Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Veterans of Wars--Make Citizens Arrests of Bush, Blair, et al

A report in the Irish Examiner on Wed. 24 March 2010
by Ann Cahill under the header of ´Irish Reporter attempts

citizens arrest´ of Blair´noted that Dave Cronin an Irish
journalist from Dublin, attempted a "citizens arrest" of
`un-indicted´ former British PM Tony Blair during his trip
to the European Parliament.

Mr. Cronin, congrats. This is a beginning, but it is actions
like yours that are like a `shot heard around the world.´ It is
taking positive and assertive actions that say to those politicians
like Blair, Bush, Cheney et al that they will be given no rest until
they are before a court of law answering for their crimes.

And, we must not forget their legal counsel who suggested and
tried to offer legal cover for an aggressive war, and all that follows...
torture, renditions, killings of civilians, Crimes Against Humanity
War Crimes...

We must not forget the military command staff that planned and
executed what Nuremberg Chief Prosecutor Robert H. Jackson
said at Nuremberg that "to initiate a war of aggression...is not only
an international crime...it is the supreme international crime,
differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself
the accumulated evil of the whole".

I suggest that war veterans form a posse to make "citizens arressts"
of these major war criminals.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Israel: A Boer-like State and Palestinians are paying for the holocaust-more to follow

Israel is a 'Boer' like State.

In 1948 the biggest post-WWII 'ethnic cleansing' took place,
and the world's powers turned a blind eye. It was not a 'War of
Independence' as the Israeli history and media say. It was a war
of conquest. And, since 1948 what Israel has done in 1967, and 1
973 and even today is NO different than what the Boers of South
Africa, or the American government did to the Indian people's.
Ethnic cleansing, and in the case of America...genocide.

As a boy growing up in America the word Palestinian was
synonymous with the word 'terrorist'. I was fed the propaganda
that the Israeli's were defending their homeland from Palestinians
and Arabs who were trying to destroy them completely.

I never knew, and America's media(and the worlds) remained
silent on what took place in 1948

Saturday, March 6, 2010

The US military and sexual trafficking-Yokosuka, Japan 1969

My first time on 'liberty' in Yokosuka, Japan I got a taste of
how the military works with, cultivates, ignores, tolerates
and is an integral part of sexual trafficking. They are a part
and parcel of it.

Outside of every military base I was at were brothels. Some more
obvious than others.

In Yokosuka, there was a huge (about four stories) off-base servicemen's
club(an enlisted men's). Bars, function rooms and a place to buy cheap
(tax-free) booze for all military personnel. It was called the Club
Alliance; which was located across the base on the main street.

When I first stepped off the base I was amazed to see the size of Yokosuka.
I was on a main thoroughfare...watching it all. I had stereotypes of Japan in
my head, and this city seemed smaller than Boston, but not too different
population wise. I wanted to see more of the main street area even before
heading off to the red light zone for my first night of drinking, fighting and...

But, first things first. We went to buy our booze from the Navy store on the
first floor. The corridor was about 12 to 15 feet across. We had to line up on
the left. An MP(Military Police) was standing further down and to the right of
the line.

I bought two bottles of Beefeater Gin at about $1.65 per bottle; A cheap drunk.
It would've cost over $7.50 with taxes. (two bottles per person each day
was the limit). Burp! After that, I turned around to go back the way I came in.
The MP moved in front of me and said that we had to exit through the other door.
I said that I wanted to go back the way we came in to get back to the main street. But, he said (and pointed) that we had to exit through the other door. It seemed bullshit to me(like so many things in the military) because I wanted to get back to the main street.

The MP repeated himself; I tried to reason with him. But, he wasn't about to budge.
And, I knew that once I was 'set loose' in the red light district guys like him-MPs
would soon be looking for someone who (roughly) fit my description (fights and
general mayhem etc.), and I would be avoiding them. A game I had already played
successfully in Chelsea Naval Hospital and city(my first medivac), plus Charlestown
Marine barracks, Boston, Jacksonville, North Carolina (Camp LeJune); Oceanside,
California (Camp Pendleton). And, I didn't want to give him a face to remember me by. So, we exited by the door we were told.

When I was at Camp Pendalton doing my last bit of training before going to
Vietnam the first time I had a slight problem with two MPs in Oceanside. I
came back from liberty at my cousin, Bernadette and her family in Burbank.
When I got into Oceanside to catch a bus back to base I'd had consumed the
better part of a quart of Tequila. So, I walked into a shop that sold military insignia etc., and I bought Brigadier stars. A Brigadier General is the
bottom rank of generals; one star.

I put them on my civilian shirt lapel (an instant promotion from PFC to General;-).
When I was on the bus two MPs came aboard to check our IDs. When they saw me
they asked me to remove my stars. I told them it was my rank, and that I was the
youngest Brigadier in the Marine Corps, and surprised that they weren't aware of
who I was. And, I reminded them that they had forgotten to salute me. Everyone
got a big laugh out of my insistence that it was my rank, and that they were out of
line not saluting me. I also told them that I like to take the bus just to be 'one of the men'. I removed them. Anyway...

But, that day in Yokosuka I said to Boyd(I think) that I wanted to go back to
the Main street for a bit. But, when we exited the door there was a problem. I couldn't turn right, because there was a brick wall there. And. there was another
brick wall in front of me. I couldn't go back; that's where the MP was. We could only turn left. We were in an alley. The military had it set up so we had to exit
into an the dead end of an alley and throngs of hookers were awaiting for us. They knew. We didn't! Not, that I would've run away from them, but that''s the way the brass had it set up.

Who was getting kickbacks (and who knows what else) for that?

And, by then, we heard all the commotion on the only street that we could walk on-our left. After we walked a few feet a prostitute (among the throngs of them) welcomed me to Yokosuka. Well, she had her hands on my balls, and she was
quoting prices and offerings. '$20 dollar...fuckie-suckie, fuckie suckie...$20...etc. A man's brain kind of goes mush when that is happenning
(at least mine did:-), and it's kind of hard to think straight. It's a bit intoxicating...especially for someone coming from a war zone...but even if not.

I turned to Boyd with my hands in the air (a bottle in each), a lovely Japanese
woman attached to me, (and turning as I did a 360) I said, "Hey, John, we're not
in the hospital....or Yokosuka. We must've got killed in the Nam cuz it looks like we're in heaven.''

As there was competition among the ladies...I had more than one pair of hands
on me trying to convince me that for $20 she would bring me heaven. Like an
18 year old man, or boy, or a dog in heat(?) I went with the first woman. She
looked lovely to this Marine... nice thick thighs, smile, and she seemed
friendly. But, the whole time on that street I was on high alert for
pickpockets. My wallet was in my shoes, and my money spread around.

The woman took me to a bar where I bought us each a drink. She sat on my lap,
and began gyrating on me... She said that we had to meet her Mama-san...(boss).
When she arrived, I guessed the Mama-san to be in her 40s. The woman that I
was with was just a bit older than me; I was 18, and soon to turn 19.

I had to buy the Mama-san a drink, and she asked me the most boring and stupid
quesitons, such as did I like the woman, and did I want to 'see her'? DOH!!
as Homer Simpson would say. So then, the Mama-san said that we must take a taxi,
and we did to a place that was in walking distance. I figured that the driver
must be related, and it seemed that it may turn out to be closer to $40-$50
before we were done. I mean from the first drink onward.

When we got to the place for my first time with a Japanese woman. It was a
long line of apartments two stories high. And, it was adjacent to the base
wall. That is, they shared the same wall!

As we entered a strong odor was prevalent; I have always described such smells
(whether in a brothel, friend's house, or a friend who hadn´t showered after
sex, or a co-worker...it´s the smell of recent sex. I´ve always been able to
pick up on it) as 'like a fish market'...for want of a better word. It was a
place where fresh air hadn't penetrated enough to reduce the odor.

I was looking all about me to look for another man or two(as in getting rolled-
never happened), but it wasn't an ambush. But, there was someone else in the
room. As soon as we came in someone arose from the bed. She was a young
attractive Japanese woman, and as she got up from the bed she used the sheet
as her clothing.

And, what struck me, or that I picked up on was that she seemed nervous.
That alone made me feel uncomfortable. I turned to the Mama-san and asked
who she is. And, the Mama-san smiled,and said 'she your girl'! I said 'No'.
'I came with her', and I pointed to the woman who I met in the alley of the
Club Alliance.

However, the Mama-san was insistent that the one who I met in the alley had
to go back to work(picking up another Marine like me), and said 'this your
girl. She very nice. You like...etc.

But, I said 'No. I don't know her, and while pointing to the woman that I
had met I said 'she is the one I met.' The Mama-san was adament that I see
this young woman who was covering herself with a white sheet. And, she went
on about how nice she is, but I said no. I said that she is probably a nice
woman, but that she was not the one that I met met.

I told the Mama-san that I was leaving, and she tried to suggest that I owed
her money, and even that she could report me for giving her girls a bad time.
I said 'really?' 'How about I report this place to the MPs´ She didn't seem
worried about that. I left.

I didn't feel good about my first encounter. It left a bad taste in my mouth.
I wondered if this is the way it works over here, or is it just these ones? And,
I felt bad for the woman at the apartment who's job was to see men brought to
her. I didn't think that she could like that. I went back into the red light
area for a night of drinking, fighting and fun(mayhem).

It was only years later that I realized that it's called sexual trafficking.
I at least had the right instincts. To leave.

As I had very little money until my pay records came to Japan from Vietnam I
couldn't see anyone. But, my newfound friend Boyd(in the military you make
friends fast and loose) said he would take me to the waterfront area where
there were older woman.

When we got there a woman took us into the entrance of a house to wait for the
other two women to arrive. They both had houses, and were probably married. I
realized that when I saw the ring on the finger of the woman I went with.

Before they came John had to go to the bathroom. When the women came in, the
mama-san asked me if I was ready, or if I knew which one I liked. I said yes and
asked her if I could see that woman. Yes. As we left I felt a tinge bad, and
realized that John may not be happy that I took the best...and he was paying for
it.

We didn't get far sexually, because the woman saw the rosary beads on my neck,
and said to me 'You Katlik?' it sounded that way. I asked her again, and she
pointed to or touched the rosary beads(used to ward of death in Vietnam-
superstition:-), and when I said 'Yes.' She said 'Me too.' End.

I met and loved a woman that I met there, Mimi. She was a bar girl, and had not seen
a man (sex for $) in over a year, and told me when I bought her her first drink
not to ask her out, as she didn't go out with men that way. I spent time with
her everynight. She educated me. And, I never saw another woman in Japan.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Yokosuka 1969-clarifiction

To all, especially my children, and those
who respect me...(well before they read 'Yokosuka 1969')...
family and friends, professors, one-night standees...etc., I just
hope that you realize that all those crazy things you read
in Yokosuka 1969 (fighting and drinking, and especially the
grinding talk) were totally made up...for a novel.

Totally made up. Ya, that's the ticket;-)

Monday, March 1, 2010

Mimi and Yokosuka 1969

My second medivac from Vietnam (yes, I was stupid and
volunteered twice:-) I ended up in the naval hospital in
Yokosuka, Japan. Was wonderful...almost heaven.

You make friends 'fast and loose' because you're not there
long. A friend John Boyd from Omaha(?), or Larry(?)Childs
from Indiana(Larry, when we die our mothers are going to kill us
for all the nasty slagging of them that we did, and trying to
outdo each other...'mattress strapped to her back...giving curb
service'), or someone else told me how it works in the red light district.

First, he had to explain what a 'red light district' is to me ;-))

Being that prostitution was strictly illegal...they didn't have 'windows'
as they do here in Amsterdam. He said that the bar girls (called 'hostesses'),
get a commission on the drinks that you buy them, and if they see men 'on the
side' (sex4$), and if they think you're okay for that...they'll sit on your lap and
bounce, or grind(perhaps, 'bounce' sounds a bit nicer:-) their ass into your crotch
to get you horny (Hell, my brain alone or eyes could do that!).

As soon as he explained how it works I, (me, being me) knew what I'd do.

For instance, one night three of us were at the Club Texan, which
was next to the Honky Tonk where Mimi worked (she stole my heart the
first time our eyes met-she's enough for several chapters, or a whole book).

And, there was a lovely lady (a 'hostess') with nice thighs sitting on my lap...
stimulating me. We also had very interesting conversation, but I can't
remember anything about it). Having a few beers in your system while looking
at those thighs, and trying to hold a conversation, let alone remember what she
just said...is a bit much.

At one point, the woman asked me (what I was expecting) 'You like'? She
meant what she was doing...grinding...and would I possibly like...

I would say something like ... 'Oh ya, it's a nice bar, my first time here'.
Or, 'Oh ya, I love Yokosuka', and 'you and your friends are very nice...i'm
having a good time'... etc. Hell, I might even spring(oops..bad choice of
words) for another round of drinks. My friends said that I was playing
dumb. No comment.

The woman would think that I didn't understand what she meant, and
say 'No, I mean 'you like' "...and I suddenly felt more pressure applied
to my crotch area as she bounced up and down. Again, I would give a
variation of what I had said.

Then, she would make it clearer what she meant. Sometimes her
girlfriend might say 'No, she means you like that'...and point.

At that point I would say I was sorry, and apologize for not explaining
my war injury (non-existent:-). And, I would get up and point to a spot
just above my knees, and run my hands up the length of my thighs till I
got to the top. And would tell her that as a result of 'nerve damage' I had
almost no feeling there, and in my crotch.

To demonstrate, I would press her thumb into my thigh with moderate
pressure and say 'You feel that'? She would say 'Ya'? And, I would say, 'see
I can't feel anything'. Then I would press her thumb down hard into my thigh
and say 'See, I feel that'. And, again apologize sincerely for not telling her,
(the eyes being sincere goes a long way; and keeping a straight face), and
for forgetting to mention it.

What do you think was the end result? I got some serious, serious grinding
activity(and even TLC...they felt bad for me-my injury:-) which helped me
to relax even more (putting away those awful memories of Vietnam;-)...while
enjoying a drink, and our stimulating conversation with renewed interest.

The woman may be confused if she felt something hard and questioned that.
I would usually say that 'I'm a marine; I'm always hard'. Or, that I'm okay there
and I have eyes...i.e. my wound didn't affect my functioning there.

Once in a while my drinking partners would get jealous about it, and say
what are they going to use. I'd just tell them I can't help it if I'm smarter than
you guys. Or, cuter (as in the Irish term 'cute hoor'). Think of one yourself;
but don't use what I'm saying(you know I sorta felt like I had copyrights to
it). Or, do you guys expect me to think of one for you too? Be creative.

And, sometimes one of my friends would tell the woman he was with,
that I had no 'nerve damage', and she would tell my hostess. The woman
would slap my chest-was their way-playful. Didn't hurt, and she'd laugh.
And, grind ever harder...and ask if i felt that...laughing One night the other
two hostesses left my friends for a minute and took turns sitting on me and
asking me 'You feel that'? Did I;-))) It served my dishonourable friends right!

But, each night I'd go back to the Honky Tonk and spend time with Mimi in
between my drinking and fighting. I had a reputation to keep up. Mimi didn't
do sex4$, and told me, and every other man on our first drink...so 'Never
ask me out'. Mimi didn't sit on laps, (that would have been heaven, just to have
her that close...but, I gave up trying to think of a 'medical' reason why it would '
be both 'urgent' and 'therapeutic'...I'm sure it would have been, but...). If Mimi
was busy (having a drink with someone else) her girlfriends were happy to keep
me company, and sit with, but not ON me. Her girlfriends were just keeping me
there until Mimi was done. I would've waited anyway. They were all a very nice
group of women.

Before I left Yokosuka Mimi met (cornered) me in her favourite spot...the
exit from the bathroom, and angrily asked me "Why you never ask me out"?
She was crying. And, before I could answer she said 'I know you see other
Japanese girls. Don't you bullshit me'. I told her that I didn't like her that way,
that is, I didn't want to go out with her for a sex date...I really liked her. I didn't
see any other Japanese women after we met...well, except for those who sat on
my lap in bars most nights. I thought that if it was a local custom, then I didn't
want to be rude and make them sit next to me. But, I didn't go out (sex4$)
with any.

But, all that's a separate story.

I'm proud to say that during my time in Yokosuka I was a one man economic
stimulus for parts of the local economy. My very first night in Yokosuka's red light
district I boosted the local economy. Obama, and Gordon Brown et al, talk about
creating jobs. But, I provided instant and steady work for carpenters, glass
and mirror installers, cleaners, and rug cleaners who had to quickly renovate
red light bars that I had left in a hurry...er...to meet other friends, or because I heard
police sirens, and decided it was time for a change visit another bar...so many places
and people to see etc.

I also helped (indirectly)to support those small local shops that sold beer glasses, mugs,
pitchers, and those small ice bowls (convienent head thumpers, but they lost their shape).
Bars were forever in need of replacements, and shopkeepers were grateful for their
patronage. There was no economic downturn in the Yokosuka's red light district when
I was there!

And, I gave plenty of meaningful work to the Japanese police (5 pm-6 am),
and the MP's looking for someone who (some said) roughly fit my description.
I found it good at times to approach them, and ask what was 'going on'? You know,
like what happened? Was there a fight, or accident? More than once, I even asked
them if it was 'safe'to be out if there with fights etc... They just thought that I was a
nice guy...certainly not the one that they were looking for.

I knew that their job could be one long boring night of walking. I made their nights
interesting.

About the Club Texan, I was only there one night. The barman got very rude,
especially at me, so we withdrew our business. I thought that the fella had no
sense of humour. So we left after...

I was getting bored with chatting, grinding etc, and noticed that there were two
big navy guys (Marines called them 'squids') at the table near the door. I asked
my mates if they wanted another round of drinks? Of course. So, I went up and
bought two pitchers of beer...one for each hand.

Then, as I turned away from the counter I saw those two men, and said hi.
I asked them if they were on the carrier (aircraft) that just got in. They were.
I knew. And, I went on like a little boy about how big it was, and asked them,
"Is this your first time in Yokosuka"? It was.

I told them the city was great, and I hoped that they'll have a great time, and
asked how they liked the city so far? One of the two said "It's our first night out
on liberty". So, I said "Then can I buy you a drink on your first night out''? They
were like 'sure'. They were drinking beer, so I asked if they'd like a couple of
pitchers of beer. I said it's cheap. They were more than happy, and said yes. It
seemed like the start of a nice first night out.

I didn't seem like those 'mean', 'crazy' Marines that they'd been warned about.

So, I took the two pitchers of beer in my hands, got next to the table, and gave
them each one... that is I soaked them from a few feet away...tossed the contents
on them (I whipped it at them-I thought that it would feel refreshing;-)...face, chest,
and pants. Then, I upended their table, and was using it to push(crush?) them against
the wall. Their drinks landed in their laps. (Now, that was a shame, and quite unintended').
The 'Law of Unintended Consequences'?

I threw a few (friendly) punches, as we say (just saying 'welcome to Yokosuka';-), and was laughing
so hard that I was loosing all the strength in my legs and stomach, that for once, my friends
had to come over and help me. And then, we ran out because the barman said some very uncomplimentary, and rude things to us, and we had been very good, even 'model' customers until then. In fact, I offered to buy them two more replacement pitchers of beer, to make
up for my slipping and dropping(my excuse to the barman) the beer all over them, but, the barman would have none of that. He went crazy, a bit over the top, yelling at me, and my friends. But, mostly, me! And, those men wouldn't accept such a gesture.

And, again we heard that familiar siren of the Japanese police. I suggested that the other
two go to another bar as I wanted to see Mimi...and we could meet up later. It was also
because Mimi was next door, and the three of us together may not be good until later.
I went next door to the Honky Tonk where the barman, Jimmy was nicer, and Mimi was
there. I asked Mimi if I could buy her a drink, and asked if we could sit up on the next
level (it was darker there).

When the siren seemed to be coming closer Mimi asked me "You get into a fight
again"? I said "Is that the police siren, or the firemen's"? She said it was the police.
And, I said it was probably some crazy Marines getting drunk someplace.

But, the police stopped next door and went into the Club Texan(I was glad we left
as a fight must have just broken out;-).

Eventually, the police came into the Honky Tonk while I was with Mimi. They went
straight to the back where the bathrooms were, and then started to leave. One of the
policeman(he seemed vaguely familiar to me) went to the bar, and asked Jimmy
something, and he pointed in my general direction. But, Jimmy laughed and shook
his head and hands 'no' several times about whatever it was.

And, then the police left, Jimmy winked at me, and waved his finger...'no. no' like.
And then, Mimi got up and left me as well. She seemed angry at me for some reason.