John Stoltz – the guy you see waving a finger at the mild mannered soldiered who attempted to discuss the success of the Surge at the Kos Convention – seems to be one angry fellow. Stoltz, an Iraq vet, writes for the Huff Post and I would bet, given the company he keeps, has political ambitions. The soldier’s gentle remarks threaten everything Stoltz stands for. If Stoltz really does have those ambitions, he’ll have to learn to cool it when cameras are running.
This video, if you haven’t seen it yet, is one of the more interesting things we’ve produced at Pajamas. Let me give a shout out to Andrew Marcus, video maestro extraordinaire. He’s a pleasure to work with.
UPDATE: Sorry. The man evidently spells his name Soltz. He is also a massive hypocrite because he attacked the soldier at the convention for using his uniform for “political” purposes, which is exactly what Solz does here. Solz is the very definition of a reactionary, though I am sure he doesn’t know it.
MORE: The power of Drudge… This video was linked on Drudge and Pajamas Media has been averaging near eight thousand people online all day. That will add up to quite a number who have seen the video. An interesting article on Drudge appeared on the front page of today’s Los Angeles Times. I think there is little question that he and Andrew Breitbart drive a spectacular amount of Internet news traffic for two guys.
Good point about the Soltz photo. I watched the video and frankly see nothing wrong. The guy is not running for office, advocating voting for someone or anything else that I would call political. He was talking about the Iraqi people. I see military medical officers at conventions all the time in uniform and they are participating in panel discussions and asking questions. You may say that is not political but, other than the setting, nothing that guy was doing or saying was political either.
No matter how far left they go if we don’t like them we call them reactionaries. Got it.
Good work on the video coverage!
Well, we all knew that electing Bush was gonna crush dissent.
No matter how far left they go if we don’t like them we call them reactionaries. Got it.
Well, once upon a time supporting an officer against an enlisted man was considered reactionary. Are you saying it isn’t so anymore?
Kos is pretty much melting down over this with “free speech” being a highly conditional right. Meanwhile PJM is reporting it straight up. Where’s Greenie to correct my flawed analysis?
The Captain is a bit overbearing it seems to me.
And then as if in unison, the whole ProKos gang chimes in with their interpretation of the UCMJ, suggesting that the young sergeant is the one who deserves censure as well as censorship.
He is indulging in “politics” doncha know while in uniform.
No benefit of the doubt to any KOSdoubters whether vets or not.
Then we have Soltz, just after the Sgt finished speaking, telling the crowd “For the sake of the Army, I’d like to thank everyone who came here…”
He’s offering himself up as a representative of the Army at the event, and then he continues to bully Sgt. Aguina for creating a possible inference that he’s representing the Army. If anyone has broken the rules here, it’s Soltz.
His arrogant hypocrisy knows no bounds. The only thing Soltz is doing on behalf of the Army is embarrassing it.
True, but Sgt. Aguina is more than making up for it.
While it certainly appears that the Sergeant did nothing wrong, it does seem to me that it would be wise for the Pentagon to instruct all soldiers – active and reserve – to be extremely, let us say judicious, when attending any political event.
It’s unfortunate; but these are not exactly, if you will, fortunate times.
Unreasonable times (or venues) require extra reason.
SMG