Rick Moran at Pajamas Media recounts what happened when a young Army NCO showed up at the YearlyKos hatefest to present an opposing viewpoint:
By Rick Moran
When Sergeant David D. Aguina stepped up to the microphone at the YearlyKos forum on the panel on “The Military and Progressives: Are they that Different?” and began to quietly rebut many of the points that had been made about the failure of “The Surge,” he knew he wouldn’t have an easy time of it. That is why he prepared a four-inch thick loose leaf binder full of charts, graphs, releases from the Department of Defense, the State Department, and Central Command, as well as articles from the mainstream media.
But for all his preparation, he was still taken by surprise when one of the panelists, John Soltz, (Note: Former Army Captain-turned leftist agitator) founder of the anti-war group Votevets.Org, took him to task and silenced him on the grounds that Aguina was wearing his uniform while expressing his political opinions.
“Technically, he was right,” Aguina concedes. “He is a commissioned officer in the Army and I follow the rules. I will respect his authority which is why today, I came in civilian uniform.”
Aguina spoke to Pajamas Media on Saturday, returning to YearlyKos the day after he was led away from the panel by Soltz, now blending into the crowd in a charcoal gray suit with a white shirt and a black tie.
Despite his change of wardrobe, he remains boiling mad at Soltz for angrily chastising him in public for violating military regulations. If he wants to get technical about it, Aguina counters, two can play at that game.
“If I’m in violation of AR670-1 which is the regulation he brought up, then he’s in violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice Article 88 which says no commissioned officer can criticize a government official.”
Aguina also pointed out that Soltz violated the code of behavior between a commissioned and non commissioned officer. “Article 91,” he said, forbids a commissioned officer from criticizing a non commissioned officer, and behaving in the “condescending” manner in which he was treated. “People in that audience didn’t have to see an American soldier be as rude and disrespectful toward another American soldier.”
Why did he bother attending a conference and a panel where he knew he wouldn’t be welcome? He had come to a conference attended largely by anti-war and even some anti-military netroots because he said, “This is part of the battlefield.”
Accompanied by his mother Iris Hernandez, the young reservist quietly, politely but persistently approaching YearlyKos attendees and tried to make the case that the surge is working and that we shouldn’t abandon the Iraqi government or people.
“A lot of the people here, they’re pretty much fixed in their opinion. But there are some who are logical, they’re smart and they’re good people and they understand the argument I’m making. So they’re pretty much fixed in their opinion but they can’t prove me wrong.”
Aguina believes that the “netroots” – Soltz in particular, had used the uniform issue as an excuse to muddy the waters regarding what he had to say.
“They disagree with me because of my message, but they used the technicality of the uniform to try and influence something.And believe me, John Soltz? I am not done with him yet. I was up all night researching the UCMJ finding all the things he did wrong.”
“He lost his professional standard when he couldn’t control himself on stage.”
Did he really expect to change anyone’s mind?.
“I understand trying to change people’s mind is a lot harder than it would seem or I would like it to be. I’m just here to provide information for people. If they want to talk, if they want to know, I’ll just show them.”
“There’s quite few people here who are open-minded and will listen. And even if they don’t agree with me, I at least thank them for listening. I’ve dealt with other people who insult me and then walk away.”
“This isn’t something political for me. I have an emotional connection with those people in Iraq.”
Link: http://pajamasmedia.com/2007/08/this_is_part_of_the_battlefiel.php
Kudos to Sergeant Aguina for standing up at what can best be described as a pro-terrorist orgy, and letting the Krazy Kos Kiddies know that there are real war veterans`who won’t hesitate to defy their bullshit.
Raving moonbat and Presidential also-ran Wesley Clark was on hand to give his two cents to the Sergeant over the uniform issue, as if it were the only reason they despised his appearance. They hate being reminded that the majority of troops serving in the war against Islamofascism are solidly for the war and against the Left’s pro-Al Qadea platform.
The Left loves to tout people like Soltz as some kind of hero bucking the system, when in reality, there’s no honor or bravery in collaborating and joining ranks with an organization of traitorous malcontents. He ought to be ashamed of himself, but ‘useful idiots’ never have the decency.