April 27, 2004

Pat Tillman

I'm a little torn about this. You must know by now that Pat Tillman of the NFL's Arizona Cardinals was killed last week in Afghanistan, where he had been serving since 2002.

And all the news stories have talked about how he gave up a huge paycheck and a lucrative NFL career to fight for his country, back when this was still a just war on terrorists and not the scattershot bomardment of Iraq it's become. And the word "hero" has been used many many times to describe him.

And it's all true.

But, at last count, 722 US soldiers have been killed in Iraq. True, they didn't leave behind NFL careers, but all left behind families and loved ones and lives. And the government, which has itself totally convinced that Iraq is a just and proper war, fought to keep any pictures of flag-draped coffins out of the public eye. If your cause is truly noble, you honor and cherish those who died for it. If not, you bring them home in secret.

(I realize he was fighting in Afghanistan, not Iraq, but we're told it's all the same war; so, for the purposes of this post, and this post ONLY, I'll believe them.)

Pat Tillman was a hero. He gave his life defending his country, and what he believed in. If only there were more attention paid to the other 700+ fallen heroes, and more scrutiny as to what exactly they're fighting and dying for.

Comments

master of the obvious

Posted by: william hickey at May 3, 2004 07:27 PM

Well, i wish i would have known pat a little more before it all happend he is a true and honest man for not wanting publicity. he made people relize how important every one of our soilders are to us.

Posted by: tom at September 16, 2004 01:20 AM

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