It's said we Navy guys don't get on well with the Marines, but the USMC stands high with me. Look at the example of men like General Peter Pace, or our own Major Mike Coffman. All the more disappointing when I took friendly (or maybe not) fire this week from two tough-guy Marines displaying more bark than brains. First, Anthony Corpora (actually a Navy medic but serving with the 2nd Marine Division) called me a terrorist for saying we shouldn't reward illegal aliens with college scholarships.
Next, Bob Newman, the retired Marine gunnery sergeant who does weeknights on KOA, made me out a villain for saying the State Capitol shouldn't be a closed fortress, notwithstanding the madman shot there by a bodyguard after threatening Ritter.
My heated rebuttal to his criticism then proved me, according to Newman, a politically correct liberal and hater (yeah, right). It seems the Gunny isn't used to anyone pushing back at his bombast.
The Newman rant as given online the day after our on-air discussion is reprinted below. For proof that it was a discussion, not a tirade or a meltdown or any of the other descriptions he's given since, listen to the full segment here. Young Mr. Corpora's tongue-lashing of me via email on 7/16 is reprinted below the Gunny paragraph. Gotta love those Marines.
[Summary from Bob Newman's page on 850koa.com, as posted 7/17 in reference to his 7/16 show]
"DENVER POST'S ANDREWS CONDUCTS HYSTERICAL PERSONAL ATTACKS ON GUNNY BOB Former State Senator Had Voted For Lax Security At Capitol After 9-11 Went Wild When Gunny Challenged Him"
"In one of the most embarrassing displays of liberal immaturity, poor judgement and refusal to accept responsibility for one's callous and deadly actions ever heard on the "Gunny Bob Show," Denver's by far-and-away top-rated evening news-talk program, former Colorado State Senator John Andrews, a former president of that body, went beserk on the program Monday evening after the Gunny had the temerity to challenge him on his vote to drastically reduce security and safety at the state capitol after 9-11. That vote helped allow would-be killer Aaron Snyder to walk right into the governor's offices and announce he was there to take over the state government. Seconds later he pulled a gun, which is when an on-the-ball Colorado State Patrol officer beat him to the trigger. Launching into repeated tirades that included personal attacks on the Gunny for pointing out that this lack of security could have cost Governor Ritter and many other people their lives, the politically correct Andrews' hateful fit of rage is now available here."
[Email from active duty serviceman who objected to my comments in an AP story about scholarships for illegals, Rocky Mountain News, July 16, 2007]
"Dear JOHN, My name is Anthony Corpora, I am a Navy Hospital Corpsman actively serving with the 2nd Marine Division and I am completely intolerant of bigot ass agendas like yours. I apologize for not signing my name previously, but after reading such a disgusting article with your quotes on it, in my opinion, I figured you need to know that you are an a**hole. Not only am I a hispanic whom is serving for YOUR freedom, but there are many latinos serving that are not US Citizens. Up until recently, I was not a US Citizen, only recently that I decided to naturalize, however the point is there are others like me that are only "Permanent Resident" status. I am simpathetic to those that are here undocumented because they want a better quality of life and many of my fellow Marines and Corpsman have parents or relatives that are undocumented, but people like you with such an elitist ass atitudes (that desperately need someone to come along and kick the ever loving s*** out of you) keep harassing the latino community of the United States.
"You are not an American, YOU SIR ARE A TERRORIST AT BEST! You think you are serving your country, but really the only thing you are serving is a brand of domestic terrorism on the very workers that contribute and build this country with hard labor and lower wages that they are quite content with. If you want to serve your country sir why don't you answer the call of duty like all of us in the military instead of hiding behind that false conservative agenda you call reforming the country" you coward. Nobody along the border states; Arizona, Texas, New Mexico and Florida wants the fence. Hell, there is a border town in Texas that has an ordinance against Immigration and Customs Officials from operating within the town and they speak both spanish and english. As a matter of fact, the very state by which you reside in (Colorado) has had a latino community long before you got there, so why don't YOU GET THE HELL OUT? Though this may be just passionate opinion on my part, you should note that there are a lot of us latinos here to stay and bilinguals like me that have college degrees that can communicate to both english and spanish speaking parties that can definitely send a clear message about people like you.
"Do you know how dumb you are? Instead of worrying about hispanics why don't you worry about China instead, thats the real threat for the future not the people that are building this country. I never thought that I would have to re-educate degenerates like you, but I guess life is tough like that. My homework assignment to you is for you to read the Art of War and maybe you can finally get a clue. I hope you enjoyed this letter ass clown. Sincerely, HM2 Corpora