Posted on 03/09/2008 1:36:29 AM PST by USMC Brat
Bonus missed due to anti-war court commissioner
Veterans were outraged Friday by a Los Angeles court commissioner who allegedly denied a Simi Valley teen's request to enlist early in the Marines because she opposed the Iraq war.
As word of Commissioner Marilyn Mackel's decision spread on talk radio, television news and blogs, veterans at VFW Post 2805 in Canoga Park chewed over the controversial decision.
"As a judge, she should be lending her opinion based on laws, not her feelings," said Bob Moran, commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars post. "No one gives a (expletive) whether she supports the war or not.
"Based on that sole opinion, I don't think she should be working."
Mackel, a former social worker, probation officer and court referee, was sworn in as a juvenile dependency commissioner in 2002. She has declined to comment on the enlistment hearing.
Last fall, Mackel denied 17-year-old Shawn Sage early enlistment into the Marine Corps, which Sage said cost him a $10,000 signing bonus.
During the Oct. 12 hearing at the Children's Court in Monterey Park, Sage and a Marine recruiter said Mackel stated she didn't support the Iraq war, while suggesting she didn't trust recruiters and didn't approve of the military.
On Friday, state Assemblyman Cameron Smyth gave Sage an award at Royal High School for suggesting legislation to allow foster teens to enlist in the service at 17 without express permission of a judge.
Smyth's bill, AB 2238, would allow early enlistment with consent from a foster parent or social worker.
"This is why I got into this job - to be able to help people like Shawn," Smyth, R-Santa Clarita, said after attending two high school assemblies of more than 600 students and government officials. "He's the kind of kid you really want to root for."
A number of vets, some of whom joined the armed services before they turned 18, phoned in to "The Larry Elder Show" on KABC-AM (790) to complain about Mackel's decision.
"I am furious over this story," said Jonathan Flora, an independent filmmaker from Northridge and former Army veteran, one of many Daily News readers to phone the paper Friday to protest Mackel's decision.
In an open letter to Mackel, Daily News reader Nate Brogin of Sherman Oaks said his enlistment in the Army at 18 and his service in Vietnam helped him become a responsible adult after being raised as a foster child.
"You, because of your own personal bias, elected to not allow this young man the same benefits to choose his own path.
"And biased is exactly what a judge can not be."
Still, some readers thought Mackel had every right to voice her personal opinions on the bench.
"I would hope this sheds more light on how the military is trying to sign up teenagers before they're old enough to either fight or die," said Tom Hayden, an anti-war activist and former state assemblyman.
"They must be pretty desperate: `Do your homework, because we want to give you a gun and send you off' to war."'
Military recruiters faced official condemnation early this year in Berkeley and a recruiting station was bombed Thursday in New York City.
Many upset over the Mackel decision said she denied a young man focused on becoming a Marine scout and sniper the opportunity to lock in a job through early enlistment.
"We want to demand a resignation and prosecution of this activist judge," said Dean Watkins, 38, of Langsberg, Mich. "This is the sickest thing we've ever seen."
PING - to the OP’s of the 3 threads I referenced.
BTTT
Would it have helped if Sage had become an emancipated minor first?
I doubt that ever crossed his mind because his foster parents, social worker and Marine Recruiter all vouched for him in court.
With as much support as Sage had in court there was no reason to believe the Judge would deny him early enlistment.
Also, Emancipation is a long drawn out process in itself where a youth has to prove he/she is able to support themself, among other things.
Wasn’t Tom Hayden married to Jane Fonda?
Yes, and why neither one ever saw the gibbet is beyond me.
As a matter of fact he was.
What’s your point? What does Tom Hayden or Jane Fonda have to do with this thread?
Hayden is quoted in the story.
Thanks for the clairfication.
I had to re-read the story for his reference. That went right over my head.
*blush*
More crazy judges, who are drunk with power...
Is it uncommon for judges to deny early enlistment?
I wonder if there are any stats, or if most requests are granted.
Just sayin'...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1982401/posts
Yes, this has been discussed before. The sad thing is that any judge who makes a decision based on his/her political views is a fool. The ALJ has authority over foster kids. This ALJ went beyond her legal bounds to impose her ruling based on her own contempt as she accused the recruiter and the Corps of lying.
If she had done her research, she'd have known that people under the age of 18 are non-deployable.
I could be wrong. This may only apply to soldiers and not marines. Our guys are gearing up to go to Iraq and we have a 17 year old who's too young to go with the group - non-deployable.
Somehow, that’s EXCATLY what I though she would look like.
And talk about clothing to match the person!
WTF is HTML?
HTML Bootcamp (Cyber Patriot Training)
Click on the hyperlink and all your questions will be answered. I suspect though that your comment was poking fun at me, since you've been here since 2003.
I wrote a Private Reply to Cunningham, a thank you. I also admit that my HTML skills are very limited, and that I'm very new to FR.
At least give the newbie (est 2-14-08) credit for locating the links to similar threads, even though they weren't hyperlinked in my OP.
Hopefully this thread will get back on topic from this point forward.
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