My family has been active in the military since at least the Civil War. They fought, were battered and bruised or died for the United States of America. They sought to uphold the freedoms that we enjoy as citizens of a democratic nation. One of those rights and privileges is a “free and fair” election process. Women and people of ethnic diversity were only awarded those rights during the past 100 years and now there is a proposed Minnesota Constitutional Amendment that would disproportionately affect these people. Our ancestors would be appalled.
Yes, it is a nice concept to have every voter display photographic identification when they cast a ballot. However, a photo ID is difficult to attain for many people. My parents were born on the farm and didn’t obtain birth certificates until they needed a passport to travel. Many elders are in that situation; it would be nearly impossible to prove that they were born in the US. An estimated 140,000 Minnesotans who are completely qualified to vote would not have access to the polls. The blood of my ancestors would have been shed in vain.
Also troubling are the additional provisions of the amendment. As a Head Election Judge for several years, I observed how important same-day registration was for voters. First, many people move after the pre-registration date (October 15th of this year) and would be disqualified if this amendment passes. Second, members of the military (which includes my family) would be forced to do a two-step ballot and there is a high probability that their vote would never be counted. What a terrible irony. Third, county governments would be forced to locate money to pay for items required by the amendment. Not exactly fiscally prudent, now is it?
Finally, it is very uncommon to have a contested campaign conclusion. Very few campaigns end with a close vote. Technically, the opportunity for an “illegal” vote to sway the result of an election is miniscule. I’m willing to take that risk to ensure access for all the people who would have trouble attaining a photo ID and for multitude that would be barred by the other provisions of the amendment. That is why I will mark NO on the Anti-Voting Amendment in Minnesota on November 6th, 2012.
www.ourvoteourfuture.org
Two NOs make a Right!
© 2012 Ima B. Musing
Showing posts with label military. Show all posts
Showing posts with label military. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Monday, August 13, 2012
CAMO CONVENTION
I felt emotionally drained after reading the biography, “Unbroken” written by Laura Hillenbrand. Louis Zamperini and thousands of POWs (Prisoners of War) have endured horrific acts in the hands of the enemy. So much suffering, so much death, and the physical and mental aftereffects of war. Torturing another human being is unconscionable. Sometimes it is worse than demise.
I cried when the book described the flight engineer sacrificing his life to deploy the rafts just before the plane hit the water. That is how my uncle died. I never even got the chance to meet him. I grew up with a depressed mother, upset aunts, sad grandfather, and an angry grandmother as a result. One time grandma said to me, “You should have died, not your uncle.” I ran from the room and refused to speak with her for a year, I was 12.
My family can trace its military involvement back to at least the Civil War. My great-great-grandpa was a Union Captain. My dad was in the Air Force, uncles and cousins are veterans of every branch of the military, including the Marines, Coast Guard, and National Guard. My niece and her hubby were recently in the Navy. My nephew and nephew-in-law are in the Air Force. I have two cousins who are active duty Army, one of whom just returned from yet another tour in Afghanistan.
I am passionate about the military and have written about the topic many times before. I almost joined but I become sassy when orders aren’t logical. Plus, my mother made it very clear that she didn’t want any of her children in the military. Of course, my sister married a guy in the Army so all her kids joined up or married a member of the armed forces.
I fully support the members of the military as long as they adhere to the Geneva Convention and Protocols. They need to follow orders and I sincerely hope that the commands are rational and seek the least amount of harm. Officers and the entire Chain of Command go all the way up to the Commander in Chief, the President of the United States. The command personnel are responsible for the action of the troops and must ensure that civilians and POWs are protected.
Geneva et al must be upheld at all times, if not exceeded by all components of the United States Military and auspices of the Department of Defense (which includes contractors). Any company that receives money from US Government coffers must comply fully with International Humanitarian Law. Period. End of discussion. If not, it creates a direct threat to members of the US military as well as American civilians. My family! We must eradicate all the “enhanced interrogation” which is torture. We must close all “insurgent retention camps” regardless of location because they are POW torture prisons, not just Guantanimo. They must be banned forever.
The United States is supposed to be a role model of democracy for the entire world. We become evil incarnate when we violate the Geneva Convention. It is reprehensible and will cause harm for generations. The people who violated the rules need to be punished at The Hague. They are responsible for war crimes. It doesn’t matter what their title was or is, they must be held liable and it must go up the chain of command. Yes, I mean G.W. Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, and their minions.
All soldiers must be held accountable for their misdeeds. Their punishment must be at least as severe as civilian court. I am disgusted when a soldier rapes or murders a non-military person and doesn’t do any jail time. A military court cannot be lenient. I don’t believe in the death sentence; just let people rot in a humane jail. The commanders must take some responsibility when they deploy a soldier/sailor who is clearly showing signs of stress. They should be severely reprimanded, too.
Gender equity will reduce some of the command problems in the military. Women need to be fully equal in the armed forces. Young women need to register for the draft at the age of 18 just the same as young men. Either the draft registration must be eliminated or applied to both genders. Females must be eligible and promoted into every job description in the military. They must be safe from verbal/physical harassment, and sexual assault by co-workers, commanders, and civilian employees. We need to have female Four Star Generals, Joint Chiefs of Staff, key Pentagon personnel, and leading the Department of Defense. Women will still make mistakes but it has to be better than the “boys club” atmosphere.
No More Camouflage Ceiling!
© 2012 Ima B. Musing
I cried when the book described the flight engineer sacrificing his life to deploy the rafts just before the plane hit the water. That is how my uncle died. I never even got the chance to meet him. I grew up with a depressed mother, upset aunts, sad grandfather, and an angry grandmother as a result. One time grandma said to me, “You should have died, not your uncle.” I ran from the room and refused to speak with her for a year, I was 12.
My family can trace its military involvement back to at least the Civil War. My great-great-grandpa was a Union Captain. My dad was in the Air Force, uncles and cousins are veterans of every branch of the military, including the Marines, Coast Guard, and National Guard. My niece and her hubby were recently in the Navy. My nephew and nephew-in-law are in the Air Force. I have two cousins who are active duty Army, one of whom just returned from yet another tour in Afghanistan.
I am passionate about the military and have written about the topic many times before. I almost joined but I become sassy when orders aren’t logical. Plus, my mother made it very clear that she didn’t want any of her children in the military. Of course, my sister married a guy in the Army so all her kids joined up or married a member of the armed forces.
I fully support the members of the military as long as they adhere to the Geneva Convention and Protocols. They need to follow orders and I sincerely hope that the commands are rational and seek the least amount of harm. Officers and the entire Chain of Command go all the way up to the Commander in Chief, the President of the United States. The command personnel are responsible for the action of the troops and must ensure that civilians and POWs are protected.
Geneva et al must be upheld at all times, if not exceeded by all components of the United States Military and auspices of the Department of Defense (which includes contractors). Any company that receives money from US Government coffers must comply fully with International Humanitarian Law. Period. End of discussion. If not, it creates a direct threat to members of the US military as well as American civilians. My family! We must eradicate all the “enhanced interrogation” which is torture. We must close all “insurgent retention camps” regardless of location because they are POW torture prisons, not just Guantanimo. They must be banned forever.
The United States is supposed to be a role model of democracy for the entire world. We become evil incarnate when we violate the Geneva Convention. It is reprehensible and will cause harm for generations. The people who violated the rules need to be punished at The Hague. They are responsible for war crimes. It doesn’t matter what their title was or is, they must be held liable and it must go up the chain of command. Yes, I mean G.W. Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, and their minions.
All soldiers must be held accountable for their misdeeds. Their punishment must be at least as severe as civilian court. I am disgusted when a soldier rapes or murders a non-military person and doesn’t do any jail time. A military court cannot be lenient. I don’t believe in the death sentence; just let people rot in a humane jail. The commanders must take some responsibility when they deploy a soldier/sailor who is clearly showing signs of stress. They should be severely reprimanded, too.
Gender equity will reduce some of the command problems in the military. Women need to be fully equal in the armed forces. Young women need to register for the draft at the age of 18 just the same as young men. Either the draft registration must be eliminated or applied to both genders. Females must be eligible and promoted into every job description in the military. They must be safe from verbal/physical harassment, and sexual assault by co-workers, commanders, and civilian employees. We need to have female Four Star Generals, Joint Chiefs of Staff, key Pentagon personnel, and leading the Department of Defense. Women will still make mistakes but it has to be better than the “boys club” atmosphere.
No More Camouflage Ceiling!
© 2012 Ima B. Musing
Thursday, May 24, 2012
TIGER BY THE TAIL
Aircraft carriers are a magnificent masterpiece of engineering and seafaring. I visited my niece, Julie, who was stationed in San Diego. I was awed. It was the largest ship that I had ever seen. It made the cargo ships in the port of Duluth look puny. The carrier had just been repaired, repainted and was ready for “work-ups” to prepare the crew for a six-month deployment. It embarked and returned to be repaired, which takes about six months. Work-ups were underway when 9/11 occurred. As a result, the ship was sent out in October 2001 to the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Oman, several months before it was scheduled to leave port.
I was fraught with worry. I knew people helping at the World Trade Center Ground Zero site, Pentagon, and Pennsylvania and now a family member was being literally shipped out. The initial attack on Afghanistan was launched from the USS John C. Stennis aircraft carrier. I was anxious during Julie’s entire deployment. In February 2002 she contacted me to be her guest for a “Tiger Cruise.” I was honored and accepted, after receiving clearance from my boss and the Pentagon. I paid my Tiger fee, booked a round trip ticket to Los Angeles, and a one-way flight to Honolulu. I flew to LA on May 17th, 2002. Arrived in time to consume lunch with a friend in the fun LAX space lounge. I got the total pat down and questioning in LA as I transferred to the Hawaii flight. They asked what cruise line I was sailing on, I replied the US Navy. The response elicited a lot of chuckles and I handed them my boarding pass. Painfully long flight to Oahu but I sat next to a nice native Hawaiian and she let me know how not to insult Pele. I adore Hawaiian music so I listened on the aircraft radio when we weren’t chatting.
I stayed with friends of a friend in Honolulu. It was sweet to be greeted with a fragrant homemade lea upon arrival. They let me sleep on the couch in their spare room. Tourist has so many negative connotations. I prefer to be a traveling learner; I want to soak in the local atmosphere. I rode the bus all over Oahu and my hosts dropped me off a few times at various destinations. The volcano inspired architecture of the Hawaiian Capitol building is awesome. I visited several art museums and attended a Pow-wow. The gathering was almost identical to community Pow-wows in Minnesota except the fringe was longer and the clothing had more neon hues. I didn’t have the funds to go island hopping; I longed to see a live volcano. I did naively ask what the huge pole by the beach was for and a man growled back, tsunami. If it howls, head for the hills.
Road the “Circle Bus” around the island. It was fun getting off and on at the various stops and visiting with the locals. Completely flummoxed when someone spoke to me in Pidgin because they didn’t think I was a visitor. I had no desire to hang out with “tourists.” The behavior of some of the visitors was hideous. I only ventured to Waikiki Beach for an art fair and entertainment on the beach boulevard. My first experience with bubble tea, mmm good! Usually the residents despise tourists but because people were afraid to fly they were nice to me. Surprised that Spam was served in every restaurant I visited, except two. When I mentioned that I was from Minnesota, the people would ask if I had been to the Spam factory. Yes, I did tour the Hormel plant when I was a kid. The recent film, The Descendents, shows many of the places I visited on Oahu. Good movie but irritated that the Native Hawaiians were only portrayed in a negative manner.
I ran around Oahu for four days and knew the ship was to arrive soon. I asked my hosts to borrow their binoculars to look out at the ships approaching the harbor since we were located on a high bluff. I knew that I had a very slim chance of spotting the aircraft carrier but there it was CVN-74, moving towards port. My host was impressed with my timing. On May 22nd, I met the ship docked in Pearl Harbor. Disappointed that the museum was closed that day. It was a Wednesday so we walked over to the Flea Market at the Stadium. What a wonderful market, the best shopping on the whole island. The merchandise was diverse and half the cost of other retailers. We also ventured to the Naval Exchange to procure a few more items. I have been to a lot of military retail markets but this was the most impressive.
That night we attended a cheesy luau. The food was bland, entertainment was okay, and the drinks strong. We wore military nametags so the alcohol was 80% of the drink. I would always get an empty glass and a plain Coke to water down my rum-n-cokes. It was too strong otherwise. We sat next to a man with his ten year old son. I asked what he did on the ship, he said “Special Ops.” That ended that line of conversation. I was sitting across from a trained assassin. Not exactly dinnertime conversation so we talked about other topics.
To be Continued
© 2012 Ima B. Musing
I was fraught with worry. I knew people helping at the World Trade Center Ground Zero site, Pentagon, and Pennsylvania and now a family member was being literally shipped out. The initial attack on Afghanistan was launched from the USS John C. Stennis aircraft carrier. I was anxious during Julie’s entire deployment. In February 2002 she contacted me to be her guest for a “Tiger Cruise.” I was honored and accepted, after receiving clearance from my boss and the Pentagon. I paid my Tiger fee, booked a round trip ticket to Los Angeles, and a one-way flight to Honolulu. I flew to LA on May 17th, 2002. Arrived in time to consume lunch with a friend in the fun LAX space lounge. I got the total pat down and questioning in LA as I transferred to the Hawaii flight. They asked what cruise line I was sailing on, I replied the US Navy. The response elicited a lot of chuckles and I handed them my boarding pass. Painfully long flight to Oahu but I sat next to a nice native Hawaiian and she let me know how not to insult Pele. I adore Hawaiian music so I listened on the aircraft radio when we weren’t chatting.
I stayed with friends of a friend in Honolulu. It was sweet to be greeted with a fragrant homemade lea upon arrival. They let me sleep on the couch in their spare room. Tourist has so many negative connotations. I prefer to be a traveling learner; I want to soak in the local atmosphere. I rode the bus all over Oahu and my hosts dropped me off a few times at various destinations. The volcano inspired architecture of the Hawaiian Capitol building is awesome. I visited several art museums and attended a Pow-wow. The gathering was almost identical to community Pow-wows in Minnesota except the fringe was longer and the clothing had more neon hues. I didn’t have the funds to go island hopping; I longed to see a live volcano. I did naively ask what the huge pole by the beach was for and a man growled back, tsunami. If it howls, head for the hills.
Road the “Circle Bus” around the island. It was fun getting off and on at the various stops and visiting with the locals. Completely flummoxed when someone spoke to me in Pidgin because they didn’t think I was a visitor. I had no desire to hang out with “tourists.” The behavior of some of the visitors was hideous. I only ventured to Waikiki Beach for an art fair and entertainment on the beach boulevard. My first experience with bubble tea, mmm good! Usually the residents despise tourists but because people were afraid to fly they were nice to me. Surprised that Spam was served in every restaurant I visited, except two. When I mentioned that I was from Minnesota, the people would ask if I had been to the Spam factory. Yes, I did tour the Hormel plant when I was a kid. The recent film, The Descendents, shows many of the places I visited on Oahu. Good movie but irritated that the Native Hawaiians were only portrayed in a negative manner.
I ran around Oahu for four days and knew the ship was to arrive soon. I asked my hosts to borrow their binoculars to look out at the ships approaching the harbor since we were located on a high bluff. I knew that I had a very slim chance of spotting the aircraft carrier but there it was CVN-74, moving towards port. My host was impressed with my timing. On May 22nd, I met the ship docked in Pearl Harbor. Disappointed that the museum was closed that day. It was a Wednesday so we walked over to the Flea Market at the Stadium. What a wonderful market, the best shopping on the whole island. The merchandise was diverse and half the cost of other retailers. We also ventured to the Naval Exchange to procure a few more items. I have been to a lot of military retail markets but this was the most impressive.
That night we attended a cheesy luau. The food was bland, entertainment was okay, and the drinks strong. We wore military nametags so the alcohol was 80% of the drink. I would always get an empty glass and a plain Coke to water down my rum-n-cokes. It was too strong otherwise. We sat next to a man with his ten year old son. I asked what he did on the ship, he said “Special Ops.” That ended that line of conversation. I was sitting across from a trained assassin. Not exactly dinnertime conversation so we talked about other topics.
To be Continued
© 2012 Ima B. Musing
Monday, May 30, 2011
REMEMBER THE HEROES
Diplomacy is the best method to resolve conflict. It requires great strength to remain nonviolent. Economic sanctions can be used as long as multiple countries enforce them. Unilateral (one country) actions are foolish. Military action must be the absolute last resort. Violence indicates a failure of politicians and diplomats. They can’t do their job so the military has to step in.
I am a member of a military family and several are currently on active duty. I have spent a lot of time worrying about their safety and visited many military bases. We can trace our involvement back to the Civil War (an ancestor was a Union Captain). My family members have been wounded and died in service to our country and on behalf of other countries. They knew the risk when they signed up. I nearly joined but I am a bit too sassy.
There is a clear difference between defense and offense. I don’t always agree with orders from the politicians and decision makers in the Pentagon. Sometimes they use military action to achieve political goals, which is reprehensible. Members of the military follow orders. It is their job to do what they are told to do. It is not the choice of the individual soldier/sailor/airperson/etc but their unit’s commanding officer who follows orders from their commanding officer (CO). The chain of command hierarchy travels all the way up to the Pentagon and Commander in Chief, the President of the United States. The President is ultimately responsible for the actions of every member of the military.
The Geneva Conventions and Protocols must be absolutely enforced. When a service member acts inappropriately, they should go to jail. When a commander acts inappropriately, they should go to jail. Military law should be at least as harsh as civilian law (excluding capital punishment). No one should get off with a reprimand when they break the law or act inappropriately. Period. End of Discussion. The United States must be willing to send their commanders to The Hague for criminal prosecution when they perpetuate war crimes. If the United States is a “champion” of democracy we must fully participate in the world’s efforts for democracy.
The United States Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, and Navy officially need to completely integrate women into full combat duty. Females have been unofficially participating for years. Full combat duty will raise women’s status and increase promotion opportunities. Many countries have fully integrated combat units. The women perform just as well as the men. The number of rapes and assaults will reduce when women are equals. My friend’s daughter suffered horrible harassment by the men in her unit while recently serving in Iraq. She couldn’t report it to her CO without getting in trouble herself. That is profoundly wrong.
I wish that nonviolence would be able to solve all conflict in the world. Unfortunately we humans haven’t evolved to that level of maturity. We keep harming each other. So much has been wasted by violence. What could have been accomplished? We all lose when elected officials fail in their diplomatic skills. I am appalled that the politicians renewed the Patriot Act; it continues the shameful removal of rights from United States citizens. My family has paid and continues to pay for those rights with blood, sweat, and tears.
Thank you to all the current members of the military and veterans. Stay safe! I am proud to be amongst the family and friends who support our military.
HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!
© 2011
I am a member of a military family and several are currently on active duty. I have spent a lot of time worrying about their safety and visited many military bases. We can trace our involvement back to the Civil War (an ancestor was a Union Captain). My family members have been wounded and died in service to our country and on behalf of other countries. They knew the risk when they signed up. I nearly joined but I am a bit too sassy.
There is a clear difference between defense and offense. I don’t always agree with orders from the politicians and decision makers in the Pentagon. Sometimes they use military action to achieve political goals, which is reprehensible. Members of the military follow orders. It is their job to do what they are told to do. It is not the choice of the individual soldier/sailor/airperson/etc but their unit’s commanding officer who follows orders from their commanding officer (CO). The chain of command hierarchy travels all the way up to the Pentagon and Commander in Chief, the President of the United States. The President is ultimately responsible for the actions of every member of the military.
The Geneva Conventions and Protocols must be absolutely enforced. When a service member acts inappropriately, they should go to jail. When a commander acts inappropriately, they should go to jail. Military law should be at least as harsh as civilian law (excluding capital punishment). No one should get off with a reprimand when they break the law or act inappropriately. Period. End of Discussion. The United States must be willing to send their commanders to The Hague for criminal prosecution when they perpetuate war crimes. If the United States is a “champion” of democracy we must fully participate in the world’s efforts for democracy.
The United States Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, and Navy officially need to completely integrate women into full combat duty. Females have been unofficially participating for years. Full combat duty will raise women’s status and increase promotion opportunities. Many countries have fully integrated combat units. The women perform just as well as the men. The number of rapes and assaults will reduce when women are equals. My friend’s daughter suffered horrible harassment by the men in her unit while recently serving in Iraq. She couldn’t report it to her CO without getting in trouble herself. That is profoundly wrong.
I wish that nonviolence would be able to solve all conflict in the world. Unfortunately we humans haven’t evolved to that level of maturity. We keep harming each other. So much has been wasted by violence. What could have been accomplished? We all lose when elected officials fail in their diplomatic skills. I am appalled that the politicians renewed the Patriot Act; it continues the shameful removal of rights from United States citizens. My family has paid and continues to pay for those rights with blood, sweat, and tears.
Thank you to all the current members of the military and veterans. Stay safe! I am proud to be amongst the family and friends who support our military.
HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!
© 2011
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