A Facebook post by a comic book store owner reminds us that these parkland kids may be brave on the outside, but on the inside they are shattered and barely holding it together.

Facebook post by a comic shop owner who met some of the Parkland students recently. Very hard to read but I’m glad I did. pic.twitter.com/Cuq8rvs6Ea

— Tres @ C2E2 AA #T14 (@tresdcomics) March 24, 2018

We keep expecting these kids to save the country, but who is making sure that they will be saved as well?

They have gone from one terrifying reality involving gun violence, to another terrifying reality involving being thrust onto the national stage.

At some point they need the time to heal.

Hopefully that time will come before the wounds become too deep, and the wounds become too forever.

Another mass shooting, this one in a veteran's home in California.

Courtesy of SF Gate:  

A military veteran who had been treated for post-traumatic stress disorder burst into a veterans home in the North Bay town of Yountville on Friday with a rifle, killed three women connected with the treatment program and then killed himself, authorities and program officials said. 

Law enforcement officers found the bodies of the victims and the killer at the Veterans Home of California-Yountville shortly before 6 p.m., more than seven hours after the incident began, said Chris Childs, an assistant chief of the California Highway Patrol. 

Authorities had earlier said the gunman was holding staff members of the Pathway Home, a program on the Veterans Home campus that had been treating him for PTSD until he was asked to leave several days ago. 

One of those killed was the program’s executive director, Christine Loeber, the Pathway Home said in a statement. Also killed were Dr. Jen Golick, a therapist with the program, and Dr. Jennifer Gonzales, a psychologist with the Department of Veterans Affairs in San Francisco, the statement said.

The killer's name was Albert Wong, a man suffering from PTSD after serving overseas and fighting in the unnecessary wars started by the Bush Administration.

There are hundreds of similar afflicted veterans in this country, and virtually all of them continue to have access to firearms.

After all if you listen to the conservatives that was one of the rights they were fighting for over there. Which of course makes no sense.

"I was over there in Iraq shooting the enemy so that I could return back here and shoot a couple of doctors as is my God given right as an American."

Well I guess we have no choice but to install some bullet proof glass, add some reinforced doors, and post a couple of cops at all of the veteran's homes in the country.

I mean what other solution could there possibly be, right?

Track Palin's supposed PTSD is now being used to excuse his most recent assault.

Shushannah Walsh, who once authored a book about Sarah Palin (Sarah from Alaska), is essentially offering excuses for Track's behavior here.

Yes Track has a definite substance abuse problem.

But no it has NOTHING to do with any PTSD from his time in the military.

As we have noted a number of times in the past, Track did NOT actually see any combat while he was serving his one year hitch overseas.

In his discharge papers, posted above, there is no CIB (Combat Infantry Badge) which is given to ALL infantrymen and special forces who ACTIVELY participate in combat.

This of course means that Track did NOT see any actual combat, which I am sure his mother arranged for before she forced him to enlist.

So if indeed Track is suffering from PTSD, it is a disorder he earned simply by being a member of the Palin family, and NOT one he earned while serving his country.

As for the opioid problem, well Track has been dealing with that since his teens.

And that is ALSO likely the result of being a member of the Palin family.

Track also appeared in court today and was approved for house arrest.

Courtesy of ADN:  

Magistrate Judge Tara Logsdon approved house arrest with electronic monitoring for Palin and kept his $5,000 bail. Logsdon said she expected Palin to be released Wednesday. 

Once released, he's not allowed to go within an "exclusion zone" around his parents' home along the Parks Highway, or near liquor stores or places serving alcohol. He can't drink and must take prescription drugs only as prescribed. All weapons must be taken out of his house. 

Palin, who lives alone, will be allowed to go to medical appointments and to work at Alaska Directional LLC, a drilling company in Palmer. 

The family supports the house arrest request, Todd Palin told the judge by phone. His parents and siblings — younger brother Trig and sister Piper — still want contact with Track, Todd Palin said. 

It's not known if the children were in the house during the assault. 

Personally I would keep the kids far away from Track at this point, but the Palin family is not exactly known for good parenting decisions.

The prosecutor was not happy with some of these bail terms agreed to by the judge, but she did manage to get her request approved for a mental health evaluation.

Well, that's a start.

P.S. For those who were asking for one, here is a photo of Track from today's proceedings.

 Oh yeah, that is definitely the face of a man you want spending time with your kids.

Sarah Palin uses soldier suffering from PTSD to shame college students.

You guys might recognize that meme as it was fairly popular with the Right Wing several years ago.

However as Raw Story points out using it today demonstrates a complete lack of empathy toward that soldier, James Blake Miller, who suffers from PTSD:

Miller, now 32, received a medical discharge from the Marine Corps in 2005 after blacking out while assisting in Hurricane Katrina recovery due to post-traumatic stress issues related to his combat experience in Iraq.

So is Palin suggesting that college students should earn their chance at free college by first getting Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome? Because that seems especially harsh.

Of  course as we know Palin has a long history of using emotionally or mentally damaged military personnel to push her agenda.

And her history of attacking those seeking higher education is equally well known.

This time she just got to combine the two, into one giant insult directed at both.

Donald Trump insults veterans who suffer PTSD by saying they are not strong and "cannot handle" the things they've seen in war.

Courtesy of Slate: Donald Trump appeared on Monday morning at an event hosted by the Retired American Warriors PAC in Herndon, Virginia.

..... you can see a response to a question about military suicides in which Trump's attempt to pander to the crowd by complimenting them for being "strong" and able to "handle" the trauma of war goes badly awry.

Here is a transcript of his remarks:  

When you talk about the mental health problems, when people come back from war and combat, they see things that maybe a lot of the folks in this room have seen many times over and you're strong and you can handle it, but a lot of people can't handle it. And they see horror stories, they see events that you couldn't see in a movie, nobody would believe it, and we need a mental health help and medical and ... it's one of the things that I think is least addressed, and it's one of the the things I hear the most about when I go around and talk to the veterans. So we're going to have a very, very robust level of performance having to do with mental health. We are losing so many great people that could be taken care of if they had proper care.

I wonder if Trump removes his foot from his mouth just once is awhile to wipe the spit off of it and allow it to dry out a little.

Once again Trump has no fucking idea what he is talking about.

He just says words that he thinks his audience wants to hear.

However this time our veterans perhaps heard his remarks a little to well.

I guess my buddy who I deployed with, who suffered from PTSD, and who took his own life wasn't as strong as a roomful of Trump's supporters. https://t.co/iLb5V4PYs8

— Corbin Reiff (@CorbinReiff) October 3, 2016

My BF served 15 yrs in USMC w/ 3 tours in Iraq. He has a service dog for PTSD & now works for USSS. #Trump has no grasp of that kind of life https://t.co/qkQOUBOK7L

— LawBlarg‽ (@LawBlarg) October 3, 2016

@iava As a veteran of the USAF I cannot take the way this man speaks about any group of people including veterans. https://t.co/JTuxy9axyH

— Kevin Cracknell (@kevin_cracknell) October 3, 2016

And it made the usually cool as a cucumber Joe Biden just about lose his shit.

Well I guess we should all just sit back and wait for Sarah Palin, that "combat veteran's" mother (With a son who she also clams also suffers from PTSD.), tear Trump a new asshole for being an insensitive POS.

Yep, going to wait right here for that. Should be any minute now.

Yep, still waiting.

Probably taking awhile because you know she is all the way up in Alaska. Wait.....

Happy birthday Track Palin!

I wonder how long it will be before his family remembers that it;s his birthday?

Meme of the day

Sarah Palin's Today Show interview goes down in flames. Update!

Watch @SarahPalinUSA speak out on TODAY in exclusive interview. #IowaTODAY https://t.co/Kbol2A7w9x

— TODAY (@TODAYshow) February 1, 2016

Courtesy of Business Insider:  

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) bristled during a Monday interview on NBC's "Today" show when she was pressed about her provocative comments about her son's arrest and post-traumatic stress disorder. 

"You guys brought me here to talk about Iowa politics and the caucus tonight — not to talk about my kids," Palin said. "And that was a promise. But as things go in the world of media, you guys don't always keep your promises, evidently." 

"It's a shame that our military personnel even have to wonder, if they have to question if they're respected anymore. It starts from the top," she said then. "The question, though, it comes from our own president, when they have to look at him and wonder, 'Do you know what we go through?'" 

During her Monday "Today" interview, Palin said she wasn't blaming President Barack Obama with her comments. 

"What did I say that is offensive?" she said after host Matt Lauer asked if she regretted what she said at the Trump rally. 

"I don't regret any comment that I made because I didn't lay PTSD at the foot of the president," Palin added. "I did say, though — and suggested very adamantly — that there is much more that our commander in chief could do to prove that he respects our troops and let them do their job." 

Palin further criticized the hosts for not having her exact quote. 

"If you guys have a specific quote, it allows the media to be more credible," she said.

Matt Lauer then said that the Today Show had NEVER promised to avoid asking questions about Track's arrest or her comments on PTSD.

This was Palin's response:

Well, I was told that this interview is about the caucus tonight in Iowa. And right on, who will it be to put America back on the right track and restore constitutional government that we are lacking today and that we so need? And I said, "Right on, let me go talk about that. Sure."

Okay well let me just say that I take back all of my recent criticisms of the Today Show and Matt Lauer.

THIS is exactly the kind of interview that I was hoping for and did not expect to see.

Just watch Palin's face when they ask those questions about Track.

Update: Here is Palin on MSNBC this morning.  (I guess she did not learn her lesson yet.)

"I can do and say whatever I want."

Please do, that always works out SO well for you.

Hey look! Track Palin is now famous enough to have an editorial cartoon published about him.

Of course we know that Track spent far less than even a year in Iraq, but other than that this is a great editorial cartoon.

Radar Online reports on Track Palin's history of violence.

Courtesy of Radar Online:

According to an insider, Sarah‘s son has a history of aggressive “outbreaks” that worried his friends and family. 

“Track is a hothead,” an insider told Radar. “He has these outbreaks.” 

In one incident on a family vacation to Hawaii, the source said, “Track had fallen asleep at the hotel and we left to go for a walk on the beach. 

When he woke up, he snapped.” “When we got back to the hotel, it was total chaos, nearly a fist fight. Pretty violent. He was being verbally abusive.”

The source goes on to say that Track's problems might stem from his time in the military which makes me question how long this "insider" has been an insider since Track's temper and violent outbursts are well known in Wasilla.

However like this source I also have never heard of him ever hurting a woman, though of course he did refer to his sister as a c**t.

Whatever the reasons for Track's violent outbursts might be he definitely SHOULD be receiving counseling, and he absolutely SHOULD NOT be allowed around any firearms.

The insider also added this: 

“In Sarah’s comments, she didn’t even mention the domestic abuse. It was offensive.” 

“I want everyone to know who he is,” the source told Radar. “I want him to man up about it.”

I actually don't think that Track can "man up" because I don't think that anybody has really shown him how to be a man. 

By the way an industrious IM visitor did a little detective work and found out that the $1,500.00 bail money to get Track out of jail was put up by a guy named William J. Long.

William J. Long co-owns an LLC called Alaska Underground Specialties along with Marc and Matthew McKenna.

You might remember them as the guys whose birthday party was interrupted by the arrival of the drunken Palin clan.

Interesting, no?

Here is that ABC News report showing Sarah Palin arriving in Alaska and doubling down on blaming Track's military service for his domestic violence arrest.

Here is what the  dimwit says starting at the 2:15 mark:

"My family is no different than other families that are dealing with some of the ramifications of war. And just really appreciate people who will support our troops and make sure that they are treated better than illegal immigrants for one."

ABC then reports about the SarahPAC e-mail asking for more money so that she can keep traveling and " endorsing anti-establishment candidates who will not play politics as usual."

It kind of sounds to me as if ABC News is not buying the Sarah Palin mooseshit.

By the way Palin's remarks are so ridiculous and out of line that even the White House felt the need to chime in: 

White House spokesman Josh Earnest, asked about the comments at a news briefing on Thursday, said the instinct of many people is to "make light" of some of the rhetoric on the campaign trail, particularly from Palin. 

"The fact is domestic violence is not a joke. Gun violence is not a joke. Problems with addiction are not a joke and the ... sacrifices that many of our men and women in uniform make, for our safety and security, are not a joke." 

Earnest said while the fodder may come easy, "in this case, the issues that she's talking about are quite serious and are certainly issues that we take quite seriously here."

And everybody SHOULD take PTSD seriously.

But just like Down syndrome, if Palin can use it to deflect criticism, then she WILL use it to deflect criticism.

Military vets, and others, push back against Sarah Palin's claim that her son's domestic abuse arrest was due to PTSD. Or that it was the President's fault.

Courtesy of NBC News: 

Don't blame President Obama for the PTSD that Sarah Palin claims her oldest son is battling. 

That was the message Wednesday from the head of a New York City-based veteran's organization that has fought for years to get Iraq and Afghanistan war vets help with their post traumatic stress disorder. 

"It's not President Obama's fault that Sarah Palin's son has PTSD," said Paul Rieckhoff, who heads Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA). "PTSD is a very serious problem, a complicated mental health injury and I would be extremely reluctant to blame any one person in particular."

Now this veteran's group does not dismiss Palin's claim, but simply states that blaming the President is ill advised.

One pundit on CNN was outraged that Palin would attempt to blame Obama: 

CNN’s Donna Brazile got really worked up tonight about Sarah Palin linking her son’s domestic abuse arrest to President Obama‘s poor treatment of America’s veterans, calling her a liar. 

Brazile said it’s a “damn lie” that Obama has disrespected veterans, giving examples of how the president has pushed to take care of America’s wounded warriors.

Interestingly enough one vet had a more personal take on the matter.

Speaking as a combat vet who literally slept in the same barracks as Track Palin, his mother is wrong and her son is not a victim.

— Jason Kirell (@jaykirell) January 21, 2016

Ouch that's going to leave a mark.

You might like to know that if you open that tweet fully it also has a copy of Track's discharge paperwork, which has now spread all over the internet.

Somebody suggested that this might be yet another "blood libel" moment for Sarah Palin.

However my response is "When is what she says NOT another blood libel moment for her?" 

Sarah Palin travels to Oklahoma as a Donald Trump surrogate and tries to blame her son's violence against women on his military service. And of course President Obama.

The bullshit starts at around the 4;20 mark:

“I can talk personally about this, I guess it’s kind of the elephant in the room. Because my own family, going through what we're going through today. With my son, a combat vet, having served in a Stryker Brigade, fighting for you all America in the ward zone. But my son like so many others, they come back a bit different, they come back hardened, they come back wondering if there is that respect for what it is that their fellow soldiers and airmen, and every other member of the military so sacrificially have given to this country. And that starts from the top. It’s a shame that our military personnel even have to wonder, if they have to question, if they’re respected anymore. It starts from the top. The question though that comes from our own president where they have to look at him and wonder, do you know what we go through? Do you know what we’re trying to do to secure America and to secure the freedoms that have been bequeathed us? So when my own son is going through what he goes through coming back, I can certainly relate with other families who kind of feel these ramifications of some PTSD and some of the woundedness that our soldiers do return with, and it makes me realize more than ever, it is now or never, for the sake of America's finest that we have that Commander-in-Chief that will respect them. And honor them.”

So in a nutshell Palin is blaming the fact that her son cold cocked his girlfriend with a closed fist, and put a gun in his mouth threatening to end his life, because President Obama did not say thank you to him for driving officers around when he was stationed overseas?

Alrighty.

So let's once again remind everybody that Track is NOT a combat vet.

Here are his discharge papers, and as you can see he does not have the Combat Infantry Badge which is automatically awarded when a soldier is involved in an exchange of gunfire with the enemy.

So the only way that Track could have suffered PTSD during his deployment is if he is terrified of being away from mommy, or has an unnatural fear of camouflage clothing.

By the way my cell phone has been ringing non-stop today with folks from Wasilla wanting to make that I tell everybody that Track has ALWAYS been a violent, out of control asshole. And that he has been abusing drugs and alcohol for many years before his parents forced him to join the military.

Look I am not saying that at this point he does NOT have PTSD. I'm just saying that if that IS his current diagnosis, that it stems from his years living in the Palin household, and NOT from his very brief time in the military.

Uh oh! it looks like Bristol Palin's fiance has some 'spalining to do.

I just want to wish the best mother I know a Happy Mothers Day! Thank you for being the amazing woman that you are! @bsmp2 #mother #futurewife #outpfmyleague #shesthebest #13days #NeverOutGunned

A photo posted by Dakota (@dakotameyer0317) on May 10, 2015 at 6:40pm PDT

So this was the Mother's Day post put up by Dakota yesterday.

Sweet, right?

Boy that Bristol is one lucky gal. She is about to marry an honest to goodness war hero who has been saving himself until she came along.

Though it is kind of odd that he waited until his late twenties to finally tie the knot.

What's that you say? He didn't wait?

Nope he sure didn't.

Let's see Dakota married a Cassandra Marie Wain, a woman two years his senior, in May of 2008, when Dakota was only nineteen years old. And they were married in the Shiloh Cumberland Presbyterian Church near Campbellsville, KY.

Hmm, now though there is a record of the actual marriage, I have as yet been unable to find any record of a divorce.

I'm not saying there isn't one, just that there is no online information to confirm that there's one.

Meyer's Wikipedia page does not even mention the marriage, though of course it has been updated to include his recent engagement to Bristol. (By the way that engagement ring really was bought by Sarah.)

I located a Facebook page for Cassandra Marie Wain, and she is a beautiful young lady so one can only imagine what caused the breakup. However it was a year after they were married that Dakota recovered those bodies in Afghanistan that earned him the Medal of Honor, and of course triggered his PTSD. So that might have been it.

Okay so now we know that Bristol's fiance is a suicidal, PTSD suffering, ex-soldier, whose previous marriage failed.

Sounding better and better all of the time, don't you think?

Apparently Bristol's new fiance Dakota Meyer has never sought treatment for his PTSD, despite a heavily publicized suicide attempt.

So in the above video, if you go to the 10:57, Meyers describes the suicide attempt:

"I was going down, and I was drinking probably a bottle, to a bottle and  half of Crown a day. Just living my life that way. I didn't care about anything. I felt like I was becoming a burden on everybody else. I just pulled my car over one day and I was like 'You know what I'm done. I'm done.' I always keep a gun in my vehicle, and I always keep my guns loaded, all of them are always loaded, so I don't have to worry about it. And you know I pulled the gun out, put it to my head, and squeezed the trigger and it went 'click.'"

Meyer goes on to claim that somebody must have unloaded his gun the day before, which is the only thing that saved him.

He goes on to claim that he made a deal with himself that if he did not try it again in that car, and drove away instead, that he would never do it again. (And of course as we know we simply never break deals we make with ourselves.)

I have to say that if Meyer is accurate as to how quickly he pulled the gun, placed it to his head, and pulled the trigger, that indicates that he was serious and did not even stop to question his actions until AFTER the gun failed to fire.

That gives every indication of a person who is a serious suicide risk and requires a serious invention.

However it appears that he did not get that intervention.

At the 12:26 mark the female host, Cristina Ferrare, straight out asks Meyer if he received any psychiatric help or counseling after the suicide attempt or is receiving any now:

" No, no I don't. You know I don't ahh. When they sent me back fro Afghanistan  I was sent to a PTSD rehab center for precautionary measures. Um I was in there and..uh..you know it gave me knowledge on it, but I've never seeked (sic) help." 

Okay first off if he was sent to a PTSD rehab center then there was very likely something in his psychological profile which suggested that he needed counseling. And of course the suicide attempt essentially proves that.

Secondly surviving one attempt at suicide, in no way inoculates you from future attempts. It's not like catching the measles.

Thirdly if there was significant alcohol use back when he made that first attempt, and there has been no counseling of any kind, then it is quite likely that alcohol may still play a significant role in his life.

And fourthly he is about to marry a Palin!

I'm sorry but if you were not prone to alcoholism or suicide before......

Okay all that I'm saying is that there are so many red flags here that I can barely see past them.

In my opinion if Sarah were serious about putting her children first, and not simply using them to attract favorable publicity, she would be counseling Bristol to slow down and plan on a long engagement instead of rushing to the altar.

Project uses shocking images of veterans to illustrate the dangers of PTSD.

Courtesy of Addicting Info:  

There are 21.8 million veterans living in the United States. Out of those millions, about 1.3 million are living without insurance, and 60,000 of them are homeless. However, the struggles of veterans don’t end there – as photographer Devin Mitchell points out in a series called the Veteran Vision Project, which sets out to reveal the struggles of America’s veterans with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). 

Some of these images may be difficult to view, as Mitchell captures the raw emotions of what some veterans deal with on a daily basis. Throughout the series, it’s clear that even if a veteran returns home unscathed, the emotional scars are sometimes far deeper and more painful. 

To execute this project, Mitchell went to every participating veterans’ home and allowed them to have free rein on how they expressed what PTSD feels like to them. From their clothing to their props, each veteran’s photo resulted in a deeply personal look into their lives and how they’ve been affected. 

Here is a short documentary featuring some of the subjects feelings on PTSD and suicide.

This is what the photographer Devin Mitchell had to say to Buzzfeed about PTSD and suicide:“From the beginning of the project, it was my mission to let veterans say whatever they want through my photographs,” Mitchell told BuzzFeed News. “Many people who do projects on veterans only want to take a particular angle. I want to explore all of the issues, all of the darkness.”

“I think I can safely say that every person in the military has been affected by suicide,” Mitchell said. “Whether it’s something they’ve tried, or considered, or has impacted someone close to them.”

What I know about PTSD is that it often goes undiagnosed, and that if it remains hidden it is quite literally like a time bomb waiting to go off. And even if diagnosed, if there is no appropriate treatment, the timer keeps right on counting down.

Now that's not to say that Bristol Palin's new fiance is necessarily in the category. I mean it's not like his eyes betray any significant lack of sanity or anything.

    Of course I could be wrong about that.

Radar Online, who are usually all pro-Palin, are not at all sure that Bristol should marry Dakota Meyer.

Courtesy of Radar Online:

RadarOnline.com can reveal that the heroic former Marine and 2009 Medal of Honor recipient has detailed his battle with post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, and all it’s complications. 

Meyer revealed his PTSD and depression worsened after he returned from battle and began thinking about his fellow soldiers who had lost their lives in Afghanistan. 

“I would question things. It was a lack of confidence,” he said during one interview with Fox News. “I was second-guessing myself, thinking ‘I’m just not normal,’ and I’m trying to figure thing out. I’m trying to make reason of what happened and how to go on from this point forward.” 

He grew so despondent that he nearly committed suicide. 

“I was going down the road, and I was tired of being a burden on my family,” he said in 2012. “I was just tired of it all, and it just seemed like the easy way out. I pulled over to the side of the road and I pulled one of my guns out. I just put it to my head and squeezed the trigger. How there wasn’t a round there, I don’t know.”

So according to Meyer he not only thought about committing suicide, he actually attempted it, and would have succeeded if the gun had been loaded. 

I can tell you as somebody who has counseled people considering suicide that this is usually when somebody is hospitalized or enters long term therapy. 

It is also an indication that this person might make a similar choice in the future, if they get depressed again. And let's face it, we know that's coming.

Meyer also claims that he doesn't buy that PTSD is a valid defense against murder. His exact words were: 

“PTSD does not put you in the mind set to go out and kill innocent people,” continued Meyer, noting his own experiences with the disorder. “The media label this shooting PTSD, but if what that man did is PTSD, then I don’t have it.”

Well he is wrong there.  People with PTSD have definitely acted out in violence against others, more often than not a loved one. Besides I think Meyer is failing to recognize that wanting to kill yourself is just on the other side of the coin from wanting to kill others. 

Personally I can tell you that if I had a patient with PTSD, and a history of suicidal tendencies, I would strongly suggest that they remove all of their guns from the home and avoid drinking more than a beer or two a night. Forever.

I have to say that as much as dislike Bristol, I certainly do not want her to become just another statistic. However to be honest, it is really Tripp that I am the most concerned about right now.

How the deification of soldiers is hurting them in the long run.

This is an excerpt from a Boston Globe story entitled "Joining the Military doesn't make you a hero:"  
When soldiers were part of society, people recognized them as ordinary human beings. Now, with the emergence of the all-volunteer army, society has transferred the burden of war to a small, self-contained caste cut off from the American mainstream. This distance allows civilians to develop extravagant fantasies about soldiers that feed the militarist impulse. If we believe our soldiers are superheroes, it makes sense to send them to faraway battlefields to solve our perceived problems in the world. That is why, in this era of seemingly endless war, politicians, the defense industry, and even big-time sports compete with each other to promote hero-worship of soldiers and veterans. 

This serves the cynical interests of those who, for political or business reasons, want to encourage American involvement in foreign wars. Even worse, it distracts attention away from the scandalous way we treat our veterans. Cheering for them in public and saluting them in cliché-ridden speeches is a way to disguise the fact that our society callously discards many of them. Shocking rates of unemployment, mental illness, homelessness, addiction, and suicide among our veterans constitute a national disgrace. It is far easier, however, to spend a few seconds applauding a smiling soldier than to contemplate a troubled veteran left behind by an uncaring country. 

The soldier acknowledging cheers at a ball game is a fantasy figure we can easily admire. Veterans in need are more disturbing, so we keep them invisible. If we truly considered our uniformed fighters heroic, we would show them real gratitude rather than the phony kind that gives us a shiver of momentary pride but does them little good.

This issue has been bothering me for quite some time, only  in today's world discussing it is tantamount to treason in the eyes of many.

I think we have all seen politicians giving lip service to our military men and women, and then turning a blind eye to their needs after their service is complete.

The suicide rate for veterans far exceeds the number killed in combat, and even if they do not kill themselves many others are diagnosed with PTSD and have significant trouble reentering civilian life.

By labeling them "heroes," and giving them almost mythical abilities, we forget to treat them like the fragile human beings that they are.

In the end we place them on a pedestal and then abandon them as if they were a marble monument to bravery, instead of a thinking, feeling, suffering, member of the human race.

The Marine held captive in Mexico after crossing the border with loaded guns has been freed. Just one less thing for the Right Wing to bitch at Obama about. Update!

Courtesy of the Washington Post:  

A retired U.S. Marine who fought in Afghanistan returned home to Florida on Saturday after spending eight months in a Mexican jail for crossing the border with loaded guns, a case that led U.S. politicians to bring intense pressure on Mexico to release him. 

Family spokesman Jon Franks said the private plane carrying Marine Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi, his mother and supporters — including former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson — landed at a South Florida airport about 6 a.m. Tahmooressi was freed Friday night and was reunited with his mother, Jill, and then boarded the flight to Florida in San Diego. 

Tahmooressi, 26, has said he took a wrong turn on a California freeway that funneled him into a Tijuana port of entry with no way to turn back, and that he had no intention of illegally bringing guns into Mexico. His detention brought calls for his freedom from U.S. politicians, veterans groups and social media campaigns. A U.S. congressional committee held a hearing on the case. 

In Mexico, possession of weapons restricted for use by the Army is a federal crime, and the country has been tightening up its border checks to stop the flow of U.S. weapons that have been used by drug cartels. 

In his order Friday, the Mexican judge did not make a determination on the illegal arms charges against Tahmooressi but freed him because of his mental state, according to a Mexican official who had knowledge of the ruling but was not authorized to give his name. Tahmooressi suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, treatment for which Franks said would be the first order of business now that he is back in the U.S.

As I am sure everybody is aware the Right Wing had been making this a cause celebre for months and even Sarah Palin and Brancy had posted about it several times.

Personally I have been more than a little skeptical at this guy's story, especially since on the day of his arrest he had already crossed into Mexico on foot, checked into a hotel, checked out hours later, walked back across the border to his truck, and then tried to drive it across the border into Mexico where the guns were found under a mattress. (Source.)

Look maybe the guy has all kinds of problems and is not responsible for his actions, however I am also noticing that this PTSD diagnosis is starting to crop up a lot in order to explain all kinds of erratic behaviors. ("Track stop cussing.")

However there is also the strong possibility that this guy really did deserve to face a little Mexican justice, and that he was saved solely for political reasons, and so that certain powerful people could save face.

Update: Well you knew it was coming.

From Queen of Attention Seeking's Facebook page:  

What wonderful news that Marine Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi will be free on U.S. soil—finally!—after being imprisoned in Mexico for the past eight months. It's been such a bizarre situation and so disappointing as we hear reports that the White House never did fight for our Marine's freedom. If true, then President Obama once again broke that sacred commitment to never leave an American behind. If I'm wrong on this, I'll be more than happy to acknowledge the President's efforts to see an honored vet set free. Prayers and well wishes go out to Sgt. Tahmooressi and all who have been so dedicated to his plight, especially Andrew's joy-filled mother today. I had the honor of speaking with her a few months ago and have admired her commitment in seeking justice for her son. She’s fought doggedly for Andrew's release; her efforts paid off. Great volunteer organizations worked so hard for this outcome, and FOX News’ Greta Van Susteren kept this important story of seemingly obvious injustice in the news even when few others reported on it. I hope the press will keep pursuing truth in the matter, in the name of justice for all. The best of everything, Andrew! Find peace and fulfillment in this new chapter of life! 

- Sarah Palin

"I'm so glad he's free (Look at me! Look at me!). Too bad the President left him in that Mexican jail to rot. (Look at me! Look at me!) But hey if I'm wrong about that I will totally (Never) apologize. (Well are you looking at me yet or what?)

Sarah Palin wants to take the "D" out of PTSD. You know I always thought she had a problem with the "D."

Courtesy of Palin's infomercial Facebook page:

Like most every American I stand by our U.S. military vets! Thank you to our active duty heroes and all who've served this great country in the past. I was honored to speak at a recent fundraiser in Texas for The Mighty Oaks Warrior Foundation to support our returning troops who have left the battlefield overseas, but face new battles upon their return. America owes them a debt of gratitude, and our troops suffering from PTSD must not be ignored by a grateful nation. In the following video, I discuss what Mighty Oaks does for our vets.

There is also a video embedded on her page that claims the Mighty Oaks want to take the "D" out of PTSD, and during which she claims that all these poor soldiers need is a little Jesus in their lives.

I mean really who needs trained therapists, with years of experience, helping you deal with a complicated and often life altering disorder that can cause you to completely disassociate from family members, and friends, and to self medicate with alcohol or drug use?

Instead this program essentially tells the vets struggling with this diagnosis (Or as the program calls it, their new "deployment.") that they are made in God's image, and that since they are trained soldiers they can deal with anything. A kind of camouflage version of "Buck up or stay in the truck."

You know according to Palin her son Track benefited in some way form this program. (One report even claimed he was a councilor.)

If that is true, then you might imagine that she would angry and disappointed at this program for failing him.

After all a well adjusted person does NOT drunkenly start a fight at a birthday party, nor tear off his shirt and start flipping people off when asked to leave that party.

And after leaving a well adjusted person also does not immediately go to a bar, get into another fight, and end up with cracked ribs.

If THIS is what The Mighty Oaks considers a success story then I would make sure to keep friends and family members as far away from them as possible.

Track really is a tragic story, and I have recently heard that his substance abuse is worse than ever, and that he spends very little time with his new daughter Kyla. In fact when she comes over to visit the family, he is often nowhere to be found.

That is just sad and it is clear that he needs much more help than can be provided by the religiously saturated pseudo therapy center. (I mean they have a program called "Fight Club for Men: A Quest for Authentic Manhood. Which is described thusly: "Our six day Post Traumatic Stress Reintegration Program is designed to serve as the catalyst in discovering the answers to the “why” questions in a man’s life. Through camaraderie, recreational activities, and thoughtful conversation, Fight Club teaches men to overcome any past experience that be limiting their personal success. Individual adversities that have grown out of traumatic experiences are able to surface during these six days, as we foster a confidential, safe, and vulnerable environment with a faith-based foundation through Christ.")

Six days. Seriously?

Look I work with clients who have PTSD all of the time. And the idea that they can simply "soldier through it" is not only wrong, but it is dangerous. This disorder, and yes it IS a disorder, is quite complicated and it affects the individuals suffering with it in a variety of ways.

Usually it is approached using a combination of therapy, medications, and family support. It is not enough to simply deal with the patient, you have to help shape their environment and educate the people who are the closest to them in order to provide the kind of wrap around services these individuals require.

And as I have said before, I do not think that Track's problems stem from his time in the military, however stunted that appears to have been. His problems started well before then, and as long as he is surrounded by so many dysfunctional people I do not see them ending any time soon.

So for Palin to suggest that a six day program in a military frat house environment is enough to deal with the complexities of such a disorder may be a new level of deceit.

Update: Also apparently Palin is planning to sue Bob Cesca over the use of her clips. But we all know she is bluffing.  (Palin part starts the 6:00 mark.)

Today hosts of The View discussed the Palin family brawl. Nicolle Wallace could not be less surprised. Update!

So this morning Whoopi brings up the Throwdown at the Hoedown:

"Sarah Palin has broken her silence about her family's recent brawl at a party supporting her children in a gushing Facebook post that reads 'I have to say this as a proud mama: right up there with their ethic and heart for those less fortunate, my kids' defense of family makes my heart soar.'"

Then Whoopi turns to Nicolle Wallace, who of course handled Sarah Palin during the 2008 campaign, for her thoughts.

Wallace: "I worked with Sarah Palin, I have political staffer version of PTSD. So whenever I hear that she is breaking her silence I sort of, my heart stops."

Whoopi then asks Wallace to share what she has heard:

"This was a brawl of some sort?"

Wallace: "Yeah sometimes with the Palins it's exactly what it looks like right? This was a family night out it would appear. And um one of the kids, one of the sons, got into a fight and the family rushed to their defense. Which is admirable I think up to the point when you know every one is punching other kids in the face. And it has been reported, though she has denied, that she screamed out 'Do you know who I am?', which I think they did and I think therein lay part of the problem for them. Right? Maybe?"

I think that Wallace certainly has Palin's number, in that no matter how crazy the story you hear about her and her family there is often a kernel of truth to it.

However I was a little surprised that she seemed unsure which son might have been in the fight.

Because unless little Trig is known to toss aside his juice box and throw down at the slightest provocation, clearly it had to be he PTSD counselor himself, Track Menard Palin.

Personally I am just happy that here we are a two weeks out, and this drunken brawl is STILL getting national coverage.

(P.S. Here is the site that had the video, but let me warn you that it is the conservative site Newsbusters. So it is up to you to decide if you want to give them a click to here the above conversation for yourself.)

Update: Okay Mediaite has the video. So if you want to see it click here instead.