BS: And Now 'Operation Truth' with The Body

Subject: BS: And Now 'Operation Truth' with The Body
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 11:49 AM

How much you want to bet that Jesse Ventura's new pet project Operation Truth doesn't get the Fox/Limbaugh cartel airplay OR the liberal print press attention that Swift Boat Veterans for Truth is getting?

Why, this story isn't even being covered by the NY Times/Washington Post--imagine that!

But the Newark Star Ledger and NY Times subsidiary Boston Globe have it.

And BTW, Jesse is looking pretty cooked these days.

Subject: RE: BS: And Now 'Operation Truth' with The Body
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 11:56 AM

And Jesse's comment "Now that I'm a civlian..."

God that gives me shudders. His delusion is that he was Commander in Chief of the Minnesota National Guard, when in reality he was the governor, a civilian role as the executive leader of a civilian institution.

I think Bush & the Bush Republicans view Bush the same way that Jesse views himself, in purely militaristic terms.

Those 1980 bumeprstickers playing off the every 20 year dead president curse that said "Shoot Bush First" are turning out to have been pretty damn prophetic.

Subject: RE: BS: And Now 'Operation Truth' with The Body
From: Amos
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 12:07 PM

The President is in a similar executive and civilian role.   

Ventura is absolutely right about the nisuse of National Guardsmen overseas, IMHO.

A

Subject: RE: BS: And Now 'Operation Truth' with The Body
From: MMario
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 12:15 PM

His delusion is that he was Commander in Chief of the Minnesota National Guard

Guess what? The governor of a state *IS* commander in chief of the National Guard for his state. (when the NG is in a non-federal status)

Subject: RE: BS: And Now 'Operation Truth' with The Body
From: pdq
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 12:24 PM

"Notice: Former Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura survives operation to implant a gain of truth in him. Experts fear rejection is imminent."

Subject: RE: BS: And Now 'Operation Truth' with The Body
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 12:24 PM

That role is miniscule, yet in Ventura's mind it was the main role he personally identified himself with as governor. He had nothing but contempt for the civilian aspects of his role as governor, which should send up some red flags here.

Besides, the main thing Jesse hopes to get out of this is free publicity to reinvigorate his career, which is currently in the dumptster.

Jesse Ventura's first and, some say, sole interest in life is as a professional huckster, and the product he peddles is Jesse the Navy SEAL, Jesse the World Wrestling Federation bad guy, and now Jesse the Commander in Chief.

Subject: RE: BS: And Now 'Operation Truth' with The Body
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 12:28 PM

but - to claim he was delusional to consider himself the commander in chief of his state national gaurd is a falsehood. Whether or not it plays a big role in the governorship - it *was* his role as governor - therefore not a delusion. To claim it was delusional is to lie.

Subject: RE: BS: And Now 'Operation Truth' with The Body
From: mg
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 12:38 PM

I can't think of a more important role for a governor to play in case of an earthquake, blizzard, flood etc. Assuming he or she has any troops left to work with. mg

Subject: RE: BS: And Now 'Operation Truth' with The Body
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 12:43 PM

It isn't false in the least to point out that Jesse Ventura suffers from a delusional fixation with himself as a military leader. He was never a military leader, even though he technically was in charge of the state National Guard. But that role is not a military role, it is a civilian one, in the same way that the president of the US is a civilian leader of the US military.

Because he has this powerful self-identification with his military roles, he has, like many military veterans, never been able to leave behind his military days, despite the fact that he has been out of the military for decades.

This is like a national flashback to Vietnam syndrome we are currently enduring. I doubt the Democratic party ever gave any of this any thought when they annointed Kerry. But it is what the Democratic Party and the Kerry campaign has wrought--a ripping open of the Vietnam war wounds, and that is all that is playing itself out now. We are reliving 1968 in many ways here, from the party conventions to the veterans tearing themselves apart in public over what they did as soldiers. Because now, the soldiers know they have been duped into committing the same sorts of war crimes as their Vietnam brethren committed.

Iraq was no more a threat to the US than Vietnam was. Many people bought into the romantic warrior mythology because in our Greco-Roman-Anglo American culture that has always been the most powerful, most seductive mythology for young men coming of age.

Then, they go and commit acts that are criminal in any civilian sense, come home to find out that they weren't fighting for a just or noble cause, or for anyone's freedom, or ridding the world of evil, or any of that other bullshit they were told via the mythologizing of the media and the politicians who sent them to war.

And I would bet on the Republican machine in this skirmish. I'm putting my money on the Republicans chewing these poor, hapless vets up and spitting them out in no time. Is it right? Hell no. But that is the political system we've voted into place with our complacency as US citizens.

In a democracy, you don't just get the government you deserve, you get the government you vote for, sometimes. Well, okay not in 2000, but...

Welcome to the Banana Republic of the United States.

Subject: RE: BS: And Now 'Operation Truth' with The Body
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 02:58 PM

A predecessor of Ventura's, Rudy Perpich, fought this issue to the US Supreme Court. The feds wanted to nationalize the Minnesota National Guard and send them to Central America. Perpich, as governor, argued that they couldn't do that without his consent. He lost, but I admired him for trying.

See PERPICH v. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, 496 U.S. 334 (1990)

Subject: RE: BS: And Now 'Operation Truth' with The Body
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 03:02 PM

Right, Rudy needed them here to bust the union, and destroy the town of Austin.

Subject: RE: BS: And Now 'Operation Truth' with The Body
From: mack/misophist
Date: 26 Aug 04 - 11:19 AM

Isn't it possible that 'civilian' was only a figure of speech?

Subject: RE: BS: And Now 'Operation Truth' with The Body
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Aug 04 - 05:57 PM

Absolutely mack/misophist, and I think he meant no longer in his formal role of governor, but now being "one of us". He isn't the world's most articulate man (I'm being generous and kind), so I'm sure what he meant to say was "ordinary citizen" as opposed to "civilian". However, I think the 'slip' was a bit freudian, and reveals how he views himself (as I said above) according to his military identity first.

Gee, wonder why the mainstream media doesn't want to hear from THESE vets?

Subject: RE: BS: And Now 'Operation Truth' with The Body
From: Cluin
Date: 26 Aug 04 - 06:27 PM

This is the same guy who, upon meeting with the Dalai Lama, told him that he should check out the movie Caddy Shack because there was some good stuff about him in it.

...big hitter, the Lama..."