Portrait of a right-wing hero

In his own deluded, ignorant, self-aggrandizing words, here's Fred Peterson--the cowardly "Gathering of Eagles" thief who stole the photo of Carlos Arredondo's dead son from the casket that Carlos was pulling through the streets in the recent protest in Washington, D.C.:

[I felt] a camaraderie of high principle and enervated a keen sense of obligation to preserve and protect these worthy veterans from the predations of those lessers who insult their country and cause ...

I saw the photo-image of a proud young Marine in dress blues being held hostage in company not of his own choosing and affixed to a coffin not his own.

The insult to his honor and disrespect to his Corps and cause by his captors was immediately obvious and intended. These same peddlers of provocation are paid to push their coffin-prop all over the country they revile. They subvert a common will and undermine the cause and country for which this hostage-Marine had sacrificed his very life.

The captive Marine was not among his own.  He was surrounded and outnumbered by those who shamelessly exploit his image and memory, disgrace his uniform, his brothers in arms, and his willing sacrifice. He would never choose such company. He needed a rescue...

I liberated his image from the midst of the hostile crowd, intending to replace it in a position of honor Arlington, where he would rest with heroes and among his own ...I respectfully carried the image of the fallen Marine and was not opposed nor confronted in any way until I has walked perhaps 25 yards down the sidewalk. There, I was attacked without warning and tackled from behind by a demonstrator who crashed into my back at a full run. I went down forward, tearing pants knees and shirt sleeve and five separate wounds requiring hospital attention. The Marine's image, along with camera and sunglasses were smashed into the pavement.  Before I could respond, six or so Eagles-vets were immediately pulling me away from the anti-war attacker.

I've long thought that one useful way to think of the military is as a cult, with guns; this is about as good a demonstration as you can get.  After reading it, I think you'll agree with me that it's unlikely that Fred Peterson has ever encountered "lessers" in his lifetime.

More about this shameful event at AfterDowningStreet.org (with photographs of the "liberator" and his goons).

Comments

[grendelkhan]

Sweet fancy Moses, that's the most faptastic bit of starry-eyed bullshit I've read since TRIBES. I'm in awe.

[Bina]

These warhawks never cease to sicken me. Talk about nuts--"the captive Marine was not among his own"? His father is not "his own"? Words fail to express the madness...

BTW, is this guy a vet himself or just another standard-issue chickenhawk who thinks he's doing his bit for the war by attacking those opposed?

[John Caruso]

He's an ex-Marine (according to this). As I posted here, when some Marine recruits came up to congratulate him on his theft, Peterson exclaimed "My brothers!" and then proceeded to inform them that "One drop of your blood is worth more than all of theirs, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise."

(Note: He didn't actually use the word untermenschen; it was just sort of implied.)

So no, not a chicken hawk, but a shell of a person whose humanity has been completely replaced by his vainglorious visions of martial grandeur. And (as I said) also a coward, since he took the photo surreptitiously and then tried to sneak away without being seen.

[Bina]

Thanks, John. Clears it up.

This guy is clearly brain-fried. Wonder what did it--DU exposure in Gulf War I would be my guess, if I had to hazard one.

Either that, or too much Kool-Aid.