[Dean's World] Dave Price: Don't Question Their Patriotism

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Posted by Dave Price:
Don't Question Their Patriotism
http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1147360740.shtml


   They do a much better job of that by themselves than any critic could
   hope to.
   [1]This interview with the band Godsmack (whose songs are being used
   in military recruiting ads) by Jay Babcock from a magazine called
   Arthur is just bizarre, as is the [2]linking article from HuffPo
   written by Howie Klein. Apparently even tepid support for the U.S.
   military is worthy only of disgust in some leftist circles.

     HOWIE: You see, Jay feels strongly about the military aggressively
     luring confused and desperate young kids-- many right out of high
     schools-- into the Bush Regime's war-profits-schemes.
     --------------------------------------------------------
     JAY: So I notice you guys have been really involved with promoting
     the military.
     SULLY: Well, they actually came to us, believe it or not. Somebody
     in the Navy loves this band, because they used âAwakeâ for three
     years and then they came to us and re-upped the contract for
     another three years for âSick of Life.â So, I donât know. They just
     feel like that music, [laughs] someone in that place thinks that
     the music is very motivating for recruit commercials I guess. And
     hey, Iâm an American boy so itâs not⦠Iâm proud of it.
     JAY: Youâre proud of recruiting your fans into the military?
     ...
     SULLY: So I just feel well you know whatever we can do to say
     âthank you for protecting our countryâ is what we try to do. Iâm
     not trying to make this a big political issue.
     JAY: Okay. Have you done anything to prevent people from joining
     the military?
     SULLY: No.
     JAY: To maybe educate them as to whatâs in store for them?
     SULLY: I donât have enough education in the military to educate
     them in anything.
     JAY: Would you let your music be used for anti-military recruiting
     advertisements?
     SULLY: I donât know, I âd have to see what that was about.
     JAY: But youâd be open to it?
     SULLY: Weâre open to whatever, as long as itâs not a Maybelline
     commercial.
     JAY: [laughs] Maybellineâs more offensive than the militaryâ¦? 
     SULLY: No. That doesnât quite go with what we do.
     JAY: Buth the military does.
     SULLY: Listen. Where are we going with this thing? Is this
     interview about the governmentâ
     JAY: Well, Iâve never seen such a pro-militaryâ
     SULLY: Sounds like this is a personal attack or whatever.
     JAY: Well Iâve never seen such a pro-military band as you guys.
     ...
     SULLY: We just simply, an opportunity came up, they wanted to use
     some music for a recruit commercial. What are we gonna say, no?
     JAY: Yeah. How hard is it to say ânoâ?

   Someone tell [3]Greyhawk, [4]BlackFive and company their service
   wasn't a noble act of patriotic self-sacrifice but just brainwashed
   kids being used for "war-profits-schemes." Maybe Jay can interview
   them next, and explain to them how things really are.
   Meanwhile, thanks to our military and Bush's policies, two al Qaeda
   supporting regimes have been swept into the dustbin of history, 50
   million people have a measure of freedom and democracy they otherwise
   would not, and based on the conservative estimates of 83,000 per year
   average killed by Saddam's regime we've saved hundreds of thousands of
   lives.

References

   1. http://www.arthurmag.com/magpie/?p=1244
   2. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/howie-klein/not-all-rock-stars-are-li_b_20648.html
   3. http://www.mudvillegazette.com/
   4. http://www.blackfive.net/main/military/index.html