Saturday, June 3, 2006

F*** the Troops; F*** Your Petition

Recently there was a petition circulating around MySpace (specifically the military-related members of MySpace) to remove a MySpace group called "Fuck the Troops." This petition went round and round (I, myself, received it multiple times) and eventually succeeded. A group search for "Fuck the Troops" now results in finding nothing except other groups dedicated to removing "Fuck the Troops."

Many of the virtual signers of the petition were military, military spouses, or others with direct connection to the military or with what they refer as an "innate sense of Patriotism." Well, I've got news for you. None of you 1st Amendment-limiting assholes who signed that petition are Patriots. In fact, you're the exact opposite.

Before you get wired up, let me explain...

First of all, the group "Fuck the Troops" was NOT about slandering troops or otherwise giving those who serve this country a bad name. Had any of you bothered to peruse their group page, you would've found several disclaimers (and everyone knows that I love using those myself) stating that they support the troops. The phrase "Fuck the Troops" merely reflected what the proprietors of the group felt that this current administration was doing to our men and women in uniform. In other words, the group would have more accurately been monikered, "Fuck George Bush" (which is, in and of itself, an equally ignorant statement).

Instead, however, we get a group of people who were simply told that a group called "Fuck the Troops" existed, and they overreacted badly. So badly, they didn't even bother to research their "enemy."

Disclaimer: Now, despite what I just wrote, I'm not really saying that everyone who signed it is an idiot... I have plenty of friends who've signed it, but they did so out of reaction. In an occupation where a quick reaction can save one's life, they probably just signed it and moved on.

But you know what? That's not even the point. The point is that everyone who wears a uniform does so to protect the Constitutional rights of Americans. Constitutional rights... of which the first amended right is Freedom of Speech and Expression. The idiots who created "Fuck the Troops" (don't get me wrong, the name pissed me off, as well) absolutely, without doubt, had EVERY RIGHT to create their group. Those of us that wear or wore the uniform should know this. We may not like it, but that's what we're here for... to protect the right to dissent or to complain. Policy is not ours to decide, but to uphold.

In the end, what was done to "Fuck the Troops" was a disservice to the Constitution and a disservice to the military. You may not agree with my train of thought, but the fundamental logic remains. A small piece of our Freedom of Speech was destroyed. Way to go. Some have obviously forgotten what you're supposed to be defending.

The First Amendment: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well Put Jeff

Posted by on June 3, 2006 - Saturday - 4:24 PM

Anonymous said...

Damn Jeff you never cease to amaze me...While the rest of us react and go one you take the time to take a look at and then respond...Thanks for taking the time...
Gary

Posted by Gary on June 3, 2006 - Saturday - 11:39 PM

Anonymous said...

Why didn't they just call it "Rumy F*&K$ The Troops"... Sounds more acurate to me.

Posted by on June 4, 2006 - Sunday - 9:12 AM

Anonymous said...

Yeah, that probably would've made the most sense...

Posted by JeffScape on June 4, 2006 - Sunday - 1:11 PM

Anonymous said...

One myspace can do anything it wants with anything anyone posts. Last time I checked myspace is not public domain.

"A small piece of our Freedom of Speech was destroyed"

Jesus, really? one group on myspace was deleted and the very fabric of are freedom is forever gone? Your overreacting.

Posted by Nicolas Steven Peterson on June 4, 2006 - Sunday - 10:10 PM

Anonymous said...

I did take a look at the ORIGINAL group page, and it was directed against us. This new group that has resurfaced is a lot more tame. They original group proclaimed that they wouldn't support or respect the troops because we didn't protect their freedoms and other similar nonsense. One of they were removed was because they were inciting aggressive anti-military actions and ignorant slander. Their freedom of speech wasn't supressed, it was censored for being offensive, disrespectful, and promoting anti-social behaviors. It's the same reason why you don't see television or magazine ads for the KKK or Nation of Islam, some more widely known instigators of hate and intolerance.
I'm displeased that you have brought my patriotism into question. Until you have sacrificed everything and put your life on the line for something higher than youself, you have no foundation to make those claims. There is a very different world out there beyond the college campuses and quiet streets of suburbia, and it is a cold, harsh, and unforgiving place that a soft hand won't fix. We fight so you don't have to. You don't hate a janitor for mopping floors, or a firefighter for putting out a fire. We are just doing a job we volunteered to do for a variety of reasons, ranging from money for college to a sense of duty. Remember that the next time you feel the need to encourage this disdain for the military.

Posted by V on June 4, 2006 - Sunday - 10:46 PM

Anonymous said...

@NSP: The fabric of the freedom of our Republic was sold in 1913. Since then it has been like boiling a frog, you do it nice a slow until the thing is dead and it never knows that it even happened.

Posted by on June 4, 2006 - Sunday - 11:23 PM

Anonymous said...

@NSP: It is those small things that can lead to end of freedom of speech. Do you think Hitler started by just telling people they could not say so and so, no I am afaid he did'nt. Little things like that myspace group happned all over germany before freedom of speech was completely outlawed. And frankly I am seeing more and more things happening like that all over the place, just little things that dont get that much attention. I'm not saying that were going to be anything like nazi germany but a lot of similar things are happening in this country.

Brooke the Opinionated

Posted by Brooke on June 4, 2006 - Sunday - 11:27 PM

Anonymous said...

@NSP: Well, I guess since MySpace is so insignificant, why is anybody worried about a little group called "Fuck the Troops?" I mean, hell, it's just one group on MySpace.

Posted by JeffScape on June 5, 2006 - Monday - 11:20 AM

Anonymous said...

Whether or not the "original" group posting was libelous, I can't say. I didn't see it. But I know what I did see, and I know for a fact that most people who signed the petition didn't even bother to look.

@V: The irony here is that you clearly didn't bother to look at my profile, either, despite my blog's treatise concerning "look first, then respond."

Either way, it proves a point.

Posted by JeffScape on June 5, 2006 - Monday - 11:24 AM

Anonymous said...

@V: Jeff this dude didnt even know you served hmmm sounds like some really jump the gun huh... Must be the support...well dude I am with ya I didnt look I blind signed but hey we all do shit for one reason or another fuck it as a troop I have been fucked oh well no biggie...hell I am in it to win have been for 12 years so what ever man some people will say things to guys in uniform out of pure stupidity and not even know what they are saying but ya cant take it away from them..the best bust ya can make on them is be like yeah dude your right...then say hey do you ever look over your shoulder as you walk down the street or when you walk into a store...or better yet do you inspect your POV before you enter it by starting by searching ther perimeter of your car then go to the wheel wells all the way up to checking the under carage and the interior from the outside then pop the hood when you get in and actually check your engine compartment, then after that inspect the interior in case we have a smart bomber here..." no you dont hmmm well I will take that as thank you enough sir...then I say "your welcome" and walk off...

Look everyone here Jeff has every right to say what he wants to say regardless. That is one of the things Jeff served for and he has rights just like you and I. I am not here to say what anyone says here is wrong...but hey we all should do a little more research. Maybe that is what you Ben and you Jeff are trying to say....We are soilders. all of us we have to fight to live every day that is what we do. either in the feild of battle or just trying to fight to survive in the world we all fear in one way or another.

This country is split up enough we are the ones who are supposed to bring it together. That should be our main mission.

I am giving 2 kudos one for Jeff and one for Ben they said whats on there mind....
So squash it and Fuck it....

Posted by on June 8, 2006 - Thursday - 10:53 PM

Maverick W. (dub-ya) said...

Jeff, read the 1st Amendment again:

The First Amendment: "CONGRESS shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

Notice it talks about petitioning a form of government (whether that be federal or the owners of Myspace).

You are the only one here against the 1st Amendment Jeff.

Maverick W. (dub-ya) said...

Also, Myspace is a private company, they can kick who ever they want off their site, they have the right to do that.

Myspace was the one who chose to remove the group ultimately. It was all completely constitutional.

So go fuck yourself.

JeffScape said...

Funny, nowhere did that site violate MySpace's terms of service. A bunch of whiny people got the site removed. Until that happened, MySpace didn't give a shit.

And, by your logic, Congress should have no issue with, say, California legalizing marijuana or otherwise circumventing Federal law, since apparently the Constitution only applies to the Federal government.

Sounds like a debate-worthy topic, to me.

And ditto.

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