Saturday, October 12, 2013

New Model Bonus Army Million Veteran March

     Like every "Million [some group of persons] March," it won't be a real million* -- but some veterans are planning to march up to the Barrycaded war memorials and monuments in Washington D.C. tomorrow and-- Well, look at them.   To pause for a moment and remember; that's why those things are there and no line of orange cones or steel pedestrian barricades can change it.

     Good idea?  Bad idea?  --How bad or good an idea was it to bar those very public, outdoor memorials in the first place, and did the feds who decided to do so realize (or hope?) a reaction was inevitable?  (It's pretty easy to blame their top boss but he's no Moriarty; the specifics of "make it hurt" were no doubt left to underlings, who may later be chastised for an excess of enthusiasm and slipped a healthy bonus or a nice job with a government contractor.)

     These veterans are not after a bonus and the Army seems to be lacking in MacArthurs and Pattons just now -- or at least have their modern-day counterparts busy overseas.  Nevertheless, I doubt there's any greater reluctance by Federal Authorities to employ tear gas and plain force if they feel threatened.

     --But I don't know if the lapdog traditional media will consider a thousand or more outraged veterans an actual newsworthy event the same way it does a scant dozen anti-gun protestors, either.  Better pray for tear gas, boys, it's the only way you'll make the nightly news open or the next morning's front page.
________________________________
* They're saying 1.8 million hits on their Facebook page and 15,000 signatures on their petition.  Bobbi's 10:1 Iron Law Of Respondents therefore predicts 1500 actual attendees, but the iron can be kinda flexible.  Also, do you want to get in the way of even a mere one thousand five hundred veterans who'd like to get right up to the Vietnam War Wall, the WW II Memorial, etc.?  Thought not, and neither do the National Park Service Rangers.

6 comments:

JohninMd.(too late?!??) said...

I would be happy to see 100,000 calm, purposeful vets, w/ wire and bolt cutters in hand, disassemble the Barry-cades and move them off-site, and escort the Honor-Flight WW II folks in to THEIR memorial. Past time for some mass, nonviolent civil disobedience, I think....

Jess said...

The media won't report the event, like the big bike rally.

Meanwhile, "Dancing With the Stars" continues.

Borepatch said...

Best. Post. Title. Ever.

Roberta X said...

Thank you, thank you. :)

EgregiousCharles said...

This is happening all over the country today. I'm going to this one at Valley Forge Park because it's near me, and Valey Forge is rather an appropriate place for civil disobedience.

And I'm mentioning it here precisely because it won't make the news. When you can't rely on the official news, you spread the word around yourself.

https://www.facebook.com/events/526075950820530/permalink/527857717309020/

EgregiousCharles said...

Well apparently if you have close to 1000 people you can get in local news.

http://www.timesherald.com/general-news/20131013/protestors-gather-for-march-at-valley-forge-national-historical-park

National news only appears to mention an unconnected protest run at the same park the same day, with "dozens" of runners.

CBS and ABC were at the vets protest filming, but I guess since as usual no one said anything racist or sexist they just figure it's best to sweep it under the rug.