Serviceman Scolded at YearlyKos

by gmony714 | August 4, 2007 at 06:22 am

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This is how Liberals treat our servicemen.

As the Military and Progressives panel came to an end, a young man in uniform stood up to argue that the surge was working, and cutting down on Iraqi casualties. The moderator largely freaked out. When other members of the panel tried to answer his question, he demanded they “stand down.” He demanded the questioner give his name, the name of his commander, and the name of his unit. And then he closed the panel, no answer offered or allowed, and stalked off the stage.

Wes Clark took the mic and tried to explain what had just occurred: The argument appears to be that you’re not allowed to participate in politics while wearing a uniform, or at least that you shouldn’t, and that the questioner was engaging in a sort of moral blackmail, not to mention a violation of the rules, by doing so. Knowing fairly little about the army, I can’t speak to any of that. But it was an uncomfortable few moments, and seemed fairly contrary to the spirit of the panel to roar down the member of the military who tried to speak with a contrary voice.

What Wesley Clark was referring to was DoD Directive 1334.01 which states;

It is DoD policy that:

3.1. The wearing of the
uniform by members of the Armed Forces (including retired members and
members of Reserve components) is prohibited under any of the following
circumstances:

3.1.1. At any meeting or demonstration that is a function of, or
sponsored by an organization, association, movement, group, or
combination of persons that the Attorney General of the United States
has designated, under Executive Order 10450 as amended (reference (c)),
as totalitarian, fascist, communist, or subversive, or as having
adopted a policy of advocating or approving the commission of acts of
force or violence to deny others their rights under the Constitution of
the United States, or as seeking to alter the form of Government of the
United States by unconstitutional means.

3.1.2. During or in connection with furthering political activities,
private employment or commercial interests, when an inference of
official sponsorship for the activity or interest may be drawn.

3.1.3. Except when authorized by the approval authorities in
subparagraph 4.1.1., when participating in activities such as
unofficial public speeches, interviews, picket lines, marches, rallies
or any public demonstration, which may imply Service sanction of the
cause for which the demonstration or activity is conducted.

3.1.4. When wearing of the uniform may tend to bring discredit upon the Armed Forces.

Now
unless Kos admits that it’s a totalitarian, fascist, communist, or
subversive organization, the guy was within his rights to be there and
in uniform. It’s just a lame excuse to keep people from hearing that
current operations have improved life in Iraq, while hiding behind a
DoD policy that the Left doesn’t agree with when it suits them.

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