Stolen Valor Indian Activist Nathan Phillips was not a war vet.

[Skroe]

While you Trumphadi's continue to obsess over an incident that doesn't matter whatsoever, your failing President is failing further.

https://www.apnews.com/dad8086738a64b4ba78c0404d5d04e79

WASHINGTON (AP) — A strong majority of Americans blame President Donald Trump for the record-long government shutdown and reject his primary rationale for a border wall, according to a new poll that shows the turmoil in Washington is dragging his approval rating to its lowest level in more than a year.

Overall, 34 percent of Americans approve of Trump’s job performance in a survey conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. That’s down from 42 percent a month earlier and nears the lowest mark of his two-year presidency. The president’s approval among Republicans remains close to 80 percent, but his standing with independents is among its lowest points of his time in office.

“Trump is responsible for this,” said poll respondent Lloyd Rabalais, a federal contractor from Slidell, Louisiana, who’s not affiliated with either political party.


The 47-year-old has been furloughed for more than a month. He said he’d need to start drawing on his retirement savings next week to pay his bills if the shutdown continues.

“I do support a wall, but not the way he’s handling it,” Rabalais added. “Trump guaranteed everybody that Mexico would pay for the wall. Now he’s holding American workers like me hostage.”

The drop in approval comes as Trump begins the third year of his presidency under the weight of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, an international trade war that’s straining the global economy and new revelations about his push for a real estate deal in Russia during his 2016 campaign.

Keep fighting the good fight though. While you defend the honor of Mr. Sandmann or whatever the fuck his name, us people with our eye on the ball are taking your President from you.

Are you ready for the TSA walkout in Atlanta on Superbowl Sunday (and the days before)?

Really, I've never seen so much care over something so dumb. Holy crap. The fate of Trump's failing Presidency doesn't hang on some red hat wearing miscreants. This entire episode has been a national wet fart.

[Theodarzna]

While you Trumphadi's continue to obsess over an incident that doesn't matter whatsoever, your failing President is failing further.

https://www.apnews.com/dad8086738a64b4ba78c0404d5d04e79



Keep fighting the good fight though. While you defend the honor of Mr. Sandmann or whatever the fuck his name, us people with our eye on the ball are taking your President from you.

Are you ready for the TSA walkout in Atlanta on Superbowl Sunday (and the days before)?

Really, I've never seen so much care over something so dumb. Holy crap. The fate of Trump's failing Presidency doesn't hang on some red hat wearing miscreants. This entire episode has been a national wet fart.

I see you have chosen the Bill Kristol route, but lack the sense to just not comment or delete previous statements. Man, NeoCons are not bright people.

[Edge-]

https://www.militarytimes.com/news/y...-records-show/

So, this is interesting. He wasn't deployed, but it also doesn't appear that he's ever really claimed to be deployed. Military Times (who I trust) link back to a 2018 Vogue piece where he says he served during "Vietnam times" but nowhere did I read him alleging that he was deployed.

“You know, I’m from Vietnam times. I’m what they call a recon ranger. That was my role. So I thank you for taking that point position for me.”

Squabble over his calling himself a "recon ranger" (is that even an official title in the marines?), but given that the piece is about his current activities and that it's not much different than all the military LARPers that love to dress up in camo and talk about their time in the military etc. (even those who never enlisted) I don't see why this is so damning.

Military Times makes no mention of any AWOL citations, but does cite that he received a National Defense Service Medal, which appears to be given to all servicemembers with honorable records (no dishonorable discharge etc.) during a few different time periods, including from 1961-1974 when he served.

[Dadwen]

https://newsmaven.io/indiancountryto...U6Ux9hZvXAzYQ/

2008 version
*before they added the edit in (recently) https://archive.is/EiR1I#selection-1189.152-1195.74

Phillips also described coming back to the U.S. as a veteran of the Vietnam era. “People called me a baby killer and a hippie girl spit on me.”

*how do you come back when you never left the states?

[Skroe]

I see you have chosen the Bill Kristol route, but lack the sense to just not comment or delete previous statements. Man, NeoCons are not bright people.

I'm not sure what the Bill Kristol route is, because I haven't read anything he's said on this topic.

But this seems pretty clear cut to me. Trump's Presidency is failing. Badly. It is hanging by a threat. We know this due to the fact that the Buzzfeed story right before MAGAKidGate, if the story was confirmed, was going to lead to a rapid impeachment in advance of the Mueller report, instead of following it. It got so bad, that Mueller's team issued a statement, for the first time ever, denying elements of the Buzzfeed story.

That is how close Trump and his Presidency is to the precipice. One hard shove, and he'll go spiraling down into the cliffs below.

If you're a Trump supporter, it seems to me your goal should be to turn that thread into a rope, and then turn the rope into a ladder, then the ladder into scaffolding, and help dig this President out of the ditch.

If you're a Trump opponent, like I am, you're looking for ways to deliver the hard shove. And then dynamite the top of the mountain so the rockslide buries him and all he stands for.

So exactly how does MAGAKidGate, in either direction, service the goal of the Fate of President Trump? It does not advance the cause of destroying him, nor saving him.


You know what this reminds me of? Whenever some fucking Teacher at some university nobody attends says something incredibly stupid, and the internet Alt-Reich lose their shit about it and make it a thing. It's that, but in reverse. That doesn't matter, this doesn't matter.

I want Trump in a prison cell and Russia sanctioned to the level of eating grass soup. The things the PACs involved in the Shutdown are doing are help bringing that about, and Trump is, by is own hand, one big legal mistake away from utter ruin. This entire affair is pointless because in the end, Trump will go down, or be saved, through things that have nothing to do with some fucking kids or some damn Indian activist.

But continue to pretend something with this issue matters.

[Edge-]

https://newsmaven.io/indiancountryto...U6Ux9hZvXAzYQ/

2008 version
*before they added the edit in (recently) https://archive.is/EiR1I#selection-1189.152-1195.74

I don't see the issue? A small outlet updated a story that nobody paid any attention to because it suddenly became topic and their editorial was potentially misleading.

Unless you know the behind the scenes on this one?

[Dadwen]

I don't see the issue? A small outlet updated a story that nobody paid any attention to because it suddenly became topic and their editorial was potentially misleading.

Unless you know the behind the scenes on this one?

they only changed the era part, still had the part about coming back to the states.

[Kanegasi]

You heard that before because that is the truth. The kids did nothing wrong, in fact they showed remarkable restraint. But keep digging that hole, show the forum who you really are.

Well, since I’m not a racist or an asshole, I have no problem “showing the forum who I really am”. Good luck with that hole of yours, whatever that means.

[Grapemask]

But continue to pretend something with this issue matters.

Eh, you're mostly just feeding into what that one wants. Theo is rabid about the white victimhood they perceive can be expressed through this, despite the fact that it's not the expression of white victimhood they think it can be. To the point that it's descended into foaming at the mouth. I can't decide if it's more funny or sad.

But make no mistake, like every enterprise of the extreme right, the most important goal is to keep you busy and keep you hammering out paragraphs rather than dealing with those things that matter that you mentioned.

[Edge-]

they only changed the era part, still had the part about coming back to the states.

Ok, but is there anywhere else that reports he said he went to Vietnam proper? Because again, that's a pretty tiny looking outlet and consequently may not have the best writers. Given that the Vogue piece (an outlet with decent writers) where he was interviewed doesn't include any mention of this despite also being prior to these events, I'm much more inclined to place the mistake on the outlets writer than him.

And either way, the core of the issue isn't him or his service. But I enjoy that folks keep trying to pretend that irrelevant shit like this has any bearing on the behavior of a group of white teens who mocked and insulted a Native American man for no other reason than he existed in front of them.

[THE Bigzoman]

Negativity? They were trying to drown out a song that has no negativity behind it. If they’d been trying to drown out the negativity, why didn’t they surround the black Israelites and sing them at the source of the negativity?

- - - Updated - - -




Already did. Keep up.

They had no idea what the song was nor its intent. Do you expect them to be experts in native american culture?

Not that it matters. Phillips went into the crowd to stir the pot. Nothing else.

[Skroe]

Eh, you're mostly just feeding into what that one wants. Theo is rabid about the white victimhood they perceive can be expressed through this, despite the fact that it's not the expression of white victimhood they think it can be. To the point that it's descended into foaming at the mouth. I can't decide if it's more funny or sad.

But make no mistake, like every enterprise of the extreme right, the most important goal is to keep you busy and keep you hammering out paragraphs rather than dealing with those things that matter that you mentioned.

Yep, I know exactly what Theo was doing. He/She is so bad about it, they actually called me a 'neocon' to try and bait me.

King Bad-faith poster, right there.

But yeah, that's all Theo got from me. The truth of the matter is, MAGAKidGate is where they are fighting their battle, because that is all they have left at this point. Mueller approaches. And if it contains one thing that can cut the thread Trump's presidency hangs by, it's all over.

Trump's legislative agenda from 2017-2018 has almost entirely been shut down by the courts, including by judges Trump put on the bench. Nancy Pelosi is now making sure, there is no effective Trump agenda, for 2019-2020. The only thing Trump and his team is doing is trying to survive.

The Trumphandis have gotten nothing. Some conservative judges on some courts. Some mild deregulation. A bunch of really racist immigration shit the next President will reverse (well, that of which the courts haven't stopped). For some kind of movement, again, it's been something of a wet fart. It's been a lot of talk and little walk.

So here we are. Them fighting tooth and nail, on a battlefield that doesn't matter, over a prize that won't get them anything, on a topic that nobody will care about in a couple of weeks. It is fitting.

For the rest of us, who want to burn Trump and all he stands for the ground, and then defecate on its ashes, this entire affair is just noise.

[Zaktar]

While you Trumphadi's continue to obsess over an incident that doesn't matter whatsoever, your failing President is failing further.

https://www.apnews.com/dad8086738a64b4ba78c0404d5d04e79

Keep fighting the good fight though. While you defend the honor of Mr. Sandmann or whatever the fuck his name, us people with our eye on the ball are taking your President from you.

Are you ready for the TSA walkout in Atlanta on Superbowl Sunday (and the days before)?

Really, I've never seen so much care over something so dumb. Holy crap. The fate of Trump's failing Presidency doesn't hang on some red hat wearing miscreants. This entire episode has been a national wet fart.

Not my president, don't support him, just don't care to see people call for violent action against children for poor choice of hats and dumb smirks. If you can't see why the episode bothers some of us, you're basically sticking your fingers in your ears going "lalalalalala I can't hear you," at this point. Though I gotta admit the stolen valor aspect I give less than half a shit about. That your best conversational gambit is to try to change the subject should be a wakeup call that you're wading into deeply irrational territory. You seem like a very smart person otherwise. I'm glad his shutdown is destroying him, it should. I also hope that we stop doing shit like calling for children to be punched in the nuts because we find them distasteful.

[Dadwen]

Ok, but is there anywhere else that reports he said he went to Vietnam proper? Because again, that's a pretty tiny looking outlet and consequently may not have the best writers. Given that the Vogue piece (an outlet with decent writers) where he was interviewed doesn't include any mention of this despite also being prior to these events, I'm much more inclined to place the mistake on the outlets writer than him.

And either way, the core of the issue isn't him or his service. But I enjoy that folks keep trying to pretend that irrelevant shit like this has any bearing on the behavior of a group of white teens who mocked and insulted a Native American man for no other reason than he existed in front of them.

Honestly when I first (day late probably) came upon this story it was him claiming to be surrounded by the kids while he was trying to leave and in fear of his life, then a clip came out showing him walking out from the one group, took a left walked straight for a bit and then a right turn right into the group of kids, then he said he was trying to get between the Kids and the others to calm the situation.

so his cred's are kinda weak at this point when it comes to what he says and didn't say, he seems to like to play on misinfo.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan...ips_(activist)
Military service

Phillips served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1972 to 1976. He has described himself as a Vietnam era veteran,[8][9] and was quoted "You know, I’m from Vietnam times. I’m what they call a recon ranger. That was my role."[10] He also referred to himself as a "Marine Corps infantryman in the '70s."[11] Phillips was never deployed to Vietnam.[12] In a newspaper interview, Phillips described coming back to the U.S. as a veteran of the Vietnam era, however he never actually left the U.S. as a Marine.[13][Notes 1]

when in the video did they speak any words (even the "cheers" there's debate what that was) all the name calling and slurs came from the group Phillip was with.

[Theodarzna]

They had no idea what the song was nor its intent. Do you expect them to be experts in native american culture?

Not that it matters. Phillips went into the crowd to stir the pot. Nothing else.

I guess when some random dude with a drum comes up to you and starts playing a song you've never heard of, in a language you don't know, while his friends insult you, you are supposed to genuflect and assume nothing hostile is going on.

At no point did Mr. Philips or his group attempt to even explain to the teens what their intentions were, and considering several of them insulted the teens, it is fair of them to assume the dude was being hostile to them. If he sincerely was trying to "Soothe" tensions he made no effort to make that obvious and his friends actively worked against that by insulting these teenagers.

[Edge-]

Honestly when I first (day late probably) came upon this story it was him claiming to be surrounded by the kids while he was trying to leave and in fear of his life, then a clip came out showing him walking out from the one group, took a left walked straight for a bit and then a right turn right into the group of kids, then he said he was trying to get between the Kids and the others to calm the situation.

so his cred's are kinda weak at this point when it comes to what he says and didn't say, he seems to like to play on misinfo.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan...ips_(activist)
Military service

Phillips served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1972 to 1976. He has described himself as a Vietnam era veteran,[8][9] and was quoted "You know, I’m from Vietnam times. I’m what they call a recon ranger. That was my role."[10] He also referred to himself as a "Marine Corps infantryman in the '70s."[11] Phillips was never deployed to Vietnam.[12] In a newspaper interview, Phillips described coming back to the U.S. as a veteran of the Vietnam era, however he never actually left the U.S. as a Marine.[13][Notes 1]

when in the video did they speak any words (even the "cheers" there's debate what that was) all the name calling and slurs came from the group Phillip was with.

That's fine. If his story isn't credible, it's not credible. But we've plenty of video evidence that shows that he did little to antagonize beyond stand there and play his drum. And a large group of kids mocking and insulting him.

And the other group was the Black Israelites, no? Because if so then he has no association with that group.

Edit: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/na...etnam-veteran/

However, this is clearly a transcription error, as Phillips can clearly be heard saying that he was a “Vietnam-times veteran” (not a “Vietnam veteran”) in the network’s video at the 38-second mark:

So the only transcript that appears to show Phillips claiming to be a Vietnam veteran was a mistake, and they ommitted him saying "Vietnam-times veteran"

[Dadwen]

That's fine. If his story isn't credible, it's not credible. But we've plenty of video evidence that shows that he did little to antagonize beyond stand there and play his drum. And a large group of kids mocking and insulting him.

And the other group was the Black Israelites, no? Because if so then he has no association with that group.

I am wondering how they were mocking him? most everything went on between the Israelite and the kids, and in the video of him walking to the kids he walked right out of the group of the Israelite toward the kids.

[Theodarzna]

I'm not sure what the Bill Kristol route is, because I haven't read anything he's said on this topic.

Why insert yourself into a story you consider not worth discussing except to run defense for a media that both fucked up and continues to fuck up.

The biggest take away is how quick fakes like Bill Kristol, their Bishop and even their school were to throw them to the wolves. Proving what kind of worthless ratlike creatures they are. A movement that doesn’t do everything in their power to protect their children is nothing. And the TruCons at National Review showed their colors, as did the Bishop and the school. The church betrayed its youth for virtue signaling, the school betrayed its students, and these so-called "conservatives" threw them to the wolves and didn't even have the guts to admit being wrong.

But I see you wish to lock arms with that trainwreck and run defense. Good for you. I am unsure why THIS is the hill for you to stand on, but alright. Especially since you had the fortune of having not commented yet on this topic.

Why after being totally free of it you'd chose to both interject and run defense for the spinmeisters, hucksters and liars is beyond me. But hey,Bill Kristol and other rats won't apologize for this hatchet job they did, they certainly never apologized for the Iraq War.

- - - Updated - - -

I am wondering how they were mocking him? most everything went on between the Israelite and the kids, and in the video of him walking to the kids he walked right out of the group of the Israelite toward the kids.

Plus his crew of supporters insulted the kids and started antagonizing them. So if Mr. Philips was trying to play peacemaker, he did a very bad job of it.

[Darththeo]

Wait...were they assholes when they defened homsexuals from the BHI protesters? were they assholes when they defend their black peer from those same BHI protester? were they assholes when they started school spirit chants to drown out the words of the BHI protesters? Were they assholes when Phillips walked into them, mid chant, with his drum and song? Or..were they assholes because they put on a red cap....

No. No. Yes. Yes. And Yes.

Responding to an asshole by being an asshole still makes them an asshole. So the spirit chants to drown out another group you disagree with shows you are responding to an asshole by being one. The same applies to Phillips walking up to them. They were there for a Pro Life march, they knew they would be seen. They chose to wear the MAGA hats. They should be smart enough to know that was going to piss people off and if they did, they are an asshole for wearing one.

[Edge-]

I am wondering how they were mocking him? most everything went on between the Israelite and the kids, and in the video of him walking to the kids he walked right out of the group of the Israelite toward the kids.

I dunno, last I checked doing "the chop" towards Native Americans is racist as hell and even professional sporting teams with Native mascots have ended those practices. Plus, you know, comments like the kids yelling, "It's not rape if she enjoys it!" and the context we have from both past events at the school (blackface they claim was "school pride" but looks nothing like their mascot but instead simply like blackface) and comments from the gay valedictorian who was denied an opportunity to speak at the graduation, who said that he was more or less waiting for this kind of thing to happen.

Sure, "dumb kids will be dumb kids" will be thrown away, but that's not an excuse for this behavior.