Category: Opinion
THOR’S DAY RANT: Stolen Valor, or Infringed Speech?
Written by Troglodad
Thursday, 22 July 2010 15:16
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Let me preface this rant by declaring I am a veteran of the USAF (1990-1994) but that I have no combat awards, medals, etc other than the Nat'l Defense Medal given just for being on Active Duty during a conflict.

So I was watching Fox News this morning and they have this schmuck on TV whining about how a Court ruled the "Stolen Valor Act" is unconstitutional. Stolen Valor? WTH?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stolen_Valor_Act_of_2005

Apparently, this law was passed in 2005 and makes it a Federal Misdemeanor to lie about military awards. Indirectly. Under the act, it is illegal for unauthorized persons to wear, buy, sell, barter, trade or manufacture "any decoration or medal authorized by Congress for the armed forces of the United States, or any of the service medals or badges awarded to the members of such forces." (-Wiki)
WTF?

What's next? Are we going to criminalize women lying about their age or weight? Make it a crime to lie to women in bars about your marital status, what car you drive or your profession?

Whiney-ass this morning on TV felt that liars cheapen the awards. He was upset that his fallen comrade in arms never got to see their awards- they were posthumously given.

Hey, dumbass, heroes don't do it for the glory.

I absolutely can't stand jackasses that have to rub it in everybody's face they were a Navy SEAL, or they have a purple heart, etc. etc. I'm not saying they shouldn't have been given an award, but let's be brutally honest. Medal of Honor winners didn't charge machine gun nests thinking "Damn, this medal is going to look AWESOME on my uniform!" No, they did what had to be done out of selfless heroism. And anyone who brags about their medals is a complete ass.

Think about it this way, Mr. Medal-Winning-Whiney-Ass. You are bragging about how you killed people and got a shiny award for it. God forbid someone else claimed to be a killer just to get some bling. Maybe you should think about why anyone brags about something like that. Heroes don't brag. Heroes tend to stay mum on the subject. It's attention-seeking punks that brag- whether the source of bragging is true or not.

Is it despicable to lie about military service? Yes. It is. We veterans- whether or not we won any awards- sacrificed our freedoms and liberties, and some, their lives, to ensure the freedoms and liberties of all Americans. Liberties like freedom of speech.

Those who went above and beyond were given awards, not to wave around and brag with, but as thanks for exemplary duty. Anyone who rubs such an award- earned, or imagined- in your face cheapens all award winners.

Society is full of people with inferiority complexes. They hang plastic testicles on their trucks. They wear flashy jewelry. They stick their noses in the air. These are all indicators of people desperate to make you believe they are better than you. Precisely because deep down, they don't believe it themselves. But do we really need to criminalize people who try to make themselves feel better? Isn't the fact they know they are liars enough? Yes, it's wrong they claim to have saved lives, but short of making the claim to commit some kind of fraud, do we really need to pass judgment on them? Surely our judgment won't be as bad as the judgment they've already passed on themselves.

Maybe Mr. I-got-a-bronze-star-and-you-didn't should think more about his fallen comrades, and be thankful he isn't one of them, then trying to get people locked up for self-aggrandizing lies.

This whole story reminds me of a classic military saying: "There are old pilots, and bold pilots, but no old, bold pilots."

I guess next, we'll start going after all those "ninjas" running around.

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Posted By Troglodad to Troglodad at 7/22/2010 02:51:00 PM

 
Olive Garden- Incurring my Grapes of Wrath
Written by Troglodad
Sunday, 09 May 2010 14:54
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(NOTE: This post was originally composed on Sunday, May 9, 2010)

Dear Olive Garden,

I'm at your Clarksville, IN rest. and it will be the last time I ever come here.

We waited 1 hour and 12 minutes to be seated. At a 4-person booth. A chair was put at the end as we have a 5-person party.

That's bullshit. Leading us thru the rest. without even asking if a little munchkin booth is okay. Couldn't say no when we got there, as we have hungry, upset children (age 10 & 4) with us. As well as their 65 yr old grandmother. Who was tired of sitting outside waiting. So we're stuck, crammed in a little f***ing booth like it's the Japanese subway.

If I haven't painted enough of a picture, let me illustrate it better. I'm 6'4″ by 315 lbs. And I'm sitting in a damned wooden chair at the end of the table, with barely enough room for a drink. It'll be interesting to see where the f*** my plate is going to go.

If this was father's day, we'd be gone. I wouldn't put up with this shit. You'll get my money today- thanks to my wife. But I'll never set foot in your damned restaurants again.

ADDENDUM (May 10, 2010):

Even the Universe agreed with me this time.

In addition from being forced to sit in cramped subway conditions, and subjected to ordering the airplane food Olive Garden hawks at over-inflated prices, my lunch went further downhill. When our lunch finally did arrive, my wife, my mother-in-law, and my 4 year old daughter got their lunch. My 10 year old daughter and myself got word that it was shift change and we were getting a new waittress. Oh, and our meals would be out soon.

You know, it was painfully obvious I was unhappy, so I guess I can see making me wait to eat. But why make a ten year old little girl suffer? She was very hungry after that hour-and-a-quarter outside. But instead of getting to eat, she got to watch her sister, grandma and mother eat.

Oh, sure, our meals came out eight minutes later… but that's no excuse. Of all days of the year when service should be excellent, Mother's Day is it.

At this point I was sure fuming. I was prepared to ask for my change back when I finally got the bill, and leave a penny on the table as my tip. But the Universe provided. Our bill for our horrid meal was $67.99. Awesome. I left $68, told the girl I didn't need any change and we left.

Which is what my meal did a few hours later. Quite violently. In fact, I am fairly certain Olive Garden is responsible for several trips to the bathroom to squeeze the Charmin.

What a lovely time.

Again, Olive Garden- you can suck it.

 
Dishonesty in Political Mailings?
Written by Troglodad
Sunday, 02 May 2010 10:55
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so I checked my mail yesterday and there was this flyer for Ron Grooms, a Republican candidate running for State Senator. I kind of remembered the name, but that was about it. Who was this guy.

Well, according to "Mayor" Dale Orem, he's great. Oh, and "Mayor" Regina Overton thinks he's swell too. And "Sheriff" Randy Hubbard likes him as well. Oh, and so does "joe Theobald".

First off, where's Joe's title? Who the hell is Joe Theobald? A Google search shows he once ran for State Rep- guess that's why he didn't get to use a title. He never earned one.

And that's my gripe- Dale Orem was once a mayor, but not anymore. I know that, because I used to live in Jeffersonville, where he was the Mayor. But what about some of the other folks getting this flyer? Do they know he's a FORMER Mayor? And Ms. Overton- isn't she the FORMER Mayor? I therefore assume Mr. Hubbard is the FORMER Sheriff.

It really irritates me how people use titles like this. It'd be different if someone retired from a position- military folks do that all the time. But just because you served one or two terms in a public position, why do you get to use the title over and over? And if Ron Grooms wants us to believe he's a swell guy, why is he listing folks who didn't get re-elected? What is their standing that makes them such good references? Are we supposed to know about their political history? If so, why give them these titles?

I think the whole thing is dishonest. Like actors pretending to be doctors in TV commercials, hawking medicines. Mr. Grooms, it's all fine and dandy that former-Mayor Dale Orem loves you, but what does the current Mayor think? I'd be much more interested in that. I mean, there are tons of former mayors in our region- anybody running for office is bound to be able to get an endorsement from one of them. You're coming across to me as being a little too desperate to get a qualified reference.

And that doesn't inspire confidence.

So let's look at your website. Ah. You run a business and were on the Jeffersonville Town Council for 13 years. That's much more interesting to me than a bunch of former politicos endorsements. And I see that you're for: Full Day Kindergarten, building an East-end Bridge, Capping property taxes and increasing funds for schools. That would also be great information to put on your flyer.

But I have to take offense at your flier's slogan of "The Leader Our Leaders Trust" and "He's the one our leaders can turn to for advice and leadership." That's not what your website says- it's all about your experience.

See, I don't think a State Senator is a leader of anything. It's a representative. I'm not voting for you to think for me- I'd be voting for you to represent me in the State Senate. To work for me and do what I would want you to do. Leader? Leader of what? A Conga-line during voting sessions?

If you can't get the job function straight (representation) than I surely don't want to vote for you. I think you're in this for you. So for the rest of your life you can go around introducing yourself as "Senator". I title that arrogant.