Meet a Human Shield--Everything you’d expect and more

National Review ^ | 3-3-03 | Mark Goldblatt

[SJackson]

Granted, there is a certain entertainment value in the merry band of "human shields" now scurrying around the Iraqi countryside, trying to deter the United States from bombing strategic targets by parking directly in the line of fire — it is, after all, the ultimate Jackass stunt. Saying that, however, it's still worth knowing a little something about their leader, a former Marine and Gulf War Veteran named Ken Nichols O'Keefe.

In his website's mission statement, which reads like a first draft the Unabomber might have written and discarded as too delusional, O'Keefe declares, "I have announced plans to bring serious charges against the United States. . . . You and your government are vile disgusting killers and people like myself have been and will continue to be attacked because we refuse to acquiesce or participate in your wretched policies."

Like many paranoids, O'Keefe — who has the word "ex-patriot" etched into his right hand and who claims "Hawaii" as "the nation of my allegiance" — is afflicted by an overriding sense of his own significance: "Your 'intelligence services,' primarily the FBI, have for years had every incentive to monitor me. I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever that the FBI does have quite a lengthy file on me. . . . I am what you call an 'enemy of the state,' and indeed, I am an enemy of any state that puts power and greed above all else, even human life. Naturally, it was merely a matter of time before I would become a political target."

Despite such persecution, O'Keefe won't be discouraged, for his mission is, in a larger sense, messianic: "Fight I will, and my greatest weapon? The Truth. Indeed it is the truth that has set me free, and I will till my death and beyond continue to help free others."

And what is O'Keefe's Truth? "What I am ultimately stating . . . is already known to thinking people (not 'educated') around the world, and the people on the receiving end of your bombs or economic oppression are difficult to brainwash, so it is that these people know the truth I speak. Aside from the comparatively wealthy Western societies of America and Western Europe, whose populations (to a great degree) have been lulled into a morally comatose state of existence, the United States is regarded as a hypocritical rouge nation that is tolerated only out of fear of reprisal. A rouge that is completely out of control. Drunk on its own Power. A rouge that seriously threatens to destroy all life as we know it through its global rape of the natural world and sheer insanity in developing weapons of mass destruction."

America . . . the nation that gave us the nightmare of Maybelline!

All right, one last quote from the site: "Dear Ken, I'm very impressed to find out about what you are doing, and would like to express my strongest support and encouragement for these brave actions." — Noam Chomsky, January 5, 2003.

Enough said.

— Mark Goldblatt, a writer in New York, is author of the novel Africa Speaks, now available in paperback.

[mhking]

it is, after all, the ultimate Jackass stunt.

'Nuff said.

"Hold muh beer 'n watch this!" PING....

If you want on or off this list, please let me know!

[demosthenes the elder]

someone needs to learn how to spell "rogue"

[discostu]

I notice a lot of the current crop of nut jobs use "Yoda meter" ("fight I will" "nation of my allegiance" "till my death and beyond continue to help free others"). Which tells me something about where they're getting their moral direction. You think they realize it's a puppet?

[demosthenes the elder]

more seriously, the man has voluntarily renounced his citizenship and has declared hostilities against my country and, so far as I can tell, my Constitution. He used to be a Marine, which means that he once swore an oath to defend the Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic. Discharge does not liberate one from that oath. His words and deeds brand him an oathbreaker and traitor. He merits exile. Send him to Saddam, one-way, with our blessings.

[deroberst]

Can't help but wonder if he was really a US Marine and was in Gulf War I. If he were, I'd love to have a look at his service record. I have found that many lunatics who claim a service background were never near the military, or were kicked out before they got out of basic training. I have spoken to "homeless" panhandlers on the street who claimed to have been in Vietnam. After a few minutes conversation it was quite clear they were never even in service. (I was in Vietnam and therefore I am able to ask a couple of simple question the answers to which would have been obvious to a vet but not to an imposter.) The guy sounds just like one of those psychotics.

[Ignatz]

...and who claims "Hawaii" as "the nation of my allegiance"...

BWAAAHAHAHAHAHA!! D'j'ever notice these idgits never pick someplace uncomfortable to make their stand?
Hey! Pinhead! Why not Barrow, Alaska? Why not the middle of Death Valley? Come on, Mr. "Altruistic", let's see you REALLY stand on principle!

[Destructor]

"Aside from the comparatively wealthy Western societies of America and Western Europe, whose populations (to a great degree) have been lulled into a morally comatose state of existence, the United States is regarded as a hypocritical rouge nation that is tolerated only out of fear of reprisal."

That works for me!

[Destructor]

I've just learned from a co-worker that many of the "human shield" are leaving Iraq with the realization that war in imminent, and Saddam is going down. Can anyone verify this account?

[Ichneumon]

I've just learned from a co-worker that many of the "human shield" are leaving Iraq with the realization that war in imminent, and Saddam is going down. Can anyone verify this account?

You betcha

[DeuceTraveler]

"BWAAAHAHAHAHAHA!! D'j'ever notice these idgits never pick someplace uncomfortable to make their stand?
Hey! Pinhead! Why not Barrow, Alaska? Why not the middle of Death Valley? Come on, Mr. "Altruistic", let's see you REALLY stand on principle!"



No joke. How come liberals get some of the best property? They claim everything from New York's superb harbors to beautiful Miami and Seattle.

At least we'll always have Colorado.

[etcetera]

"who claims "Hawaii" as "the nation of my allegiance" ... ????? .. what does that mean"

There's a "native Hawaiian" movement active in the 50th state. There are a humber of factions, but basically they claim that the U.S. annexed Hawaii illegally after the overthrow of the last Hawaiian monarch (Queen Liliuokalani) in 1898.

There's the "Akaka Bill" (named after Hawaii's current senator) being proposed in Congress to recognize native Hawaiians as indigenous people like the native American Indians.

[buffyt]

I am still trying to figure out what part of HUMAN SHIELDS these idiots didn't understand!

[Anticommie]

Meet a Human Shield--Everything you’d expect and more

The sorry individuals who thought they are a heroes, went to Iraq to kiss Saddams ass and they were told to leave after they refused to make good on their purpose of beiing there, (Saddam kick their ass telling them to leave). They are the most miserable form of life on Earth, and if I was an air force pilot, I would unload my load on them first.

[wbill]

Hawaii ping. Have you guys seceded yet?

[SJackson]

Can't help but wonder if he was really a US Marine and was in Gulf War I. If he were, I'd love to have a look at his service record.

You raise an interesting point. He’s self-described as a Marine Gulf War vet, but in the multitude of articles he’s generated (many in the foreign press) I’ve never seen a reference to rank, unit, or discharge date, all seemingly normal questions. It would seem someone would have debunked him by now though.

He does have a couple of pics (above) on his photo album page graduating from recruit training with a caption refering to a three year USMC career, which would make me wonder if something was amiss. No pics from Kuwait. Lots from Hawaii, where he’s promoting secession from the US.

His words and deeds brand him an oathbreaker and traitor. He merits exile

I agree. Along with renouncing his citizenship, he freely describes himself as an “enemy combatant. Clearly his arguments that “his government” isn’t representing him are specious.

Interview With Ken O'Keefe

America's Son turned "Enemy Combatant"

[Stultis]

" where are the torture groupies of yesteryear?"

[Lazamataz]

Just what we need in the world. More paranoid nuts.

You're talking about me, aren't you?

They're always talking about me.

[Lazamataz]

Not on her best day and my worst.

[AbsoluteJustice]

I was a Marine for 5 years (extended a year) I have never heard of in my time in anyone signing up for a 3 year stint. Now during Vietnam that was the case but in Today's Marine Corp there is no 3 year stint.

[Dialup Llama]

>He used to be a Marine,

Scott Ritter used to be a marine. I am wary of all professional ex-marines and professional ex-intel types who populate the Art Bell/UFO circuit.