A Merry White Christmas from Washington
25 December 2009 12:01 am by Taylor Marsh
Merry Christmas.
It’s been an extra special season for me and Mark, our first in Washington, D.C., with the white Christmas a kid’s continuing dream for me, no matter the years that pass.
It’s interesting how neighbors become friends in the middle of a blizzard, when all anyone can do is walk through it, perhaps even discovering their inner child again…
Blessings to our Armed Forces across the globe, whose presence in the world, no matter where they are stationed, represent a mission of better things to come for each country in which they serve. We never forget your sacrifice or that of your family.
I’d also like to say a word about the recent policy of Maj. Gen. Anthony Cucolo, which stated that any female soldier who gets pregnant would be punished (not included rape victims), to include the male involved as well. Diane Sawyer, in her new gig as ABC evening news anchor, covered this story, while also proving that so far her debut is totally un-KatieCouric like (though she has improved). Anyway, Cucolo’s policy created a firestorm, with the general now stating he would never court-martial someone for pregnancy, but was driving home the importance of his female soldiers, whom he stated are some of his best. Unlike the National Organization of Whining (er….sorry about that, after all it is Christmas) Women, as well as some female politicians who are against it, I fully support Cucolo’s policy, which only applies to soldiers under his command in Iraq. In fact, I think it should be U.S. Armed Forces policy. Women sign up for the job. They need to do their duty. So, Hu-raah!, sir. Making women responsible, along with men, for the charge they’ve sworn to keep erases a line. Now, that’s equality.
Enjoy the holiday to its fullest!
Wishing all of you great joy and a very Merry Christmas.
Red Cross Salutes Our Troops.
Mount Vernon during the Christmas blizzard of '09.
The Historic Willard Hotel
Treasury Dept. at Christmastime
White House, Washington Monument in distance.
Consider this a holiday free for all. Any topic goes. …and don’t forget you can post a diary In the News too, as well as send me thoughts about what’s on your mind as the year ends. I read them all.
And one more time with feeling, Merry Christmas.
- and may you two have many more, Taylor. This Christmas I’d like to thank you for everything I’ve learned in your chatroom – and some of the lessons have been quite personal. In return, I hope my own life experiences have helped you reinforce the ‘luckiness’ we should all feel – if only for the gift of life. There is indeed a ‘magic’ word in life, and that word is ‘perspective’. We often forget the blessings, and get buried in trivial complaints.
It’s funny how you mention the blizzard forcing neighbors to become more involved with each other. I once read a theory that the air conditioner was the single largest factor in separating us as friends and neighbors. As people no longer shared their front porches to escape the indoor heat, it makes sense.
May your Christmas morning be special, Taylor. Merry Christmas !
I was not disappointed! You support Maj. Gen Cuculo’s sensible ruling on pregnancy. How can women believe that women soldiers can play the important roles they hodf in the modern military while pregnant??
Enjoy your white Christmas.
Merry Christmas Taylor.
Wishing for a white Christmas appears an exception to statements that could get interpreted as racially insensitive.
I don’t like busting your feminist bubble Taylor but Diane Sawyer worked for Richard Nixon. No way I will watch ABC Evening News with her as the anchor. I only watch NBC Nightly News out of the three.
Of course when Dan Rather and Peter Jennings did the News I watched both of them and switched between the 3 networks. Now I only watch Brian Williams.
Merry Christmas, Taylor. I hope 2010 brings you an exciting year. Peace.
Merry, Merry, Happy, Happy. I just wish we could have gotten down to OC NJ to get snowed in and have to just watch the snow covered dunes for Christmas!
Merry Christmas everyone..
Peace.
Merry Christmas to all………………….
I once thought that this was a Progressive, feminist site. But this essay proved that thinking to be entirely incorrect. This site is neither Progressive (all sorts of pro-war chatter and kill the enemy nonsense) nor feminist. Maj. Gen. Chucklehead seems not to understand that only woman can get pregnant. Males and females can have sex, but men have never, to my knowledge, ended up pregnant. In the 4 cases of pregnant women that Maj. Gen. Chucklehead viewed when making his ridiculous decision, he was able to identfy all of the pregnant women—–gee, what a surprise? But he was only able to identify 3 of the men who impregnated those woman. Which means that one guy got his jollies off and got away scott free. Therein, lies the stupidity of Maj Gen Chuckleheads quite backwards thinking. Which is that most 18 to 24 year olds, male and female, are gonna f*** like bunnies but only the female can ever really be found out. Maj. Gen. Chuckelhead is an idiot. Peace
The 4th woman refused to give the name of the father of her child.
“In fact, I think it should be U.S. Armed Forces policy. Women sign up for the job. They need to do their duty”
Well, considering the chauvanistic environment that women in the service find themselves, I’d say the 95% of the brass secretly believe that a woman getting pregnent IS fullfilling her duty, particularly if they do so while making stew and sewing buttons on uniforms.
Merry Christmas to the sane members of this blog community.
Virtually all posters here are sane.
I don’t know what people secretly believe but I do know that women have a great deal of control over birth control. I also know that there can be rape and birth control failure (like antibiotics interfering with oral birth control, etc. Women who choose to be in the armed forces must realize that it is each soldier’s responsibility for the share of “readiness.” Yeah, I think women shoulder a disproportionate responsibility for sexual activity – but a woman is a woman. That’s just how the biology works.
I think your statement is generally preposterous.
Wooooosh. No small suprise that the satire of my comment would whiz right over his head.
Sanity is threatening someone over the internet, while claiming to be a member of an infamously murderous batch of biker thugs? Thats “sanity”? In your book, maybe. And I’m supposed to wish such “sane” people “Merry Christmas”?
And your grip on sanity? Unable to recognize how insane it is to threaten someone over the internet, while claiming to be a member of an infamously murderous batch of biker thugs, is somehow indicative of a sound mind? Decrying my often sarcastic manner of rebuttal during debate, while ignoring some asshole’s act of threatening a poster with bodily harm is reason to consider you healthy in mind?
And Secular’s idea that contrived illiteracy and a steady stream of off topic, shallow, and venomous invective somehow comprises intelligent and sane rebuttal????
Like I said, a heartfelt Merry Christmas to the sane members of this blog community, of which there seem to be a few.
http://endthewars.democratz.org/
poa
I never spoke of any threats, I don’t make threats. I am not a “he.” Not sure that it makes any difference in our exchanges here. You just seem to look for the worst interpretation in many of the posts here.
Much like “intelligent”, most people’s definition of “sane” is _
_ all those people who agree with me. *L*
Everyone else is stupid.
Off to grandma’s house. Melly melly Christmas !
“I think your statement is generally preposterous.”
djjl, you think their STATEMENT is preposperous?
Singular?
What statement have these two uberlefty, egomaniacl tools made that hasn’t been preposterous?
From the LECHER Hillary R. Clinton to the horseshit THE CIA IS RUNNIN DRUGS to WE were involved in 9/11 to FDR KNEW about Pearl Harbor but did nothing to get America into the war to a virtual sewer outlet of unsupported college level “radical” gurgglings about everything Obama, Democratic AND repugnatklan.
This piece of work never HAS bothered to mention any politicions he/she/it would support. Only how they are ALL tools of the rich powerfull blah,blah,blah ZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzz.
Both preposterous and BORING. And VERY unoriginal.
And throw in the bit about the juvinile level ego coupled with the self demonstrated fact of being a LIAR.
SINGLE statement is preposterous?
BWAHAHAHAHAHA! Thanks, you provided quite a laugh with that subtle understatement. One could even say sarcastic. And unlike the po widdlw one’s attempts quite successful.
As for the women in the military. ABSO-FU*KIN-LUTELY hold them responsible for pregnancy unless rape or failur of contraception is involved.
For the information of the mentally chalanged when you join, voluntairily join the military you give up certain rights and place yourself under the jurisdiction of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
They most certainly CAN be held responsible for willfully disobeying an order.
As for this tool being the arbitor of who is or isn’t a “liberal”, “progressive”,”feminist” or whatever. How VERY nice of the child(we are talking emotional maturity here) to GIVE us poor rubes the correct definition. Which just happens to be HIS/HER/IT’S definition. How very nice.
I’m just curious if there is actually a place they spew this tripe and AREN’T thought to be anything but steryotypical tools?
To EVERYONE, tools and sane alike, MERRY,MERRY!
P.S. Just got back from seeing the new Holmes movie…save your money.
Gee, Sec. Tell us how you really Feel.
I noticed that the militray has instructed Maj Gen Chucklehead to rescind his dumb order on illegal pregnancies in Iraq. That’s good news. The military should now bust this idiot Maj Gen down to private and assign him to a duty station where he’ll do no additional harm. Perhaps shoveling snow in Greenland? Peace
Why not extend this policy to all women everywhere? WalMart clerk gets a baby bump, it’s a $500 fine and a month in the slammer. Bunch of whiners, if you ask me. Next thing you know they’ll be wanting equal pay, and stuff like that.
Women sign up for the job. They need to do their duty, everywhere.
“I noticed that the militray has instructed Maj Gen Chucklehead to rescind his dumb order on illegal pregnancies in Iraq. That’s good news. The military should now bust this idiot Maj Gen down to private and assign him to a duty station where he’ll do no additional harm. Perhaps shoveling snow in Greenland? Peace”
From the articles I could find there was a general review of the orders governing opperations and his order was not included in the new one. Not quite the same thing.
On what grounds would you have them “bust this idiot Maj Gen”?
That he was trying to actually have everyone pull their own weight and live up to the reponsibility they took on when they joined? So all the OTHERS who wear the uniform now get to pick up THEIR slak.
This is the first time I have ever said this, but this is PC run amuck.
Don bacon, you are obviously ignorant of military law and individual soldiers responsibilities and obligations incured when they take the oath.
Hope everyone has recovered from their eggnog hangovers after a great Christmas!!! Thanks for the great site and analysis Taylor, you attract the best crowd.
secularhumanizinevoluter says:
26 December 2009 at 12:54 pm
——————
I agree with Secular 100%, when you sign a military contract the government OWNS you lock, stock, and barrel. I remember my Company Commander warning us that if we were off duty and got a sunburn that affected our ability to carry out our assigned duties, we would be subject to disciplinary action.
Becoming pregnant falls in the same category. Pregnancy obviously affects your ability to carry out the duties assigned to you, period. You belong to the government, you have no rights per se according to the Uniform Code of Military Justice…for as long as your contract is valid with the military, the UCMJ is the whole of the law.
You can extend this to DADT, when you sign the contract, those are the terms you accept. When you sign on the dotted line, you forfeit the right to complain about it for as long as the government holds your contract.
The military isn’t a Democracy, you don’t get a say in which rules apply to you and which ones don’t. Secular is spot on about this being PC gone crazy, people have lost their minds.
“Taylor, you attract the best crowd”
What “crowd”?
Looks like a “clique” to me, and it seems to be shrinking with each passing week. Perhaps not being able to engage in anything other than wading through Secular’s shit has something to do with it.
My suggestion to you, POA, as well as others who don’t take to a particular person commenting here is MOVE ON PAST THEM. The insults are unnecessary, as it would be much more interesting to disagree on ISSUES, going at each other on that point.
Staying focused on ISSUES and debating through them would be better for everyone.
Merry Christmas, pmichael, alphonsegaston, lynnette and everyone else.
secularhumanizinevoluter says:
25 December 2009 at 9:17 am
Best to you, sir. It’s a great group, “crowd,” whatever you want to call it around here, as I include the lurkers I hear from every day.
PissedOffAmerican says:
26 December 2009 at 1:47 pm
IMO, maybe it’s the condescending tone you take that grinds secular’s gears. If you don’t like the “clique” then kick rocks, what makes you stick around? I appreciate your input here although I cannot give you feedback on the U.S./Israel posts you are famous for simply because I’m ignorant to the minutiae of that particular discussion. That doesn’t mean I don’t gather good information from your posts, it just means I have nothing useful to contribute to the conversation.
I hope you stick around, but I suggest you lose the “my opinion is the only one that matters” stance and engage those who post here with a bit of respect else quit complaining about those like secular who call you out on it.
Do you really miss seeing how secular’s non-stop excrement discourages participation?
“MOVE ON PAST THEM”? Post after post of horsehit, off topic, venomous, nasty spew. Far far far more despicable, vulgar, distracting, insulting and toxic than ANYTHING I ever posted here and was subsequently banned for.
Your attitude on this is inexplicable to me. Why even bother to preface threads with “Keep all comments on topic. All others will be deleted” if you have no intention of making good on it?
Bottom line, Taylor, Secular is spreading shit all over your comment section, and your tolerance of it has gone beyond the point of him just making an ass of himself. The whole comment section stinks from Secular’s mess.
“I hope you stick around, but I suggest you lose the “my opinion is the only one that matters” stance and engage those who post here with a bit of respect else quit complaining about those like secular who call you out on it”
Thats hillarious. I post a diary, and Secular ALWAYS jumps in with some excremental ad homninem, and you want ME to “engage those who post here with a bit of respect”. Gee, is this where I adopt Secular’s brand of respect, and tell you to “go fuck yourself”?
Also wanted to say thanks kris, JA and others for the Christmas cards; Betsy too, who sent me a
emailweb Christmas wish.The doggies were *so* cute, kris!
PissedOffAmerican says:
26 December 2009 at 2:31 pm
Do as you will, it’s all about you…the rest of us are just lucky enough to be allowed to read your irrefutable words of wisdom, right? Get off your gilded steed and mix with the commoners. You are not special here.
secularhuman, when I took the oath I don’t remember it saying anything about me being celibate. Is that what your oath said when you were sworn into the military? Or maybe you never served this great country in uniform? Were you ever in the military? Peace
secularhumanizinevoluter: “this is PC run amuck.”
Apparently General Odierno, who isn’t ignorant of military law either, decided otherwise.
news report, Dec 25:
The top United States commander in Iraq, Gen. Ray Odierno, intends to rescind a policy that had placed pregnant soldiers at risk of discipline.
Don Bacon, if you go on leave and come back with the clap you get a article 15. If you are married and you knock someone OTHER then your wife up you can be courtmashaled for adultery.
Because a superior office decides to change standing orders regarding policy has NOTHING to do with points of military law other then his order will be obeyed. Like I said, you display an ignorance of The Uniform Code of Military Justice and codes of conduct as well as the obligations VOLUNTARILY taken on and rights surrendered by soldiers
take the oath. You seem to fit right in with theinsane clown possee that has rode in.
imhopless, it’s not my fault you paid as much attention to your oath then as you do to reality today. Remember anything about “obey the lawful orders of my superiors”? The rest of your post(can you REALLY call the bilge you pump a post?) demonstrates what a johnny come lately anarchist/wannabee you are.
piece a work
P.S. POA, go fuck yersef
Lawful orders, secularhuman, lawful orders. Tell us all about what a lawful order is? And what it is not? Again, were you ever in the military? Peace
PissedOffAmerican says:
26 December 2009 at 2:23 pm
Oh, and by the way, since you missed it, this is a free for all, open topic thread, POA. Additionally, it’s *your* choice to post around here or not. If you don’t like the company there are many other sites from which to choose.
Imhotep, yes, secularh is a veteran.
No doubt someone told General Odierno (or he already knew) how many coat-hanger abortions General Chucklehead could expect in his command if that stupid order were not rescinded.
Secular, it’s not a question of law, but one of common sense and a feeling for people. Good order and discipline, essential to accomplishing a mission, in a military unit is not based solely on giving and taking orders. It is based on mutual respect among all members of a unit, something this wrongful order disregarded.
Any commander that behaves in an autocratic, unfeeling manner without considering the welfare of his troops is bound to fail. In extreme cases like the last stages of Vietnam it even led to fragging and a complete breakdown of the Army. Recognizing this, General Odierno made a wise move. I expect Chucklehead will himself be moving, next. You just don’t treat your people that way and get away with it.
I don’t like busting your feminist bubble Taylor but Diane Sawyer worked for Richard Nixon. No way I will watch ABC Evening News with her as the anchor. I only watch NBC Nightly News out of the three.
Merry Christmas to you as well, Taylor and Mark and everyone. I grew up in Washington DC and it is still to me one of the greatest cities in which to live. I love to visit, just walk around downtown and marvel at the history of the place! As for snow ~ well, I was ROBBED! But, I’m happy for you all who got to enjoy a real White Christmas in Washington DC and surrounding area.