Standing in Blood.

[David]

This goes beyond the theorizing, to reality.  The last 2 or 3 minutes are the best.  I sometimes do not articulate my personal beliefs well because they are not always some clean elegant little theory.  It isn't because the gov't is 'inefficiant' that I oppose them, it is because they are standing in blood. 
Please watch. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X78CYn_F6b8

[shyfrog]

Watching this only makes me want to vote...

for Ron Paul even more.

[Vitruvian]

I watched this video this morning, David.  Like a spear through my heart.  His is the kind of rage that should fill us all.

[Insurgent]

I'm speechless. Thanks for posting this, David.

[J’raxis 270145]

I watched this video this morning, David.  Like a spear through my heart.  His is the kind of rage that should fill us all.

And what are you doing with that rage that fills you?

[Vitruvian]

And what are you doing with that rage that fills you?

Flushing it down the toilet.  How about you?

[anthonybpugh]

There might be some problems with some of the numbers this guy presented. 
On the one about the homeless veterans.  That could be a bogus number.  First of all, one quarter of the homeless population being veterans seems rather high.  I would expect a slightly higher rate but not something significantly higher.  The study which was the story is based on was done by a homeless advocacy group.  That is not to say that the study is incorrect.  Just that it is suspicious. 

Of course considering that one of the benefits provided by serving in the military is money for college, you would think that the rates of homelessness for those in the military would be less.  It might cause someone to question the justification for providing such a benefit.  If it exists simply as an incentive to get people to join, that is one thing.  But if it is designed to help provide a means of social and economic advancement for the poor who typically join the military, then it might not be a success effort. 
------------
About the suicide issue.  There might be several problems here as well.

I haven't found the numbers to back this up but I believe that the suicide rates have always been higher for those in the military than among civilians.  When you put people under more stress, in unfamiliar environments with unfamiliar people, you are almost guaranteed to have a higher suicide rate.  Particularly when they haven't undergone any serious stress before in their lives. 

for those who are getting out of the military, I think most of this would result from the increased stress that comes from transitioning from military to civilian life.  It is more pronounced if you were in someplace like Iraq or Afghanistan. 

Speaking about myself, being in Iraq didn't cause me any problems.  That could be because I didn't see any combat and things like mortars and rockets were just annoyances cause it meant I would have to wake up for their idiotic head counts.   It was being surrounded by absolute idiots really helped develop my charming personality and I found that the attitudes of the civilians that I encountered would piss me off really quickly. 

Of course if they didn't ban whores and sex things wouldn't be so bad.  If they allowed whore houses I think the morale of the troops would be much higher and the suicide rates would be even lower. 

[Kat Kanning]

Wow.  He belies the image of the "bomb-throwing" anarchist.

[Lloyd Danforth]

Just occurred to me.  We need a smilie of one of those black 'bowling ball' bombs

[coffeeseven]

This video articulates why I have a problem with Veteran's Day and Thanksgiving.

[Kat Kanning]

Vetrans Day I get, but Thanksgiving?

[coffeeseven]

As of Sunday, November 18, 2007 the "New World" is no better than the old. In fact, it's much, much worse. Here we go having to take it back again. Maybe this time we won't kill the indigenous peoples or enslave the black man or let governments rule over us.

When we are successful I will begin a new Thanksgiving on the date of choice. For now I have a hard time getting worked up about coming to this new land.

Unless I missed the point again and Thanksgiving is really about eating and shopping. 

[shyfrog]

And here I've always held a pagan view of thanksgiving 
Giving thanks to the earth and nature (and God, gods, Flying Spaghetti Monster, etc) for a bountiful harvest.
And by bringing together friends and family to share in that harvest, you better the world around you through that individual choice. Little as it may seem.
It's about individuals gathering together and edifying each other, not for the purpose of praise but, for showing appreciation and friendship.

Just keep the hippie hugging love will save the world through the collective universal mind and third eye crap out of it

[Kat Kanning]

Started a Thanksgiving thread so we don't hijack this one too much.

[error]

On the one about the homeless veterans.  That could be a bogus number.  First of all, one quarter of the homeless population being veterans seems rather high.  I would expect a slightly higher rate but not something significantly higher.  The study which was the story is based on was done by a homeless advocacy group.  That is not to say that the study is incorrect.  Just that it is suspicious. 

Well, which is it? Is the number too high or not high enough? You seem to be disagreeing with yourself...

Personally the number sounds about right to me.