America's New Army

[KickChick]

I happened upon this link today ....

 

For all you Black Belts that want to join the fight against terrorism .... check this out

 

http://www.tman.com/army/assets/images/LogoANA.jpg

 

http://www.tman.com/army/html/faq.html

 

 

[SaiFightsMS]

I recieved a link to this last september. At first there was only a minimal response. I am not sure since then how the response has been or the quality of the respondees.

 

 

[Bon]

Hmm, I dunno if it'll work ?

 

What's stopping people from buying black caps and embroiding a yellow number on it ?

 

I don't like the fact you have to distinguish yourself to the public as a black belt.. I like people not knowing I do MA.

 

I don't need to swear by any oath to help fellow citizens, I'd automatically do it regardless..

 

Good intention and idea, but I'm not sure if it'll work.. I hope I'm wrong though!

 

 

[TKD_McGee]

Heh Heh sounds like a law suite waitin to happen.

 

 

[Bitseach]

Good Lord! I am horrified!

 

If you're a good citizen then you're a good citizen - you shouldn't be wearing a hokey cap to say so. This nonsense is just to make people feel like they're doing something "proactive" (horrid word!) and to make them feel more important.

 

I would hope that any MA Dan grade (or any of the rest of us for that matter) would step in to help people anyway without all this palaver and frankly, it just seems like something that's waiting to be taken over by right wing morons!

 

Let's just hope it doesn't catch on here (UK)

 

[tessone]

I'd wager it was begun by right-wingers; no takeover necessary.

 

Seriously though, this kind of thing bugs me. It puts so much emphasis on helping "the American public" and "being a good American" when the emphasis at this point needs to be on being a good person and helping everyone. So much bad is going on in the world that setting one's goal at helping a particular demographic seems short-sighted to me.

 

 

[TKD_McGee]

Yea Tessone your part of the Global Village, you should Help "The People"! Not your fellow americans, that is foolish.. what are you thinking comrad?

 

http://www.balance-of-power.net/Propaganda-Posters/poster-41.jpg

 

Patriotism bah!

 

Dern Right Wing Kooks and their crazy ideas, Freedom!? I mean what where they thinking..

 

_________________

 

Do unto others, as they done to you.

 

[ This Message was edited by: TKD_McGee on 2002-05-09 11:57 ]

[tessone]

I'm not sure what this has to do with communism, Russia, or that poster (which is about defended the motherland--rodina--against the Germans).

 

Certainly the government has to work on us first--I'm a big fan of not spending billions abroad and doing things like feeding and clothing our poor. However, things like this Army make it seem like Americans are the only ones worth protecting, and that doing so makes one a good citizen.

 

Being a good citizen is much more than protecting Americans against terrorists, and every life is worth protecting.

 

 

[Bitseach]

Hear, hear.

 

An awful lot of craziness caused by these terrorists. As a Northern Irish person now living in London I know a LOT about the first hand effects of terrorism and one of the ways they succeed is by causing TERROR. They don't necessarily have to do much to cause people to behave and feel differently and that's exactly what they want (presumably it makes them feel like bigger, more important people instead of creeping pathetic excuses for losers that they are).

 

A group like this, IMO, plays into the hands of terrorists, who seek to disrupt "normal" society. I grew up with an awareness of unattended packages, cars that are parked in strange places or that look like they are sitting low on their axles, etc and one does retain a certain "zanshin" when out and about in town or city. However I refuse to be afraid the whole time and find a difference between "awareness" and "paranoia". It's a fine distinction but it is worth making if you want to have your society normal.

 

Terrorism has been with London for a good many years now and a lot longer in Northern Ireland and I still find that Londoners are a bit thick when it comes to awareness, esp of unattended packages. US citizens must be especially thick about it as they haven't had such a serious terrorist threat until relatively recently. For example, if I saw an unattended bag in a public place I would have no hesitation in asking whose it was, and if no-one claimed it, fetch the police from a land line (cell phones have been known to set off devices!). What I would NOT do however is set myself up as some sort of unofficial defence force/vigilante and patrol public areas!