Peacenik Jackasses And Dennis Kucinich Targeting Air Show Displays

For those of you that read this dumpy blog occasionally, know that I'm a big fan of air shows. I love the aerial displays of our nation's armed forces. The air shows also feature displays on the ground from the armed forces which are used as a recruiting tool. One of those is the Virtual Army Experience. If anyone has played the multi-player game by the Army called America's Army, it's like that except kicked up a notch. For those who have no idea what I'm talking about, it's essentially a virtual battlefield where you are in a virtual war. You can find more info here.

Now here's where the jackasses come into play. The "Northeast Ohio chapter of the Veterans For Peace" is objecting to the display because apparently it "glorifies violence".

Mary Reynolds Powell of Cleveland, a former Army nurse in Vietnam who heads the local chapter of Veterans for Peace, said the Army exhibit offended her group because putting people in a Humvee and giving them a rifle to shoot at human-sized figures on a wraparound video screen glorifies violence.

"I am pleased the exhibit is not coming this year and I attribute that to the wide-scale community response to it a year ago," Powell said.

Supposedly; they had some kind of boycott thing last year at the Cleveland National Air show. I didn't see it or I would've let my feeling be known. This year they've succeeded because the Army is not sending the display to Cleveland, even though it's been there the past two years.

Of course; Dennis "I play with aliens" Kucinich had to chime in. He is also requesting Congress to discontinue funding for the display.

"War," said Kucinich, "is not a game. The Virtual Army Experience is an unfortunate recruiting tool. Our community suffers enough violence, without having it minimized. I am glad that the proponents of the VAE have acknowledged the public opposition to their exhibit and have decided to bypass Cleveland, but simulating war for recruitment purposes is controversial in all communities."

I'm sure this "wide-scale community response" and "public opposition" amounts to about 10 people.

Cleveland Air Show Executive Director Chuck Newcomb isn't buying the peaceniks blather.

The Army has not indicated it has any intention of sending it, said Newcomb, who said he would have been notified if it was coming. Newcomb said that 60,000 to 80,000 people attend the air show each year, and the only complaints were from the veterans group.

He said this year's show will include airborne acrobatics from the Air Forces Thunderbirds stunt flying team and appearances by the Marine Corps Harrier plane, which is known for its ability to take off and land vertically. He said every armed services branch recruits at the air show, and the military planes are sent to Cleveland as a recruiting tool.

Newcomb said he visited the Virtual Army Experience and did not find it objectionable.

"We're about airplanes," he said. "The display was just that: a display."

The Virtual Army Experience is, in reality, no different than other war games such as HALO, Call of Duty, etc. Everything is life-sized and features a hummer that doesn't move. I really wish these people would get on a plane and head straight for the nearest skein of geese. There's no need for emergency assistance.