Lousy treatment of Marines at Oakland Int'l Airport

Quite frankly, the enemies of this country have already won. They have turned us against each other. Listen to you guys, they're all marine spitin on leftists in california, This makes me so angry I dont go around talking smack about somebody elses state, espescially when it is UNFOUNDED, THERE WERE NO MARINES SPIT ON IN OAKLAND. The incident in question, was the fault of a small aviation sub-contractor DROPPING THE BALL, and not doing the job that they were hired to do.
The people from The Transportation Security Administration, have RULES THEY HAVE TO FOLLOW. The Corps dropped the ball when they hired a small time outfit, whom I bet has political connections to the current Administration, they are not even based in Oakland.
What happened was a screw up by a private company that didnt notify the proper authorities, that the solddiers were going to be there and had been previously screened.
The TSA was doing the job it was created to do.

From the site where the original e-mail came from I would actually doubt its authenticity. An obviously politically motivated website.
AND since when Marines complain, I have had the honor of knowing a few career marines, and they were not the type to complain about much.
And yes its happening all over the country, because theres this little thing called THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, it seems to be every where you know. If I remember correctly it wasnt exactly created by "Leftist liberal californians".
And as far as California I'll bet that most of you'all talking all that smack about my state have never actually spent any time here or saw anything other than an airport or an amusment park maybe the odd national park, but let me tell you this state is far more conservative than you might think.
First Richard Nixon then Ronald Regan, neither of these presidents could be called a liberal.
California has only had 4 democratic governors in since 1895. My city of 1/2 million hasnt had a democratic mayor in decades. Business in this state is decidedly conservative. Although out of state politicos will say the the dems have controlled the state since the 70's I would counter that for the most part by the time a politician gets to the state senate or legislature there is little difference.
Only a couple of cities are all that "liberal", and when you get down to the people of this fine state they are hard working (we are the SIXTH LARGEST ECONOMY IN THE WORLD),honest, honorable patriotic AMERICANS just like I would hope all of the rest of you are.
Firstly I consider my self an American, but I am A Californian
and quite frankly I am quite offended at the scurilous remarks, and completly baseless attacks on the Honor of my state.
In a previous time Honor would have demanded satisfaction.
With all due respect to the Original poster's concern for the treatment of our armed forces by the public I think it is safe to say that the VAST majority of californians have nothing but the utmost respect for those induviduals who have elected to serve the people of this great Nation, whether or not they agree with the political reasons for this conflict.
I am asking that a moderator close this thread or at least change the title.
As in its serves no real basis for any meaningful discussion, since the incident had litle to do with oakland/california in particular and ABSOLUTLY NOTHING TO DO WITH PEOPLE SPITTING ON MARINES.
It will only serve to further deepen the already large cracks in the foundation of this great Nation.

I hear ya bro! A common theme in military service is "Hurry up and wait!" I am concerned though. Every Marine I've ever known didn't whine about having to wait on anything. I think that press release issued by the airport is sufficient (Link provided in this thread by Starviego) to make this a 'non' issue.

I was a soldier and never killed anyone. I DID maintain, launch, recover, and repair aircraft as a soldier. Making such a generalization is almost laughable, unless you are referring to the cooks in the Chow Halls!

By the way, I will pray for you too!

Heres a title that would work for this thread
"DHS Foils attempted takeover of Oakland International Airport by Rogue Marine Unit/NWO/UN troops"
Its at least a truthfull as the current one in being there were marines in oakland.
This thread really chapped my hide.

[edit on 3-10-2007 by punkinworks]

I know there were problems with allowing the military charter aircraft into the terminal area during our little war in panama, and these rules are probably to stop other such occurrences from happening. I know this for a fact because one such incident took place on a flight I was working at the time as a lead agent. It involved a crate of rifles being tipped over and a bunch of soldiers, dressed as civilians, running into a secure area to protect their weapons.

The other issue I can see being a problem here is that coming from a real war zone the instances of soldiers bringing back war trophies or contraband has to be much greater. I think the Chaplin is being a bit unfair in his estimation of exactly how they were being treated. No one was spitting at them, and the general public had nothing to do with the incident. This is a policy and procedure thing between the airlines, the TSA, customs, and the military.

Edit to add

This gets my best quote of the week award…
I wish we still had wats votes as besides these stars.
Good one Twitchy, you almost made me tip my chair over backwards.

[edit on 10/3/2007 by defcon5]

reply to post by CreeWolf

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Exactly, when I was in the California Conservation Corp, it was run like the military and all of my bosses were retired military, and I learned how to "HURRY UP AND WAIT".I waited all night through a pretty fierce winter storm in the Sacramento river delta, on a levee.
I waited for four days in a sleeping bag, when we werent working, on a out door basket ball court, in the mojave desert doing CCC emergency work, because arraingments hadnt been made for us to be there.
I say to the whole thing.

Ok, so you say I generalised. But surely, to maintain , launch, recover etc the weapons of war is to maintain a vital link in the chain of deeth.

Guilty by association?

By the way, and I know this didn't occur, but I cannot condone spitting on people either, whatever the reason.

It isn't a surprise. I wouldn't want to welcome innocent prisoner torturers, child murderers and baby killers...

I wouldn't spit on anyone. human or animal. and I'm from california. I have respect for humans. However, I do think that they are scum! so I wouldn't give them the attention that they want. and I would definitely not buy them a beer.

I think the ONLY difference between a common criminal and a soldier is their uniform. Blinded by orders and the chain of command. They really are government trained and sanctioned preprogrammed murderers and baby killers are I tell you that. I wouldn't want a baby killer even 400 yards anywhere near my family...

Murderers! Killers! We don't need you!

they need to try marines for war crimes we need more then spitting

The incident seems truly bureacratic and unfortunate. And having recently escaped from the bay area in the Peoples Republic of CA, I can also understand how it would more likely happen there than other places. Many there are not just liberals, but liberals with an axe to grind.

That said, some of the responses by posters here are just about the lowest I've ever seen - even here on ATS. Been awhile since I had to add to my "foes list", but I've been busy today. The one that said don't pray for them because they don't believe in God, probably doesn't believe in karma either. That's good news in a way because he'll never see it coming - meaning it will hit him like a freight train when it does.

It's absolutely amazing to me the number of responses that are clearly a knee-jerk reaction to the misleading title rather than the substance of the story!

People are not reading they are simply scanning!

Anybody who responded that way SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES and are clearly not here to deny ignorance!!!!


.

[edit on 10/3/2007 by Gools]

Also, please do read the actual article and it provides an explanation. A flight the previous wek had been scheduled and plans were made in advance for the soilders to get out into the terminal.

Given that this was not planned, I not surprised it happened at all. Look if a MEA 767 liner landed at SFO or OAK just for a brief stopover and the passangers suddently decided they would tour the facilites and get off the plane would it be allowed? No.


Also I am seing the same sort of asinine comments being directed towards soilders adn I am quite perplexed by it. I seems some of you have some anger managment "issues" regarding this topic.

Not to mention the title was taken straight from the article.

Just mentioning this as this thread gets swept under the rug.

Really?
That's a broad assumption and totally incorrect.
Yes, I don't believe in god and I have had plenty of experience of christianity as well as studying comparative religion. Karma is an Eastern concept that has been appropriated by the West and is not religious in its foundation, rather it originates from a philosophy. There is a distinction.

Here's a refreshing change...

Some actual documentation regarding the incident.

It seems the Port of Oakland Executive Director, Omar Benjamin has had a change of heart. I'd suggest those bleating that it is "the TSA's fault" please review.



Perhaps some of the participants in this thread will take the time to read the article in full, and amend their respective positions on the topic.

reply to post by Gools

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Well it is like every other thread. People pick and chose what they want to better prove whatever point they want. You have to call it on both sides, not just the pro military side. There was a thread stating that some outragious number of military causalities due to the was in Iraq when the number was actually the number of military that have died since the first gulf war to now, whether it is combat related, motor vehicle accidents, natural causes and etc. .