HEY DU...I have an Idea...tell me what you think?

[AsahinaKimi]

Last edited Wed Aug 28, 2013, 01:10 PM - Edit history (2)

Here is the Presidents email: [e-mail] or use this: http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/


Here is the song..

If we all sent this to the above Email would you think it would make a difference?

11 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Time expired
	Yes, lets do it...
	3 (27%)
	No, it will not make a difference
	6 (55%)
	Um no, we could get into trouble doing that...
	1 (9%)
	I Have no idea if it will or not.
	1 (9%)
	Other?
	0 (0%)
	0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
Show usernames Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll

[AsahinaKimi]

1. bumping this for exposure

Come on guys and gals.. what ya think?

[Journeyman]

2. Ineffective response, but it can warm the heart . . .

People like to say that if Dante, Petrarch, Chaucer,
Boccaccio, Calderón, Lord Bacon, Shakespeare and Milton
had never lived we would experience worse wars, usury,
more oppressive fraud, malfeasance and servitude.
I doubt it. I think they functioned as entertainers
who taught nothing. I submit the continuation of
everything they abhorred substantiates my argument.

~ Evan S. Connell
Points for a Compass Rose

"You know what I say to people when I hear they're writing anti-war books?"

"No. What do you say, Harrison Starr?"

"I say, 'Why don't you write an anti-glacier book, instead?'"

What he meant, of course, was that there would always be wars, that they were as easy to stop as glaciers. I believe that too.

~ Kurt Vonnegut
Slaughterhouse-Five

[AsahinaKimi]

5. Thanks for your reply

arigatou!

[WilliamPitt]

3. Can't hurt.

K&R

[AsahinaKimi]

4. Thanks so much for your input

Domo arigatou gozaimasu!

[NuclearDem]

6. All for it, but I doubt it would do any good.

Still, done.

[AsahinaKimi]

7. I think the President can relate to the song..

Hopefully He heard it growing up.. if not, the lyrics should be effective. Thanks for replying!! Arigatou!

[steve2470]

8. k&r nt

[AsahinaKimi]

9. Domo Arigatou Gozaimasu!

Thank you very much for kicking this!

[steve2470]

10. Anata wa hijō ni kangei sa rete iru

I hope I said that correctly

[AsahinaKimi]

12. Works for me...

however, In Japanese, they do not like to use personal pronouns, you, me, she, he, they...and believe its more polite to use the persons name if you know it. Other than that, great! And you are welcome.. dou itashimashite!

[Art_from_Ark]

106. "Kangei" is "welcome" in the sense of welcoming someone to a company,

conference, etc. As Kimi noted, the phrase that is usually said after someone thanks you for something is "Dou itashi mashite". And it is kind of odd in Japanese that they don't use pronouns as much as English-speakers do-- It's kind of like in Spanish, but in Japanese there is no verb conjugation to signify whether the subject is 1st, 2nd, 3rd person singular/plural

[steve2470]

107. thanks for the help, and to you too AsahinaKimi

Google Translate sucks, as usual.

[Art_from_Ark]

108. Google Translate is nearly worthless for Japanese

Japanese has very few plurals, few verb tenses, the subject is often implied rather than expressly stated. In short, it requires a lot of reading between the lines. I wish I could remember one phrase in particular I tried to have Google Translate convert from Japanese to English for me-- it was hilarious. The "English" translation that was offered sounded like it had been written by a 19-year-old who had just come out of Navy boot camp

[sabrina 1]

11. I don't think it would stop them. But I think we send it anyhow, for historical reasons.

I would like to be sure that when history records these dark times in our own history, no one will think that ALL Americans were silent.

I grew up believing that no one in Germany had tried to stop them. And I couldn't understand that.

I found out when I grew up that a few good people did try and most of them were killed, murdered.

So anything that helps future generations to know that some of us did try to stop them, is worth doing imo.

[AsahinaKimi]

14. Domo Arigatou Gozaimasu!

Thanks for your great response!

[steve2470]

13. my reply email says they want us to use the WH website contact form:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/


so...email sent.

[AsahinaKimi]

15. Great..I will edit the post to include that..

Thanks!

[steve2470]

16. yvw ! nt

[WillyT]

17. I Think I've Always Loved You... Er, I Mean... 'WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR ???"

Abolutely Nothing !!!

[AsahinaKimi]

19. Blows a kiss

in your general direction...oops, i missed...oh well. Thanks!

By the way..where is that MFM anyway? sends a DU mail...

[AsahinaKimi]

18. bumping this for exposure

More input please! (onegaishimasu) "Please"

[AsahinaKimi]

20. bumpity bump bump...

eom.

[blackspade]

21. I don't think it will make a difference but I'm doing it anyway.

Update: sent the video. I found the code I had to enter at the end ironic: mbaekes occupy
Given the lack of support this administration gave OWS......

[tiredtoo]

22. Me Too

Just fired one off.

[AsahinaKimi]

47. Thanks for that...

I can not believe that down below, there is someone who WANTS A WAR... can you believe it?

[AsahinaKimi]

23. As they say in Australia: "Good on you, Mate!"

Yay! You Rock!

[blackspade]

24. back at ya!

I truly believe that if we spent half of our energy and cash into raising mankind out of the cesspool of war, poverty, and global climate disaster we would have no end of friends and partners worldwide.

I had always hoped that one day I would travel into space but that is but a dream now. It reminds me of the OVA Wings of Honneamise. As a species we have stopped reaching for the stars.

Sorry, this shit makes me melancholy.....

[AsahinaKimi]

25. The Doctor would approve..

[blackspade]

30. I love the good DR.

[AsahinaKimi]

33. YES !

[LongTomH]

26. This is the comment I sent to the White House

Dear Mr. Obama,

Please, please, I beg you, Please consider the irony of preparing for war on the eve of Dr. King's great March on Washington.

Please, I beg you. Remember that Dr. King was a man of peace who opposed the Vietnam War and America's culture of militarism.

What would he think of this buildup to war? Please consider!

Please be guided by his words!

[AsahinaKimi]

27. Great ..

I hope you included the song,...but if not, thanks for doing that!

[LongTomH]

32. I was a bit nervous about sending a link to a YouTube video to the White House

To my Facebook page, yeah; but, (Gulp!!!) to the White House?

By the way, like blackspade, I had dreams of seeing us going into space (See my posts in the Science forum!). It's hard to hold onto any optimism these days. Maybe, just maybe, your generation will see us reaching for the stars again!

Best to you, young lady!

[AsahinaKimi]

35. As I said earlier....

The doctor would approve!

[MrMickeysMom]

28. Go for it AK!

It's bound to be understood.

[AsahinaKimi]

29. I would hope so...

The more the merrier!! Thanks for your support!

[MrMickeysMom]

31. I actually just DID!

[AsahinaKimi]

34. Sugoii wonderful

You are the best!

[NealK]

36. K&R

And sent.

[AsahinaKimi]

37. You are wonderful!

Thanks for the support!

[NealK]

38. Your idea is wonderful.

[AsahinaKimi]

39. Lets hope it works..

[Jamastiene]

40. It won't work, but it's still a good idea.

It certainly won't hurt anything. K&R

[Enthusiast]

41. Had the President been old enough when that song was written,

I feel certain he would have disagreed with it, because he would have supported the Vietnam War.

[AsahinaKimi]

45. I wonder if he would have...

DO you honestly believe he would have? I find that hard to believe.

[Enthusiast]

54. From everything I can determine,

the President is firmly entrenched in the ESTABLISHMENT position. In those days, the dominant establishment meme was the domino theory.

[AsahinaKimi]

56. Yeah... well, this country sure could use

some more walls, ne?

[treestar]

42. So the President should never go to war?

No President should ever go to war or intervene in the international scale, because someone once wrote a very idealistic song? And that's it. That's all the President should consider.

and tell Congress while you are at it. They have the power to declare war. The constitution specifically says they can. And tell the people who elected the current president and Congress.

Better yet, play that for Assad and every middle eastern dictator. And yet better, play it for the rebels who rose up against those dictators. They are the ones that started it, aren't they? They should have realized that it was no good, right?

[AsahinaKimi]

44. Are you that hungry to go to war...

I mean, you probably will never go, but someones son or daughter will. Are you that hungry for blood shed? Really? Are you really itching to go to war??

Enjoy your war!

[font color="red" size="7" face="face"]Check it out DU, some one who is eager for war!![/font]

[treestar]

46. That does not answer my questions

It falsely accuses me of a position I did not take, either.

[AsahinaKimi]

49. OH..you wanted answers...

Sorry, Kimi does not play that game. I happen to believe in other options than rolling in the tanks... Do you know what I do on weekends? No, I guess you would not. I volunteer at the VA Hospital in San Francisco. I see Veterans from World War II, Korea, all the way up to Desert Storm. I volunteer to help those people. Going to war means filling up more of those beds eventually...

And how many more people are going to have to help those new Veterans. NO SIR, we have enough wounded on our hands, and those who are being Treated for PTSD. Ask ANY VET on DU how they feel about war.

[treestar]

57. That does not answer my question either

It appears you do not want to discuss or debate, just posture.

[AsahinaKimi]

58. My posture is bad enough

from lifting Veterans into and out of bed. I hope that answers your damn question.

[Dash87]

71. When we're allying with Al Qaeda for a war based on insufficient evidence

for people that hate us and will use our own weapons to kill us, it's pretty different!

[Little Star]

43. I doubt it would change anything but I'm doing it anyway......

because you just never know. They may just hear us. k&r

[99Forever]

48. Great song, right sentiment..

... problem is, neither Barack Obama or any of his administration give a shit what we think. The murderous MIC has decided they WILL have their war and the puppet in the White House WILL make it happen.

[AsahinaKimi]

50. As someone said above..

It does not hurt to try. Maybe, just maybe.. someone will listen, and get it.

[99Forever]

52. I'm done tilting at windmills, myself.

I have yet to see any sign that anyone in Washington DC will ever do the right thing, especially those holding the highest offices. I've wasted enough time and hope that they will ever change. No more for me.

[AsahinaKimi]

55. I am sorry you are giving up...

Well, maybe on your weekends you can do like I do. Go to a VA hospital and ask how you can help out? I mean, I do that every weekend. I see veterans from World War II all the way up to Desert Storm. I see them without arms, legs, and see those who live with PTSD. So, if you are going to give in to war, then you might as well take some responsibility and do what I am doing. Volunteering to help out the returning Vets.


There will be plenty more beds to fill, and help to need.

[99Forever]

68. Giving up?

No. Facing the reality that there are some things beyond my control. That the War Pigs WILL have their wars, is one of them. I do not "support" the MIC or any part of it, including "the vets."

[AsahinaKimi]

74. You do not support the Veterans...

Well, Its a free country I guess....



wow.

[AsahinaKimi]

82. I support all veterns by

Volunteering to work at the VA hospital. That includes, World War II, Korea, and Vietnam Veterans who had no choice but to go to war. You see, back than, they had something called the Draft. SO, yes...You may see me as part of the problem, but there you go. The Veterans Administration has done a lot for wounded Veterans who have come back from those wars. Many of them who are 100% disabled are given continued help all though their lives. Medical procedures that would cost the average person hundreds of dollars, are covered by the Veterans Administration..

But Hey, I am sure you do not care about this.. They are just part of the WAR MACHINE, and you probably think that money should go some where else.. and screw the Vets because they should have said no to military service in the first place.

I am proud of what I do on weekends. No one pays me to help get someone's lunch at the Cafeteria, or to help the nurses load a guy from his bed to a gurney. No one pays me to bring them the newspaper, or bring them fat free sugar free cookies. No one pays me to show them how to get from one department to another when they are lost...

[Link Speed]

83. Piss off

I served 39 months in SE Asia, non of it voluntarily. I probably lost more friends than you have ever had.

Kiss it, kid.

[AsahinaKimi]

84. So You are mad at me for helping

and volunteering at the VA Hospital? You think what I do is a waste of time? So..should I tell them I QUIT TOMORROW?

No.. Sorry.. I am proud of what I do.

[Link Speed]

86. I am sorry, I thought I was replying to 99whoever in your OP

That shit makes me livid.

I spent a total of one and a half years in VA hospitals.

You, AsahinaKimi, would be one of my heroes.

[AsahinaKimi]

88. Thank you..

I hope many of the Vets jump in here. Many of you had no choice but to go.. Drafted. I guess they would have rather had you break the law and go to prison rather than have to face military duty. I do not understand this kind of arrogance. Its beyond me.

[sarisataka]

89. Funny thing

I fought Iraqis in '91 who were sent into a war they didn't agree with. I never hated them, if fact made friends with several over the course of the conflict and aftermath.

We accepted each other and could see we were instruments of our government whether dictatorship or democracy. We also could see you can choose to go or be forced to go, at gunpoint or via draft.

Just a bit of advice, self-righteousness can blind us to our own faults.

[AsahinaKimi]

90. Well Stated..Thank you!

As of this Saturday, I will be baking an extra amount of cookies to bring for the Veterans to have with the free Coffee, that is served in the waiting rooms. (Sugar free of course.)

[spin]

97. The function of our military is to be largely a deterrent. ...

The decision of when and how to use our military forces is up to our elected political leadership. The military does not start wars on its own but follows orders. If you do not wish to see our military "reeking death and destruction on millions of other human beings" then assign the blame to the people we elect. The number of people in Congress who have served in the military is now only 20%, the lowest level since WWII. Perhaps if that number was higher, we would not be as willing to go around looking a fight all over the world.

I know several young men who joined the military recently. One of the reasons they enlisted was the bleak employment situation in our nation today. A high percentage of those who do volunteer for the military do not come from wealthy families or have the money to go to college. Facing limited opportunities they join the armed forces and hope to gain skills that will enable to them to find good jobs after their enlistment is up. Many take advantage of the educational programs offered while in the military and after.

I don't think many soldiers wish to be sent to some hell hole to fight but they willing accept the sacrifices that this involves both to themselves and to their families. They have and deserve my admiration and my respect.

Our military has been sent in recent years to invade and fight in foreign nations and after the initial mission is complete they are tasked with rebuilding these nations and helping them to adopt a democratic form of government despite the fact that their culture is far different from ours and lacks the background to establish a well functioning democracy. During this second phase of the mission we often find our military suffers far more deaths and injuries than in the first phase.

Unfortunately when those WE SENT to accomplish the impossible return,they have often suffered severe debilitating injuries, suffer from PTSD or arrive in body bags. Those who survive but suffer physical or psychological injuries often find it difficult to get the necessary treatment to aid their recovery as it almost seems that our political leaders view them as just cannon fodder and that they have served their purpose. Our leaders seem reluctant to properly finance the agencies that are responsible for aiding those who we sent to fight for us and to insure that these agencies are well managed. Perhaps they believe that the money should be invested elsewhere.

You have a right to your opinion just as I do. You seem to be insinuating that our military is largely composed of blood thirsty killers looking for an opportunity to rape, pillage and destroy. I disagree. I feel our military has established tight rules of engagement and does its best to avoid civilian causalities even when that places our soldiers in extreme danger. Unfortunately innocent people do die in warfare. War IS hell.

I feel that our nation should only send our military to fight and die when it is truly necessary and directly involves a threat to our nation. We often overreach when we try to be the police force for the entire world. Unfortunately we are the most powerful nation in the world (at this time). Sometimes we have to step up to the plate and do our best to intervene in a crisis occurring far from our shores but we should be damn careful when we do so that we are actually needed and that the situation is serious enough to justify the expense and effort.

[Scootaloo]

51. Go for it, but it's not going to change anything

"We've" decided that the best way to handle Assad killing Syrians is to also kill Syrians. I don't think a song from 1969 is going ot turn that around.

[AsahinaKimi]

53. Maybe some people who hear that song and think

V I E T N A M. maybe they will remember Vietnam. Maybe Some of them are Fathers and Mothers...who have their kids in the military.. and will remember what war does..and is. Maybe there will be some Veterans from that Vietnam war.. who will remember what it was like to be there... and to be lucky enough to come back from there, alive.

How many MORE walls do we need?

[demwing]

59. You have a good soul Kimi

Thank you for being on DU, I wish we had 1000 more Kimi's, each urging us all to ask for peace.

Song sent.

[AsahinaKimi]

60. from the bottom of my weak heart....

(My doctor will confirm this..) I thank you very much. Doumo Arigatou Gozaimasu.

[demwing]

61. You have a lion's heart

And you're very welcome.

[AsahinaKimi]

62. I was born in the year of the Tiger...

and love cats, so thanks for that!

[NCTraveler]

63. The question is...

"If we all sent this to the above Email would you think it would make a difference? "

I put yes. I don't think it will make a difference with respect to the decision making of the administration. I do think it makes a difference in the minds of those in opposition to war. It lets them know they are not alone in the fight. Lets them know how large of a group they are a part of. It can be pretty disheartening being against war after the last couple of decades. It is an area of government that seems to ignore the will of the people. Those who are disheartened need to know how large of a group they are a part of. Actions like this do that.

[AsahinaKimi]

64. Wow...

Thank you for that. Letting our Government know how we feel about something that will effect the lives of many people, (or even deaths) is an important issue.

[1awake]

65. Little effect...

He doesn't see any of those emails ever. Some else will get them, file a report and at best say there was a .000005% increase in emails anti military action, and that only if we are lucky.

[AsahinaKimi]

67. Thanks for your reply...

[1awake]

69. Sorry, while I believe what I said is true,

Speaking out on these things is always better than remaining silent. I am in no way advocating sitting back and doing nothing. Send the email, then send another email to everyone you know asking them to do the same and showing them how.

[stevenleser]

66. I always agree with letting your elected officials know how you feel.

[AsahinaKimi]

70. I guess most on DU think its a waste of time...

That makes me sad.. but hey... I guess we're gonna need more help at the VA hospitals, with all those new beds to fill. So, I wonder how many are willing to put in some extra time to help out all those coming back with PTSD, and debilitating injuries. Those who are 100% disabled will file for disability checks, and with proof will get them, though with so many wounded coming back, and previous wars, no doubt the Republicans will find a way to whittle down those checks to make room for all the new guys being brought aboard. Some Veterans will just have to make due.. because they can not earn a paycheck.. and the only money coming in will be those VA checks. Does not sound very fair...but I guess that is how it will be.

[tiredtoo]

72. In an attempt to help this thing go viral

i have posted this link to the White House and the youtube video on my facebook page.
Carry on my friends, carry on.

[AsahinaKimi]

73. Arigatou

thanks for input!

[Divine Discontent]

75. kick for AK's poll

and peace! I have little knowledge of the region or what should be done, but if they do anything, it should be acute and succinct, not anything that keeps us around.

[AsahinaKimi]

76. Thanks for the kick..

I about to shut down the poll, its becoming pretty obvious. Guess it can run another 24 hours..because that is the lowest amount of time a poll can run.

[Divine Discontent]

77. YW, AK :) n/t

[another_liberal]

80. You did very well!

And, yes, you do have a Tiger's heart.

[AsahinaKimi]

96. Rawr!!

Thank you.. You kind of inspired the idea.. Thanks for that too.

[hedgehog]

78. I didn't send that e-mail - but I did send an e-mail in opposition

to military involvement.

[tomg]

79. In and of itself, it won't, but as part of a

larger concerted effort to resist war, it could.
At the least, we say "not in our name." I sent it ( well, I sent a different song that spoke to my experience as a co).

Thank you, AsahinaKimi.

[AsahinaKimi]

92. no.. THANK YOU

for standing up for PEACE. (Why do I suddenly feel like Yoko Ono? We follow each other on Twitter.)

[Hell Hath No Fury]

85. Yes, we should do it -

but I doubt it will work. We each of us have to do everything we can -- sometimes it is futile, but the attempt must be made.

[AsahinaKimi]

93. After listening to the President's speech

which is posted here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1017141835
and his mentioning Veterans, I hope the intent we present, will some how break though and touch some hearts.

[sarisataka]

87. I doubt it would help

but it can't hurt to try. Good music is always worth while even if you are the only one listening.

[AsahinaKimi]

94. Seems to me..and I am only

Speculating, that some Anti War songs, in the past, have often made people think twice, about war, and brought some of those wars to a halt peacefully.

[Vinnie From Indy]

91. I like it!

Cheers!

[AsahinaKimi]

95. Thank you..

for your input! backatcha!

[LostOne4Ever]

98. Sore wa sugoii desu!

それは凄いです！

Sumimasen, I have only managed to teach myself very little Japanese (~100 kanji and words).

I think this is a wonderful Idea. Even if it does not work it is better than doing nothing. No matter the odds, we have to try and do something ねか?

[AsahinaKimi]

100. wakatta! iiyo! yatta!

Domo Arigatou gozaimasu. Honto desu.

[4bucksagallon]

99. I haven't heard that we were making plans to go to war.

When did that happen? Let's not confuse military action or limited strikes with going to war. That's my opinion, your entitled to yours.

[AsahinaKimi]

101. Since when is a Limited Strike not

the actions of war? If we did a Limited Strike on say, Canada.. do you think they would say, OH ..THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR. ??

[4bucksagallon]

104. First off I was in Vietnam when that song came out........

All of us troops loved the song, but it had no effect on our government or it's policies. So why are you picking on Canada, did they use chemical weapons against their citizens? We, the USA, have done many limited strikes against our foes and never declared war. I am not saying they were all successful or their goals were met, but someone has to be in charge and that responsibility rests with the CIC, President Obama. I trust him more than I trusted Ronald Raygun, or Richard Nixon, or George Bush senior or Jr. I may not trust all those that are advising him but he is the decider in chief ultimately. Aren't you glad that we are not talking about a President Robme making this decision, surrounded by the writers of the PNAC? Unless we put troops on the ground you can not say we are going to war. The War Powers Resolution gives the President certain latitude in these matters. Let's see how it all shakes out ok.

[AsahinaKimi]

105. I have nothing against Canada..wtf?

I used it as an example. YOU DO know what an example is don't you? Do I need a Websters dictionary to explain to you what a example is?? I could have said Japan.. or any other country on the planet...

Secondly, I do trust our President ..and hope he makes the right decision, one being of Peace, and not conflict. A limited strike is an ACT OF AGGRESSION. Its the difference between a cop smacking you over the head with a billy club or giving you a ticket.. You would rather take the ticket. THIS ACT may not be an act of war, but its a certainly a Police Action, and no one freaking gave us a badge, and told us to go beat the crap out of the bad guys.

[life long demo]

103. It was an excellent protest song but didn't stop any war the first time around

But it was good hearing it again.