Pat Tillman, Soldier, and an Administration That Laughs Off His Death

[babylonsister]

http://tpmcafe.com/blog/coffeehouse/2007/aug/02/pat_tillman_soldier_and_an_administration_that_laughs_off_his_death

Pat Tillman, Soldier, and an Administration That Laughs Off His Death
mjrosenberg's picture
By M.J. Rosenberg | bio

Most revelations about this administration and how it operates are simply infuriating. It came to office with one goal: to do everything it could to redistribute wealth in this country. And, from day one, it effectively worked to take from the middle and lower income groups and give to the super wealthy. Its entire domestic agenda was dedicated to this goal which, I suppose, was better than if it had come to office dedicated to repealing the Emancipation Proclamation. But it settled for doing everything it could to gut policies put in place by almost every President since Teddy Roosevelt to improve the lives of ordinary people.



Then came 9/11 and it found a new raison d'etre: endless war. There would be a permanent Global War on Terror that would simultaneously boost its standing (creating a permanent GOP majority) and a produce a financial bonanza for its wealthiest supporters.

All this is maddening, terrifying and often heart-breaking.

But the Pat Tillman case (although only about one man) demonstrates something that even I would not have suspected. I always thought that, for all their loathsomeness, the right cares about our men and women in uniform. Yes, I know that they are all too willing to sacrifice them on the battlefield. But that is war and these people believe that all wars are worth dying in.

But now I see that they even have utter contempt for the individual soldier who dies on a foreign battlefield. Donald Rumsfeld and his GOP allies chuckled their way through yesterday's hearing on the death (friendly fire, murder, whatever) of the most famous soldier serving in the 9/11 wars, Pat Tillman. This is the same soldier whose death they used to drum up support for the war, who they made a poster boy for it.

But then he was killed (somehow) and it came out that he opposed the Iraq war, was not a Christian, and, worst of all, came from a family of troublemakers who demanded to know what happened to their boy.

And now Pat Tillman is, in the words of an army chaplain, "worm dirt." And his death, which may have been a murder, is one big joke to these guys. Rumsfeld, leaving the Committee room, dodged Tillman's family, not offering a word of sympathy. They have none. Read the rightwing blogs on the Tillman case. The once fair-haired boy is now a joke, his death just one of those things, his family a bunch of liberals who should shut just shut the f--- up.

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http://tpmcafe.com/blog/coffeehouse/2007/aug/02/pat_tillman_soldier_and_an_administration_that_laughs_off_his_death

[bryant69]

1. That's a good article

I haven't seen a lot of conservative writing on Tillman yet; I guess they would most like to avoid the issue.

Which makes sense, in a despicable sort of way.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[acmavm]

2. These privleged bastards can't relate to losing a son/brother

uncle/nephew/sister/mother/father etc., in a war. It's something they don't experience. And intend never to experience.

[liberalmuse]

3. Disgraceful!

The 'pubs only care about troops who share their views. They're good for photo ops for their naked emperor, but that is all. Once they dissent, or are no longer able to fight, they are tossed aside like so much fodder. I have a lot of respect and sorrow for Pat Tillman's family. Their son's death, nevermind the manner of his death was bad enough, but now this corrupt government will not give them what they need in order to let him rest--THE TRUTH. Rumsfeld 'testifying' was a complete joke. I guess he just wanted to get in the spotlight again Creep.

[Robbien]

4. Not only are they laughing

They did their usual in your face tacit by using Tillman's death as a way to pump up patriotism and improve the sinking American public's support for the war. Just a propaganda tool.