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Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Regarding the Heckling of a Veteran

There are jerks everywhere. Nothing new. A veteran can end up being killed by someone just because he's homeless. Coworkers can pull stupid stunts to get a PTSD veteran to go off on them. Some protestors against the war linked in with others, including parents of soldiers, will say stupid things against the men and women they claim they care about. So let's just be honest here. In any group, there will always be a few jerks.

Yet this story about a few jerks from Columbia ended up showing how much veterans are cared about. The response to this story has the blog world on fire, from Republicans, Independents and Democrats. Veterans have a lot to teach the rest of us. They stand together no matter what political party they come from, where they live or how much they make. It doesn't make a difference if they are going to school or running a business.

Columbia had a veteran, a wounded veteran on top of everything else, speak at a hearing for ROTC. While everyone else there wanted to hear the speaker, a few gathered and decided what they wanted to say at the moment they wanted to say it mattered more than anything else. If you've ever tried to have a conversation with egotistical-self-absorbed jerks, you know what I mean. They make it their mission to constantly interrupt what someone else is saying. They are like children jumping up and down, screaming to get attention when grownups are talking. This ended up making the veteran and Columbia look like grownups and the hecklers look like spoiled brats.

ROTC at Columbia University: Regarding the Heckling of a Veteran

Marco Reininger
Veteran of the war in Afghanistan, political science major at Columbia University's School of General Studies
Posted: February 22, 2011 01:12 PM

Heckling a speaker -- veteran or not -- during a public hearing intended to further dialogue and constructive debate is, simply put, childish. It is particularly disappointing when the hecklers are members of the Columbia University community, an institution that prides itself with its spirit of free speech, toleration and respect for one's fellow man and woman.

However, at the university's February 15th hearing regarding ROTC at Columbia, the catcalls were directed at Anthony Maschek, a disabled U.S. Army veteran who was severely wounded in combat. A group of ROTC opponents booed and laughed at Maschek's comments in support of the military and called him a racist. A former U.S. Army Staff Sergeant can most likely handle petty booing by a small group of vocal anti-military activists in an otherwise supportive audience. However, the disturbance seemed hostile enough for the moderator to insist that the environment remain one where people "are not threatened."


Thus, I want to caution against labeling Columbia University "hostile" based on the immature actions of a few. It is indeed a place of open debate and discourse of opinion where emotions can run hot and etiquette neglected. Yet, the fact that a discussion regarding the reinstatement of ROTC is even taking place shows the institution's overarching spirit. Yes, it was a veteran who was heckled during the hearing and that deserves special attention. However, the university as a whole has demonstrated its dedication to veterans in recent years and having a few vocal ROTC opponents on campus should not be used to imply the contrary.

The individuals who booed Anthony Maschek revealed their lack of respect for human beings with differing opinions to theirs, which, independent of his veteran status, is tragic. More significantly, while advocating non-violence, they denied dignified, non-hostile treatment to an individual that has shown great integrity, loyalty and a dedication to our country. Yet, the group merely achieved to spotlight their immaturity and undermine their credibility. By not allowing Anthony Mascheck undisturbed sharing of his point of view as a former military man, the group demonstrated their disinterest in engaging in a mannerly debate and exposed their true desire to provoke and instigate.

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Regarding the Heckling of a Veteran

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