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Show Editorial MONDAY, AUGUST 30^2010 THE SIGNPOST The Signpost Viewpoint Reclaiming America? Doubtful Saturday morning, FOX was taking back the civil rights News pundit Glenn Beck movement, as if it belonged to strutted across steps of the anyone in the first place. Beck Lincoln Memorial to address a was accused of "hijacking" crowd of thousands gathered the civil rights movement and in Washington, D.C. The event, King's impact on the nation. In a lot of ways, that a "nonpartisan," "nonpolitical" rally, drew in conservative seems true. Beck is either activists and featured very confused himself, or Sarah Palin as the keynote intentionally putting out two speaker. But that's not what is messages in regards to the link important. What is important, between himself, his motives what really matters, is the and Martin Luther King Jr. point of it all and what Beck Either Beck is similar to King and wants to take charge of the accomplished. Beck held a rally ... so civil rights movement or he's what? What made the rally not like King and not trying to controversial was that Beck be. Beck has said both. scheduled the rally to occur The rally was a success for on the anniversary of Martin Beck. He drew in a large crowd, Luther King Jr.'s address of "I filling the space in front of Have a Dream." Beck equated the Lincoln Memorial and himself to King, claiming he stretching the length of the reflecting pool. Flags reading "Don'tTread on Me" waved in the wind. Chants of "USA" floated through the crowd. T-shirts read bullet-point statements like "One Nation Under God" and "It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible." Still, everything he said accounted for nothing in the end. It meant nothing and it probably accomplished very little to anyone who wasn't already in support of the rally. It didn't even touch King's speech. Beck's address on the morals in America and the importance of good government could have been switched with any other political figure and still made sense. His speech read something along the lines of that was concrete or useful or "good things are good" and that worthwhile happened. Which "(he) like(s) good things." Good brings all this to the final point. things make a good country. A rally, whether Republican, Democratic, religious or Substance, or even context, not, rarely has an was nonexistent. Palin ^.—— - ^ impact. gave a fairly typical ' at least Glenn Beck said speech on what a hero she was King's speech . he's no Martin \ Luther King she because made a ripple and j Jr. He's right, the supported did something to because at least heroes in the King's speech armed forces. the nation. made a ripple Here are a few and did something of the nuggets Beck to the nation. King gave us: '^~ ~~" said that even though he "Today is the day we can start the heart of America again." was black and another man "We have a choice today to might be white, that didn't look at our scars, look at the scars stop them from being brothers united. Beck just stood at a of the nation." "America is at a crossroads and podium that could have easily today we must decide—Who are been switched for his FOX News desk, adding nothing we?" "We must advance or perish. I intelligent or significant to the conversation on America's choose advance." Nothing was said. Nothing divided politics. Comical Corner Political Shorts Consider the obligation before joining the military from Allah if he did deploy. He claims that Islamic standards would prohibit his service in Signpost the U.S. Army in any war. columnist Maybe he should've thought about that before signing his papers. I hope he enjoys his On April 8, 2009, Naser 15 minutes of fame before Abdo enlisted in the United his maximum two years in States Army. He felt that he confinement. could serve his country and his Of the many service members Muslim faith simultaneously. I have had the honor of serving He is currently assigned to alongside, I served stateside the 101st Airborne and overseas with Division at Fort members of many Campbell, Ky. V rttfaybe he faiths, including Conveniently, should've Muslims, who as his unit awaited would shake their deployment, thought about head at the idiocy Private First Class of a boy who didn't Abdo decided that before think about what he that he is now signing his was getting into, and a conscientious would now claim objector. As a papers. I hope "conscientious result, he was he enjoys his objector" to weasel assigned to the his way out. brigade's rear 15 minutes The process* of detachment, which proving that you typically remains of fame are now a "CO." is behind during a before... not an easy one. It's deployment. a long paperwork The military, two years in _process, including however, may still confinement/' ^interviews from a order him to deploy shrink, a chaplain to Afghanistan. If and an investigating this happens, he will refuse to One reason for the officer, go, regardless of the charges of the process is that will be brought against length to yellow-spined deterrence him in a military court-martial that change their for violating several articles of youngsters the Uniform Code of Military mind once they realize that military service is actually hard Justice. work. He believes that the (Sidenote: I once served consequences of refusing with a female that cried "CO." deployment are much less than those that he would face as a Rastafarian. When the Mike R. Addams *JL. *.if first sergeant didn't buy it, she threatened to kill him. Ironic?) Private Dirtbag — I mean, Abdo — is not the only weasel weaseling his way out of his deployment obligation. Just like any other group of loonies without a pulpit, there are enough deployment-dodging weasels to facilitate an entire weasely website. The site www. couragetoresist.org features stories about Abdo and other traitors who vowed to serve their country, only to scurry across the border or dodge what they have sworn to do. They share their stories using their ranks before their names, while simultaneously denouncing their military service. They like how cool the rank sounds, but refuse the associated responsibilities. If you don't agree with what the military is involved in, don't join. If you join, but then the military changes course in a way that you don't agree with, don't reenlist. If you would prefer to sit in a cell wearing an orange jumpsuit in a hybrid of prison and basic training, I guess yc i have no choice but to go aheao. and refuse your orders. Good luck getting a decent job with that dishonorable discharge, Abdo. G:~r.<ent on this column at wsusignpost.com. |