Forum Post: My Apology to Bobby Bales
Posted 12 years ago on March 23, 2012, 3:44 p.m. EST by HitGirl
(2263)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
Dear Bobby,
The more I read about your life, the less it made sense. Bobby Bales was by all accounts a responsible, caring, self-sacrificing human being. To many, he was a role model. He was a decorated veteran. He had a wife and kids. So what on Gods earth happened to Bobby Bales? What turned a generous, caring, self-sacrificing American into a cold-blooded child murderer? Who could so pervert and distort the character of a man, that it is no longer recognizable by the people who knew him? Whose fault was this incredible tragedy?
It was We the Peoples' fault. We weren't paying attention. We didn't safeguard our soldier from the corrupt, greedy, inhuman politicians that stole into office under our watch. We were oblivious as the capitalists dangled their shiny gew-gaws and techno-gadgets in front of us. By all accounts you fought valiantly, Bobby. You were an asset they wouldn't let go. Three long tours in Iraq - one extended to fifteen months during the surge - and they called you back again, for the last time, to serve in Afghanistan. And with a heavy heart you went back.
No one but you could Know what was going through your mind the night you slaughtered 16 civilians including women and children and you will have to pay for your crimes. I'm not here to absolve you, but I'm not going to let this pass without admitting that We the People played a part. We failed our soldier. We let slimy, cowardly, selfish politicians abuse your trust and order you to fight in senseless wars. And because they were afraid of the draft, they deployed you again and again on multiple tours. And because they were afraid of the people, they did their best to cover up the harm these wars were doing.
For all that I apologize to you, Bobby Bales. The next time we need valiant men to fight in a just war, you won't be there. We spent you on these foreign adventures and for that we are all at fault. We need to make changes in this country and bring some of the real criminals to justice.
Again, I'm sorry.
Homecoming Queen's got a gun (Unedited!!!)
"We need to make changes in this country and bring some of the real criminals to justice" - i like that. there is a huge problem with american occupation in Afghanistan. Civilian villagers turn out to be snipers at night time. This is freak everybody out. The day time check up doesnt bring any results - no sniper rifles were found, children and old people. That is why we can hear revealing information from different sources about helicopter raid in such tragic morning and no bullet expertise were estimated whatsoever. Our staff sergeant rank soldier took the responsibility to himself, - he never would be executed, only God can judge him now!
Not only that but people you're training and patroling with turn out to be al qaeda. Who comes up with this stuff? Who decided that this was doable? I didn't get to vote on it.
fed up! people become to be illogical and misleaded by media. it is crazy to say that tax dollars goes to al-quaeda foundation. much better to cut off all warring gangs foundations overseas and spend this money for selfeducation, insight into freedom and democrasy
"THE GROUND TRUTH" ; The Human Cost Of War - Sometimes the greatest act of courage is to tell the truth ... ((VIDEO))
Posted 4 days ago on March 19, 2012, 9:37 a.m. EST by shadz66 (2985) This content is user submitted and not an official statement
"THE GROUND TRUTH" : The Human Cost Of War.
Sometimes the greatest act of courage is to tell the truth ...
In the opening scenes of Patricia Foulkrod's powerful documentary, we're introduced to a number of young soldiers who speak candidly and powerfully about the motivations that led them to join the military. As their stories unfold, we hear their surprised reactions to boot camp and combat training as they were taught to dehumanize their enemy, to "kill hadjis and ragheads."
"The Ground Truth" ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ground_Truth ) - is a documentary film, that should be watched by everyone who has a friend, relative or loved one who's served - or is about to serve - in Iraq and Afghanistan.
(Video - Runtime 78 Minutes) : http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article15319.htm .
~
fiat pax ...
Thanks for that link.
thank shadz66
Thank you both.
will you be apologizing to nidal hassan ?
There is a big difference between Nidal Hassan and Bobby Bales.
what hassan did has been classifed as "workplace violence",........same could be said for bales.
They could both be classified as gun violence too, but it really doesn't tell us anything of substance does it? Do you think all gun violence is the same? Should we just throw out degrees and intent when judging a crime?
nidal hassan murdered 13 and injuring 22US soldiers ( who were not allowed to be armed on an army base). his aunt said that he ws upset by injured soldiers he saw a walter reed and snapped. B.S hassan carried personal business card that referred to himeself as a SOA ( soldier of allah). in the name of political correctness,........this guy was never flaged by the army. witness say he screamed allah akbar before he started killing.
Right. Like I said, big difference between the two. Oh, maybe the word "snapped" got you all worked up. Look, how many tours of duty did Nidal Hassan spend on the front lines of an horrific war often being fought with booby traps, suicide bombers, and hidden snipers? I don't see how you could compare the two at all. It is a matter of degree and environment. How can you compare a psychologist hearing about the war to someone who was serving 4 tours of duty and saw friends blown up in front of him? Do you have any sense of proportion?
I've been studying WHY this "advanced society" cannot deal with this issue. Interestingly, your post has the only word "psychologist" in it, and it refers to the one that went beserk.
Psychology and the veterans administration are deeply neglegent. Look what I found. Solid evidence that they are both intentionally ignoring a treatment that could be used to heal soldiers and probably a lot more.
http://algoxy.com/psych/treatment sum.2_21_12.pdf http://algoxy.com/psych/psyimages/confirmsbcomh.jpg
The state and federal courts have been unconstitutionally stopping the guy from compelling performance that is consistent with law and the hippocratic oath. This dude is not guilty of what you assert we all are.
http://algoxy.com/law/
HitGirl wrote "We failed our soldier. We let slimy, cowardly, selfish politicians abuse your trust and order you to fight in senseless wars."
Don't forget the fact that we let courts make unconstitutional decisions and do not support our rights that WE SHARE!
nidal hassan is a muslim terrorist. not tours of duty yet he murdered in the name of his god, allah.
Exactly. His conflicts were self-created. He was conflicted between his perceived duty to his religion and his duty to his adopted country. The man was in fact delusional. The point being that We the People didn't play the kind of role in his breakdown that we played in Bobby Bales. Hence, no apology...Get it?
wrong,..........."we the people" ,.....the US army knew of his leanings and did NOTHING to stop him. he was a time bomb waiting to go off and when he did ( 13 murders, over 20 wounded ) his murders are called " workplace violence " by the govt. why no apology from the govt about not disarming hassan and not putting on leave?
Well then you better release every violent thug from prison too. Most of them were abused as children, massive head injuries and maybe even a little sexual abuse by the time they came to be violent adults. That makes it ok, right? The dude is a racists psyco piece of shit and I hope they hang his ass high.
So you're arguing that everybody in prison is in fact a victim of society and we should make more of an effort at rehabilitation?
no, I'm saying you cannot excuse that soldiers actions. He knew it was wrong to shoot his buddies, thats why he left base. Therefore he was able to reason and knew he was wrong to shoot those kids, while he was pulling the trigger. We all wear the stains of his actions.
And we all share the blame for the level of stress he was under. Football player Marc Edward's (Ohio's Mr Football for 1992), who replaced Bobby Bales as linebacker, "credited Bobby Bales with teaching him what leadership meant and how to handle a situation that doesn't favor you." That's because Bobby helped coach Edwards for the good of the team. Soldiers are coming back damaged from these fucked-up wars all the time. In this case, you cannot say it wasn't the war.
I can't believe you are actually defending a child murderer.
I'm not. Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, all the people who lied us into these wars, they're all responsible for the murders. You know it too. I'm just willing to say it. America is paying the price for Bush's foreign adventures. You can't lay it all on this kid like you want to.
I'm the last person to defend any politician, but that man alone made a conscious choice to not freak out where he was but to leave and kill innocent people. That isn't the war or Bush, it was a choice. The war may have provided a road for the crime but such a crime takes a certain person, that soldier was that person and would have been that person without the war.
So now you're the judge, jury and executioner of Bobby Bales. How do you know he wasn't on meth or opium. How do you know what was going on in his home life. How many tours of duty have you done? There has already been blood spilled stateside by these returning soldiers. You're asking me to admit that Bobby Bales was some kind of latent child murderer? You've got it all figured out? Well, I don't. But I do know that war destroys good people and that is probably what happened here.
Are you trying to weigh me down with the responsibilities of a job I have not been tasked with?
I didn't ask you to do anything, I disagreed with you.
Yes, I have my opinion figured out.
You're entitled to your opinion.
lol, thank you. After all, thats all I'm offering. I'll admit, some think they have a patent on the truth, but I realize full and well that I'm just some dude.
All that aside, "I can't believe you are actually defending a child murderer," was kind of low...dude.
Well, it upsets me. I have kids.
experience changes humans
You people are drug addicted wastes of DNA and life
You people will end up in FEMA camps, believe me. NOTHING will make your useless lives worth anything, so do the rest of the country who hate you, and go OD!!!
The notorious FEMA camps! They're as real as Death Panels. And you probably don't even know what DNA is.
I'm not sure anybody needs to be so hard on Sgt. Bales because I'm not so sure he did it in the first place. Think of the improbability of the story; the 8km hike while drunk to two towns, killing sixteen people and carrying their bodies around and burning them. Where did he get the gasoline? Bales did say he can't remember. In all likelihood Bales can't remember because he might not have been at the crime scene. A more likely scenario is that "they" got Bales drunk or drugged that night and Bales passed out right on base. Meanwhile some special nut op team went out and did the dirty killing deed. Next morning as Bales was getting up from his stupor, the cuffs went on and whamo they got their man as the members of the nut ops team were enjoying their morning coffee and donuts....
That's a pretty cynical alternate scenario. Right now I'm not at the point where I believe a group of Americans went out and shot defenseless women and children for kicks with an elaborate plan to frame Bobby Bales, and, during the evidence gathering, everybody just decided to play along and sacrifice Bales because he was so unpopular...except he wasn't unpopular.
What do you think happened in Iraq? May I remind you of Mai Lye.
I don't think who ever did the shootings did it for kicks either, but rather it was planned out as part of a military operation.
Malvina Reynolds- The Albatross
The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner
--Exerpt:
'Is it he?' quoth one, 'Is this the man?
By him who died on cross,
With his cruel bow he laid full low
The harmless albatross.
The spirit who bideth by himself
In the land of mist and snow,
He loved the bird that loved the man
Who shot him with his bow.'
The other was a softer voice , As soft as honeydew : Quoth he, 'The man hath penance done,
And penance more will do.'
--Samuel Taylor Coleridge