Weekend reactions to my truck window signs.

[DarkPhenyx]

I drove up into "Navy Country" in Norfolk, VA over the weekend. I helped friends build an storage building in their back yard.

While I was there I had to go out to Home Depot, and other places, with my truck and the always present anti-Bush signs. I am happy to report that I received nothing but positive responses while I was there. Even had military people telling me to keep it up. One man, who found out I was IRR, said "we need you to keep speaking for us active duty folks since we aren't allowed to" by law. Jsut when I needed the little boost too. :)

I did get some negative reactions on the drive up however. The funniest was when I had a SUV pass me with a middle aged couple in the front giving me that long, slow, sad head shake with the very disapproving expression on thier faces. In the back seat was an older couple, Mom and Dad I assume, giving my big smiles and enthusiastic thumbs up. Talk about a mixed message. :) It does make me wonder where they went wrong raising their child though.

[Gothic Sponge]

1. Nice!

I would put anti-Bush signs on my car, but i don't want it vandalized.

[DarkPhenyx]

3. I've quit worrying about it.

I was once willing to get shot at for my country, I don't see why I should let the possible vandalizing of my truck get inthe way of my saving it. The truck can be easily fixed. My country is a bit harder to put back together. :)

I know what you mean though. I get asked at occassionally get asked things like "what are you going to do when someone decides they don't like your signs and kicks the shit out of you". My response is usually "fight back or bleed a lot".

[Catch22Dem]

2. It's a shame

More military people don't understand they CAN speak out against the president. The only thing you can't do is speak on behalf of the military. This includes speaking while in uniform. If a military person wanted to attend a Kerry rally, or a pro-choice rally, they're PERFECTLY WITHIN THEIR RIGHTS to do so. You just can't do it in uniform, and while you're there, you can't give an interview and say your name is Sgt. Whatever or Capt. Whatever.

I was very active when I was in the military, so believe me, I know the damn rules. I made SURE I was within the law. If you need me to cite this for you, I can go look.

[DarkPhenyx]

4. It's a thin line unfortunately.

I'm not at all surprised that people who like their job, are very patriotic and have a lot of themselves invested in the military, choose not to jeopardize their careers by speaking out. Even if they didn't get punished there are other things that go along with speaking out. I used to take shit for being openly Democrat and Liberal. Not a lot, but some. Being able to defend my position didn't hurt.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

5. I think it's a damn shame

that our active duty personnel do not feel they have the same freedom of speech that any other American does. :(

[DarkPhenyx]

6. They don't actually.

It's part of the sacrafice you make when you volunteer to defend the freedoms of others. It's something we understand and accept.

[Catch22Dem]

7. That's not true

We do enjoy the same freedom, we just can't practice that freedom as "as representative of the military." I was NEVER denied my freedom of speech as long as I did it off base, out of uniform, and within the limits of the law.