Dork,
How do you suggest they handle the Flag? AS soon as he landed, the crew was there to pick it up.
The whole clip was impressive, yet you seem to focus on 10 seconds that highlight your duplicity.
I don't disagree with the assessment that Blackwater lacks the discipline of our military, but the tape shows patriotism and support of our military.

Not to say that wasn't what happened, but portraying an incident as happening last week when the rolling credits says "USAA Fleet Week October 21, 2006".

And yes SD Politico portrays it that way, too.

Blackwater may be the veritable Spawn of Satan, but that is not an excuse for this shoddy, disingenuous tripe. (FWIW, I have seen the Navy's Leaping Frogs (SEALs) do the same stunt.
http://www.leapfrogs.navy.mil/gallery/Large/High08.jpg

Larkin:

I'm going to be about as kind as I can be about this: You're a friggin' moron and a malicious liar and distorter.

12 seconds into the tape it clearly says 'USAA Fleet Week Football Classic, October 21, 2006. A game Air Force beat SDSU, 19-12.

That's right, 2006. MANY months BEFORE the Blackwater scandal. Not "lask week" (your typo, not mine).

But your asshattery doesn't stop there: You accuse the parachutist, who may or may not be someone from Blackwater but whose chute does have the Blackwater logo, of purposefully dragging the flag--as if he had any other physics-based choice in doing so upon landing! I suppose you'd like the parachutist to fly that large flag off his back and perhaps get it entangle it with his chute and plummeting to earth. Hmm? Is that what you want? Do you also know this has been done by numerous times before? Nah, probably not. This doesn't make you stupid, just moronically ignorant.

Of course, your lackluster powers of perception are full regalia when you fail to note how 2 sailors immediately rush in toward the flag after the landing...and NOT to the parachuter!

Whatever your issues you have with Blackwater that's fine. But don't be an asshole and attempt to portray something that IN NO WAY SHAPE OR FORM is purposefully desecrating the flag.

This 'story" has ZERO credibility, pal. ZERO.

Knock off the abusive language, Peter.

It's justified, Lee. Don't even try and defend this garbage.

Larkin:
This has very little to do with a simple typo. You attempted to portray this alleged desecration of the flag as a purposeful and malicious by Blackwater. (Yes, "alleged" dragging of the flag. Go to YouTube, type in "parachuting with American flag", and you'll see others, including military paratroopers, "dragging" the flag upon landing. And what happens the instant they land? Other military personnel/citizens immediately rush in to pick up and secure the flag.)

What's most appalling is your sheer and transparent laziness is using footage from last year to support and further demonize Blackwater in your "argument".

You know, that typo would have been avoided by watching the video...

Whether it happened in 2006 or 2007 is 100% absolutely, totally irrelevant. You guys keep dodging the point to throw up these trollish roadblocks about the date of the video, all the while avoiding the pertinent questions.

Why aren't you addressing the fact that it was fleet week and Blackhawk is not part of the military?

Larkin said: "I certainly think a video from 2006 is relevant since it appropriately demonstrates how Blackwater is trying to blur the lines between themselves and our military."

Why aren't you addressing the fact that it was fleet week and Blackhawk is not part of the military?

OK, here's my answer:

So what if Blackwater represents themselves as a sponsor at Fleet Week. I'll bet the farm they sure they weren't the only gov't contractor who represented themselves as such.

Boeing, Lockheed, General Motors etc. are vital military resources and contractors that represent themselves and have been sponsors during Fleet Week/Seafair here in Seattle for years. Nobody accuses them of "trying to blur the lines between themselves and our military." (Newsflash: it takes money to hold events like Fleet Weeks, money that usually comes from sponsors like Boeing, Lockheed and, yes, even Blackwater.)

By Larkin's logic (if you can call it that), ANY private company that represents themselves at a Fleet Week event, and that's not a branch of the military, can be seen as blurring "the lines between themselves and our military." (Example: If the chute had a Macy's logo on it, Larkin could make the same craptastic argument that they are "pretending to be part of our military.") Huh?

Larkin's attempt at connecting the two would be laughable if he weren't so serious. (Amend that: it's still laughable, just in a more pathetic, tinfoil hat kinda way.)

It's not about sponsorship either, Peter. BUt if we can keep this up, knocking down your straswman arguments, we may finanlly get you to the issue at hand.

As a refresher this is quoted from Larkin's post:

This video highlights the festivities at a San Diego State football game last week year. At the 2:40 point you can see a Blackwater parachutist jumping into the stadium and (appropriately) dragging an American flag on the ground.

Read the whole story at San Diego Politico about how Blackwater makes every attempt to drape themselves in the American flag and pretend to be part of our military. Contrary to the selfless and patriotic sacrifice and commitment displayed by the members of our military, the Blackwater thugs are motivated purely by profit and, as we have seen in Iraq, lack the discipline and skills that our military demonstrates. On top of that, they clearly haven't read the Flag Code and don't understand that our flag should never touch the ground.

Blackwater DID do the jump again this December. It's unfortunate that the video provided was of the 2006 Blackwater jump, but it happened again in 2007.

As you can see from the above, Larkin is not talking about Blackwater being a sponsor - he's pointing out the absolute lunacy of having Blackwater acts a military agent in these festivities.

Blackwater is a corporation, not an arm of the US military. Blackwater has no business participating in these events, and as Larkin points out to do is is blurring the lines between official and unofficial agents.

Strawman? LOL. Do you even KNOW what a strawman argument is, Lee? What I'm doing here is bringing up a point that is obviously not being considered: they were a sponsor in some capacity. After doing a little digging it turns out...

Did you know that this was part of the half-time program of the game and that the parachutist was part of Blackwater's precision parachuting team, and that the act was meant to honor veterans? This was the 3rd year in a row they've done so. (Some argue that companies like Blackwater undermine military efforts and dishonor the flag, etc., an argument I don't buy.) But basically, somebody asked the folks at Blackwater to participate (aka: supply the jumpers and sponsor the jump).

And this somehow "blurs" the line in the public's eye? How exactly?

But to your point...

The military and security firms like Blackwater work as partners in theater. The two share intel and tactics for safety and security purposes. For example, Blackwater was responsible for Paul Bremer's and Ryan Crocker's security in Iraq. Blackwater will turn to the military for intel on "hot spots", routes to take/avoid and will in turn report back to the military on any trouble it encounters. The simple fact of the matter is that the our military can't take on these types of duties, so the work has to be contracted out.

So, yes, the line between private security firms and the military is indeed blurred, but for good reason: to protect and save lives.

Question: Don't you think the military, if it had a problem with Blackwater, would allow them at event like Fleet Week? I already know the answer....

"Did you know that this was part of the half-time program of the game and that the parachutist was part of Blackwater's precision parachuting team, and that the act was meant to honor veterans?"

Irrelevant to the post and just another strawman argument.

Did Grumman parachute down? No. Did Lockheed? No - Why did a Blackwater employee parachute down?

Because the line between military and contractor is being blurred - and who do Blackwater employees answer to? Our commander in chief? No.

They have no business taking part in "Fleet Week" where we honor our military.

Next you'll be telling us that Blackwater employees should participate and be honored on Memorial Day, and receive Vet benefits.

You neocons are sick puppies, Peter - but at least in your case you acknowledge your illness.

"So, yes, the line between private security firms and the military is indeed blurred, but for good reason: to protect and save lives."

Yeah, having Blackwater parachute into the stadium saved lives...

"Question: Don't you think the military, if it had a problem with Blackwater, would allow them at event like Fleet Week? I already know the answer...."

Nope - this is being pushed on us by the administration, not by the military leaders, Peter. Wake up and smell the profits.

Next you'll be telling us that Blackwater employees should participate and be honored on Memorial Day, and receive Vet benefits.

Now THAT is a strawman!

Why did a Blackwater employee parachute down?

Do you have a hard time paying attention?

"But basically, somebody asked the folks at Blackwater to participate (aka: supply the jumpers and sponsor the jump)."

They don't just barge their way into an event, Lee. There event coordinators at stadiums and they orchestrate stunts like this. Common practice.

Yeah, having Blackwater parachute into the stadium saved lives...

You REALLY need to look up the definition of what a strawman argument is. Your ability at recognizing one is sorely lacking. This, what you just said, IS a strawman wisecrack by you and completely fails to address the relationship between Blackwater and the military addressing.

Nope - this is being pushed on us by the administration, not by the military leaders...

Oh dear God. That doesn't even come close to answering the question. Even a braindead dog knows that ANY administration wouldn't have the time or could even be bothered with such a infinitely small request as being allowed to jump into a half-time show.