In covering protests against military recruiting over the past few years in West Michigan, Media Mouse has repeatedly documented military recruiters responding to protests with a variety of insults and even physical violence. In February of 2007, a recruiter told protestors to "go back across the border" to "take a bath." In May of 2006, recruiters called protestors "douche bags" and used homophobic insults. While these two examples stand out, it is part of a pattern of derogatory comments coming from military recruiters. Almost without fail, they always resort to petty insults and claiming that they are here to "protect" the right to free speech.

And now, here is more of the same. A military recruiter who is upset about a video Media Mouse produced last year recently posted a three-minute video on YouTube articulating the tired old argument full of cliches about the military giving us the freedom to protest. It reaches a high point when he says that without a military, "you would be so busy just trying to survive, just take a look at third world countries, the last thing they have time to do is protest against the very people making that provide them with freedom." It's just one of many statements that largely defy logic:

Interestingly, a response has been posted by someone with a bag over their head that completely destroys the recruiter's argument:

Of course, as "fun" as it may be to point out how ridiculous military recruiters are, it is important to remember what they do. They are paid to prey on youth in order to convince them to serve in the military. In doing this, they regularly lie and distort the realities of military service.