on? Because mine differs from your ideas, I'm a piece of shit and a jerk?
DeleteYou should watch how you talk to me on my own blog. And your supporters on this thread should look at what they're actually supporting. Who's being impolite?
That's so cute coming from you, Mikeb. You and your fellow control freaks curse at us all the time.
DeleteWhat I object to is the elitist tone that your side always takes. You claim to be better than anyone who disagrees with you. I've known a number of good people who served in the military. They did a hard job for their country. Good for them, and good for many other people who do other hard jobs for the betterment of this world. Rather than tearing them down because you don't like the politicians and generals who led them, praise the good that veterans, in this case, have done.
One of the major problems I have with those who signup to wear a uniform is that oath they take to defend the Constitution. This is the same Constitution that says only Congress can declare war, not whoever the temporary resident of 1600 Penn. Ave. is.
ReplyDeleteWhether these people go to Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia or sit in a room directing drones to kill people, they simply are not living up to their oath and therefore are traitors to the Constitution.
orlin sellers
Lint for Brains (the one who refers to itself as "Orlin Sellers") says:
Delete"This is the same Constitution that says only Congress can declare war, not whoever the temporary resident of 1600 Penn. Ave. is. "
Is the President of the United States not Commander-In-Chief of the U.S. armed forces? The President may order troops to encroach upon the territory of a Foreign State for a period up to 60 days, without Congressional Approval.
"One of the major problems I have with those who signup to wear a uniform is that oath they take to defend the Constitution."
The primary role of Government is the safety of it's subject persons. The Constitution is the framework for the system designed for the primary reason to fulfill the responsibility of the State to protect it's subjects. You make the absurd argument that a 200 year old piece of ink-stained sheepskin (velum) is somehow more important than American lives.
We aren't subjects in America. We're citizens.
DeleteThe problem is that some fools think there is a difference.
DeleteSorry to inform you E.N. you can't have it both ways. If the Constitution says the prez is the C-in-C, then he has to obey the law of the land which says only Congress can declare war.
ReplyDelete6 Months? How long have we been in Iraq & Afghanistan?
You might wanna try an orlon, lint-free thinking cap.
orlin sellers