Matt Sanchez

Wiki Woes

Wikipedia is among the top five website consulted on the web.  The idea of an online "free encyclopedia that everyone can edit" is both simple and revolutionary.  Articles are posted onto the space by a person of interest, other amateur editors are invited to contribute by brining in "reliable sources".  Given the high volume traffic on the website, it doesn't take much imagination to imagine some abuse of Wikipedia for commercial gain or even mischief to pull a prank on the information in an article. 

Wikipedia is a marvel of modern technology and symbolic of the interactivity of Internet 2.0.  Within minutes, electronic efficient elves sweep away any promotional articles, but getting rid of bitterly biased editors is tougher than pulling day old gum off the sole of your shoe. 

Case in point, the Matt Sanchez article on Wikipedia dates back nearly a year ago and has seen a carousel of colorful editors pick over every detail with a fine tooth decaying comb.  Despite personally being one of the most contested subjects at Wikipedia, the Matt Sanchez article still has several salient errors. 

• I am a war correspondent, a fact editors on the board do not wish to accept despite overwhelming "reliable sources" supporting this fact. 
• I was in Iraq and Afghanistan as a credentialed journalist or an "embedded journalist" as the military designates.  I was not an "embedded blogger".  That title doesn't even exist, but several desperate anonymous Wiki-editors are crossing their fingers and hoping the title will remain.
• During my 8 months in both Iraq and Afghanistan, I was embedded in over 50 units and pretty much to every major region of both those regions.
• Worldnetdaily does NOT syndicate Matt-Sanchez.com, it's the other way around.  I get permission from WND to run the articles I exclusively write for them.
• I'm currently a political commentator, both here, in the United States and overseas, specifically in France, although I've made headways in Germany and parts of Latin America.
  
• My initial complaint Columbia officials wasn't for being called "stupid", as stated in the article.  My initial complaint was for being called "cannon fodder" for being a Hispanic serving in the military by frustrated, liberal, wealthy white kids who felt they knew better what was good for me than I knew myself.
• A Marine Corps inquiry turned up nothing on allegations stemming from a veterans group and U-Haul  over a measly $300.00 bucks.  Nevertheless, the article refers to "accusations" and "charges", when there was only innuendo and allegations.  The whole matter was summarily dismissed a fact Wiki-whiners refuse to acknowledge.
  
• There's a gratuitous reference to Don't Asked Don't Tell, an issue that has nothing to do with me or any inexistent "investigation".
• I produced two radio programs in Iraq and Afghanistan, "In their Own Voices" and "Hometown Heroes".  Wiki even has a copy of one segment in their Wikimedia Commons sitedatabank, nevertheless this information is completely omitted in the Matt Sanchez article.
• Activist editors challenges that I do not own the rights to simple pictures that I took with my camera.  It has become an exhausting process to jump through all the copyright release procedures.
• Citation #25 sources a message board and mistakingly cites an anonymous contributor as if they were me. 
• A purposeful misquoting and correction of an earlier appearance on the Alan Colmes Show (linked HERE) still has not been acknowledged by Wiki-editors.

Having your Baby and Breeding it Too

A female undergoes several major operations to make her physically resemble a male.  One surgical procedure named chest reconstruction helped her lose the curves of her female anatomy and simulate the flatter sturdier form of a male.  Horomone replacement therapy typically uses synthetic hormones to modify “secondary sex characteristics”.  It is common to take high doses of hormones, to cause any number of desired traits from the cessation of menstruation to the increase of facial hair.  The undesired effects run the gamut from more acne to increased blood pressure to steep climb of cardiac arrest.

It takes an enormous amount of effort, time and resources to fool the casual observer that you are a member of the opposite sex.  Those wishing to start the gender bender journey are sent for psychological evaluation to assure that no one undertakes this process without the approval of someone with a doctor’s degree and the ability to legally prescribe medication.

The government can award this effort by legally reassigning the gender on legal documents.  Several decades since “sex change operations” have morphed to gender reassignment procedures, going from male to female and vice-versa has become common-place.  But now, there’s a new frontier.

A female living as a man, after extensive surgery and hormone treatments and currently having a baby.  Thomas Beatie superficially a male, with one profound difference, fallopian tubes.

Downgrading Iraq?

Here's the latest op-ed for Worldnetdaily. 

---

Iraq 'war' no longer a war

---

Posted: March 29, 2008
1:00 am Eastern

By Matt Sanchez
© 2008

 

 

Matt Sanchez on the French "Meet the Press" program, "Kiosque," talking about the war.

Five years after the initial invasion of Iraq, Americans wonder where we are.

Iraq is like no other conflict in American history. It is arguably no longer a war, but a low-level insurgency. We are not fighting a country, but a transnational conspiracy that operates more like an international fast-food franchise than a military force. In this conflict, there will be no "D" Day or signing of a peace treaty.

What is victory? It is easy to take for granted the fact that there has not been another attack on American soil since 9/11 – how do you show progress when the goal is basically for nothing to happen? Few are gullible enough to believe that victory in Iraq would mean turning back the clock to a pre-Sept. 11 bliss of bloodless security.

Those who complain there was no al-Qaida in Iraq before 2003 lament how many terrorists have been created since the fall of Saddam, but how many had been created before Sept. 11, long before we ever went into Iraq? How many decided to join the jihad when they saw the falling of the World Trade Center broadcast throughout the world?

(Column continues below)

Roughly Three Generations later

Early in the morning on June 6th, 1944, American, British and Canadian forces arrived on the beaches of Normandy to liberate France from Hitler's Nazis.  The assault was delayed by a day, due to weather.  On those very calm but moody beaches in March of 2008, it was hard to imagine the site.   

The day before the major invasion, June 5th, "Pioneers" some French, some British, some Americans came ashore armed mostly with knives.

With little concealment thousands of men came ashore amidst the fire of German machine guns in front of them and the thunderous roar of heavy Howitzers behind them.  The débarquement, as the French called it, had begun. 

In March of 2008, the little beach community is practically empty, except for the buses taking British and French children to wander among the silent tokens of appreciation spread throughout the beach.  A local tells me in the thick Normand French accent fishermen have

"Ce n'est pas la saison," "This isn't the season."

Donkey Style

Everywhere you turn, it seems that there's a politician tinged by some sort of sexual scandal.  As we know, the birds and the bees are as old as the hills, so, there's nothing new under the sun, but pornography is the only way to use figures of speech that accurately comment on the recent slew of Democrat political scandal. 

The Democrat Mayor of Detroit, Kwame Fitzpatrick, has been accused of slander, obstruction of justice, abuse of his mayor powers, inappropriate use of funds and perjury--standard behavior for the head of one of the country's most corrupt cities, but what really interests Americans is Mayor Fitzpatrick's text messages. 

His alleged paramour, and chief of staff Christine Beatty, was stopped by the  city police for speeding whereupon she  reportedly demanded, "Do you know who the f*ck I am?" before calling the chief of police to have the officers stand down.  It was later revealed that the Detroit mayor had exchanged messages that both contradicted their testimony in court, and revealed a sexual relation between the two.

Beatty: "And, did you miss me, sexually?"
Kilpatrick: "Hell yeah! You couldn't tell. I want some more."

The Wayne Country prosecutor announced a 12 count indictment against America's first "hip-hop" mayor and if that weren't enough, Michigan voters have begun a petition for recall.  With one of the highest murder rates, unemployment rates and lowest levels of educational attainment in the United States, the violent city of Detroit is looking more and more like a third-world country under the leadership of a political crony that the media has mostly ignored.

The Associated Press is reporting that a legal defense funds is being set up to defend the scandal prone 37-year old mayor.  Television personality and Michigan native Judge Greg Mathis is one of the organizers of the fund.

Back to France

  Cinq ans de guerre en Irak, et après?

It was time to go on Kiosque the French television program.  China, Portugal, Belgium and India were all represented, I was the American elected to discuss world events.  Flight, hotel, and television, appearing on Kiosque is a tough job but someone's got to do it. 

The subjects discussed went from the Chinese occupation of Tibet to the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq.  I was on the hot seat, as the only person who supported the efforts of the troops.  The Chinese correspondent had a tough time explaining the situation in Tibet. 

There was a great deal of interest about Obama and his chances for the presidency.  The last time I was on Kiosque, I mentioned that Obama's chances were good to become the next president, this time I had to adjust my original comment.  I was surprised to learn that the Chinese reporter thought Obama was a creation of the Republican party.  I guess it's hard to understand things clearly from the opposite side of the world.

The show is an hour long with no commercial breaks. TV in France is very different from TV in the US.  More time on screen, more in depth coverage on the subjects and more money.  The Euro is stronger than ever.  Kiosque is one of the most watched shows in the world, the channel TV5 has up to 200 millions viewers and the correspondents are often recognized throughout the world.  I've gotten all this great feedback from people all over the place. 

It's amazing how much of the foreign press revolves around what goes on in the United States. 

I'm still surprised by the amount of homeless people on the street, but there can be no doubt, Les Champs Elysees are a real treat and Paris is a wonderful city.   

5 Years Later

Which way will it go?  The Kuwait border to Iraq.  Five years ago, March 20th, American troops were on this same border and poised to enter Saddam's troops.

Five years after the initial invasion of Iraq, Americans wonder where we are.

Iraq is like no other conflict in American history, it is arguably no longer a war, but a low level insurgency.  We are not fighting a country, but a trans-national conspiracy that operates more like an intnerational fast-food franchise than a military force. In this conflict there will be no "D" Day, or signing of a peace treaty.

What is victory?  It is easy to take for granted the fact that there has not been another attack on American soil since 9/11—how do you show progress when the goal is basically for nothing to happen? Few are gullible enough to believe that victory in Iraq would mean turning back the clock to a pre-September 11th bliss of bloodless security.

Those who complain there was no al-Qaida in Iraq before 2003, lament how many terrorists have been created since the fall of Saddam, but how many had been created before September 11th, long before we ever went into Iraq.  How many decided to join the jihad when they saw the falling of the World Trade Center broadcast throughout the world? 

If the invasion of Iraq has indeed created terrorists, it most certainly has killed at least as many.  Al-Qaida declared Iraq the battleground for jihad, and al-Qaida has lost  that battle.  In Ramadi American soldiers had to prevent a mob from killing a potential terrorist who wanted to plant a roadside bomb.  In small towns, members of al Qaida beat men for shaving their faces, and cut the fingers off of those who wanted to smoke (smoking is a favorite Iraqi pastime. Iraqis tend to smoke Gauloises a French brand of cigarettes.)  After assassinating many innocents, today no one believes al-Qaida has the well-being of the average Iraqi in mind, but Osama bin-Laden was a hero after pulling off the initial attacks

There is plenty of acrimony over the "intelligence" or a lack thereof. 

In 2002, a United Nations report estimated a six-figure casualty toll due to the inevitability of Saddam's use of weapons of mass destruction. Egypt, Saudia Arabia and Iran believed Saddam had acquired nuclear capabilities, which was not a stretch. Again, in 2002, Pakistan surprised the international community by successfully testing an atomic bomb.  "They'll have to deliver it from the back of mule," joked one late night comedian, but the situation was serious, as Pakistanis, many of whom sympathize with the Taliban, danced in the streets. 

In the build up to the war, I recall sitting in Germany and reading the mostly anti-American press that did not care for an American action of any sort.  The German chancellor was elected mostly on the basis that he would prevent Germany from cooperating with the United States or Britain, regardless of whether Saddam had weapons or not. 

In the novel "One Bullet Away" author and former Marine Captain, Nathaniel Fick, describes the enormous precautions taken to protect American troops from biological weapons, much like the biological weapons that were used against the Kurds.  In the blistering heat of Iraq, putting on NBC gear (Neurological, Biological and Chemical) is like wearing a full-body fat-burning suit and a plastic bag over your head while only breathing through a straw.  When you add the carbon that is smeared to provide an extra layer of protection, you discover a whole new level to discomfort.  No one would take such precautions on a whim.

We believed WMD were in Iraq, and Americans overwhelmingly supported the cause.  Now, we believe we were wrong, but do we believe the action in Iraq helps to protect us back home?  Would we rather fight al Qaida and radical terrorism in Baghdad or in Boise? 

Five years later, where are we in Iraq?

Since the 2007 strategy of increasing troops by 30,000, there can be no doubt, the situation in Iraq has drastically improved.  The killing has gone down, but for some the casualty rate was never a barometer for success or failure in Saddam's former fiefdom.  Many Americans don't want to be bothered with an "unpopular war", but wars are not contestants on American Idol and should not be voted on or off our television sets according to the whims of callers with speed-dialing capabilities.  War is devastating and should always be unpopular. 

Five years after the initial push into Iraq we are heading in a positive direction, it remains to be seen if Americans will enjoy victory even if it comes.

England and Germany--A New Love Affaire

 The big story in Germany is the interview with Abu Graib and dog chain holder Lynndie England.  According to an exclusive interview she recently gave Stern (German), the former private first class demoted to just private states that former Defense Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, "knew" of her penchant for pointing to prisoner genitalia and holding on to leashes with humans attached to the other end.

"We knew our officers knew about it, so did our sergeants.  I was always convinced that Rumsfeld knew everything, he was at Abu Ghraib during my tour, how could he not know?  And Bush?  He was at the head of all of it."

This story has not caught on in the United States mostly because England, now a convicted felon, has very little credibility.  England's partner in crime and father of her child, Charles Granon, is still serving a military prison sentence--England was released last year. 

This "exclusive" revelation that Rumsfeld knew everything, plays well overseas where anti-Americanism is the norm.  It is exceedingly hard to believe that someone from the Department of Defense would not only authorize this type of action, but they'd put an amateur like Lynndie in charge of this supposed psyop (psychological operation) and that they would allow them to actually photograph it.

Stern is the Time Magazine of the German speaking world.

The photo seen around the world. Then PFC Lynndie at Abu Graib prison.

Visine

We get the topics about an hour before the show and things were really fast paced, but the Redeye crew was great at making a first-timer feel at home.

Short people on a rampage!

Botox=Botulism?

Pink Pistols?

Thanks Greg!

Racial double talk

Obama has transcended the racial wars by appealing to the mainstream voter.  Unlike his trailblazing predecessors, the Reverend Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, the Obama candidacy has not been a black campaign aimed at "sensitizing" Americans to the plight, trial and tribulations of black Americans, the Obama candidacy is viable.

The last thing Obama wants is to associate himself with is the emotionally draining, no-win back and forth of racial politics; although race has always been an undertone of the skillful Obama candidacy, the Obama appeal was supposed to be much more.

Enter Reverend Jeremiah Wright, a minister in a church that has called little or no attention to itself, despite rhetoric that would be sanctioned as hate speech, were it spoken by anyone else.  The fact that the country is "just discovering" the discourse of Reverend Wright shows how poorly the press has vetted the Obama candidacy. 

The list of inflammatory statements by the reverend is long and his connection to the Obama campaign could truly change the trajectory of the Illinois senator's appeal.  It will be up to the media to bring this issue to the forefront, a media that has been very generous to Senator Obama thus far. 

Stay tuned...

Insomniac's Dream or Nightmare?

Weekdays
3 a.m. ET 

• Joining Greg tonight: Michelle Collins, comedian; FOX News' Patti Ann Browne; Matt Sanchez, writer 

I had a great amount of fun appearing on the program Redeye.  If you get a chance, set your digital recorders or check out the outtakes from Foxnews.com.

Germany Ok's Incest

The court decision is still in the air, but there can be no doubt where this will eventually go.  If the humanistic benchmark becomes the societal standard, then "All You Need is Love" will extend to relationships that are currently prohibited and socially marginalized. 

What's the harm, you might ask?  You decide.

Since Susan became pregnant with Patrick's child and their relationship became known to the authorities, they have been prosecuted repeatedly. Their case touches an age-old taboo, it's exotic and tragic at the same time. "Coitus between relatives" is illegal in German law and punishable with a fine or a jail sentence.  cont...

    

 

DPA

Brother and sister, and lovers with four children. Patrick and Susan from Leipzig.

View to a Governor

Hand on heart, Spitzer loses his political viability as the clocks ticks towards his inevitable resignation.

There's a lot of media attention surrounding our New York governor, Eliot Spitzer, but if you really want the inside story, don't bother with the "paper of record" The New York Times, when no one covers New York politics better than the New York Post.

Take a look at this juicy morsel:

March 11, 2008 -- Gov. Spitzer, who crafted a national reputation as a crusader against corruption, was exposed yesterday as the penny-pinching client of a $1,000-an-hour hooker.

cont...

What makes the NYPost coverage a cut above the rest is not only the detail.

The women were ranked on a three- to seven-diamond scale based on brains, beauty and education.

Is this what they mean by the diploma being a key to opening more doors?

Suwal (alleged madam) told Kirsten (alleged call-girl) that Client-9 "would ask you to do things that, like, you might not think were safe - you know . . . I mean that . . . very basic things."

Spitzer was incredibly friendly to the gay community, he even promised to push for same-sex marriage.  I'm not sure if the Empire Pride Agenda will comment on the governor's lack of adherence to the safe-sex dogma the Pride Agenda preaches religiously.

Of course, the gay activist, Glenn Greenwald, couldn't understand what the fuss was all about:

Are there really people left who think that doing so should be a crime, that adults who hire other consenting adults for sex should be convicted and go to prison?

With all of the intense hand-wringing abounding, it's very difficult to discern the standard being applied here. Are any public officials who commit adultery engaged in such morally intolerable behavior that they ought to resign, because that didn't seem to be the standard back in the 1990s? cont...

Greenwald represents the loonie liberal fringe writing for the astonishingly unprofessional Huffington Post.  A hack like Greenwald and his colleagues can justify pretty much anything in order to suit their needs.  The governor committed a crime when he paid for sex, but all weeniewald sees is the loss of a vocal supporter of the gay agenda.

Of course, other politicians made their obligatory, bland and predictable non-comments

"I obviously am sending best wishes and thoughts to the governor and to his family . . . Let's wait and see what comes out of the next days. Right now, I don't have any comment. I think it's appropriate to wish his family....blah blah blah

It is comical how Democrats and liberals discover the importance of family values the moment after a scandal hits the headlines.

Governor and his wife.  Am I the only one who thinks the First Lady of New York bares some resemblance to another celebrity jilted wife Jennifer Aniston?

Unfortunately, the senator from New York, Hillary Clinton, wouldn't lament the fact that the residents of New York will have to do without a governor, but then again the residents of New York have also had to do without a senator for quite some time now.

Spitzer himself has been fairly low-keyed during the festivities.  After apologizing to his family (which doesn't concern the public), and using his wife as the political version of a stage prop.

"I've acted in a way that violates my obligations to my family."  Governor Spitzer stated, but then finally remembered that the only reason anyone cared that he is a former john is because he's also the governor of the state of New York.  After some hemming and hawing, Spitzer apologized to the residents of New York, but emphasized that he let himself down.

In a characteristic dictatorial tone, the governor decreed he would not answer questions.  I have a feeling he is most likely trying consulting his advisers on the possibility of staying in office. 

The mostly Democrat state of New York elected Eliot Spitzer by a landslide 81% vote.  Spitzer ran on the campaign slogan "Bringing passion to Albany". 

So far, Governor Spitzer has not resigned, but what would you expect from a man who " insisted he had a $400 credit from a previous transaction with the flesh peddlers." 

You have to love the New York Post--they don't mix words.   As one of the commentators notes, "Only in New York kids, only in New York."

"We believe it is important to set a tone, to send a message and to lead by example."--Newly elected governor Eliot Spitzer, 2007

Activist Journalism

It's not enough to read the news you should take action, according to the CNN wesite. 

Take action! When disaster strikes or horrible events unfold, these are opportunities to effect change. Bad things happen in the world every day. But good can result and one person can impact the world.

Take a moment to consider that CNN is a "news network" that, in essence, should report news rather than try to influence it.  But don't worry about neutrality, according to CNN:

These resources include some of the highest-rated charities by CharityNavigator.org (an independent and non-profit organization that evaluates and rates thousands of charity groups based on effectiveness and financial stability) and are vetted by CNN journalists for credibility.

With CNN, you don't just have journalists who can parse a quote, but professsionals who can vet charities credibly.  All for the price of clicking onto one of CNN's headlines.

Who wouldn't want to help out a starving child, or help put an end to slavery?  And what's wrong with CNN advocating a position, even if they claim not to endorse the groups they are promoting? 

There's nothing wrong with passing on some information, especially if it's in good faith, or is there?

It's interesting to note that I have yet to see one religious organization among the charities CNN has highlighted.

The fact that some Americans may look to a multi-national entertainment corporation like CNN, or an international purveyor of coffee like Starbucks, the producers of casual wear like The Gap or a one dollar rubber wristband for a cause to give their lives a sense of higher meaning is indicative of something much more profound than a campaign to "impact your world." 

It's interesting to note how the innate ability to do good and help one's fellow man has been co-opted by marketers and monetized for merchandise. 

The North American Dream?

L'Actualité, the French language Newsweek of Canada, laments the loss of the "North American Dream" wondering if the day of a continent "without borders" will ever come. 

Do any of you out there dream of losing your American identity and diluting it in with the nationalities of Canada and Mexico?

Shocking Performance

The media is pushing a fake controversy about Robert Downey Jr. using make-up to portray himself as a black man.  To me, the shocker was how convincing the star of this summer's blockbuster (and I predict hit) Iron Man looks.  Downey's the actor in the middle.

Question: How do you spot a fake controversy?

Answer: Look for desperate journalists posting anonymous quotes from popular blogs.

But the backlash has clearly begun as one comment on a showbiz blog Just Jared said: "I'm not black and I find it offensive; are there not any talented enough black actors out in the world that they feel the need to hire a white guy to do a black guy?"

Aren't we getting enough race-baiting with the current presidential election?

Decisive Instruction

Homeschooling are coming under attack in California where "The State" has decided that they need to approve of each teacher.  There is a disturbing tone of totalitarianism in this decision, now that many schools are more concerned with teaching "tolerance" and "diversity" and "unity" over the reading and writing and critical thinking. 

To his credit, Governor Schwarzenegger has called for a reversal of the appellate court decision to guarantee the right to educate your child at home. 

Campaign Promises

In 1996, President Bill Clinton passed the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in response to the possibility of same-sex marriage in the state of Hawaii.  Since then,  twenty-six states have enacted constitutional amendments defining marriage as between a man and a woman. 

Obama has recently promised to repeal DOMA, Clinton has remained a supporter of her husband's policy.  Where will this go? 

On the heels of the Madrid terrorist bombing, Zapatero came to power on a platform of reconciliation, of negotiating with those parties that were historically disassociated with the political process. 

The problem is that certain terrorists groups in Spain have always been associated with the political process, whether they were running a candidate or not. 

Spanish PM condemns killing of councillor

A politician from the ruling Socialist Party has been killed in Spain's northern Basque region, just two days before the general elections. The councilor was shot outside his house in front of his wife and daughter and was taken to hospital, where he died of his wounds. After the shooting the main parties announced a halt to campaigning. According to the polls, the two parties are neck and neck in the race for the election.

By Hook or by Crook

 

Time Square Recruiting Center after a "small explosion" cracked the front glass.  The suspect was seen fleeing on a bicycle that was later recovered.

There should be no doubt that the situation in Iraq has improved, since whackjobs like those from The World Can't Wait have changed their tactics of whining against the action in Iraq, to attacking recruiting centers across the country.

Berkeley, Washington and New York have recently been in the news for flamboyant and brazen attacks against recruiters.  It's one thing when the Code Pink pushes its right to protest, it's quite another when a deputy of the law does it. cont...

Feminist Conundrum

Women's rights activist have made a lot of fuss over a woman's "right to choose".  Most agree, choice is important, and the moment to protest is when choice is taken away.

Fast forward to a female activist and outspoken critic of the female circumcision found dead, after numerous threats on her life.  I'd like to see some feminist lead a campaign on this, or is Gloria Steinem too busy on the campaign trail?

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) -- Waris Dirie, the Somali-born supermodel and former James Bond girl who launched a worldwide campaign against female genital mutilation, was found by police Friday in central Brussels three days after she disappeared, the prosecutor's office said.    

Waris Dirie had been due to speak to two conferences on women's rights.

Dirie's disappearance came a week after French police said they'd found the body of another former model of African origin who had campaigned against female genital mutilation.

Puppy Tossing

By Matt Sanchez

The video is grainy, but it's easy to make out the features of the smiling Marine holding a black and white

puppy by the scruff. Another Marine is recording the whole scene. The camera focus on the dangling dog, one of the two Marines says the puppy is cute. The Marine pauses, throws back his arm and hurls the puppy through the air, like a lopsided football. There is the sound of the cute canine squealing and the thud of it hitting the earth motionless. [Video is posted online – viewer discretion advised.]

From Iraq, we've seen video of real-time beheadings, pictures of men being led by a dog leash and numerous post-bomb carnage, but despite spectacular events, the American public has been mostly immune and indifferent. Yet, the sight, thought and sounds of a puppy yelping after being thrown into the air and presumably killed is enough to cause a national uproar.

As Americans become more cynical and render the value of human life relative, are we looking for intrinsic innocence in cuddly faces that bark? Or are the images of wounded soldiers, crying mothers and aspiring human bombs pledging allegiance so complicated that it's easier to emotionally invest in the purity of a puppy and condemn the malicious Marine?

Watching the video, I couldn't help but think of how different the rules are in a place like Iraq, a place where dogs are often treated more like rats scampering for food in mounds of trash. I met shepherds who used dogs to herd sheep. I asked one Iraqi what the name of his dog was, but he looked at me confused. They don't name their dogs in much of the Middle East.

Servicemen have to be a bit more attentive. Marines are under orders to shoot any animal that gets too close; the alternative is risking a viral bite and possible infection. Rabies shots are what waited for one Marine from the 5/10 civil affairs unit. Obviously, none of this applies to the Marine who flung the puppy down a cliff – he comes from a different culture.

This Marine came form a culture where we have the luxury of keeping pets and the resources to spend more on four-legged creatures than some peoples around the world can spend on their own offspring; a country where cats inherit millions from wealthy owners, like one cat did in Florida, and where PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) compares a chained elephant in a modern zoo to a chained black slave in 19th century America.

Sympathy is an enormous emotion; it helps human beings understand one another – but how do we understand the abused puppy? Does our own indignation make us feel more human? When we watch the video of the Marine abusing a puppy, do we feel sorry for the puppy, or are we angrier at our own human failing?

Lt. Col. Jay Koppelman showed much humanity when he risked bodily harm and even breaking military law to bring a stray back home with him from Iraq. In his riveting tale, "From Baghdad with Love," Koppelman details just how important his relationship with the abandoned puppy was for his well-being. With each frustrated attempt to get little "Lava" out of the war-torn Iraq, the author wrote of having to save something from Iraq, but it becomes evident through the course of events that the dog saved the lieutenant colonel as much as the Marine saved the dog.

But the dog in the video won't be saved, if the video and puppy were real at all. The images were probably shot last year, and the four-legged critter landed inert at the far end of the cliff. Yet, it's the idea of such an "injustice" that has galvanized the American public.

 

VIDEO:The relationship between Marine and man's best friend is historically solid. After World War I, the Germans gave Marines their nickname of "devil dog." The Marine Mascot is a stout bulldog. Corporal Martin's military job involves co-habitating with animals. Besides bomb detection, tracking and defense, these canine Marines literally absorb stress in a war zone, because Marines love to pet him.

"That's pretty mean," said the Marine holding the camera to the other Marine shrugging his shoulders.

It's hard to believe what we are seeing. One is tempted to call the whole thing a hoax and believe that it may be a big practical joke. An investigation is under way in Hawaii, where the unit has returned after its tour in Iraq.

"I'm just feeling retarded," is what I think the Marine and presumed puppy killer says, but it's hard to make out the audio. After such an uneven display, we're all a bit confused.

Ultimate Sacrifice

In Fallujah, I saw a town that had been ravaged by much conflict, but was ultimately getting better.  It would be tempting to portray all as ideal but there were some losses.  Navy corpsmen take care of Marines in the field.  The "squids" are as much a part of the Marine tradition as amphibious landings. 

 

Rememberance

This photo was so striking that I wanted to share it with you. 

U.S. Navy USS Arizona survivor, retired Lt. Cmdr. Joseph Langdell pauses to collect his thoughts during an interview by a FOX News correspondent.

Getting it Right

I already mentioned Pat Dollard's excellent documentary Young Americans, but there's more to come.  My buddy, JD Johannes, is about to release his epic, "Outside the Wire."

WWI

There are very few WWI veterans remaining in the world, so it's always a pleasure to see images of the few who are still surviving.   

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush met the last known surviving veteran of the first world war on Thursday, thanking the 107-year-old for his service and his "love for America."

World War I veteran Frank Buckles met with President Bush in the Oval Office on Thursday.

Journalistic Standards

I just found these guidelines for journalists.  I'm hoping this is some kind of joke:

On Oct. 6 at its National Convention in Seattle, the Society of Professional Journalists passed a resolution urging members and fellow journalists to take steps against racial profiling in their coverage of the war on terrorism and to reaffirm their commitment to:

        — Use language that is informative and not inflammatory;

        — Portray Muslims, Arabs and Middle Eastern and South Asian Americans in the richness of their diverse experiences;

       — Seek truth through a variety of voices and perspectives that help audiences understand the complexities of the events in Pennsylvania, New York City and Washington, D.C.

 Guidelines Visual images

       — Seek out people from a variety of ethnic and religious backgrounds when photographing Americans mourning those lost in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.

 

American Idol Expanding Demographics

After yet another little sex scandal, American Idol decided to shrug off the past pecadillos of a current contestant who is a decent singer--judging from the posting of his performance on Youtube.

Reuters reports:

"American Idol" producers are shrugging off the latest sex scandal to hit the top-rated U.S. television show, saying contestant David Hernandez can stay in the competition despite his past as a stripper.

It's time for America to grow up and let a private life remain private.  Unless the producers of the show are going to expressly prohibit this stuff, there should be no complaint when something like this surfaces.

What I found particularly heinous was the "ten to twenty e-mails" from former patrons to an Idol website "outing" the young singer.  Talk about misery loving company, but then strippers are probably the nicest people in a bar like that one. 

Major Endorsement

The former Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, the now retired John Estrada, is stumping for Obama. 

Courtesy of retired Sgt. Maj. John Estrada Retired Sgt. Maj. John Estrada, far left, has endorsed Sen. Barack Obama, far right.

“He has this — I want to call it a unifying force. I see him uniting our country more so than the others. Old, young, across all ethnicities,” Estrada said.

Harvard Gets Religion

Although most of the Ivy League schools are citadels of secularism where atheism is the norm, it's always fascinating to note that most of these Founding Schools have deep religious roots.  The "Praying Indians" of Massachusetts were allowed to attend school and learned the Gospel at Harvard College.

This type of tolerance was before its time, as the French and Spanish forcibly converted their Indian populations to Catholicism.  Of course, Harvard became much more secular in the 20th century, but it looks like piety may be making a comeback.

BOSTON, Massachusetts (AP) -- Harvard University has banned men from one of its gyms for a few hours a week, a move to accommodate Muslim women who, for religious and cultural reasons, cannot exercise comfortably in their presence.

The new policy is posted at the entrance to Harvard University's Quadrangle Recreational Athletic Center.

"It's a pretty big breach of their moral and religious code for a man to see them with their hair uncovered and it's just not possible for them to be in a mixed environment," she said.--Harvard Student

Identity Theft

It's becoming much easier to steal, use and assume someone else's identity.  I myself, and many who have spent time overseas, come back to unidentified charges on our credit report and a mountain of work to recover what is already ours.

This is the strange story of a student at Columbia University who really wasn't a student at Columbia University.

GREENVILLE, South Carolina (AP) -- A woman accused of using a missing person's identity to get into an Ivy League school made her first court appearance Monday, and the victim's relatives said they just want the theft suspect punished.

Esther Elizabeth Reed is accused of stealing another woman's identity to get into Columbia University.

In the "Huh?" File

Every time I see a "Marine in trouble" story, I always think of the words of my drill instructor, Sgt. Forde.

"If you mess up, the first thing they'll report will be 'Marine messed up'"  That was the santized version of Sgt. Forde's saying, but it is the reality nevertheless.

Ok, standard procedure for dogs/puppies in Iraq (and there are many dogs) is to shoot them should they get too close to a servicemen.  If you get bitten, a series of rabies shots await you in Baghdad. 

So, I have a hard time believing the puppy was still alive.  A Marine just won't let it get that close alive.

Iraqis themselves do not keep dogs/puppies as pets, so many rove the streets in packs.  We'll see how this all plays out, but it is interesting how much indignation a puppy will provoke.

HONOLULU (AP) - Military officials are investigating an Internet video that purports to show a Marine throwing a puppy off a rocky cliff.

Maj. Chris Perrine of the Marine Corps Base Hawaii says it appears the man is based with a unit in the islands. cont...

For a look at how another Marine treated a dog watch below:

Neglected?

With an overwhelming majority, and a proven track record of showing up at the polls, the one major group that has been overlooked this entire election has been the white American male. 

With every group hoping for some concession or entitlement, it will be up to the majority white American male to pick up the tab, so why hasn't anyone made an appeal to reach out to this group?

The white male not only earns more, has more education and influence, he's also just a statistical majority.  Ignore this segment of the population at your own peril.

AUSTIN, Texas (CNN) -- The virtually tied Texas Democratic primary has East Austin diners talking at Cisco's, where politicos have gathered over breakfast for generations.

       

Cisco's breakfast cafe in largely Hispanic East Austin, is a popular meeting place for Texas politicos.  This election, the focus is not on the majority but on smaller factions.  This neglect could bring about a surprise result in November.

Banana Wars without the Fruit, just a Nut.

The rumors of Chavez actively funding the militant narco-traficantes in Columbia have been floating around for some time, but I believe this is one of the first times I've heard Columbia's government, under President Alvaro Uribe, make such a strong statement.

(CNN) -- Evidence found in computers seized in a raid over the weekend suggests that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez recently gave the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia $300 million, Colombia's national police chief said Monday.

Ecuadoran soldiers board a helicopter Monday to Angostura, near the Colombian border.

Chavez called the attack "a cowardly murder" and blamed the United States, a close ally of Colombia. He further called Uribe a criminal, liar and gangster.

Now, it's our fault, according to the Venezuelan president, that Columbia went a mile into Ecuatorian territory, to chase after rebel FARC forces.  Brazil supported Venezuela in condemning Columbia.  Ecuador sent troops to their border, as did Venezuela.  The Columbia troops have a reputation for being very good soldiers.  Stay tuned.

Berkeley

Melanie Morgan rallies the troops.