Making sense of the Chiroux/IVAW theater of the last few days
Yeah, I know, I was a little confused yesterday, too. I woke up to the news (in my email) that Matthis Chiroux had been recommended for an general discharge under honorable conditions. I’d talked to LTC Maria Quon the day before and she had told me that was the worst he could receive, so imagine my surprise when I read that he had called it a victory for the Left. It was the same discharge he would have gotten if he hadn’t gone to St. Louis and made a buffoon of himself. And dragged his groupies along with him.
And then, I saw his asshattery on the St Louis local news with the upside down flag patch on his sleeve like some spoiled child. I’m pretty sure he didn’t wear it like that for the board or they’d have thrown him irons on the spot. The only thing that’s distressed here is Chiroux.
So then I spent the rest of the morning talking TSO in from the ledge (his office in on the second floor, but still, he might have landed on a hobo and we wouldn’t have been able to get the smell off before the weekend and the MilBlog convention is like tomorrow). Soon after that, someone sent a copy what Kris Goldsmith wrote on his Facebook page about Matthis – the best part of the whole thing is that it jibes with what a former friend of Chiroux told us last month – almost letter perfect. Luckily, I was between TSO and the window this time.
Of course, I emailed some of the folks in IVAW who I know to get their reaction. One of them sent me Camillo’s (one of the VVAW handlers of IVAW) reaction to Goldsmith’s missive;
Camillo Mac Bica at 2:19pm April 22
Kris, this is truly overwhelming. Please know that I have always respected you and all you have done for the movement and I don’t question your honesty and motivation in coming out on this. Here is my problem, though, and this is what I worry about. Like it or not, deservedly or not, Matthis has become one of the most visible faces of the movement, the poster boy, if you will. As such, should “right wing bloggers” as you mentioned, get a hold of this, it will be the entire movement that will suffer a set back, a loss of credibility. Now I’m not saying not to let the truth be known, hey let’s air this out and let the chips fall where they may.But can we do this in house, wthout giving the Fox fuckers a hey day to the detriment of IVAW and the rest of the peace movement? If I can be of any assistence in resolving this with the least amount of chaos, please let me know. You are an intelligent and honest man, Kris, so I trust your ability to look at the whole picture.
Emphasis is mine. I found it odd that Camillo, was willing to throw Goldsmith, a long time member of IVAW, one of the well-known and arguably one of the most believable testifiers at Winter Soldier right under the proverbial bus and cover up for Matthis Chiroux, the habitual liar and the guy who has never served in combat in either Afghanistan nor Iraq. But, as Camillo explains “Matthis has become one of the most visible faces of the movement, the poster boy“. Chiroux has been willing to say anything for anybody – for a price. He’s tall and blond and I guess Camillo finds that more attractive than the truth.
From what I’ve heard from members of IVAW as well as former members, Mejia is running off anyone from IVAW who won’t toe the International Socialist Organization line, and we’ve already seen Chiroux cozy up to World Can’t Wait, that had been established by the Revolutionary Communist Party. So while many IVAW members are a little shy about aligning themselves with folks who have far-Left tendencies, Camillo and Chiroux have no problem with that.
Here’s a reminder of what Camilo Mejia wrote to Army Sergeant last month about her patriotism and the Constitution;
What you have before you, Selena, is a typical GI Resistance publication, Vietnam-era style. Many such publications were the work of civilians who were working alongside GIs, which is the case of GI Special. Tom Barton works with members of VFP, IVAW, VVAW, etc and they reprint articles from papers like the Army Times, and from web sites such as our very own.
Your opinion of this publication is a reflection of just how out of touch you are with the organization you’re in. Have you ever checked out Vets For Freedom? They loooove the constitution, they’re flag waving patriots, and they want troops to reenlist. I bet they would have a similar opinion to yours about GI Special.
I’m not going to waste too much on this, Selena, but I really think you should explore other organizations that would better meet your desire to be a hard core patriot. IVAW is really not that place.
Yeah, see, if you happen to believe that the Constitution is a good legal guide for our country, Camilo doesn’t think you belong in the IVAW. If you happen to wave a flag right-side-up, you don’t belong in IVAW. Chiroux belongs in IVAW because he’ll prostitute himself – he’ll say and do anything for a price. As long he gets his nose full of cocaine and gets to live in a big expensive apartment in NYC, Chiroux will do anything. Kris Goldsmith reports that this pompous arrogance is what’s on Chiroux’ Facebook page this morning;
“Oh the fates are twisted! 8)8) Forgive the liars and the lame of heart. They know not what they do. Oh the splendid peace I feel; it shall not be moved from me. More to follow from Winter Soldier yesterday!”
Thought you guys might like that, how he’s projecting this bible-speak at all the sheep who can’t see that the crown of thorns on his head is made of compressed feces.
He’s like Ward Reilly (who by the way is recommending that IVAW investigate the charges Goldsmith has made about Chiroux – so that they can sweep it under rug before us wingnuts get a hold of it – too late, Ward). Reilly never went to Vietnam, yet he’s a Vietnam Veteran Against the War. Reilly dresses in jungle fatigues and boonie hats even though he was stationed in Germany (like Chiroux). And now Reilly is a useless, ghastly-looking old man who has never accomplished anything except fooled a new generation of warriors into thinking Reilly is someone. Reilly and Chiroux are nobodies.
The list of IVAW members who are disillusioned with IVAW’s support for Chiroux is growing, judging by the number of emails I’m getting.
Category: Antiwar crowd, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Phony soldiers, Usual Suspects
Could it be that are a few members of IVAW (ArmySoldier, Goldsmith), misguided as they are, do what they do because they actually love America? This is, as opposed to the vast majority (Mejia, Chiroux) who hate America like the ISO and RCP.
Isn’t blogging grand.
I took today off, and am at home. That way if I jump out the window today, I will fall about 4 inches, since I live in a basement.
And yeah BOHICA, I would say that is what it means. Although I am uncertain about where the fulcrum of majority lies. Which is why the IVAW civil war could be fun. I figure we can hold out for IVAW-AI
[…] More background on how this all unfolded here! […]
Excellent work!
I think we’re about to see the equivalent of Chernobyl in the IVAW. It was bound to come sooner or later. All that will be left are the radioactive hard core like Camilo Mejia.
DanNY
Maybe I have a low opinion of IVAW, but I think the opposite is going to happen. In the end, the communists were purged from VVAW and they formed their splinter group VVAW-AI. I think its more likely that those who don’t toe the ISO/RCP line are going to get booted out and they will form a new group IVAW-NC (Not Communists).
TSO, don’t jump! There is still the HRC Commander’s opinion to be weighed in the final decision, right? We can only hope that the MG is a Afghan Veteran like you and me, and will throw the hammer down.
I would prefer to see the HRC Commander throw the hammer AT the dirtbag in question.
By the way, Lucky… is your name “Lucky” because you happened to survive two IED blasts pretty much unscathed? Just trying to figure out if I know you.
Sniper, that was my thought as well, if so, hello LT.
BTW Sniper, check your email and prepare to laugh your ass off.
IVAW, VVAW, losers all.
nuf sed
No, my name is lucky, because I always managed to have shitty luck overseas. I am not an LT, not yet, I like working for a living, and my MOS isn’t open to LT’s. I haven’t been in any IED attacks yet, give me a couple months, and I will have been.
We had an LT that was either the luckiest or unluckiest bastard of all time. Depending on how you view it I suppose.
Yup, we had several Major’s like that. Nope, I work for a living, and am damned proud of it B-)
Here’s a thought…..
Why hasnt Camilo Mejia been deported?
He was Convicted and served a Year in Federal Prison at Ft. Sill. As a Naturalized Citizen and Convicted Felon he should have his citizenship revoked and be deported like we did with Lucky Luciano and Thousands of other Felons
“Chiroux belongs in IVAW because he’ll prostitute himself – he’ll say and do anything for a price.”
“I found it odd that Camillo, was willing to throw Goldsmith, a long time member of IVAW, one of the well-known and arguably one of the most believable testifiers at Winter Soldier right under the proverbial bus and cover up for Matthis Chiroux, the habitual liar and the guy who has never served in combat in either Afghanistan nor Iraq.”
IVAW also promoted the Wendy’s Ranger, Mac Beth, who didn’t make it out of basic training because the agenda, not Troops like Goldsmith and Army Sergeant, is the priority. They are trying to smear the military at all costs by feeding uninformed CIVILIANS this dreck & the FACT that real Soldiers can pick out wanna be’s & out and out fakers in 15 minutes is irrelevant. The target audience for their anti-military campaign is the American public, who by & large haven’t served & are easily fooled.
I don’t think I got anything funny in the e-mail there TSO.