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 Israel’s Toy SoldiersPosted on Oct 1, 2007
By Chris Hedges If you are a young Muslim American and head off to the Middle East for a spell in a fundamentalist “madrassa,” or religious school, Homeland Security will probably greet you at the airport when you return. But if you are an American Jew and you join hundreds of teenagers from Europe and Mexico for an eight-week training course run by the Israel Defense Forces, you can post your picture wearing an Israeli army uniform and holding an automatic weapon on MySpace. The Marva program, part summer camp part indoctrination, was launched in Israel in 1981. It allows participants, who must be Jewish and between the ages of 18 and 28, to fire weapons, live in military barracks in the Negev desert and saunter around in an Israeli military uniform saluting and taking long hikes with military packs. The Youth and Education Corps of the Israel Defense Forces run four 120-strong training sessions a year. “Upon arrival, the participants experience an abrupt change into army life: wearing uniforms, accepting army discipline, and learning the programs and lessons integral to the program,” the Let Israelis Show You Israel Web site reads. “The program includes military content such as: navigation, field training, weapons training, shooting ranges, marches and more, as well as educational content such as: Zionism, Jewish Identity, history and knowledge of the land of Israel. All of this is taught in Hebrew in an intensive eight weeks.” “The participants finish the program after completing a short, intensive, exhilarating military experience that allows them to taste Israel in a way that they never could before—as part of the Israel Defense Forces,” the site reads. “They leave the program with a feeling of belonging and a strong connection to Israel, and many return to Israel to continue the connection that was created in the framework of the Marva course.” There are, of course, gushing testimonials about the program. “I spent the first few days of Marva doubting my decision, wondering why I had come, wondering if there was any way out. With all of the running, yelling orders, discipline and Hebrew, I felt horribly out of place,” writes Canadian David Roth of his summer. “It was a completely different world from the one I was used to. All that changed, though, by the end of the first week. We had our first ‘Masa’ (Hike). It was very hard, but at the end, we all knew, our M16s were waiting for us at the ‘tekes’ (Ceremony). We got through the 8 kilometers and had our ‘tekes’ and got our guns. It felt amazing, and from that point on Marva was incredible.” How have we reacted when we discovered that American Muslims were being taught in a foreign country to fire machine guns at paper figures and simulate military maneuvers? And what about the summer schools in Gaza organized by Islamic Jihad designed to train young Palestinians in the basics of military life? These Gaza camps, uncovered in 2001, were widely denounced by Israel as proof that the Palestinians were teaching their children to hate and kill. The argument in favor of camps in Israel, as opposed to camps in Pakistan, is that these young men and women are not going to come back and use what they have learned to harm Americans. They are not terrorists. Muslims, however, have not cornered the market on terrorism and violence. Radical Jews have also been involved in terrorist attacks in Israel and the United States. I discovered an American in Israel in 1989 named Robert Manning. A huge, burly man, Manning was living in the West Bank Jewish settlement of Kiyrat Arba. When I found him he was carrying a pistol, a large knife strapped to his leg and an M-16 assault rifle. He was part of a Jewish terrorist group called Committee for Protection and Safety of the Highways that set up ad hoc roadblocks and pulled Palestinians from cars to beat and often shoot them. He was a follower of Meir Kahane, the leader of the Jewish Defense League, who was implicated in terrorist attacks in the United States and Israel. Manning served as a reservist in the Israel Defense Forces in the West Bank. Manning was wanted in California for murder. He had been charged in a 1980 mail-bomb killing as part of his involvement in the Jewish Defense League. The bomb was intended for the owner of a local computer firm, but the package holding the device was opened by the firm’s secretary, Patricia Wilkerson, who was killed instantly by the blast. Manning, full of bluster and a bitter racism toward Arabs, used as his pseudonym the name of the FBI agent in charge of his case, a bit of humor that backfired on him by confirming my suspicion of his identify. I obtained the picture from his California driver’s license and showed it to his neighbors at Kiyrat Arba. They identified him from the photo. I wrote an article affirming that Manning, heavily armed and an active member of the Israeli army, was living in a Jewish settlement. The Israeli government, until that moment, said it had no information about his location. He was extradited in 1993 and sentenced the next year to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for 30 years. He is in a maximum-security prison in Florence, Colo. Those who go through the Marva summer program are indoctrinated as thoroughly as Muslims who go overseas and are told they are part of a greater jihad for Islam. The results, given Israel’s close alliance with the United States, may not be negative for those in power in the United States, but it may be very negative for those Americans defined as the enemy, especially Muslims, should we suffer another 9/11. The program inculcates hatred and a belief in the efficacy of violence to solve the problems in the Middle East. It identifies Israel with militarism. It feeds the idea that a Jew born in Brooklyn has a birthright to settle in Israel that is denied to an American of Palestinian descent. Jerusalem, aside from being one of the most beautiful cities in the world, is one of the most literate, creative and intellectual. Do these young men and women really know the best of Israel by spending eight weeks playing soldier and glorifying the military? Is the cause of Israel advanced by mirroring the twisted militarism of Islamic fundamentalists? Terrorists arise in all cultures, all nations and all religions. We have produced more than our share. Ask the people of Vietnam or Iraq. The danger of a military program such as these is that it solidifies a mind-set of us and them. It romanticizes violence. It widens the divide that leads to conflict. It makes dialogue impossible. There are great Israeli institutions, from the newspaper Haaretz to the courageous Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem to Peace Now. A summer working for them, rather than wearing an army uniform, unleashing bursts of automatic fire in the desert and singing Israeli patriotic songs, might actually help. Previous item: The Global War on Toddlerism Next item: A Lesson in Courage From Beirut Elsewhere: . CommentsAre you a Truthdig member yet? Login now, or register with Truthdig.
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By Nikos, October 2, 2007 at 3:37 am # Hitler’s Youth, anyone?
By Puck, October 2, 2007 at 2:02 am # Excellent points. I blogged a link to this. thanks.
By Lars S Flapensom, October 2, 2007 at 12:50 am # I suppose a person doesn’t have to be a Zionist “in training” to enter into the 8 week program. They just need to be Jewish and willing to be trained by Zionists. What they do after 8 weeks of military training and indoctrination is up to them. It’s not like anyone is forcing the recruit to volunteer, and I suppose nobody is forcing anyone to be a Zionist. And the US government says it’s legal. I’m just curious about the kind of person who would take an 8 week military course -taught by and sponsored by Zionists- with the intent to return to the US (or NA in general). Do they intend to finish college stateside and then migrate to Israel, or maybe keep “in shape” to come and fight if Israel calls them later on? Perhaps they intend to stay and live in NA and recruit? Perhaps the whole thing was just some form of bonding -an 8wk exercise in cultural identity building via MIL drills? afterthought: They should really think about opening up the roster to include Christian Zionists. They could double the recruitment overnight.
By Sabby, October 2, 2007 at 12:09 am # Chris Hedges is touching a radio active topic. Chris, you can talk about all you want about American crimes in Iraq but if you dare extend your criticism to Israeli, that would be an end of your career. This applies to almost every journalist in the United States. We can all say anything we want about Bush but we cannot say anything about Olmert or Sharon. We can say how Americans are killing innocent civilians in Iraq but we cannot say Israelis are killing innocent civilians in Palestine (even when Israelis have been killing palestinian civilians for almost 40 years now.) We can call American occupation as occupation but we cannot call Israeli occupation as occupation, which is much more harsh and brutal. Chris… you are going the wrong path my friend. Be careful… your career is at stake.. specially when you call yourself a Christian.. I think you know what I am talking about.. yup.. the ADL is watching you..
By Druthers, October 1, 2007 at 11:38 pm # #103865 by Jon on 10/01 at 2:44 pm We were not hand-picked foreigners with an agenda, we each paid to join the program for an unforgettable 2 months and forged life-long friendships with both our fellow participants and our commanders That is probably the goal of the operation. To form lasting ties and forge sentiments of loyalty. Such an organization will attract people who like to play soldier and develop a boy scout mentality… the uniform, the roughing it up with the boys and getting to shoot guns. There is also the much vaunted “discipline” - “our commanders.” I too understood that participating in a foreign military is incompatible with US citizenship but the only real crackdown seems to be on tourists going to Cuba.
By Leeron, October 1, 2007 at 8:36 pm # Hack journalism from a hack journalist. Chris Hedges previously wrote an article, allegedly an eye-witness report (he said he wouldn’t include anything he didn’t himself see) in which he claimed that Israeli soldiers were shooting Arab children for “sport” with silenced M16 which the children couldn’t even hear when fired. Problem is, there is no such thing as a silenced M16. (There is a device which muffles the sound to protect the shooters’ ears, but not in the direction of the target). What he saw was rubber-bullet cannisters - and those don’t have the range nor can they cause the damage he reported. In other words, had he SEEN these weapons actually fired, he’d have HEARD that what he theorized was wrong. This article uses poor logic. It is a bait-and-switch shell game. There is no connection whatsoever made between the Marva program and Manning. NONE. NO EVIDENCE at all is presented to support the charge that “The program inculcates hatred and a belief in the efficacy of violence to solve the problems in the Middle East.” Would Hedges write a similar argument about people who perform military service in Europe? Would Hedges likewise conclude that the British Army Cadets “inclucates hatred and… violence to solve the problems” of the world? Simply ridiculous. Wikipedia writes: “Marva has a greater focus on discipline and less of a focus on physical fitness compared to basic training for combat units in the army.” To score political propaganda points, Hedges uses the presence of a bad apple in Israel (who was extradited to the US) to smear a reputable program. In doing so he discredits no one but himself (and the “useful idiots” who fall for this charade).
By greenback, October 1, 2007 at 7:40 pm # Truthdig, maybe follow up on this story with some coverage of all the Israeli soldiers who have laid down their weapons in protest to the slaughter of innocent Palestinians.
By Anthony, October 1, 2007 at 6:05 pm # This is so typical. If a muslim were to go overseas and engage in any sort of military training they go to prison. If some ill-guided romantic Zionists do the same thing they are praised and glorified. Heck they might even get a spot on the Larry King show. it takes a lot courage to pick on defenceless pregnant women.
By FrostedFlakes, October 1, 2007 at 5:32 pm # Dear Marjorie:
By calm, October 1, 2007 at 5:23 pm # Hi! Salt You wrote: My Reply: I have another question as well, but it is rather a secondary one. My most important curiosity is towards the Jewish oath of Kol Nidre. Please, in your reply, try not to side-track this first question as mentioned earlier. This would be my second question or concern ... Eretz Yisrael The opposite of those living under oath of ‘Eretz Yisrael’ is called ‘chutz L’aretz’ which means those who follow after the ideas of Eretz Yisrael but are constrained because they live in the US or whatever. Is this not what Omert was referring to when he made this statement? “Only a person in whose soul Eretz Yisrael burns knows the pain of letting go of our ancestral heritage” My Question: Would this mean that it would be impossible for a religious Jew in America to be loyal to America because the oath/belief of Eretz Yisrael is the cornerstone to the Jewish religion? Calm Does not every Religious Jew have a yearning and desire for Eretz Yisrael? Is this not the dream of Jewish Folks? Does “Eretz Yisarel” not mean the “Greater Middle East” or the complete Jordan Valley? So, how is it that Libermann can stand up in Congress and vote for anything which lessens or diverts from “Eretz Yisrael”? How could Libermann or any other NeoCon ever be completely loyal to America when he has taken the oath or has the “desire” of “Eretz Yisrael”? If Jewish Folks have “Eretz Yisarel” as their conerstone of faith, how can they stand before the world or work inside any Western government and proclaim that they don’t have dual loyalties? .... And that it will always be Israel first and foremost?
By L. Thomas, October 1, 2007 at 4:05 pm # In response to Jeffery Levine wondering about “a count of the number of people killed in the name of Allah, and then give me a count of the number of Muslims targeted by Jews in the United States” First of all, why compare the number killed by Muslims on a worldwide-basis (apparently) against those killed by Jews ONLY in the USA? Is Mr. Levine so unsure of the totals that he needs to pre-juggle the numbers? And, why can’t we include the number of Palestinians and other non-Jews in the MidEast who have been killed and forced from their homes by pro-Zionist radicals? Or, how about the British and others killed by Menachim Begin and his gang when they blew up the King David Hotel in Jerusalem back in the 1920’s? Israel later selected the former terrorist Begin, as their national leader - then proceeded to go ballastic when the Palestinians selected Arafat, who wasn’t so different from Begin. I’m not Jewish or Arab. I’ve known a few Arabs and many Jews in my life, and have liked nearly all of them as individuals. But, if you don’t hate what the Israelis have done and are doing to the Palestinians, then you aren’t paying attention!
By Rick Brown, October 1, 2007 at 3:32 pm # It’s interesting to me what some readers of this website consider “terrorism.” I don’t consider myself a linguist yet I feel fairly certain that a “terrorist” is one that plans and executes operations with the explicit goal to kill as many people as possible and the implicit goal of scaring the shit out of the populous. ie: walking onto a bus with explosives strapped to your body, waiting until it fills with innocent commuters and then blowing yourself up along with the lives of all around you. maybe i’m wrong about the definition but it seems to implicate Arab extremists far more than Zionists. while both can be quite despicable and patently racist, only one makes it a general rallying cry to kill EVERYONE that doesn’t share their beliefs.
By sophrosyne, October 1, 2007 at 2:52 pm # Of course, Israel is no friend of the USA. It never has been. We are a convenient tool for money, weapons and subservience. What is so horribly sad is that few in our country dare to even rationally question our slavery to israel. We can question our relationship with any country..but not Israel. WE all live in fear. It leaves a very bad feeling in the mouth.
By Jon, October 1, 2007 at 2:44 pm # Hooray for trash journalism! I attended Marva in 2003 shortly after high school. While the material descriptions above (we received uniforms, M16’s, etc) are correct, that is about where the accuracies end in this article. The description I offered to friends upon my return from Marva was that it was comparable to “a summer camp with discipline.” We did not sit in a cave, poring over the Torah by candle light, learning to hate Arabs. In fact, there was no overt religious component to the entire program. Those who were religious were given time in the morning for prayers, thos who were not had no expectations of any sort placed upon them. We were not indoctrinated and not force-fed propaganda. We were not hand-picked foreigners with an agenda, we each paid to join the program for an unforgettable 2 months and forged life-long friendships with both our fellow participants and our commanders. On the 2 (yes, only two) days on the firing-range, we did not even fire our weapons at paper figures of people, but at bullseye targets. Furthermore, Americans were in the minority. There were thirteen different countries represented by the participants on my Marva, including one from Tunisia - an Arab! Why does the author spend over half the article digressing on one single nutcase Jew? The fact that I, as a fairly ardent reader of modern Israeli history, have never even heard of Robert Manning speaks volumes to the ridiculousness of the author’s claims. How many Jews like Manning can be found over the past 50 years? 15? 20? Probably less. Now answer the same question, but substitute “Arabs” for “Jews.” Manning is rightfully sitting in prison. Anybody who espouses his views belongs there as well. However, to allege that “Those who go through the Marva summer program are indoctrinated as thoroughly as Muslims who go overseas and are told they are part of a greater jihad for Islam” is downright idiotic. Finally, B’Tselem and Peace Now are both thinly veiled anti-Israeli groups operating from within Israel. For groups that purport to be watchdogs and human rights activists, they remained strangely silent after most suicide bombings, yet screamed bloody murder after every house demolition. I’m neither advocating nor decrying house demolition, simply illustrating that they’re just as biased as the author of this article.
By Salt, October 1, 2007 at 2:18 pm # To Calm: That’s absolute bullshit, and Jews don’t say a prayer like that on Kol Nidre, however given the sites you probably browse to find these non existent quotes you likely won’t believe that. I reccomend reading an actual Jewish prayer book and the prayer for Kol Nidre(which is long)
By Neoconned, October 1, 2007 at 2:08 pm # #103848 by Non Credo on 10/01 at 1:21 pm These guys should lose their US citizenship. Why should they? We see them as the Ku Klux Klan. Has anyone asked who was behind Yitshak Rabin’s Murder? Is it me or is there some Mafia style Omerta in operation? No one speaks about it. It’s scary how this lurch to ultra right wing is so total in Israeli, ergo American society. Facist Israel maybe?
By Betty, October 1, 2007 at 1:00 pm # It is so easy to criticize arab culture, or the muslim religion. To generalize, and to judge. But if you look past ignorant stereotypes, you will see that violence is violence, and terrorism is terrorism. Whether its neatly packaged in a meaningless government funded “tourism” initiative, or its media bias, people have to understand that outside your little bubble, everyone is watching what you are doing. And knows in their hearts it can’t be right. Palestinians may not be the most peace-loving group of people out there, but having lived in oppression and poverty, evacuated from their homes, and fenced into camps with no way out, I’m sure none of us would be too happy in the same situation. And none of us could say we would tolerate that kind of treatment. So why allow it be done to others? Where is our humanity? How are we better than murderers and killers? History and the world will never forget what happened to the Jews during WWII, but they will also never forget what happened to the Palestinians thereafter. The pain, the suffering, the trauma, the children being brought into a world of terror… how is that fair? Why do we point fingers when we know they weren’t even given a chance at a better life. What else could they do? What else do they know, many were born into this horrible tragic situation. I hope the whole world wakes up soon. Peace will never happen in the middle east, terrorism will always exist unless we address the issues at hand from their real sources. Muslim fundamentalists and terrorists aren’t commiting crimes out of jealousy, or for pleasure. Desperation and suffering, a deep-rooted hatred set in place by improper treatment and bias, compels them to react. Don’t think the world is blind to the reasons behind any attack. All you need to do is ask someone, and you will understand. The cause to all our problems probably starts right here, in the way we deal with things. We suffer the consequences of our actions. History has a way of catching up with us. I fear the terrors that have yet to befall the world before we realize it is terror that breeds terror.
By calm, October 1, 2007 at 12:56 pm # I was hoping that Jewish Folks who are commenting on this article might be able to answer a question for me? There is the Jewish oath of Kol Nidre This is an oath which is recited by Jewish Folks every year. It justifies the absolvement of any agreements made with respect to non-Jews (Gentiles) during the course of the following year. It says: And he who desires that none of his vows made during the year shall be valid, let him stand at the beginning of the year and declare, Every vow which I make in the future shall be null. So, does this mean that Feith and Wolfovitz are able to testify under oath and swear on the bible to tell the truth .... and then just walk away while muttering the above oath silently to himself? Are they able to rely on or hide behind the Jewish oath of Kol Nidre? Calm
By Neoconned, October 1, 2007 at 12:53 pm # It is strange how Terrorism is always implied to Muslims, in the media. Didn’t the Stern Gang and Irgun do their fair share of murder and blood letting? Rape and Murder is what 1948 Israel can look back on with pride. But that could be applied to a number of nations perhaps. What is different in Israel’s case is how they bomb, bulldoze, starve and humiliate the Christian and Muslim Palestinians, and then call them Terrorists when they fight back. No one on Earth just spontaneously starts killing. If the Jews can bring the Holocaust into the political equation, maybe the Palestinians can bring 60 years of grotesque Israeli lies, torture, murder, racism, and hypocricy. (Of course, Israel is surrounded by autocratic regimes. But that is just who the State Department likes to deal with. Brutal police states who can guarantee American Corporations their profits.) What the media never picks up on is the Racist and lame assumption that Palestinians and muslims in general are mindless killers; surrounding the gentle, peace loving, Israelis. It has to be one of history’s most succesful Spin jobs. Why would poverty stricken Palestinans resent Jews bulldozing their homes, only to see Luxury condos appear (behind razor wire)? Despite the fact I may be considered anti-semitic, that is, code for anyone who disagrees with Israel, let me say, any violence is unacceptable and inhumane from all sides. However the reportage is rather one sided towards the saintly Israelis. How does the media play out an Israeli Panzer Tank, pointing its 120mm barrel at Palestinian children? That IDF soldiers love Palestinian children? I’m sure a Mossad Death Squad regularly go around handing out Red Cross parcels and candy to these children.
By Neoconned, October 1, 2007 at 12:52 pm # It is strange how Terrorism is always implied to Muslims, in the media. Didn’t the Stern Gang and Irgun do their fair share of murder and blood letting? Rape and Murder is what 1948 Israel can look back on with pride. But that could be applied to a number of nations perhaps. What is different in Israel’s case is how they bomb, bulldoze, starve and humiliate the Christian and Muslim Palestinians, and then call them Terrorists when they fight back. No one on Earth just spontaneously starts killing. If the Jews can bring the Holocaust into the political equation, maybe the Palestinians can bring 60 years of grotesque Israeli lies, torture, murder, racism, and hypocricy. (Of course, Israel is surrounded by autocratic regimes. But that is just who the State Department likes to deal with. Brutal police states who can guarantee American Corporations their profits.) What the media never picks up on is the Racist and lame assumption that Palestinians and muslims in general are mindless killers; surrounding the gentle, peace loving, Israelis. It has to be one of history’s most succesful Spin jobs. Why would poverty stricken Palestinans resent Jews bulldozing their homes, only to see Luxury condos appear (behind razor wire)? Despite the fact I may be considered anti-semitic, that is, code for anyone who disagrees with Israel, let me say, any violence is unacceptable and inhumane from all sides. However the reportage is rather one sided towards the saintly Israelis. How does the media play out an Israeli Panzer Tank, pointing its 120mm barrel at Palestinian children? That IDF soldiers love Palestinian children?
By Karen Ladik, October 1, 2007 at 12:48 pm # People who post to these boards should identify their ethnic bias… I am neither an Arab or a Jew. That said… the jews on the board will lie and tell you Israel is our friend… they most certainly are not. Israel is a treasonous step child - whose members infiltrate our government, media and academia to stir up war and Islamophobia. I have NO PROBLEMS with Islam… that weren’t stirred up for me by Jews. Now—any Jews on this board care to identify yourselves before you start spouting hate.
By nikolai, October 1, 2007 at 12:14 pm # Why anyone would want to subject themselves to such a stupid, militaristic program is beyond me. Oh yeah, it will look good on the ol resume when you go to work for Silverman, Wolfowitz or Perl…
By nikolai, October 1, 2007 at 12:07 pm # CHRIS HEDGES, CORRECTION: Toy soldiers is not quite right. NEOCUBS would be more accurate…
By Cynner, October 1, 2007 at 11:33 am # Marjorie Swanson I suggest to you ask the Native Americans, victims of the KKK or any other minority in the U.S., oh yeah and women too.
By George, October 1, 2007 at 10:40 am # The difference is that every one of those guys in the picture would line up next to American soldiers and fight alongside them. Lets not forget that surface similarities are only on the surface.
By Peter, October 1, 2007 at 10:12 am # I am disappointed that this article was published by Truthdig. Do Jews or Christians or Hindus for that matter routinely kill those who try to humanize or mitigate the treatment of religious minorities or women? Does any other religion in the world not only glorify violence but encourage their youngest children to engage in the violence except one? Is there any country in the world with a Muslim population that has not had innocent man, women, and children slaughtered, blown up, beaten up or otherwise brutalized by Muslim “scholars”? Where there are Muslims there is violence. The same cannot be said about any other existing world religion even the Thugees and Aztecs were less violent. To equate Jews giving military training to their young to Madrassa training is false analogy and Truthdig should be ashamed for publishing such rubbish.
By Jeffrey Levine, October 1, 2007 at 9:19 am # One favor pleae. Give me a count of the number of people killed in the name of Allah, and then give me a count of the number of Muslims targeted by Jews in the United States. There is no comparison!
By Rose, October 1, 2007 at 8:47 am # Is it not a violation to “join another country’s military or wear their uniform?” I was told when I got my first passport that doing this could cause me (a US born citizen) to lose my citizenship. That’s kind of serious stuff.
By Peter RV, October 1, 2007 at 8:18 am # I would give these snooty youngsters a better opportunity to show how brave they are, by giving them long bayonets and sending them in the first line of hand-to-hand combat with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.
By Lee, October 1, 2007 at 8:16 am # Although both the Israelis and the fundamentalist Islamist train their youth in military methods ... there are some BIG distinctions! The Israelis do not take 5 year old children and brain wash them, by making them read the Koran 8 hours a day, teach them to become suicide bombers, have them indiscriminitly slaugter hundreds of civilians on buses and in market places, or wage continuous threats towards the United States. They also don’t preach intolerance towards other religions, sharia law, or Jihad. They also don’t exercise human rights violations to their own people, deprive women of their rights, stone people to death for walking hand in hand, or behead people for exercising freedom of speech (like cartoonists), or for not dressing according to a strict code. The Israelis don’t slaughter each other for being from different sects of Judiasm. And, the Israelis didn’t kill over 3,000 American on 911. The Israelis are America’s allies, and have endured overwhelming opposition, while struggling to be America’s front line to terrorism in the middle east.
By Nathan, October 1, 2007 at 8:08 am # Marjorie Swanson, unfortunately, I believe the answer to all your questions is yes.
By L. A. Webber, October 1, 2007 at 7:29 am # I’m not sure who you meant by “we”, ( I’m guessing all of us) but this is what American children are raised on. The star-spangled banner: ... And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air, ... O thus be it ever when freemen shall stand Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, Seems a strange way to nurture peace--and a very good way to breed a love of violence and might
By Tom Higgins, October 1, 2007 at 6:48 am # Holocaust denier! j/k Add Your Comment |
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