Posted on 12/08/2009 12:54:10 PM PST by SmithL
Using a false qualifications to obtain a job or position is fraud (and potentially dangerous fraud if its a technical qualification) and can be punished accordingly. Just walking around pretending you have a degree or qualification when you don’t just makes you a pitiful retard.
The same applies with medals/claims of military service. I’ll admit its usually more offensive, but simply being offensive isn’t good enough to legally proscribe something and as I’ve argued in previous posts, legitimises a dangerous principle by which the state can send people to prison for doing things that they consider to be ‘offensive’, which would probably make about 75% of FReepers here liable to incarceration for some of the opinions expressed that the left-leaning political elite would dearly like to proscribe if they could get away with it...
They’re already doing it in Britain and other so-called free western countries....
:-)
LOL, kicking my heels on the floor.
25th Division guy myself.
What was that about Benjamin Franklin saying Democracy was two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for dinner?
Are you arguing that this type of fraud should somehow be protected free speech?
Fraud has never been a right.
I was never in the military, but let me offer an opinion.
Medals are awarded by officers. Officers are appointed by the Commander-in-Chief and confirmed by the Senate, unless delegated the power to directly appoint junior officers (Article I Section 2 Clause 2).
By wearing a medal that was not confered by the military, that is the equivalent of perjuring oneself to Congress.
-PJ
Yeah, I heard something about Cav going to “rescue” the Marines at Khe Sahn only to have to meet them on the road, ‘cause they couldn’t break through to the Combat Base... But it was sporting of them to come visit! (I got there in ‘69, so I missed the big fracas. Was on the East Coast at the time, at New River MCAF.)
Do you have a link to that? What is that political badge “he’s” wearing? And on a uniform? That should have gotten him in trouble right there! Even now, were I able to wear my blues, I would hardly do so to a political rally or wear any such trash on them. That is despicable AND a violation of the uniform regs. Did that dirtbag ever serve anywhere?
No, that has nothing to do with it. It is essentially the impersonation aspect of it. Passing one’s self off as a decorated “hero” when you either did not serve at all or did not get awarded the medals you wear. It’s a fraud and it’s demonstrative of complete disrespect for and disregard of all those who did serve and those whose actions brought them the particular medals and awards they received. ESPECIALLY those whose actions were rewarded with a POSTHUMOUS award and cannot themselves speak up.
Fraud is only fraud when someone is being materially or bodily harmed as a result.
Simply being an offensive isn’t.
Eh?
How is this the equivalent of perjury? The crime of perjury is designed to prevent the perversion of justice (which creates real victims who suffer harm as a result).
Unless one of these walts is using his pseudo-’veteran’ status to obtain government benefits, obtain a job or otherwise defraud someone, the only ‘crime’ being committed is one of causing offence, and nobody has the right not to be offended.
I’m not saying people aren’t right to feel angry at these losers, just that it is not the government or the state’s place to enforce legal penalties against those whose actions do no demonstrable harm...
Just as with any other commission that Congress approves (like the 9/11 commission), they are still treated as being under the jurisdiction of Congress. When Congress confirms the commission of an officer who then approves a medal, that medal has the authority of Congress behind it. For someone to wear a medal that they did not earn, they are claiming an authority that they do not have, an authority that traces back to Congress and the Commander-in-Chief.
Again, I was never in the military, but this is a constitutional argument that I'm trying to logically pose.
-PJ
He said it was a cake walk. My next door neighbor who was a Corpsman with the 26Th Marines said he was never so glad to see a Soldier until the Cav showed up.
You sound like the Air Farce on the first day of Tet at Ton Sonute(Sp) , we met them on the road also.
Naw, I was with the Air Wing (1 MAW), HMH-462, a heavy helicopter squadron. We were in support of the grunts, carried them into battle, resupplied them, hauled off their dead and wounded and once in a while we were able to take THEM out of the field afterward. Most often they humped their way out, though.
It doesn’t really matter to me about our differences as anyone who served there is my brother (or sister) and that’s all there is to it. However, it IS my job to give doggies and air farts and squids their due. (Our Corpsmen, BTW, are NOT squids. They are Marines in all but name and we treat them that way!) And your due is a hard time, but bear in mind that as hard as it is, there’s no malice involved. Well, OK, but just a little bit.
I'll go and find it (hopefully..in the Desert Sun). There were articles about his "Partner" getting all pissy and scratchy".
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://i.cdn.turner.com/trutv/thesmokinggun.com/graphics/art4/1111091medals1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://forums.military.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/672198221/m/6620057732001&usg=__uLwUmJ6sB8VBK5ulgo8SlU06uB8=&h=700&w=550&sz=87&hl=en&start=4&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=CtElC-Cr5gYodM:&tbnh=140&tbnw=110&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpalm%2Bsprings%2Bmilitary%2Bimpostor%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1%26ie%3DUTF-8
In a drawer somewhere are the following:
CNN Award (Also called the DoD Award for defending the drydock during Dessert Storm)
Undetected Crime Pin (With a star for 8+ years of stepping on the line)
Salty Dog Award (For going without women for months)
Froze My Rear Off Pin (For going without everything but ice)
I Can’t Remember What the Other One is Ribbon.
My Dolphins (Certificate of Certifiability) are actually on the back of my ball cap which I wear on weekends. The other ball cap has my crow with three s*** catchers under it.
Military guys will get most of this.
Navy guys will understand all of it.
It is more than offensive.
It is definitely NOT harmless.
It is, and should be illegal.
Read "Stolen Valor" by Burkett and you might understand.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.