This is some amazing photography:
In a one-man demonstration, a Utah Marine veteran stood outside the Utah State Capitol for more than three hours on Friday to show support for the Black Lives Matter movement, according to photographer Robin Pendergrast.
Pendergrast, who captured the event, said this Utah Marine veteran was decorated with two Marine Purple Hearts. Only identified as Todd, the Marine was captured with a thick piece of black tape covering his mouth that read “I can’t breathe.”
His shoes were melting in the heat.
Photos From DC Yesterday – caphilldcne
Baud
Powerful image.
JMG
Thanks for those photos, John. Pretty great.
Martin
I know I’m a bad person for immediately wondering what kind of shitty-ass shoes are we handing out that melt on light concrete. But seriously, WTF.
trollhattan
Semper fi, my good man.
Elizabelle
The best. Proud to know about “Todd.” I hope we see more of this.
bluehill
Oorah!
FelonyGovt
Really inspiring to see military people who get it. Sometimes I feel like saving this country isn’t a complete pipe dream.
Villago Delenda Est
My understanding is that he is medically retired, due to his combat wounds. This may insulate him from UCMJ action for protesting in uniform, which is a definite do not do.
Still, those purple hearts didn’t take away his bravery.
joel hanes
Bennet out at NYT opinion page.
Minneapolis police department will be disbanded.
Protests can work.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Martin:
Guess the Trump Organization has a shoe subsidiary.
geg6
Semper fi, Todd. You are the very epitome of what it means to serve with honor. In every way.
WaterGirl
@?BillinGlendaleCA:
I laughed out loud.
AWOL
This is true courage—to stand alone for what is right.
I envy this man’s integrity.
Mike in NC
@Martin: Possibly ‘corfam’ shoes, which look like patent leather but are actually plastic. They don’t require shining but don’t breathe either. I could never wear them because they hurt my feet.
db11
@WaterGirl: Ditto!
Baud
@?BillinGlendaleCA:
Specialized in loafers.
Tokyokie
Well somebody has to manufacture Ivanka’s knock-off shoe styles
Martin
@Mike in NC: Ok, so they’re basically Dinkles (marching band shoes). Can confirm that Dinkles won’t melt standing on a hot pavement for hours. Seen that plenty of times.
Ruckus
That is what I call a Marine.
@Villago Delenda Est:
You really think anyone is going to say a word to him about this?
I really hope not.
@Mike in NC:
I’d agree. The crappy leather work shoes we had to wear were bad enough. Fun having leather soles on a wet deck at forward refueling.
Mike G
‘Failed TTPs’ are tactics, techniques and procedures. ‘EOF abuse’ is escalation of force.
He’s criticizing military tactics, expect him to get swift-boated by the usual keyboard kommandos.
Ruckus
@Martin:
Mike is probably right. Corfam shoes were/are? crap. But didn’t require shinning. I know that Marines had to wear very well shined shoes in dress uniform. We swabbies could wear sort of shined shoes in dress uniform, they didn’t have to reflect light like MC shoes did.
oldster
Ten days ago, I thought we were on the verge of a slide into outright fascism.
Then Trump shot his own foot at the Battle of Lafayette Square, and Trumpist cops showed their true colors in Buffalo and elsewhere. Public opinion swung decisively behind the protesters.
Suddenly I feel like a change for the better may yet come.
DJAnyReason
Literal Marine Todd
Mike in NC
@Ruckus: I thought it was weird when some sailors wore corfam shoes aboard ship with their dungarees(!). Almost always yeomen and other types who sat behind a desk, and never guys who worked topside or in the engineering spaces. The nickname I heard for corfams was “slicks”. I had a shipmate who fell down an inclined ladder because one of the heels broke off his shoe. Like most engineering department personnel, I generally wore steel-toed “boondockers”.
Ruckus
@Mike in NC:
On the DDG I was on for 2 yrs we had to wear the standard navy black leather work shoes. Same as dress shoes except didn’t have to shine all that much. No work boots or shoes with soles that didn’t slip like they were on greased ice. Always a pleasure to serve.
Another Scott
Millions take their oaths seriously.
KSL:
Cheers,
Scott.
Kattails
@Another Scott: Thanks for the post, Cole, and to Scott for the additional information that added even more poignancy to the story. So many times lately I’ve had to stop after reading something and process the emotions, not just skip on to the next. I hope he’s OK.
O. Felix Culpa
@Another Scott: Gaah. Onions in the room. [Sobs.]
Kudos to US Marine Corps veteran Todd Winn.
Sloane Peterson's knee therapist
When I was in the Corps, 63-66, we had regular (smooth) leather dress shoes and rough leather combat boots. Both had to be spit shined by hand. It was something to do in bootcamp at the end of the day. After 11 weeks of spit shining both shoes and boots had a good base on them. Dress shoes were easier of course since you didn’t wear them that often. The boots were a matter of pride.
Semper Fi Cpl. Todd you are a credit to the Corps and to your country.
BellyCat
Now, THAT is courage.
Laura Too
Thank you, John. That is powerful. We will be okay.
J R in WV
As a sailor, I never had a problem with the Jarheads that were posted aboard my ship. They were OK.
US Marine Corps veteran Todd Winn, on the other hand, is a shining example of what is right with the armed forces of the USofA.
Semper Fi, Todd!
And thanks for your heroic service these past few days, as well as your service in more violent spaces overseas.
brantl
I think we’re going to see more of this, as time goes on. There are many honorable men in the service, of color and not, and their honor won’t allow them to stand down on this kind of shit. They will speak out, and loudly.