Reply With Quote
HOLY !!! Did he lay it out for autopsy or what.
Bush has stained the Tillmans.
...nuff said.After Pat’s Birthday
Posted on Oct 19, 2006
By Kevin Tillman
Editor’s note: Kevin Tillman joined the Army with his brother Pat in 2002, and they served together in Iraq and Afghanistan. Pat was killed in Afghanistan on April 22, 2004. Kevin, who was discharged in 2005, has written a powerful, must-read do ent.
It is Pat’s birthday on November 6, and elections are the day after. It gets me thinking about a conversation I had with Pat before we joined the military. He spoke about the risks with signing the papers. How once we committed, we were at the mercy of the American leadership and the American people. How we could be thrown in a direction not of our volition. How fighting as a soldier would leave us without a voice… until we get out.
Much has happened since we handed over our voice:
Somehow we were sent to invade a nation because it was a direct threat to the American people, or to the world, or harbored terrorists, or was involved in the September 11 attacks, or received weapons-grade uranium from Niger, or had mobile weapons labs, or WMD, or had a need to be liberated, or we needed to establish a democracy, or stop an insurgency, or stop a civil war we created that can’t be called a civil war even though it is. Something like that.
Somehow America has become a country that projects everything that it is not and condemns everything that it is.
Somehow our elected leaders were subverting international law and humanity by setting up secret prisons around the world, secretly kidnapping people, secretly holding them indefinitely, secretly not charging them with anything, secretly torturing them. Somehow that overt policy of torture became the fault of a few “bad apples” in the military.
Somehow back at home, support for the soldiers meant having a five-year-old kindergartener scribble a picture with crayons and send it overseas, or slapping stickers on cars, or lobbying Congress for an extra pad in a helmet. It’s interesting that a soldier on his third or fourth tour should care about a drawing from a five-year-old; or a faded sticker on a car as his friends die around him; or an extra pad in a helmet, as if it will protect him when an IED throws his vehicle 50 feet into the air as his body comes apart and his skin melts to the seat.
Somehow the more soldiers that die, the more legitimate the illegal invasion becomes.
Somehow American leadership, whose only credit is lying to its people and illegally invading a nation, has been allowed to steal the courage, virtue and honor of its soldiers on the ground.
Somehow those afraid to fight an illegal invasion decades ago are allowed to send soldiers to die for an illegal invasion they started.
Somehow faking character, virtue and strength is tolerated.
Somehow profiting from tragedy and horror is tolerated.
Somehow the death of tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of people is tolerated.
Somehow subversion of the Bill of Rights and The Cons ution is tolerated.
Somehow suspension of Habeas Corpus is supposed to keep this country safe.
Somehow torture is tolerated.
Somehow lying is tolerated.
Somehow reason is being discarded for faith, dogma, and nonsense.
Somehow American leadership managed to create a more dangerous world.
Somehow a narrative is more important than reality.
Somehow America has become a country that projects everything that it is not and condemns everything that it is.
Somehow the most reasonable, trusted and respected country in the world has become one of the most irrational, belligerent, feared, and distrusted countries in the world.
Somehow being politically informed, diligent, and skeptical has been replaced by apathy through active ignorance.
Somehow the same incompetent, narcissistic, virtueless, vacuous, malicious criminals are still in charge of this country.
Somehow this is tolerated.
Somehow nobody is accountable for this.
In a democracy, the policy of the leaders is the policy of the people. So don’t be shocked when our grandkids bury much of this generation as traitors to the nation, to the world and to humanity. Most likely, they will come to know that “somehow” was nurtured by fear, insecurity and indifference, leaving the country vulnerable to unchecked, unchallenged parasites.
Luckily this country is still a democracy. People still have a voice. People still can take action. It can start after Pat’s birthday.
Brother and Friend of Pat Tillman,
Kevin Tillman
HOLY !!! Did he lay it out for autopsy or what.
Bush has stained the Tillmans.
Of all of the above quotes, this one comes from personal experience.Somehow American leadership, whose only credit is lying to its people and illegally invading a nation, has been allowed to steal the courage, virtue and honor of its soldiers on the ground.
I couldn't pull up "personal experience"
This thread is compelling. It should have received more attention. A dose of reality that too many here are afraid to acknowledge.
Thanks Pixel.
it was a link to an article about how the military lied about his death for PR purposes.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...052200865.html(hope this link works)
that's just one of many out there.
I say "GIVE THIS THREAD LIFE".
Thanks Bush. A scar on the face of American Heros.
Soak it in.
A very articulate and thoughtful letter, I didnt expect that at all.
A whole day without a neoconbot response? These guys are slipping. I guess they are waiting for some blogger to tell them how to handle this one.
Kevin Tillman may end up in Guantanamo.
A laundry list of why these mofo's MUST be voted out of office, and/or dubya/ head impeached.
I'm pretty sure that even the bloggers don't know how to rebut that piece. Pretty tough to question the patriotism of a Tillman. Kevin Tillman has been on the front lines of the war on terror, a battle for which he volunteered after 9/11. With that being the case, the boilerplate venom for those who question the Administration seems to be quite inapt here.
Tillman owns. That was quite a compelling read and thanks for posting it Pixel. This should be turned into a short commercial to get his message heard more.
In a democracy, the policy of the leaders is the policy of the people. So don’t be shocked when our grandkids bury much of this generation as traitors to the nation, to the world and to humanity
This is the most sensible description ever written about this administration.
Beware this thread republicans.
Since enlisting is voluntary I'm not sure why you deem it necessary to point out that Tillman volunteered, and it's pretty tough to question the patriotism of all of our men and women in the mililtary.
I appreciate and respect the many differing sentiments of all of those who put their lives on the line on a daily basis and I have no desire to rebut any of them.
What this letter says, Joch, is this administration has destroyed the true meaning of being an American.
here is the other story: Pat Tillmans brother Kevin speaks out against War
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2633793
this has not been posted on freerepublic either. my how sheltered those re s truly are.
just as war makes people do and say things they normally wouldn't, so does losing a family member..
Ah! So, Kevin Tillman has taken leave of his senses -- he couldn't possibly have meant any of this.
Got it.
bush caused tillman's brother to sign up
I suppose he would say that since his brother died
but I wonder what he would say if his brother died in the towers in new york on american soil
9/11 was why they joined in the first place. And if you read the responses of those who had family members who died in those towers, their responses are as varied and divided as the rest of America. Which reminds me...don't forward this article to Ann Coulter.
I suppose he would say that since his brother died
but I wonder what he would say if his brother died in the towers in new york on american soil
I understand all the silence from the right. Chasing your tail is futile, but, at least you get dizzy.
A punch in the face.
Now the right is looking at the Tillmans and wanting to label them as jaded, fallen heros. And to think, you rode their backs all the way to the front.
Holy you're an idiot. Yep, I now hang my head in shame as I am an American. I'm actually contemplating suicide as I type this. How can I still go on living now that Bush has destroyed the true meaning of being American?
Better yet, what IS the true meaning of being an American? Enlighten me Asshat.
Truth and Justice, snake.
Whether you want to keep on living is up to you.
I will try to talk you down..............don't jump..........we can help you.
PS. Hang your head. I am willing to forgive you.
You're right, Tillman's oppinion matters more than others who also have lost loved ones in the war.
Have fun circle jerking with this as much as you can.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
