The Posse has the greatest respect for members of our military. We believe they are, on the whole, some of the best people this country has ever produced.
Alas, the open nature of recruitment means that utter idiots occasionally slip through the gates and manage to sully the uniform by enlisting.
The Mudville Gazette links to the pathetic story of ex-Specialist Blake Lemoine, who has just won an all-expense paid trip to the stockade for seven months.
In addition, Lemoine recieved the gift of youth - he was reduced in rank to private. Ah to relive the joys of being a raw recruit!
Finally, he recieved a bad conduct discharge - something to carry with him for the rest of his life.
Lemoine apparently bought into the moralistic tripe pedalled by the antiwar movement; specifically that the war in Iraq was illegal and that it would be against Lemoine's religion to participate in it.
What religion that?
This gets better and better.
Now it is important to remember that Lemoine was a mechanic. His job was to fix generators.
Now one could argue that restoring the power supply to a mobile bath unit is morally the same as shooting unarmed children in the face - because any help to Chimpy W. BusHitler's legions of Jesusfreak Deathbringers carries with it the stigma of assisting in human sacrifice (assuming that the new pagans are against that sort of thing).
Certainly Lemoine did.
Alas, the Army didn't buy it.
Apparently his wife has, however:
His wife, Alayna, told Stars & Stripes: "If we were any other mainstream religion, the Army would not be doing this. They wouldn't do this to a Jew or Christian. It's a vendetta against pagans. They can't burn us, so they shut us up."
Of course. Christians who refuse lawful orders get a big slap on the back and free beer.
So what are the tenets of this faith?
Many pagans in modern society are said to base their beliefs and practices on a connection to nature.
Which is why he was a mechanic.
Lemoine wasn't content to go with the pure moral objection, though. He wanted out, so he covered all his bases:
His letter also pointed out he has a non-monogamous relationship with his wife, and that he is bisexual, which is against Army policy.
This is of course the last resort for anyone who wants to get out. We're not sure why he would bring this up if serious moral principles were at stake, but hey, maybe the Army needed to know.
The trial must have been something to see. Apparently the judge was impressed, because she gave him a longer sentence than the prosecution asked.
The Posse is certain that the antiwar zealots will fasten onto Lemoine like a starving leech, trying to use him as a poster child for the evils of the military and the liberation of Iraq in particular.
Instead, he's a first-class screw up.
UPDATE: In the interests of interservice cooperation, Citizen Smash has the latest on Pablo Paredes. Call it bringing jointness to slamming idiots.
Well, since he's bisexual, at least he will get some enjoyment out of his visit to the barbed-wire hotel.
Posted by: homebru | March 30, 2005 at 09:58 PM
ROFL
Posted by: seawitch1261 | March 31, 2005 at 12:08 AM
He was "ordained" through the mail!
Posted by: sweety | April 01, 2005 at 02:52 PM
I'm glad to see Blake standing up for what is right. He has my support in refusing to fight for the imperialist american military.
Posted by: J. M. Branum | July 17, 2005 at 08:59 PM
So why did he sign up to work for it? Did he think they gave veto power to enlisted men over foreign policy?
Posted by: Posse Incitatus | July 18, 2005 at 09:56 PM
He didnt invoke veto power over foreign policy, rather he decided that he would not act on behalf of a policy he disagreed with. He simply invoked his free will not to act.
He was a mechanic at the time of his court marshall, but before that he served a year tour in iraq as a machine gunner.
Posted by: C. Anderson | March 22, 2006 at 11:10 AM
He joined the military, signed a contract, and broke that contract. IF YOU HAVE MORAL OJECTIONS TO WAR AND THE MILITARY, DON'T FRICKING JOIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sure, when we aren't at war, signing up for a gunner slot in the military is an easy way to get paid for nothing. But when you are actually called on to do your duty and fulfill your obligations, well now you have objections. What a complete frickin dumbarse! Hey, Sweetie, Lutherans have objections too and they won't permit their pastors from being chaplains. So, don't bitch about religion having anything to do with this.
Posted by: Sithkitten | March 26, 2006 at 04:58 PM
hey C. Anderson I was also in the army and i think your comment on lutherans being chaplins is ture. But you fail to point out that Army Chaplins don't carry a firearm and and acctualy not allowed to shoot at the enemy. Why don't you lean a little before you go spouting stuff like that.
Posted by: mark | May 02, 2006 at 04:33 PM
Last time I checked, all of the pagans (not the motorcycle assoc.) that I knew in the military were DEFINITELY not peaceful pacifists. Nature is a bitch, all that natural selection going on..... Heck, I know one pagan Marine that is a norse mythos based pagan just because he likes the idea of Valhalla.....
Posted by: cargosquid | April 28, 2007 at 01:18 PM