Horribly Burned in Iraq Soldier's Portrait Goes On Display At Smithsonian

[RamboLiberal]

Retired Army Sgt. Richard Yarosh has gotten used to the stares. His face is blanketed in knotty scar tissue. His nose tip is missing. His ears are gone, as is part of his right leg. His fingers are permanently bent and rigid.

All is the result of an explosion in Iraq that doused him in fuel and fire three years ago.

"I know people are curious," he said. "They'll stop in their tracks and look. I guess I can understand. I probably would have stared, too."

A life-sized painting of him today goes on display at the National Portrait Gallery at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington. The work, by Matthew Mitchell, is part of the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition.

http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20091023/LIFE/910230345/At+Smithsonian++one+of+war+s+wounded

[Solly Mack]

1. K&R

[Warpy]

2. He still has a beautiful smile

He also has a great attitude about the stares.

If anyone can make it, he can. I wish him the best.

[underseasurveyor]

4. And look at those smiling eyes of his

He shines from within and he is beautiful.

[SIMPLYB1980]

3. K&R.

:patriot:

[MadMaddie]

5. He is a brave man and he sacrificed for our country!

Now having said that did you read the article?

<snip>
Yarosh, who moved back to Windsor, N.Y., after his retirement in January, concedes he was a little uneasy when he sat for the portrait because he worried about how an artist, likely to be more liberal, might depict him. Still, Yarosh agreed because he thought having his portrait done would be "super cool."
<snip>


He was worried about the artist being more liberal, what does that have to do with creating a portrait of a living, wounded human being? If anything I would think that artists would be compassionate.....is compassion only a liberal tendency? This country has to get away from these labels.....

[msongs]

6. sacrificed for Halliburton and Blackwater and Cheney and Bush ..

all those damned liberal artists. yeah, right. It is sad and unfortunate what happened to him in the name of corporate profit though and I wish him well.

Msongs

[mrbarber]

7. He might have been worried someone would use his scars..

as a way to speak out against the war. Make it about the message and only use him as a prop.

I can understand his concern.