Trashing the Troops

[fintstone]

Thomas Sowell contrasts the treatment of the troops by the press...across several wars.

August 9, 2005
Trashing Our History: Troops in Iraq
By Thomas Sowell

Back in June, this column pointed out that it is impossible to fight a war without heroism -- but that you would never know that from the mainstream media. Nothing heroic done by American troops in Iraq is likely to make headlines in the New York Times or be featured on the big three broadcast network news programs.

That fact has now been belatedly recognized in a New York Times opinion piece, but with a strange twist.

After briefly mentioning a few acts of bravery in Iraq -- including a Marine who smothered an enemy grenade with his own body, saving the lives of his fellow Marines at the cost of his own -- the Times' writer said, "the military, the White House and the culture at large have not publicized their actions with the zeal that was lavished on the heroes of World War I and World War II."

Think about that spin: The reason we don't hear about such things is because of the Pentagon, Bush and "the culture at large."

Neither the Pentagon, the White House or "the culture at large" can stop the newspapers or the televisions networks from publicizing whatever they want to publicize. They all have reporters on the scene but what they choose to feature in their reports are all the negative things they can find.

The very issue of the New York Times in which this essay appeared -- August 7th -- featured a front-page picture of a funeral for a Marine killed in Iraq. If you judged by the front page of this and many other newspapers, our troops in Iraq don't do anything except get killed.

The plain fact is that the mainstream media have been too busy depicting our troops as victims to have much time left to tell about the heroic things they have done, the far greater casualties which they have inflicted on their enemies, or their attempts to restore some basic services and basic decencies to this country that has been torn apart for years by internal and external wars -- even before the first American troops arrived on the scene.

The unrelenting quest for stories depicting American troops as victims -- including even front-page stories about the financial problems of some National Guardsmen called to active duty -- has created a virtual reality in the media that has no place for heroes.

Senator John Kerry has called the activation of reservists and National Guardsmen "a backdoor draft," as if joining the reserves or the National Guard is supposed to mean an exemption from ever having to fight. The theme of troops as victims has been a steady drumbeat in the media, because of the way the media have chosen to filter the news, filtering out heroes, among other things.

This virtual reality can become more important than any facts. Even a young lady interviewer on Fox News Channel -- of all places -- recently asked a guest how long the American people will be able to continue supporting the war in Iraq with all the casualties.

All the American deaths in Iraq since the war began are not even half of the deaths of U.S. Marines taking the one island of Iwo Jima in a couple of months of fighting. And Iwo Jima was just one battle in a war that was raging on other fronts around the world simultaneously and continuing for nearly four long years.

It is not the casualties which are unprecedented but the media filtering and the gullibility of those who accept the virtual reality created by the media.

This is a re-creation of the media's role in the Vietnam war, where American victories on the battlefield were turned into defeat on the home front by the filtering and spin of the media.

Even the current Communist rulers of Vietnam have admitted that they lost militarily in Vietnam but hung on because they expected to win politically in the United States -- as they did, with the help of the Jane Fondas, the Walter Cronkhites and a cast of thousands in the streets and on campuses across the country.

The very people who have been anti-military for years, who filter out American heroes in battle, are now proclaiming that they are "honoring" our troops by publicizing every death by name, day in and day out.

Has the dumbed-down education in our schools left us so ill-equipped that we cannot see through even the most blatant hypocrisy?

[Victor]

Could you precis that please.

[FrayAdjacent911]

But... but... there's no bias in the media!!

[HardDrive]

Yeah, thats is it. Its the liberal media thats the problem.

Everything is fine in Iraq.

Whats next? It all Hillarys fault?

[tops911]

I thought about this all morning. I dont think the military nor the American public want any heros from the military. I think this comes from the culture in the military and the publics preception of the military especially after Viet Nam.
The militarys win-win mentality and the belief that every one is special, will keep the military from having any real heros in the ranks. I've been in the Army for 19 years and the only living kind of hero that I can rember was Col. Nick Rowe. There are others, but the Army does not publicize any of them. And as professionals they dont brag about what they have done.
I used to sucribe to the Army Times when I was younger, when two Medal of Honors were given to Shughart and Gordon the Army Times burried it in the middle of the magazine. What was on the cover you ask? Two lesbian officers who were kicked out of the Army telling how they were wronged. I'll never subscribe to that mag again.
It's kind of like Jessica Lynch, how many of the military put their lives on the line to rescue her? And how did she say thanks, by bad mouthing the Army. Talk about ungreatful, she did not like the military using the story for their benifet.
I dont think the Medal of Honor will be given to anyone living any more, but that is just my opinion. Again the current culture in the military probably does not want any public heros in the ranks. The American public wants drug abusing steroid using athlets as their heros, they want drug abusing rock stars for heros, thug gang banger rappers, those are Americas heros of today.
I hope I dont sound angry, I'm not.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

This guy's a nutjob, Bush 41 certainly recognized that.

here is the intro from Thomas Sowell's piece on Aug. 19, 2004.

Sort of telling... also that the NYT thought they should be there, those liberal scumbags, how could they be sticking up for two conservative douche bags?

Liberals: open-mindedly fostering good discussion and debate from all sides, even crazy conservatives that don't get the time of day in their own party.

Alan Keyes in Illinois
Thomas Sowell
Back during the first Bush administration, the President invited some civil rights leaders to meet with him at the White House. They set a precondition -- that neither Alan Keyes nor Thomas Sowell be present at that meeting.

The Wall Street Journal was incensed that the elder President Bush agreed to these preconditions but I was more amused than anything else. For one thing, I had been to the White House the previous week and said what I had to say, not that it did any good.

[CRH911S]

The American public wants drug abusing steroid using athlets as their heros, they want drug abusing rock stars for heros, thug gang banger rappers, those are Americas heros of today.

Topps911,

I think you're a little misinformed. There were many US military victories in Vietnam and the one that counted the most we lost. We lost the attrition battle. Where you expecting this soverign republic to say something different?

You can blame the hippies, draft evaders, the free press, but the fact of the matter remains, the war wasn't about the spread of communism like the politicians led us to believe. It was about big American corporations, money, winning elections, and lying to the American people. It had nothing to do with supporting the troops.

Move forward thirty-five years and nothing has changed except the leaders of our country are draft evaders or used political influence to avoid combat in Vietnam. Is this what you mean by support for our troops?

[DaveE]

The only 'trashing the troops' I can recall hearing about is Abu Graib. That trashing came from the right. The left suspected the troops were following orders from higher-ups.

[tops911]

I don't think I'm miss informed. There were many heroes in Viet Nam; however due to the political climate and the unpopularity of the war at the time, how many of them are house hold names? How many are mentioned in history books? Most people might know the most decorated soldier of WW I, WW II; but what about Korea and Viet Nam. How many people know them?
Who is the most decorated military person serving today?
Is it because the military was so efficient in Grenada, Panama, and Desert Storm that the American public wants instant results?
I believe I'll be dead before this war really ends (and I plan on living another 40 or 50 years).
I still think that the vast American public does not want any military heroes. I think with todays press there would just be an effort to tear down anyone who emerges as a hero. Who wants to go thru that?
I met Admiral Borda (spelling may be wrong) here was a guy who lied to join the Navy at 15 (I think during WW II).
He got out continued his ed comes back in and ultimately became the head of the Navy. And after Col. Hackworth sicked the press on him for wearing an inappropriate award, (he felt it was inappropriate to do it himself) rather than embarrass the Navy he killed him self. Then it comes out that Hackworth was sporting awards he never earned. The one that stands out that was never explained was the Ranger Tab. This is what America does to its modern day military heroes. All heroes have faults and Americans are quick to tear them down.

[CRH911S]

There are over 58 thousand heros from the war in Vietnam. Still more die each day due to effects from the aftermath, so what is your point. Medals do not make the man. Unless, of course, you're a Bush, Cheny, or Rumsfeld.

[CRH911S]

FWIW, every soldier is a hero in my book.

[rcecale]

Originally posted by CRH911S
Medals do not make the man. Unless, of course, you're a Bush, Cheny, or Rumsfeld.

Let's not forget about John Kerry. I read somewhere once that he had THREE Purple Hearts.

Randy

[tops911]

I know there are 58,000 heros from that war. How many Americans have family members who served there? How many Americans know some one who served there? Not that many any more. Have they ever told them that they are hero? How many Americans have family members serving now? Again, not that many, really.
Who knows what SFC Sammy Davis (then a PFC) did to become an extrordanary hero? How many Americans know who he is (and I'm not talking about the singer ether) or what he has done? Yea, there is some clown that wants to talk about his 3 Purple Hearts, for his own personal gain. A real hero does not want to show boat or toot his own horn. And that is where the military or the press should let the public know what these people have done.
In the current war how many storys of heros are being told? Not every story can be told; however, there are storys that need told. Just like in wars past there needs to be heros that emerge to inspire the public, to make us feal good to be Americans, but with the current news coverage that does not happen.

[techweenie]

So let me get this straight: under the thread of 'trashing the troops' a bunch of cyberheroes are trashing a man who was awarded a Silver Star and a Bronze Star in Vietnam?

Well, I guess that makes sense to some... just not to me.

[DaveE]

Originally posted by techweenie
So let me get this straight: under the thread of 'trashing the troops' a bunch of cyberheroes are trashing a man who was awarded a Silver Star and a Bronze Star in Vietnam?

Well, I guess that makes sense to some... just not to me.

And by trashing Kerry they're trashing the whole process that a man receives a medal. So they're in effect trashing everyone or at least casting doubts at their qualifications to receive those medals. A fine way to treat heros.

[tops911]

The intent was not to trash Kerry (though he did throw his awards away). Anyone who has spent time in the military knows the award system is broke. Alot of the time awards are based on rank. A lower ranking service member recieves a lower award for doing the same thing. It's just the way the system works.
But the thread was about heros. How do we as the public quantify who or what determines a hero? Awards are one way, thats the only reason I brought it up. Like ball players braking records or what ever. TV exposure determines to a great extent who is a hero. It's all about public relations and media exposure. I mean who are kids emulating? It's not the young service member in a combat zone. They will emulate who TV and the media rams down their throats. That is the way it seems to happen. And it's not just service members, it's cops, fire fighters, teachers, and many others who should be getting recognised , but dont. Ask kids who are their roll models, who do they want to be like. Very few will pick from the above group.

[fintstone]

Originally posted by Shaun 84 Targa
This guy's a nutjob, Bush 41 certainly recognized that.

...

Please explain how you arrived at this conclusion.

[fintstone]

Originally posted by DaveE
The only 'trashing the troops' I can recall hearing about is Abu Graib. That trashing came from the right. The left suspected the troops were following orders from higher-ups.

If you trash the higher-ups in the military....you are still "trashing the troops."

[fintstone]

Originally posted by techweenie
So let me get this straight: under the thread of 'trashing the troops' a bunch of cyberheroes are trashing a man who was awarded a Silver Star and a Bronze Star in Vietnam?

Well, I guess that makes sense to some... just not to me.

Lots of folks have medals...that doesn't make everything else they do wrong ok.

Kerry's efforts to conceal the remainder of his military records is quite telling.

[Victor]

Originally posted by tops911
*SNIP* The American public wants drug abusing steroid using athlets as their heros, they want drug abusing rock stars for heros, thug gang banger rappers, those are Americas heros of today.
*END SNIP*

What category does Paris Hilton fall under. Important to not excude her from the list of American Heros.