Disgusting

[backrow]

Originally Posted by JoeRedskin

Daseal -

I agree and disagree with you. As to the kid having a right to say what he wants about Tillman. Yup. He does. I don't have to respect it, but he can say it. From what I read of the article, I happen to agree with the president of the college who described the article as "intellectually immature".

As to heroism, you make the mistake of tying heroism to a heroic death. While it is likely true that Tillman died just as many other soldiers have died in the line of duty, it is not the actual events of his death that make him heroic. Rather, it is the choices he made in life and which eventually resulted in his death that made him heroic.

Everyone, whether they do so knowingly or with some alterior motives, who joins the armed forces has made, on some level, certain choices and sacrifices and, accordingly, is in the same way "heroic" as Tillman was. In an extreme way, however, Tillman reflected the choices and sacrifices faced by all who don the uniform of our military and place their lives in our service.

Unlike the vast majority of those who have died, Tilman bypassed a life of ease and false hero-worship given to entertainers. Tillman sacrificed the luxuries given to such individuals and chose to place his life at the disposal of his country in hopes that, by doing so, he would better serve his fellow countrymen/women. By making this choice, Tillman exhibited a selflessness which, if practiced by all of us, would make our country and this world a better place. Further, the he choice made, though easy for Tillman, is incomprehensible to many of us. Can you honestly say you would sacrifice the 3.6 million and fame commensurate with being professional football player in order to serve your country in a life threatening job for low pay and relative anonymity (even if you believed the cause just)? While I would like to honestly answer "Yes". I am not sure I can.

The fact that Tillman could and did answer "yes" to this question and then followed his answer through to it its deadly end is what makes him heroic and his death tragic.
He is a hero because his choices and sacrifices set an ideal which all of us can and should strive to emulate even if we cannot hope to duplicate it.

I am a Veteran, and would be proud to go an serve again along side of anyone like Pat Tillman!
Unfortunately I'm too old, by military standards.
Would I want either my son, or son-in-law to go and serve as a result of 9-11? That would be up to them, but I would support whichever decision they made.
DaSeal disagrees with war, any war.
My contention is we were tossed into this war by an attack here on our own soil, unlike any other we have ever experienced.
In trying to rid the Middle East of the terror that was imposed upon us, we have reaped the casualties of war.
We did not ask to be in this war, but we are going to finish it!
That my friend is American Patriotism, and American Resolve!

I work for the Navy, and support my military every day!
As a Veteran and a Christian, I support my President and his prayerfully made decisions!

But I would fight for Daseal to hold his opinions!

Not all Christians feel we did exactly the right thing in either the Crusades, or in winning the West from the Native Americans.
But I know some Native Americans, and they support the same Ideals that I do, except they are free to worship as they please to their gods.
I know some Muslims, and they are free to worship as they see.

But, again, I would go back into the military today if called!
9-11-01 Will not be forgotten!
We are just not able to get out of Iraq easily, or out of Afghanistan without finishing the job. Part of the casualities of war. It takes a while to come to an end when you had no plan of action before being attacked!