Cutting Through The Bullshit…. Machetti’s Blog

Last night 8 Fire-fighters died fighting a fire in South Carolina. Numerous news coverages, hour long news talk shows have been dedicated to this story. It is truly tragic when a public servant dies. But why do we value the lives of firefighters and police officers more than our soldiers. We say we support our troops but that is only in life. The coverage of the deaths of municipal public servants from communities seems to be given a lot lot more coverage than the death of each American fighting person in Iraq. Sure you see how bad things are going in Iraq but little attention is given to the individual loss of life. Why do we as a society deem sticking a bumper magnet on our car is enough attention to the loss of life, but others who lose their lives in domestic service get hours of television discussing the events surrounding their early and tragic death. A death of a soldier, sailor, airman or marine is no less tragic than the death of a firefighter in Charleston SC. Further, the service member who dies in the line of duty dies in service to a whole nation and not a local municipality. Each service members death is a national tragedy and should be the cover news story until the deaths end. Shit, if we gave nearly as much attention to service members deaths, maybe there would be enough movement in the country to end this war in Iraq. If most Americans with money knew people serving, maybe they wouldn’t be there in the first place. But like all wars this war is carried on the backs of the poor, those who do not gain the attention of the media, those who do not know people who can afford to contribute to presidential campaigns. Save for World War 2, the civil war and the Revolution… all American wars have been been carried solely on the backs of the poor. The fact that so many middle class served in World War 2 is the only reason we have veterans benefits today. This was started though after World War 1 when returning volunteers found themselves out of work and without pension, and they marched on Washington demanding rights. Today, in the all volunteer force it is not the children of the wealthy who volunteer. This is why the faces of those lost are left to local news coverage of just a blip, and nationally we do not mourn. We show numbers instead of names, 8 died today, 6 yesterday… grand total 3400+ THESE ARE HUMANS like you and me, they are not numbers. I want their sacrificed appreciated equally as all others. Take the Paris Hilton goes to jail shit off the news, and replace it with biographies of who is no longer with us because we allowed this President to conduct and illegal war.
Big kudos goes to my brothers and sisters in arms at the IVAW guerrilla protests in Chicago, their Operation First Casualty (Truth is the first casualty) yesterday. I was most impressed by the idiotic comments of Loop Businessmen like “well I hope they support the troops” my thoughts “you fucking moron they troops, and you and your stock portfolio of  Haliburten, McDonald Douglas and Boeing are profiting off their sacrifice”

Keep up the great work IVAW I stand with you, and I am angered by the government trying to silence you.

Happy flag day everyone. Working here at a flag company we make a ridiculously big deal about it. I doubt most people even know there is a flag holiday. It is also the birth day of the Army. Hooah to all.

So here at this Flag company at 1:30pm we will be forced to walk outside and recite the pledge of allegiance to the flag. I am often forced to lead this because they assume I know it. It is a token of embarrassment I find similar to making Ira Hayes raise and lower the flag at the prison. Of course Ira was a hero and I am not but I feel pretty gross doing it. The idea of allegiance is so nationalistic in nature. Reciting an oath is so tribal and out dated, it really means nothing to me. Be a patriot by actions not words, slogans, bumper stickers, magnetic ribbons, and flags.

The whole ironic this of this pledge charade is that most of our employees are Mexican migrants of questionable documentation. Neither do they know the pledge nor give a shit, their allegiance is to Mexico and their families that they support there. Forcing them to recite this pledge is simply a charade for our owners to lie to themselves about the immigration status of their employees. After reciting the pledge we are rewarded with ice cream bars, a designated “employee benefit” as described in handbook. This “benefit” would be better served to me at cash value (1 dollar or so) than a dessert which I will not eat. Irregardless this is just an expression of our ignorance to the realities of the world and I am embarrassed to be part of it, just as Ira Hayes was probably embarrassed raising the “symbol of freedom” from inside the walls of jail.

Our experiences, sacrifices and patriotism are not contained in a piece of fabric sewn together by under payed disenfranchised migrants. Our patriotism is found in our hearts, minds and actions.

I think all bureaucrats in charge of the VA should have to use the Veterans Administration for their personal health care. That is the only way they will understand how ridiculous the system can be. I propose a panel of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans to advise and report on the VA Medical and Benefits system. I am shocked that there are so many levels of the VA and no one is talking to each other. All in all the system is silly and broken and the only people aware of this fact is the veterans who can’t afford decent health care.
1. I am moving this summer to Chicago. So I went to my local VA Clinic and inquired on how it all works, changing clinics. They said if I left the Hines system and went to one of the 2 other VA Hospitals in the area, I’d have to re-apply and it would be very difficult to transfer my medical records. Why? Why aren’t all VA Hospitals linked into one system? This is insane.

2. There needs to be a select advisory panel of Veterans of the War on Terror. It is one thing to tell people you have waited 8-9 hours in an ER to see a doctor, it is another thing to experience it. Those who make the decisions only see complaints on paper. The fact that I have to go to the ER to see a doctor when I am sick, or wait 2 weeks to see my internist sounds ridiculous on paper, but is insanity to experience.

3. Here is where you come in.

A. Illinois Vet-Care is great idea, but only a great idea as an alternative to Federal VA Care. As it stands IL Vet Care only covers those who do not qualify for Federal care but make under x amount of money, lets say 40K which I think it was last time I checked. So it only is good for those who make 30-40k per year and had been without insurance for 6 months. This is why so few people are part of your program. “I’m giving health care to vets” a wonderful election slogan, but unfortunately isn’t that effective in practice.

B. How many VAs are there. County, State, Federal??? And non of them seem to know everything each other is doing. Not to mention other Vet resource centers etc… It is again great politics to say we offer all of these things but if they don’t work, and don’t work together, what is the point. It is more empty promises wrapped in an illusion, just like the GI Bill, which is a joke.
Thank you for taking the time to read my opinions on this.

-Brett

Afghanistan Veteran.

It’s bad enough that Bush is sending troops off to die in an un-winnable war. He’s now apposed to giving basic benefits to those that survive it. Read the details here: http://www.military.com/veterans-report/white-house-fights-proposed-pay-raise?ESRC=vr.nl

My area of concern is the Reserve GI Bill. A joke. This ploy of a program is 2 lies wrapped in an illusion.

Lie 1: All Veterans are covered by the GI Bill.

This is a bullshit myth that most Americans believe and it helps them sleep at night as they ship our soldiers off overseas. If you leave the reserves, there is no GI Bill. Nothing, no matter how many tours you do in Iraq and Afghanistan, if you want college money you can not get out of the reserves. This is the position I am in, a veteran of Afghanistan, and $0 GI Bill money.

Lie 2:

GI Bill covers school…… The reserve GI Bill is 300 some dollars a month. If your college costs only 300 a month; you are not going to be getting a diploma that will help you in the future. The active duty GI Bill (which requires you to pay into if you can get it by enlisting in Active Duty with that in your contract) only pays around 900 per month, which certainly doesn’t even cover rent in Chicago.
They don’t want veterans to get ahead. They don’t want you to find success out of the military. They need you reenlisting to keep the ranks filled. Why do I say this, because they do…. from the article “The White House says the change would mean DoD loses control of a critical incentive program for reserve recruiting and retention.”
The GI Bill is just a tool for filling their ranks, not a benefit for our nations most deserving. Pass this on tell everyone you know, lets destroy the myth about the GI Bill and get an effective benefit system for those of us who do the nations dirty work.

1. I will not pledge allegiance to a flag. I have proven my allegiance to a country with my actions, but not a piece of cloth which has done little more for me than provided a job. To me it no longer stands for the blood of the veteran or the freedoms that we have that don’t exist in a few nations to me its a symbol of all the money my bosses have made off selling the popularity of flags post 9/11. To me its a club or a fad…. and this is a tragic reality.
2. There is always an angle. For everything “good” that happens and is given to us by those in power, there is another angle not shining in our faces, a hidden agenda behind everything. EVERYTHING.
3. Family are strangers you are forced to hang out with. They should be unconditional cheerleaders behind you, and for this you love them. When was the last time you told a brother sister aunt or uncle, cousin or nephew/niece that you loved them? (Thanks for the conversation il mio amore)
4. An apple a day will not keep the doctor away. Consuming a variety of fruits and vegetables throughout the week will be you best shot at keeping the doctor at bay.
5. Mustangs are not truly wild horses, their parents/grandparents were once domesticated animals. So just like you, no matter how rebellious and wild you get, just remember, your parents were domesticated and you are capable of being domesticated too.
6. One rich man goes to the jeweler to have his watch fixed. When he goes back days later to pick up the fixed watch he decides at that moment he no longer cares for his gold watch and gives it to the lady behind the counter. And now I have a new gold plated watch. Some people have too much money but I’m happy to exploit their extravagant lifestyle.
7. If you can appreciate something before it is taken from you then you truly have reached happiness.
8. To truly be naked with someone has nothing to do with flesh, it’s sharing the inner workings of each other’s mind. ( ;-P ) 
9. Sometimes we do things with out reason, but simply based on instinct, the outcome of these decisions will yield some of the most rewarding outcomes you will have in a lifetime.
10. “Love is giving each other Dutch Ovens” - The Phantom Surfers

Saturday Becki and I went to see these two films: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=105467287 The event was put on to raise money for IAVA and The American Legion by a group of concerned local citizens. 

15 minutes into the first film there was a commotion in the hallway and a guy is yelling and screaming at some elderly gentlemen who seemed to have put the event. An irate guy maybe more than one was yelling the following statements I will try to get as close to quotation.
Angry Man: How dare you show a film like this on veterans day. Don’t you think there are Iraq veterans here? I was in the military for 8 years (notice never said in combat or served in any war. For all we know he was a truck driver for the coast guard). This is disgraceful. You cannot show a film like this in a Republican community like Saint Charles. blah blah blah… 

Elderly Man who was taking tickets: Sir please lower your voice, please watch the whole film, do you want a refund?
Theatre Manager: Please take this outside, if not I’m calling the police. Gentlemen please…. 

I take a piss and avoid the growing crowd. 

The first film showed all the contractors in Iraq, and how they have played roles in what is going on, from American contractors killed in Iraq as mercenaries and truck drivers to abuses at Abu Gahrab being attributed to contractors who were not held accountable to the abuses… lots of graphic photos of detainee abuse. The movie featured lots of interviews with people who were there. I learned a lot of interesting statistical facts as far as how much of our money is spent on these contractors doing jobs that soldiers normally would do etc… Basically the film showed that our military is too small and huge corporations that contribute a lot to republican politicians are making a lot of money at the cost of American lives, $, and dignity. 

This irate jerkoff though didn’t like the reality presented to him and saw it as anti-us somehow. Even though lots of American soldiers were interviewed and all of the facts presented in the film were consistent with my experience in Afghanistan. KBR (Halliburton), Triad (linguists), and interrogator companies. Not knowing the $$ information everything else in the film seemed factual and reflected badly on the republican no bid contracts and  really only showed that the troops are getting shafted and not anti-soldier in anyway. 

The 2nd film was a riveting account of a New Hampshire National Guard Unit used as convoy security for a year in Iraq, their experience in war and dealing with issues after the war. Amazing film. I think everyone should see especially the hawkish people always willing to send our troops to fight but really are not aware of what that entails. 

Check out these films buy them on DVD if/when available. And don’t let political bias get in the way of cold hard irrefutable facts.

An old traditional proverb goes “It’s the quiet ones you have to watch” IE when speaking about killers, molesters etc..

George Carlin once said somthing like ‘If you spend all your time watching the quiet ones, a noisy one will walk up and fucking kill you.’

Thus is the situation with Crazy Kim in North Korea.
Lets look at the facts:

A. When Clinton left office North Korea had 0 Nuclear weapons, and we were in open communication with them. And with our gifts of michael jordan autographed basketballs crazy kim was negotiating with our people on various topics as in their stockpiles of WMD, willingness to develop nuclear weapons and their human rights abuses.
B. Bush takes office ends all dialog with North Korear
C. Bush invades Iraq, which constantly has the vast majority our main fighting force either in that country or on rotation at home to go back into that theatre… even pulled troops out of south korea and sent them to iraq.
D. North Korea sees our weakness and over expenditures, now annouces it has 8 nuclear weapons and if we act on sanctions they will declare war against us… (a country about the size of Iraq, with 1mil strong military, an idealogy where the citizens no NOTHING ABOUT US CEPT what their doctrine has taught, they have nuclear weapons, and WMDs chem-bio weapons etc… )

E. Iraq didn’t have nuclear or chembio weapons wmds etc, Iraqs people prior to the war knew about the west beyond what their government said (but we apparently didn’t know much about them cept what our gov told us) and they had an opressed MAJORITY…. North Korea has an oppressed populace but they don’t know that will more than likely fight till the death against the evil west.

F. F stands for Fucked, I think we are fucked… Its time to fix shit at home, let China be the world super power, and batten down the hatches for the future… a future of no more fossil fuels, Chinese control of our markets, and the disapearance of the middle class.

It’s fucking sad but I see no hope in sight.

So Saturday night I went out for some drinks with my friend. We went to a local bar (yuppie/jock) place where the crowd sucks but atmosphere is cool and the drinks are around 3 bucks each so its not that bad. Anyways I was down to my last 10 bucks and was feeling pretty drunk, needed to piss and headed off to the men’s pisser. I’m standing at the urinal and this middle aged yuppie next to me pissing asks. “Are you in the service?” (At first I thought this was some sort of gay code like “are you on the team?”) But then I realized he was probably asking about the tattoos so I say “Yes I was, Army, yourself?” Maybe he was making small talk, he says “no.” So I’m like what the fuck in my head, but drunk yuppies, what do you do. He was a big guy, well built, maybe he wanted to fight or something… anyways I follow him over to the sink (there was only one) and he washes his hands and dries them and I am about to step up to the sink when this guy pulls out a wad of cash, I’m talking a WAD like Tony Soprano or something, he hands me two bills, and I’m shocked drunk and like “um no I don’t want your money man” and he’s like “fuck you” so I say “ok next round is on you then, thanks” It looked like 2 10 dollar bills but I stuffed them in my pocket like we just made a drug deal…. anyways, I go back out and sit down sort of shook up by that thinking it was weird and shit. Both way no big deal I told my friend what had just happened and they ask “how much,” to which I have no clue but I don’t want to look at it and count it with him possibly watching. I locate him at the bar he’s parting with a bunch of people and so I pull out of my pocket two 100 dollar bills!!! I got sick to my stomach… I don’t make a lot of money so 200 bucks is huge to me! I just wanted to leave before he realized what he had done and asks for his money back… but there was only one exit and he and his group were there.. I felt so uncomfortable so I drank more with a wide eyed look, then I notice him and his group had left and I continued to drink and got really drunk and walked home.

I don’t know if it was 9/11 weekend or what, I wish rich men would give me 200 dollars every time I went into a bathroom, but if that was the case, I’d probably have to be prostitute for that to happen.
So why did this happen to me, I don’t do well at casinos, I really don’t have luck as far as things go. Here are some thoughts I have come up with. 

A. Philanthropy feels good. Hell the giver usually gets more out of the act of giving than the person receiving. Maybe inspired by the patriotism of this weekend or guilt of all the money he’s made on owning stock in defense contractors since 9/11 or something along those lines. 200 bucks was chump change to this man, and he felt he was fulfilling some sort of patriotic duty. My service wasn’t for fame, glory, recognition or anything, I went in November 2000, when things were much more peaceful and Clinton was President. The days of innocence and when we were more scared of some inner city black youth attacking us at our local mall than an Islamic suicide bomber. This is a whole other area of ignorance. I simply went in to make my father proud, to gain something from him I never felt I had as a kid. 9/11 came along and well it changed everything.
B. Guilt is a huge motivator for benevolence. What skeletons might this guy have? Did he dodge the draft in Vietnam? Did he keep his kid from going in? Was it because I did something he was unwilling to do, and this was his tactic to pacify some sort guilt he has that he keeps inside.
C. Was this some sort of “fuck you poor kid?” He did say “fuck you” when I tried to give him the money back.
D. Maybe this guy is just a baller and this is how he rolls… its a step up from the empty gesture flag waiver club. 

So yeah I really need 200 bucks, to bail me out of some bills, but I spent 10 at the bar, another 40 on groceries I needed, and 150 I deposited in my account, and then I wrote a check for 150 bucks and put it in the mail today to the wounded warriors project. They deserve it more than me. Heroes come home in body bags or stretchers missing limbs, not unscathed like me. I’m not a hero I’ve done nothing heroic.
So if you are feeling some sort of guilt or need to be philanthropic please go to http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org It’s a great cause that I have donated to a couple of times. 

 9/11/06 5 years later, we are not much safer. I don’t let fear rule my life the way they want though, they won’t ever make us safe as long as they can get things from us if we are scared. While you are surfing the web take a peek at something thought provoking. www.myspace.com/911truth

We have lost in afghanistan: http://www.washingtontimes.com/world/20060320-123722-5185r.htm

For those too lazy to click here is the gist:

”

Afghan man faces death for Christian conversion

By Daniel Cooney
ASSOCIATED PRESS
March 20, 2006

KABUL, Afghanistan — An Afghan man is being prosecuted in a Kabul court and could be sentenced to death on a charge of converting from Islam to Christianity, a crime under the country’s Islamic laws, a judge said yesterday.
    The trial is thought to be the first of its kind in Afghanistan and highlights a struggle between religious conservatives and reformists over what shape Islam should take here four years after the ouster of the Islamic fundamentalist Taliban regime. ”
That’s it folks we lost. Whats the difference between now and the taliban regime? Back then the taliban was a strong religious government backed by Texas Oil Barrons that wanted to build a pipeline through afghanistan. Today it is still a religious fundimentalist government but proped up by the US government and not private industry. AlQuida and Talirban seem to be coming back, the peaceful streets I walked through near Bagram have been come centers for protesting American policies, and killing afghan soldiers. Women still wear the Buqras, and the only place you won’t see this is in Kabul where the occational prostitute is seen in stillettos. See afghans can have their cake and eat it too. Religious fundimentalists can control the countryside, while taking weekend excursions to Kabul for some Chinese food, a Chinese “massage” and some Chinese Aids. Yes all the new freedoms our liberation brought the HIV. Sure afghans are doing better now, jobs have been created, there is a chance now. But in 4 years things have not improved a hell of a lot.

Also its important to know that every Afghan I have had a close relationship to has always had upmost amount of respect for christians, (they still hate athiests like me, but the russians really burned those bridges) but they respect all other “god fearing groups” so I cannot believe that democratically the people want to hang christians, I think its the same religious fundimentalists from the taliban that are still in power today. It makes all the work I did seem like it was for nothing. Ironically we hear that the troop levels will be going down in Afghanistan.

Imagine this: Immediately after 911 we sent rangers and spec ops into afhganistan. Lead by the CIA at the Battle of Tora Bora, the rangers captured Usama trying to escape, we brought him to trial and publically executed him. We never invaded Iraq, The US military was not stretched too thin and committed adequate amounts of troops and supplies to afghanistan, we sent all civil affairs soldiers into the country and every province of the nation saw immediate development. Industry was created and the poppy fields were replaced with rice and wheat fields. A democratically elected government took over and a new age of prosperity where muslims hindus and christians would be protected.

Its not a pie in the sky idea, its called doing the job right. Buts never been about making afghanistan better its about an oil pipeline running from the north through western afghanistan and out into pakistan. Its about paying off the bad guys and no longer about justice. Its about marketing advertising and selling fake realities to our people. Its about covering up the truth.
What if the world is really more like the Matrix than we want to admit. Where our realities and information are spoon fed to us from a conservative illuminati baby food jar. Well I’m not eating it anymore and I encourage you to stop eating it aswell. There is still a little bit of truth out there, so get it before they take that away too.

This blog is in honor of all my brothers in arms who have been killed in the forgotten wars.