We only support live troops
Did you know that there have been 57 US troops who died in Iraq this month? Fifteen since Friday? Honestly, I didn't. If you'd have asked me I could have given a guess, but really, where would I get that information if I hadn't gone looking for it?
When was the last time you saw a national news story covering the death of an American soldier as the headline, not as some supporting detail in the lower paragraphs of a summary article on Iraq?
Even in some of the more horrendous large casualty events, the coverage frequently offers no names, no faces, no details of the individuals, and, when that information becomes available from the Pentagon, no follow up.
The Bush administration has turned the fallen soldiers into a political football, their mere mention is treated as an openly political act against the Iraq war. Remember the huge fuss around the Nightline episode where Ted Koppel simply read the names of the fallen on Memorial Day? (roughly 700 at the time) Boycotts, a refusal to broadcast from Sinclair media, remember that?
My point is that the dead and injured are largely being forgotten for political reasons, when it is those individuals and families that we should be generous to with our "support." Just thought I'd mention it.
When was the last time you saw a national news story covering the death of an American soldier as the headline, not as some supporting detail in the lower paragraphs of a summary article on Iraq?
Even in some of the more horrendous large casualty events, the coverage frequently offers no names, no faces, no details of the individuals, and, when that information becomes available from the Pentagon, no follow up.
The Bush administration has turned the fallen soldiers into a political football, their mere mention is treated as an openly political act against the Iraq war. Remember the huge fuss around the Nightline episode where Ted Koppel simply read the names of the fallen on Memorial Day? (roughly 700 at the time) Boycotts, a refusal to broadcast from Sinclair media, remember that?
My point is that the dead and injured are largely being forgotten for political reasons, when it is those individuals and families that we should be generous to with our "support." Just thought I'd mention it.
posted by mikevotes at
7:56 AM
4 Comments:
You should change the headline to "we only support undamaged troops." As the veterans affairs budget has been cut, many wounded, and mentaly unstable troops are finding little or no help once they return from protecting our freedom. I've written countless letters on behalf of young soldiers who wait endlesly for rehab and counseling.
By
Yukkione, at 10:03 AM
Yeah, that really should have been included, but I'm getting the feeling I'm writing a little too much lately, andhave decided to try to strip the entries down a bit to the most core points.
But, you're totally right. The complete lack of stateside support underlines the disregard for the soldiers after war.
I became acutely aware of that watching the military do nothing on Gulf war illness for so many years after the 91 invasion of Iraq.
Mike
By
mikevotes, at 10:36 AM
I think your comentary is right on. Please don't trim it. One can't assume the reader is aware of the same facs or angles on a story that you are. I only wish I had the same gift for writing succinctly as you do.
By
Yukkione, at 10:43 AM
Longer story than I can tell at this point, but I'm trying to tighten up my writing style.
If you look at the big blogs, they usally manage pretty short entries that convey alot through reference, allusion, and tone. The idea is that that way people can see more "titles" or posts, and pick up more of what you have to say.
And I go through this periodically when I get tired of reading my writing.
Oh, and I do agree that the readers bring something different to the table. That's one of the things I find most interesting about blogging, the open nature of it. If I have a political discussion with friends, we all have collective "knowns" which means that we miss alot of connections to other elements/stories that would broaden the discussion.
Mike
Mike
By
mikevotes, at 12:59 PM
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