Marc is also a hip-hop artist and recently recorded an angry song entitled "Stop Loss" as an artistic outlet for his frustrations about his situation. He explains on his website, "I am a political artist. I rap about real issues in life in hopes to recover a solution."
News of the song reached Marc's chain of command at Ft. Stewart which claims that the song's lyrics amount to the "communication of a threat."
The Army placed Marc in jail last Friday charging him with an Article 134. We believe that Marc's right to freedom of speech is being violated. IVAW Field Organizer, Jason Hurd, has been in contact with Marc including phone and in-person visits to get more details of his story.
Here's how you can help Marc today:
Call the jail at 912-876-6411 to demand an end to his illegal confinement.
Send letters of protest to: CPT Cross, Commander, B 2-7 INF BN, Fort Stewart, GA 31314.
From what a friend who is in the military has told me, everyone who enlists are bound by the military to say nothing to the public nor the media in particular or discipline will be enforced. Therefore the right to Freedom of Speech is pretty much taken away contractually. Isn't that correct?
IMO, this is taking away the rights of a citizen. Slavery, basically.
Slaves are forced into slavery, people in the military volunteered....and have gotten huge bonuses and tax breaks for deploying. I know of some reenlistment bonuses of up to 100K (depending on the job), but most fall in the 10K to 40K range for enlistment or reenlistment bonuses.
As far as free speech, well there are some rules about protest and public comments (like in the paper). You can't join a political rally, regardless if its rep or dem. You can't shit talk your commanders and elected officials in a public forum. (but trust me, it happens unofficially). The reason for this is moral and discipline, which if you have never been in the military, you won't understand. Its actually a necessity, regardless of what you think.
Most people in the military can care less about politics and world affairs. Most of the people I knew while I was in join for two reasons. 1) MONEY...... 2) they are young and get excited about a romantic idea that their job will be cool compared to flipping burgers in their small town. Very few join for political ideology and very few give a shit about whats going on in the world. There biggest concern is what bar to go to on the weekend and if they have to work weekend duty or not. The people who become "political" overnight while there in usually have some ulterior motive and want to get out because they don't like getting up at 4:30 AM and showing up to work and doing their job. The most politically interested people I know under 30 are in college, having seen this after going to school after getting out, most people in the military don't vote for fuck sake.
I didn't read this from some paper or hear it from a friend....I lived it and worked with these people for over 6 years.
These ass holes crack me up…..the last time I checked…there isn’t a draft. Don’t join the military if you don’t agree with it….and don’t use the “my recruiter lied to me” speech….if you’re not smart enough to know what you’re getting yourself into…then I have zero sympathy. It is the military….why it a surprise when they go to war? People like this usually use this as an excuse to get out of a deployment or some other disciplinary issues the public doesn’t know about.
You obviously have no clue what you're talking about. What an ignorant post.
So I guess I just imagined my 6 year enlistment...was it different for you when you were in?
These ass holes crack me up…..the last time I checked…there isn’t a draft. Don’t join the military if you don’t agree with it….and don’t use the “my recruiter lied to me” speech….if you’re not smart enough to know what you’re getting yourself into…then I have zero sympathy. It is the military….why it a surprise when they go to war? People like this usually use this as an excuse to get out of a deployment or some other disciplinary issues the public doesn’t know about.
You obviously have no clue what you're talking about. What an ignorant post.
So I guess I just imagined my 6 year enlistment...was it different for you when you were in?
Did you read the article I posted above? Some interesting views from ex-servicemen there. Maybe you can try dismissing them?
They could be honest.....but if they were that against it, they would have never joined.
You seem to think you have the last word on the motivations of anyone and everyone who's ever been in the military. How did you happen to come by this incredible gift of omniscience?
They could be honest.....but if they were that against it, they would have never joined.
You seem to think you have the last word on the motivations of anyone and everyone who's ever been in the military. How did you happen to come by this incredible gift of omniscience?
I don't know...it came to me one day....pretty awesome huh?
Let me ask some of you a question, would any of you have joined the military prior to 9/11? How about before March 17th 2003? How about after that?
to answer your questions:
1. nope
2. nope
3. and nope
Why not? Serious question.
i had other career ambitions and decided not to enlist. in hindsight, after seeing how our servicemen and women have been misused since 9/11 thankfully i made the right decision.
"You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry." - Lincoln
I started it with the intention of creating support for soldiers, regardless of their political affiliation, they served our country and deserve at least a small piece of respect for that much. Even if they weren't soldiers, as human beings they have at least the right to speak their minds.
Secondly, I have no intention of getting into a pissing contest about the righteousness of any current occupations we face. As a former infantryman, I wholeheartedly support my military brothers and sisters but cannot support occupation under current circumstances. My objection has nothing to do with politics, I feel (yes it is an opinion, not a fact) that we human beings are a single connected family and that to kill another human trying to protect his homeland from foreign invasion is to destroy a part of myself. When I look into the eyes of an Iraqi, all I see are my own eyes staring back at me.
So argue on about oil, money, weapons contracts, and "evil" dictators but at the end of the day you can look inside your heart and feel the real truth...
We are One interconnected organism.
...and we must learn to stop fighting with ourselves.
Dnt fuck with Byrnzie on anything factual....that dude knows his shit and btw, I pay $3 fucken dollars a gallon cuz of this bull shit war and secondly my cuz died there fighting for our so called freedoms so I dnt have military experience but my family has shed blood there.
I started it with the intention of creating support for soldiers, regardless of their political affiliation, they served our country and deserve at least a small piece of respect for that much. Even if they weren't soldiers, as human beings they have at least the right to speak their minds.
Secondly, I have no intention of getting into a pissing contest about the righteousness of any current occupations we face. As a former infantryman, I wholeheartedly support my military brothers and sisters but cannot support occupation under current circumstances. My objection has nothing to do with politics, I feel (yes it is an opinion, not a fact) that we human beings are a single connected family and that to kill another human trying to protect his homeland from foreign invasion is to destroy a part of myself. When I look into the eyes of an Iraqi, all I see are my own eyes staring back at me.
So argue on about oil, money, weapons contracts, and "evil" dictators but at the end of the day you can look inside your heart and feel the real truth...
We are One interconnected organism.
...and we must learn to stop fighting with ourselves.
very nice post. i feel the same way and agree with all of your points in this post. our occupation is criminal, and we are one and we need to stop fighting and maiming and killing ourselves. after reading some of the opinions expressed around here i wonder if you and i are the weirdos and not everyone else...have a good evening.
"You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry." - Lincoln
Comments
Slaves are forced into slavery, people in the military volunteered....and have gotten huge bonuses and tax breaks for deploying. I know of some reenlistment bonuses of up to 100K (depending on the job), but most fall in the 10K to 40K range for enlistment or reenlistment bonuses.
As far as free speech, well there are some rules about protest and public comments (like in the paper). You can't join a political rally, regardless if its rep or dem. You can't shit talk your commanders and elected officials in a public forum. (but trust me, it happens unofficially). The reason for this is moral and discipline, which if you have never been in the military, you won't understand. Its actually a necessity, regardless of what you think.
Most people in the military can care less about politics and world affairs. Most of the people I knew while I was in join for two reasons. 1) MONEY...... 2) they are young and get excited about a romantic idea that their job will be cool compared to flipping burgers in their small town. Very few join for political ideology and very few give a shit about whats going on in the world. There biggest concern is what bar to go to on the weekend and if they have to work weekend duty or not. The people who become "political" overnight while there in usually have some ulterior motive and want to get out because they don't like getting up at 4:30 AM and showing up to work and doing their job. The most politically interested people I know under 30 are in college, having seen this after going to school after getting out, most people in the military don't vote for fuck sake.
I didn't read this from some paper or hear it from a friend....I lived it and worked with these people for over 6 years.
So I guess I just imagined my 6 year enlistment...was it different for you when you were in?
Did you read the article I posted above? Some interesting views from ex-servicemen there. Maybe you can try dismissing them?
They could be honest.....but if they were that against it, they would have never joined.
to answer your questions:
1. nope
2. nope
3. and nope
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
You seem to think you have the last word on the motivations of anyone and everyone who's ever been in the military. How did you happen to come by this incredible gift of omniscience?
I don't know...it came to me one day....pretty awesome huh?
Why not? Serious question.
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
I started it with the intention of creating support for soldiers, regardless of their political affiliation, they served our country and deserve at least a small piece of respect for that much. Even if they weren't soldiers, as human beings they have at least the right to speak their minds.
Secondly, I have no intention of getting into a pissing contest about the righteousness of any current occupations we face. As a former infantryman, I wholeheartedly support my military brothers and sisters but cannot support occupation under current circumstances. My objection has nothing to do with politics, I feel (yes it is an opinion, not a fact) that we human beings are a single connected family and that to kill another human trying to protect his homeland from foreign invasion is to destroy a part of myself. When I look into the eyes of an Iraqi, all I see are my own eyes staring back at me.
So argue on about oil, money, weapons contracts, and "evil" dictators but at the end of the day you can look inside your heart and feel the real truth...
We are One interconnected organism.
...and we must learn to stop fighting with ourselves.
www.ivaw.org
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
How does that line go?
'follow the strangest tribe'
...i think that was it.
Much Love.
www.ivaw.org