And MY take on Tillman...

Timing is a peculiar thing. Tillman's death in Afghanistan (a just war) came at a time when the war in Iraq (an unjust war) spun violenly out of control---so much so that the deaths came so fast and furiously that one could not stop to take a breath. The media, acting as propaganda arm of the administration sought to give us a tangible "hero" we could rally around as the hell that is the Iraq war exploded into chaos---even though Tillman's death occurred in a totally different theatre of operations. (Take a wild guess as to how many Americans think he was slain in Bagdad as opposed to Afghanistan)

The semi-hard left left blanched at the over-the-top lionizing of Tillman, seeing it as the rather obvious "feel-good-about-the-Iraq-war-even-though-this-guy-didn't-die-in-it" propaganda play that it was, but still acknowledging his basic sacrifice. The diamond-hard left has taken the point further, sometimes making the assumption based on stereotype about the nature of "roided-up<-gung-ho-jock-types" being in it just for the kill. Some in the semi-hard left have taken great umbrage at Rall's cartoon and views, feeling that it damages progressives in general in the eyes of the middle. Fair enough. But while some of the outrage is based on genuine empathy for Tillman's sacrifice, a large part is also based on fear of being attacked on it by freeper pundits in the press who want to make ANYTHING else but the burgeoning Abu Graraib abuse scandal an issue[br />now. (As seen for example by "Lady Godiva" Sullivan's borderline goo-goo-eyed embrace of this story in lieu of the far worse things going on)

I think Rall went a bit over the top. I also think that his sentiment is something that a lot of people felt inside but knew was too toxic to put out there. That said, it's just a cartoon. It has no representation of an actual event...like sexual humilaition, posible forced sodomy, de-humanization and the revelation that some of those who are to protect us may have actually jeopardized the lives of countless thousands of Americans home and abroad.

At the very least, let's debate the issue. But not at the expense of cleaving rifts in the greater struggle and causing political self-immolation.

In the words of Nicholson's Joker from the first Batman movie:
"Let's broaden our minds!"

Please discuss Pat Tillman here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x1527625