He Had It All/He Lost It All
 

It seems a little like misguided patriotism the way things in the Middle East are.

April 23 (Bloomberg) -- Pat Tillman, the former National Football League safety who left the Arizona Cardinals to join the Army after the Sept. 11 terror attacks, was killed in action in Afghanistan, the NFL said.

Tillman, 27, told the Cardinals after returning from his honeymoon in May 2002 that he was joining the Army with his brother in the hopes of becoming a Ranger. Kevin Tillman gave up a minor league baseball career in the Cleveland Indians organization.

http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news...N8rEE&refer=us

That was really brave of him. He probably could have had a nice profitable career in football, yet he chose to go fight for his country instead.

Regardless of what you or I think about the war, you have to respect the mans decision. He passed up on money and a career to do what he thought was right.

I have to laugh everytime the media reports how he wanted to be treated like any other person then continue to heap praise on him far above what the ordinary people receive.

and by implication diminishes the equal effort and sacrifice of those americans too poor, unfamous or just plain ordinary to merit press agents and copywriters. watching this one has been surreal.

- js.

Oh come on Jack. I seriously doubt the guy had a press agent.

I think he was genuinely humble but the news media is so shallow they actually violate his wishes and idolize him for the sake of their shallow viewers.

Princess Diana can only go so far.

Yes she could but she can't now since she's dead:( She was a true classy lady, not a princess but a true lady. The monarchy didn't like her a bit since she stole prince charles sunshine.

As far this foot star goes, he should be treated as anyone else that doesn't have his fame or his income b4 he enroled! Yes I do respect his decision but the media are truly fussing over his death, like they want to make him another icon or a martyr of war?

Whatever happened to that private gi woman who got "rescuded" from Iraq?, bet they put the gag on her and her family aswell as to what truly happened and to prevent her from speaking the truth

My 2 cents

:RE:



stfw Jessica Lynch

i'm not talking about him - i've never heard of the man. i'm referring to the medias' cult of personality, expanding exponentially the exploits of the famous while deflating those of mere mortal status (but i'll bet the guy employed a press agent at least by proxy thru his sports agent frank bauer). my comments are a critique of the media, the audience and celebritocracy that supports and enables it - not necessarily tillman.

- js.

Ditto. Celebrity idolizers are an audience segment that virtually every media organization seems compelled to satisfy with neverending braindead drivel.

I don't think Tillman will provide much entertainment for them though, but no doubt there are dirtbag reporters digging into his past for sex, drugs, arrests, etc. to enthrall the morons.

Whilst driving home yesterday (From yet another of Ms Ice's frenzied shopping sprees.arrgghhh!!! ) there was an interview with some American reporter on the radio speaking about Mr Tillman.........whom it seems was also a personal friend of his.

Not knowing the first thing about the NFL I found the interview most interesting indeed. Not yet having read the link Napho provided and commenting on what I heard, it appears on the surface that Mr Tillman was in fact an extraordinary individual loyal to the core and as patriotic as can be. ( A fine quality to be proud of IMO ) This friend went on to say he (Mr Tillman) shunned publicity and felt that quote: Others are fighting for our country and I haven't done a dammed thing. To which he promptly packed his bags and joined the army. As has already been stated he turned his back on millions for his country.............What a guy he has my respect.

Never heard of Mr Tillman before yesterday It was also a special day of remembrance for Australian and New Zealand service men and women being our anzac day a day to remember those who lost there lives defending our principles and way of life.

We Will Remember Them.

http://www.aztrib.com/index.php?sty=20582

Guess he wasn't a very good Ranger! Stuuupid!;(

people die every day...
 

when people die at war it pulls at a string in our hearts because they are doing what we dont want to- fighting and dying for there country. for that, much respect and love is due. just because someone had a so called great life before he left does not mean that his familys loss is any greater than jon do's family. the difference is that here in america unless you have money, fame, and appeare to be more important- your loss is less appealing to the viewing audience. harsh but true. we are a media engorged society that bases self worth on how much one has and how much people worship you. sad. i salute all the jon do's that have taken a bomb in there ass so i can keep living in a free society. :kiss:

I find it ironic (if not machiaveliian) that there appears to be a level of double standards going on here... hundreds of dead American soldiers are pouring back from Iraq (115 last month) and not a whisper... nothing. Nada. Instead, someone dares to take a picture of the caskets and gets fired.

This Tillman guy gets killed and he's 'a hero', 'a warrior' a 'true believer'. What a bunch of horse shit. As soon as a 'celeb' dies in action, the whole excuse for hiding coffins goes out the window, the politicos are clamouring to sing the man's praises: "He was an inspiration both on and off the football field. As with all who made the ultimate sacrifice in the war on terror, his family is in our thoughts and prayers" said Bush's statement... "I'm heartbroken... it's a heavy blow to our nation's morale, as it is surely a grievous injury to his loved ones" said Sen. John McCain, completely ignoring the fact that... remember children, "excessive press attention will only cause unnecessary suffering and pain for the bereaved families."

I could list another 10 or 12 names of cringeworthy 'tributes' that represent nothing more than political double-standards.

Fuck hero worshipping. Tillman might have been deluded enough to believe in a fool's errand, he might even be considered honourable in his ignorance, and I can certainly sympathise with his family, but the sycophantic and hypocritical ramblings of the tributes make me sick.

The reality is that, sadly, Tillman was as expendable as 'the next man' in Iraq. See if you get half of the Senate making personal tributes to 'the next man' when he's killed.

No fucking chance.

^exactemunde.

meanwhile ted kopple is going to devote one single broadcast to reading the forgotten names of all the american kia in iraq. station groups who support bush are falling over themselves to kill the broadcast. sinclair broadcasting has already killed it at the affiliates it controls.

- js.

No Shit there are double standards, welcome to planet earth. Not only in war but in everyday life, Princess Di dies in a car accident, good for all I care, but christ they still talk about it in the news, An actor gets caught drinking and driving it is national news. This is nothing at all new.



Ok, I only have heard NFL and football people talk about him, you saying they don't have the right too?, and at the draft they honored all those fighting and fallen hero's in Iraq and Afghanistan, they also had Marines there. This is news to some so if you can not deal with it then ignore it.

Be my guess.....nothing new....from the past.....Vasily Zaitsev.....comes to mind....

you make me sick and I guess maybe you just don't believe in anything as strongly as Tillman did. You think you are better then him? I can relate to him, maybe you just can not.


We are all expendable...you think your government really cares about you? and yep...****Vasily Zaitsev****

I'm glad we agree. However, my annoyance is not with the media's self-obsession with celebrity. It is with double standards within White House policy.
Point out where I propose denying some NFL cock-jockey his right to eulogise. This is known as a strawman, where you misrepresent what I said so that it's easier to win an argument. You're a fucking expert at that.
Wonderful, I should hope so too.
I assume you mean, 'Be my guest'...??? As you wish.

"Pat Tillman was an inspiration both on and off the football field. As with all who made the ultimate sacrifice in the war on terror, his family is in the thoughts and prayers of President and Mrs. Bush" - The POTUS

"The tragic loss of this extraordinary young man will seem a heavy blow to our nation's morale, as it is surely a grievous injury to his loved ones," - Sen. John McCain

"Pat Tillman is a great American hero in the truest sense." - Sen. Jon Kyl

"It will be important as time passes to think about what an appropriate commemoration is. Given the fact that he did this and didn't really want any press about it and wanted just to do it as the right thing to do it, he probably would be the last person who would want all the press attention paid to the fact that he gave his life in Afghanistan." - Gov. Janet Napolitano

"Tillman exemplified the sacrifice, selflessness and service of the U.S. military. Nowadays, genuine role models in professional sports are few and far between, but Tillman proved that there are still heroes in sports," - U.S. Rep. Jeff Flake

"A true American hero, like all the members of our Armed Forces serving in Afghanistan and Iraq. He died serving his country and defending all of us." - U.S. Rep. John Shadegg

More...???
How about these two...

"We must pay attention to the privacy and to the sensitivity of the families of the fallen, and that's what the policy is based on and that has to be the utmost concern." - Trent Duffy: White House Spokesman (reacting to photographs of soldiers caskets being released)

"We continually get feedback from families that this reflects their desires to maintain a degree of privacy." - Deputy Under Secretary of Defence John Molino (reacting to photographs of soldiers caskets being released)

Strawman number 2. You're wrong to suggest that maybe I 'don't believe in anything as strongly as Tillman did'. It's just that my national leaders don't manke a song and dance about it. Strawman number 3. Nor do I believe I'm better than him. This is your assumption. As to whether I can relate to him... well, yes, I can. Anyone who's willing to stand up and take action for what they believe in, I'd say that I'd be 'able to relate' to them - at some level at least.

However, this is irrelevant. Tillman's motivations are a subsidiary aspect to my post. The central point is that the politicos chose to talk-up and hype this man's death as a compression of the other 750-odd other deaths. They chose to use him as a symbol of endeavour and heroic death, not merely because of the handy anonymity of every other dead soldier, but because those 750-odd deaths are slightly-less palatable... somehow, less... media friendly. In doing so, they negated their own arguments regarding the de facto mandatory privacy of the bereaved families.

The political hypocricy is astounding. Which is it to be? Privacy or media frenzy? Sanitised stories or grim reality? It can't be both ways, not when the Administration is prepared to be so moralistic.

You point out where I said you did, I believe I was just asking you a question.......



Talk about misrepresenting......

About the people you quoted.....


Sen. John McCain represents the people of Arizona where Tillman played in front of thousands and thousands of fans, No state knows Tillman like the people of Arizona...esp the thousands of FootBall fans.....

Sen. Jon Kyl also elected by the people of Arizona and represents them...

Gov. Janet Napolitano of Arizona...again elected by the people of Arizona where Tillman played NFL Football.....

Guess who elected both U.S. Rep. Jeff Flake and U.S. Rep. John Shadegg.....Yep the People of Arizona....

Seems close to home if you ask me.....

What you think.....strawman????

You talk about white house hipocracy tambourine-man and then quote a bunch of congressmen. There's a difference you know and noone in the gov seemed to be overreacting in their comments. They probably say pretty much the same thing about everyone, just the press views the regular people as a waste of time and doesn't publicize their eulogies.

PHOENIX (Oct. 23) - The brother of NFL player-turned-Army Ranger Pat Tillman, who was killed in Afghanistan, has written a scathing indictment of the war in Iraq, calling it "an illegal invasion."

Kevin Tillman, a former Army Ranger, had remained silent since his brother's death in 2004, but in an article in the Web magazine Truthdig (article quoted below), he sharply criticizes the invasion of Iraq, the indefinite imprisonment of terrorism suspects and other events since the brothers enlisted together in response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

"Somehow, the more soldiers that die, the more legitimate the illegal invasion becomes," Kevin Tillman wrote.

"Somehow American leadership, whose only credit is lying to its people and illegally invading a nation, has been allowed to steal the courage, virtue and honor of its soldiers on the ground," he wrote.

After playing for the Arizona State University Sun Devils, Pat Tillman was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in 1998. He played with the team for four years. He was on the verge of signing another contract with the Cardinals in 2002 when he decided to join the Army instead.

The brothers, both ASU graduates, were initially sent to Iraq, then returned to the U.S. for Ranger training and later were sent to Afghanistan.

Pat Tillman, who played defensive back for the Arizona Cardinals, was killed by friendly fire near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in April 2004.

The Defense Department is investigating allegations of a cover-up, including failure by the Army to tell Tillman's family for several weeks that he had been killed by gunfire from his fellow Army Rangers, not by enemy fire as they initially were told.

10/23/06 12:59 EDT

Another disgusting "Cindy Sheehan" ploy to turn a corpse into a puppet for the leftist agenda.



I guess the old one started to stink too much.

yup, another disgusting ploy. i guess his brother had to get in line behind his Army superiors.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...-2004Dec4.html