Has the Ann Arbor YMCA joined the Army?
Just over a year ago America pulled together to elect the most "anti-war" candidate to run this nation. Many even called the election of Mr. Obama a historic victory for the U.S. "peace movement." But, the situation "on the ground" tells a different story. In the international scene, America is an even bigger military predator today than it was a year ago. Yemen and Somalia have been added to the list of countries in immediate need of "American democracy," while American drones keep flying over Pakistani cities murdering people whom we are told are unworthy of life.
Ann Arbor YMCA has joined the YMCA Military Outreach Program, thus further promoting militarism and war in our community. The question begging to be asked is "can Americans really be for peace, if every aspect of their lives, even health and wellness, are so thoroughly embedded in war and military promotion?" There is no real anti-war movement in America because even those who think they want peace are really not against militarism. End the U.S. illegal military occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan NOW!
Mozhgan Savabieasfahani Ann Arbor
Comments
delete this profile
Thu, Mar 18, 2010 : 2:43 p.m.
I think you need to read up on your US history. The decedents of former slaves might beg to differ with your opinion on freedom. Do you really think our country would be peaceful and the world would embrace us if we would only dismantle our military? Our military and our military alone keeps us free. btw, I can't help but wonder how much any of this would matter to you if the US was not a supporter of Israel. Would you even care about these people if there was no Israel? Why do you never make comments about how women are treated in these middle eastern countries? About how young girls who are not even allowed to be educated? How they are basically sold in to sexually slavery by their fathers? Is this treatment ok with you?
bedrog
Thu, Mar 18, 2010 : 2:26 p.m.
an observation about mozhgan and blaine coleman.. and MODERATOR : this is NOT not a "personal attack"; just an empirical fact...(perhaps more so than 3-headed babies actually, which in the extremely doubtful case it's true, may have more to do with well documented middle-eastern marriage patterns between close relatives than "western/zionist imperialism"). both b and m endlessly complain that they are "not being heard". in fact they HAVE been heard loud and clear ( and interminably!!)...hence their marginalization. they confuse "free speech", (which they have, and regularly abuse) with 'being agreed with", which clearly ain't happening for obvious reasons, that mostly lie with them and not their opponants ( who also have free speech to hold them to account).
MozhganSavabieasfahani
Thu, Mar 18, 2010 : 2:19 p.m.
U.S. soldiers in the Middle East are accomplice to crimes against humanity. They have won nothing for people of this land but disgrace and bad name. Free speech rights (which are constantly in grave danger) have been won by the people not by the military machine. Israel and its working-Zionists (many have quit already) of this town have not gotten away with their campaign of miss information. People deserve to know what is being done with their money ($300 billion to Israel) and in their name. Let them discuss it and see if they will remain the war mongers Israel would like them to be. See references of birth deformities in Fallujah. There are many references on childhood leukemia reported in Basrah as well.
delete this profile
Thu, Mar 18, 2010 : 1:08 p.m.
@TopCat...Exactly! Notice how the author and her minions ignore the questions of why they aren't over there helping if they're so concerned. They have no problem taking advantage of the free speech and other comforts won by our brave soldiers though.
delete this profile
Thu, Mar 18, 2010 : 12:31 p.m.
3 headed babies! Is this AA.com or the National Inquirer? You extremists seem to hate it here...why don't you leave? If you care so much about the people in the Middle East, go there and help them. Sitting in your safe, comfortable home here in the USA (taking advantage of the freedoms won by the men and women you consider to be war criminals,btw) and spouting hate does nothing.
Top Cat
Thu, Mar 18, 2010 : 12:26 p.m.
No Mozhgan, you have no "right" to be here. It is called a "privilege". You may want to take a moment to understand the distinction.
bedrog
Thu, Mar 18, 2010 : 12:15 p.m.
@mozhgan...thanks for your most recent post...it's tone and substance explain quite eloquently why even non "zionists" ( the um msa, the coop, the assorted peace and justice orgs, the city council, etc etc ) have clearly marginalized you. and thanks too, again, to the YMCA for its humane efforts.
bedrog
Thu, Mar 18, 2010 : 12:06 p.m.
@ mr coleman's: no doubt antiwar sentiments predominate here... id hope they do and i share them.... but most people in ann arbor and the country are rational enough to recognize that it take 2 to war,( as to tango), and neither the US or israel is suicidal enough ( as opposed to those cheered on by the original writer/spouse ) to roll over for those who aggressively want to kill them ( and each other and themselves) in the name of the most ideologically imperialistic ideology in human history...jihadist islam.
MozhganSavabieasfahani
Thu, Mar 18, 2010 : 11:39 a.m.
Thanks to those of you who can see my point. It is hard to see through the mainstream smoke screen. ----------------------- You cannot be against the war and support the instruments (i.e. troops) that perpetuate war crimes (i.e. rape, murder, and pollute a place so that for millennia no one will be able to have a baby free of cancer or birth deformities). Whether you like to hear about it or not, U.S. military (the troops) have been involved in criminal acts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Babies are born with 3 heads in Fallujah and rates of childhood leukemia are 15 times higher than the rest of the world in Basrah. The place has been made in to a radioactive bath (by U.S. and U.K.) no one should be living there. But since lives of Iraqi children (and no doubt Iranian, Palestinian, Afghan, etc babies) are of no consequence to an average American, you keep posing as lovers of peace while you pump more and more money to devastate places your military occupies. Well, that is NOT OK!!! I am obligated to my human essence to speak out about this. ----------------------- As to those of you who wish people named Mozhgan to go home; I will let you know that I have every right to be in the U.S. It is the U.S. military that has no right to be in Iraq or Afghanistan. I am sorry it is hard for you to hear this. But, as long as I shall live, I will remind you of these facts. I have every right to be in the U.S. U.S. military has no right to be in Iraq or Afghanistan. Americans cannot simultaneously be for peace and fuel monstrous instruments of war. It is impossible to support U.S. troops and be against the war at the same time. U.S. troops are committing war crimes (as is Israeli IDF). If you are for the troops, by definition you are for murder and rape. Wake up America, it will do you good.
JSA
Thu, Mar 18, 2010 : 11:12 a.m.
One of the joys of living in the Ann Arbor is how many people belonging on the fringe of issues think they represent a majority. Mr. Coleman is a wonderful example. I am certain that his friends would agree with him but I suspect he does not have 100,000 friends. There are terrorists out there and they do kill the innocent. What would you have us do to protect our citizens, just ignore the problem and maybe it will go away?
bedrog
Thu, Mar 18, 2010 : 10:34 a.m.
@ topcat...i agree with 1/2 of your suggestion.....but whether our troops come home or not al qaeda/taliban/and other jihadists will still try to kill us, so better get them first...as the israelis properly do. ( we were not in iraq or afghanistan at 9/11) anyway, good for the YMCA for hosting this event.
bedrog
Wed, Mar 17, 2010 : 4:40 p.m.
all of the links provided in the 2 posts at the top of this thread by the colleague of the original letter writer are out of date,antifactual and from very fringe websites.... specifically no boycott was ever implemented in ann arbor and there never will be, as indicated by recent actions by the UM, the city council, the coop and other organzations he cites. your moderators would do well to read the WASHTENAW JEWISH NEWS series "false witnesses ( dec, feb, mar issues) to educate themselves as to the credibility of those you choose to publish.
bedrog
Wed, Mar 17, 2010 : 3:30 p.m.
@david briegel...are you confusing 'mozhgan' with 'michigan'?? they are rather different.... see my post above for references to the former ( the Washtenaw jewish News dec, feb, march all are relevant)..and if you still think her post is 'excellent', you have a serious serious problem.
ContreMilice
Wed, Mar 17, 2010 : 3:19 p.m.
Not only is there a huge difference between supporting the actual men and women in uniform and supporting wars, but unlike what a poster said above, there is no US "war on 'Palestine,'" and any war that is taking place there is largely the doing and responsibility of militant Palestinian Arab extremists who are forever attacking innocent civilians outside their own boundaries thus provoking military actions while hiding behind their own people whom they cause to suffer huge casualties and then cynically crying with crocodile tears that they're being attacked for no reason. Well, it's not for no reason. Support for the YMCA program is a good thing, And so is support for the only democracy in the Middle East fighting on the frontlines against extremist terrorists who don't mind seeing their own people die in large numbers for the sake of PR and a medieval agenda of forcing militant Islam on the whole world. You can read about these goals in the Islamists' own propaganda.
YoYo-Pete
Wed, Mar 17, 2010 : 2:49 p.m.
There's a big difference between supporting the war and supporting your troops. These family's have no say in the deployment of their loved ones and it nothing but a good thing for the YMCA to support the families of those deployed.
leticia
Wed, Mar 17, 2010 : 1:43 p.m.
I love the YMCA, I disagree with the whole story about the YMCA supporting the War, I believe they are just saying that they support the families who have loved one's fighting for our country! BIG DIFFERENCE. Regardless we are at war, but instead of turning our backs the people who are fighting for us, People need to support them and their families, thats not supporting the war.
Mike Hartwell
Wed, Mar 17, 2010 : 11:33 a.m.
I am under the impression that the YMCA is not an Ann Arbor organization. I agree that we should not support israel. But we should also not support Palestine. The Islamic Fascists killed 2873 Americans. They are reaping what the sowed.
Hot Sam
Wed, Mar 17, 2010 : 11:13 a.m.
We need a strong dose of Libertarian principle in our foreign policy approach...
Love my A2
Wed, Mar 17, 2010 : 10:48 a.m.
If you want to be anti-war, fine. Best wishes. The war has nothing to the with the Y supporting families and kids of soldiers who are mobilized...if anything, that is the most thoughtful, kind and generous of actions for those suffering the consequences of Washington's policies. Gez...don't protest the arms manufacturers, George Bush or the Pentagon -- nope that makes too much sense -- let's go after those helping families dealing with a crisis in a practical way. Boy oh boy...some people.
David Briegel
Tue, Mar 16, 2010 : 7:53 p.m.
You should quote Ron Paul about these issues and policies.
David Briegel
Tue, Mar 16, 2010 : 7:44 p.m.
Michigan, excellent post. Why do they hate us? We give them many, many reasons! I served my country and I love my country. Where we are today and what we have done is nothing short of criminal. America loves peace? Perpetual War Profiteering is our Christian "value"! Our "gift" to the world. Every time I go to the movies I have to sit through that crap that glorifies the war machine. And for the most part our troops are deserving. I support the troops. Bring them home! NOW!
MozhganSavabieasfahani
Tue, Mar 16, 2010 : 5:18 p.m.
Same old story, America loves peace but supports the military. See how the US military propaganda has done you in? All they ask for is your silence in the face of the most brutal occupations. Sadly, most Americans go along with massacre of Iraqis and Afghans by U.S. military as they pose as peace loving people. The same way most Germans went along with Nazis murder of their own neighbors; the same way practically all Israelis go along with Israels crimes against Palestinians. What was that, you said? Why do they hate Americans? ------------------------- Why do you think?
delete this profile
Tue, Mar 16, 2010 : 3:41 p.m.
btw, this is what the program does...sinister! About the YMCA Outreach Initiative YMCA of the USA, the Armed Services YMCA and the Department of Defense have launched the YMCA Military Outreach Initiative to address the needs of families of deployed military personnel who live far from a military installation and require access to child development, family strengthening, and health and well-being programming. The YMCA Military Outreach Initiative leverages the YMCA movements national scale and mission to engage families facing the hardship and uncertainty of military deployment. The nations 2,686 YMCAs have the unique capacity to respond to the needs of this widely dispersed population through supportive, community-based programs that foster a healthy spirit, mind and body.
delete this profile
Tue, Mar 16, 2010 : 3:20 p.m.
Thanks for the info. I think I'll head down to the YMCA and inquire about membership.
Top Cat
Tue, Mar 16, 2010 : 1:39 p.m.
I don't agree with the rationale stated above or terms like "illegal military occupation" however I agree with their bottom line. Regardless of how it began, there is no longer any connection between the defense of the USA and our presence in Afghanistan and Iraq. NATO is a military alliance long past its sole purpose and should be ended. Israel is a destructive ally and a menacing neighbor that hides behind our military apron and drags us into its fights. We need to bring our legions home, rebuild our infrastucture and factories, drill for our own energy and put our people back to work. And never again let our guard down!