Meet Ross Spears. Who is Ross Spears?
He's 19 years-old. He signed up for the military.
And most of all, he doesn't exist.
He doesn't exist if you believe All Things Media Big and Small which tells you that (a) the resistance within the US military isn't leading to self-checkouts and (b) the only ones who do self-checkout are doing so because they have suffered from PTSD.
That's the media line. AP recently endorsed it and, goodness, if that story didn't get republished everywhere including at some left sites.
The story was nonsense but why call out the AP unless they're writing about White Water or gushing over Bully Boy, right?
Resistance within the military, oh, that's just too minor of a topic.
Only it's not. The growing movement, already large, continues to grow. And each time one of those stories comes out saying there really isn't resistance within the military (it's cute how they all avoid mentioning NPR's reporting that found the US Army was releasing 'official figures' that were incorrect), reality smacks it in the face. (For more on this, see "Editorial: War Resistance Is All Around" which includes links to the NPR story.)
But how many people are paying attention?
Did you see anything last thing on Iraq Veterans Against the War? If so, you were probably wading through the mainstream media. Where was independent media?
In last week's "A Note to Our Readers," this appeared:
Editorial: War Resistance Is All Around -- Adam Kokesh and Liam Madden have been very busy since Friday morning. Who's going to note it? Who's going to note the fact that another war resister who went to Canada has gone public? We won't hold our breaths waiting.
So does Jim have egg on his face (for writing that) or not? Or not.
And here's the really appalling thing. When Jim wrote that, Adam Kokesh, Liam Madden and Nate Lewis had only felt the strong arm of the alleged law on the Friday before last. After Jim's comment posted? A similar routine would play out at Fort Benning. But someone decided that wasn't news. (Last week was basically All Scooter All The Time for indymedia.)
Iraq Veterans Against the War are completing their summer base tour today. They're wrapping at 4:00 pm in New York at Fort Drum.
You won't meet Ross Spears, you will meet a lot of veterans who want to end the illegal war. You can say thank you for the service. Not that lame Baby Cries a Lot, "Thank you for your service." You don't need to lick any crotch just because it's covered in camo. You can thank them for their service to the county: trying to end the illegal war.
That really is what to thank for. Following orders? That's really easy. Anyone can go along. Taking a stand for what you know is right? You're going to get creamed, slammed and more. It takes guts and IVAW took it out on the road with their bus tour. That's dedication and that's strength.
Maybe that's why independent media shyed away? Didn't want to be reminded of what they possess less and less these days?