Hi everybody! Long time since I've been to DU

[rasputin1952]

Needless to say, I missed all of you terribly, (well, except the trolls). I'm in Boston these days, retired and awaiting a final settlement from the Army, (I'm at 50% now), should go 100% soon.

It is expensive here, but I am very fortunate to have wonderful friends who have helped me along the way. I am currently the Coordinator for Chapter 9, the Smedley Butler Bde of Veterans For Peace. We are exceptionally active and expect to be more so in the future. We can't have Peace without economic and social justice.

The "powers that be" are paper tigers, the only "power" we give them is sacrificing our Rights as citizens, damn sure time to reverse that and make these fat cats as skinny as 1/8" pipe.

We're all in this together, we can and will retain our Rights and Privileges, adding to them as necessary. We are already making progress with Black Lives Matter, light has been shown on the militarization of police departments, (in some cases municipalities have refused to arm their PD's with military grade weapons and in others, they have been returned to sender!)

We, The People, cannot be suppressed any longer; we're angry, hungry, without shelter while a few are purchasing $2,000,000 2 bedroom condos.

We need a bloodless revolution, and we are on the cusp of one right now.

Ras

[Mnemosyne]

1. Great to see you back, Ras! It's a bit of a pre-primary tempest, as usual, around here.

[progressoid]

2. Hey

it's been so long, I can't remember if I'm supposed to like you or not!

Kidding. Welcome back.

Just in time for the Primary "debates"!

[Hekate]

3. Welcome back. Glad to hear you are with the VFP, carrying on their good work

During the BushCheney years I worked with Chapter 54 in Santa Barbara, and met a fine bunch of men and women. They have my eternal respect and gratitude.

All the best to you.

[graywarrior]

4. Let's meet up

I'm up the road from you, near Newburyport.

[Divernan]

5. Welcome back! I remember you.

[Wisc Progressive]

6. I seem to remember you -- longtime lurker here that signed up last week

2016 will be a contentious election, so sharing on sites like this is going to be important.

[Marrah_G]

7. Welcome back!

I hope you are loving Boston. Great city!

[gratuitous]

8. Hi, Dr. Nick!

Oh, somebody had to say it.

[Oldtimeralso]

9. Welcome Back

It has been a while since I've been to Boston.
Do they still drive like Helen Keller driving school graduates?

[Android3.14]

10. That's the spirit!

[Uncle Joe]

11. Come on, you missed the trolls too?

They can be fun, fish in a barrel and all that, I believe sometimes they inadvertently learn despite themselves.

Welcome back, rasputin.

[Solly Mack]

12. My Husband retired in April and thinking about taking a job in Dallas.

I keep telling him I want to go east, not west. Oh, well.

Best of luck!!

[Octafish]

13. Great to read you, rasputin1952!

The powers that be are paper tigers. It's way past time the government started treating We the People like the Boss -- not the warmongering banksters.

PS: Good luck to you and all in the Smedley Butler Brigade of Veterans For Peace!

[asjr]

14. I remember you! Glad to see you come back. Always loved your DU name.

[yellerpup]

15. Welcome back, rasputin1952!

Not surprised to hear that you are currently "exceptionally active" with your Veterans for Peace group. Hope you will share your wisdom with us again.

[CatWoman]

16. .

[Lamonte]

17. Get real

There will never be a revolution. The private sector and our military are in this together. Their business is war and a revolution is now out of reach. The only hope is to keep the conservative chicken hawks out of office.

[NBachers]

18. Welcome back, Rasputin1952! I like what I read from you.

[greatauntoftriplets]

19. ...

[PeoViejo]

20. Greetings and Felicitations

[AtomicKitten]

21. good to see you back

[ananda]

22. Keep coming back, Ras!

Frequently

[mmonk]

23. Good to see you.

[heaven05]

24. +100

I sure hope so on that cusp thing..... Not sure I'll see it though, I am waiting for my settlement. Agent Orange is slowly breaking me down.

[WillyT]

25. K & R !!!

[Generic Other]

26. Hello Ras

Welcome home.

[juajen]

27. Welcome back.

Nothing's changed, honest.

[Liberal_in_LA]

28. welcome back. I hope you will stick around

[Dont call me Shirley]

29. K & R. Welcome home, rasputin1952!

[Skittles]

30. you want I should kick your long-absent ass, rasputin1952?

LEMME AT YOU!

[randome]

31. Welcome back. You're wrong. About everything.

Just kidding.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]All things in moderation, including moderation.[/center][/font][hr]

[dgibby]

32. Welcome back! You've been missed!

The Smedley Butler Chapter-it just doesn't get any better than that! Good luck with your VA disability. I think going through that entire process upped my % by about 20 pts. LOL! Anyway, 70% is better than nothing, and it sure does come in handy.

[Oilwellian]

33. Good to see you again, Rasputin1952

I love the Veterans For Peace organization and donate to them often.

[rasputin1952]

34. Thank you all for your replies...

and excusing my absence.

I feel like I'm back home again!

I do have to tell you I went to San Diego for the VFP convention, and was amazed at dedication of VFP to bringing about peace.

Here in Boston, the week after the nightmare of the Boston Bombing, a Humvee was parked at Park Street Station, right on the corner of the Common. Three enlisted guys were there, now mind you, I've been out of the Army for some 30 years, but these guys got scared because an old vet was mouthing off about getting out of war! A call went to the BPD, the one cop said we were "breaking the 'sound emissions code'", that was good enough for me to ask him the city code and give me ordinance and a citation and I would discuss this with a judge. He didn't know the ordinance, so I said, "use your radio, my taxes helped pay for it". The cops left, somewhat befuddled. (FTR: There is no ordinance against Free Speech)

But alas, there was to be one more interaction that day. A Bird Colonel (MA NG) showed up about five minutes later and asked how a, "veteran could be for peace?" I asked him if he'd been to war, to which he answered ,"no". I then asked him if we were under martial law, once again, "no". I told him with his rank, he could command a brigade in Afghanistan, or maybe get some general's coffee, in either case, he could look death in the eye. I looked dead into his eyes and then said, "get that chicken out of my sight, get it to lay on egg on the sidewalk; you have no authority over me or anyone here; and get this damned Humvee out of here, all it's doing is scaring people to death!"

He left, muttering about a 'bad assed NCO' and in half an hour, the GI's and Humvee were gone.

Know your Rights and stand up for them!