A Top Man

I’m with you, Chris. Whether we agree with his decision or not, he has earned respect and a certain admiration for taking the road less travelled.

Just saw this in the Chicago Tribune regarding the untimely death of Pat Tillman.

“Show me a hero,” said F. Scott Fitzgerald, “and I’ll write you a tragedy.”

Yeah, spot on.

I think it’s sad that he died. But I don’t think he’s a hero, as much as a victim of rhettoric and useless sabre rattling…

He may not be a hero, engineerf, but he made a choice, and that choice disqualifies him from being classified as a victim, in my humble opinion.

Mary, I believe that engineerf is not saying that Tillman is a victim of war but a victim of the press who is using him to put a human face to an otherwise waning interest in their War on Terrorism. I don’t think he chose to have his life splashed about the papers when he died. Forgive me if I’ve gleaned incorrectly

To me it doesn’t necessarily make him a hero any more than the boys and girls who didn’t play football and who are in posts all over the world. Why should he get singled out?

If he had not been famous you and I would never known of his death.

I am a cynic (or realist?) and do have nothing but sympathy for his family and friends, so don’t everyone think I am a cold hearted bitch, now

^ delara is partly right.

He is also a victim of Bush Inc, and their lies about the dangers and threats that we face. The ‘war on terror’ is a scam, and seeing Americans dieing almost daily in another useless Vietnam is sickening.

However as long as they are there, I support them 100%, as how sad would I be if I were out there and everyone was against me?

Go War! (shaking pom poms)

Delara, you’re absolutely right. The famous are heard, shown, looked up to, touched, etc. People in the limelight sacrifice their privacy so we can invade their lives. It’s the price they pay. I’m not saying it’s right or wrong - it’s just the way it is.

Engineerf, no one has to buy into Bush Inc. If I understand correctly, it was Tillman’s choice to join the army. And if that is so, then he decided, was not forced, to act on behalf of his own motives.

Bush is not responsible for our ignorance. We are.

Regardless of whether we should or should not be in this insane war, we are there. That’s the reality. What do you suggest we do now, engineerf?

Shaking the pom-poms just because we’re already there is like throwing good money after bad in a failed investment. Or chasing lost money at a casino.

It’s hard to do, but at some point you have to cut your losses. And if that means firing your CEO, and rejigging your vision - so be it. I’m not suggesting demonizing the soldiers - after all, they’re just pawns that are being used by our leaders. (that’s why they’re victims in my mind).

Yes the soldiers are in the middle east out of their own free will and accord, the part that makes me cringe is knowing that they’ve been victims of the marketing bait and switch. I have friends who are pissed off about 9/11, want to give to their company to get revenge - then they’re sent to Iraq. err.. why? Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11.

Our leaders have pumped us so full of rage and polarizing rhettoric about what happend on 9/11, and leveraged that angst and fear for some pretty ridiculous and fundamental changes to our liberties - not to mention our image with long-standing allies.

What do I propose? For Iraq - a transparent hand-over to the UN to sort things out. For Afghanistan - more genuine attempts at fixing the country that we destroyed.
We’ve spent less than 1/30′th in Afghanistan than we have in Iraq… odd, when you consider Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11.

I don’t have all the answers. I just know that my friends who have given of their time to these campaigns, are questioning why the hell we’re killing innocent people for no clear objective?

Surely it’s not JUST about terrorism!?

And the reason i’m sad, is that this ‘known’ soldier, along with all the other ‘unknown’ soldiers are dieing almost daily - for reasons that can’t be easily given.

I’m done ranting. Back to London

(I was being facetious…I don’t really own pom poms!)

Thanks for your response.