Activist Arrested at Army Recruiting Station--congress candidate

[PaDUer]

The recruiters can't face the truth!

Posted on Wed, Jun. 02, 2004

Hazleton-area candidate charged in incident with recruiters

Kurt J. Shotko of the Green Party says he was only trying to talk to Army personnel when police were called.

By KEVIN OWEN KEARNEY
[e-mail]

HAZLE TWP. - A Green Party candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives was arrested Tuesday after a verbal altercation with officers at an Army recruiting station, police said.

But the candidate, Kurt J. Shotko, 37, of 506 N. Irving Ave. in Scranton, said he was the one who called state police because he had been "thrown to the ground" by a recruiter at the U.S. Army Recruiting Station on the Airport Beltway.

Police said Shotko walked into the station at 1:15 p.m. and told three recruiters they were cowards. He then asked them, "Why do you recruiters lie to kids?"

He also said U.S. military personnel were killing innocent babies and civilians in Iraq, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed by Trooper David E. Balliet of the state police barracks in Hazleton.

-snip-

The affidavit states:

-snip-

PLEASE read the entire article to see HOW the recruiters are lying, including the affidavit.--

Entire story--
http://www.timesleader.com/mld/thetimesleader/news/8813930.htm

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. Didn't realize he was a Green.. that explains

the charges.

All Greens are on a federal watchlist for being "terrorists".

[PaDUer]

5. Guess anyone who's not

R and is a peaceful protestor is on the hitlist.

[GreenPartyVoter]

6. Seems that way these days.. if we try to

escape from the "free speech zones", heaven help us.

[stopthegop]

2. sounds to me like he went there wanting a fight...

and got it....not sure what crime was committed...trespassing maybe?

[TX-RAT]

3. He went into a military installation and picked a fight.

Got what he deserved. Wrong time and the wrong place.

[el_gato]

7. I'm glad he did it

These recruiters don't like someone pointing out their lies.
They don't care that they lie they just don't like someone pointing it out.

[Bandit]

8. Just curious IYO is there a "right time and right place?"

Where else would you go to protest Army recruiters but to a recruiting station? I suspect he will get the attention he relished and I hope it makes some impact among the young. Recruiters do lie all the time.

[TX-RAT]

12. First i wouldn't go into the recruiting station and break the law.

Recruiters do lie all the time

I'm sure you have info to back that up?

[Bandit]

15. Personal experience

:shrug: I suspect you have never been in the military or you wouldn't even question it. It is so much an established fact that it has become a joke in the military.

[TX-RAT]

17. Guess again

US ARMY--69 to 72

It is so much an established fact that it has become a joke in the military.

Please back that up with your established facts.

[PaDUer]

11. He was asking questions...read article.

"I went there as a candidate for Congress; I'm not just some guy off the street. I deserve the respect to at least ask a few questions," Shotko said.

http://www.timesleader.com/mld/thetimesleader/news/8813930.htm

[TX-RAT]

13. He took it beyond asking questions

He too it to insults and got his butt kicked out and arrested. Poor planing on his part.

[PaDUer]

18. Problem was..

the recruiters wanted to continue their LIES, but they were faced with someone who knows what he's talking about, plus a candidate for congress..Wonder WHO tells these recruiters to lie and do what you have to in order to get them to sign, them screw them!! Plus, look what happened at the prisons in Iraq, they're trying to PIN it on the reserves who were FOLLOWING ORDERS!

[PaDUer]

4. The charges are

in the article. Kurt Shotko doesn't look for fights. He protests peacefully and is well-known amongst peaceful protestors all over including Scranton, Wilkes Barre, Harrisburg,PA, NYC, DC, and elsewhere.

[kenth]

9. Maybe he should protest without tresspassing?

[PaDUer]

10. Isn't it interesting

how they say trespassing...but if he went there to enlist, it wouldn't be trespassing..BS! BTW, why don't you go enlist since they NEED "warm bodies", but they don't tell you that they're cutting back benefits again and that there's a chance you might come home as a "cold body" in a box.

[kenth]

14. You need someone to tell you that you could die if you join the military?

He was trespassing the moment the recruiters told him to leave and he refused. Others aren't told to leave, hence no trespass.

[Bandit]

16. Aren't Iraqi's asking the US to leave?

Would you consider us trespassing?