04/19/24
March 21, 2007
Hidden: Former Steelers and Rams player is off to Iraq: Lance Corporal Jeremy Staat was a college teammate of Pat Tillman and promised Pat he would continue playing until he earned NFL retirement benefits.
posted by Texan_lost_in_NY to other at 01:39 PM - 16 comments
Geez - in Tillman's time, I was more ready to admit that it was a patriotic, heroic and selfless act. Now - I think that list starts and ends with 'selfless'. I'm sure this will be a quiet and passionless discussion.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 03:28 PM on March 21, 2007
I pray that Jeremy is doing this for the right reason. I salute you as a hero and as a man. I serve as a Police Officer and you have to serve for the right reasons. So, Jeremy, May God hold his hands around you and the other countless heros that protect our country.
posted by gunz4u at 03:56 PM on March 21, 2007
Has it always been the case that simply joining the military was an act of heroism or is that something new?
posted by bperk at 04:28 PM on March 21, 2007
Has it always been the case that simply joining the military was an act of heroism or is that something new? Maybe it wasn't, but with that Commander-in-Chief, it is now.
posted by wfrazerjr at 05:35 PM on March 21, 2007
Has it always been the case that simply joining the military was an act of heroism or is that something new? I'm biased, of course, but yeah, I think it's always been that way, and if it hasn't been loud enough over the years, then we just haven't been as good as using it politically as we are now. Everybody loves the troops like brothers and sisters now, but it's because they can use them as political human shields. When the troops came home from Desert Storm, there were a million parades, yellow ribbons were everywhere, but six months later, everybody had forgotten all about it, and the military were back to being second-class citizens. Since shortly after World War Two, the military has been treated steadily worse and worse, not only by the public, but the politicians who wield the military's power. Pay raises for military families have traditionally been in the 2 - 5% range, which could be a lot better. The health care is free, which is great, as we've all seen recently with the treatment of veterans at Walter Reed and other facilities. Long before this, though, veterans told younger troops that the VA was a house of horrors. It's ridiculous that the men and women who volunteer to serve this country are forced to jump through more bureaucratic hoops than damn near anybody else in the country, and have to stand by helplessly and watch their benefits cut by the very administrations that send them off to fight, and perhaps, die. You may be in a war, you may not, but the chance that it could happen are real. Don't get me wrong, untold millions have served unspectacularly and even unheroically, but I think the willingness to sacrifice, no matter the motivation, qualifies as admirable. Sorry. Ranting. I'll leave now.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 05:55 PM on March 21, 2007
I really can't see why anyone would willingly risk their lives to fight for bush's lies.I have no problem with anybody who puts it all on the line.I only have a problem with what they're putting it on the line for.how long?how many?what for?you are not giving up your life for freedom or democracy.you're giving it up for a lying,cheating,spoiled,rich idiot who would never even think about stepping on a battle field.
posted by mars1 at 06:34 PM on March 21, 2007
And we're off . . .
posted by yerfatma at 07:00 PM on March 21, 2007
It appears that some of us have forgotten 9/11. Sure, there's alot of things Bush has done I disagree with. My only question is this. With the hatred seen here toward Bush I just have one question: What or How would you do things differently? (not meant to be taken with an attitude, just a simple question). I know I would have shocked and awed the whole country until a white flag was flown. Then the question is this: Would that have stopped terrorism? The answer is resounding, NO! This war has been waged for nearly 5,000 in the Middle East, and no country, not even the U.S., will stop it. One must have a clear understanding of Middle Eastern history before waging war with them. All that said, whether it be the Civil, Revolutionary, War of 1812, WW1, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War or the current war, I am truly thankful for all of soldiers and their families who have sacrificed with their lives/limbs to keep this country free. No, I don't know all their names, but I'm still thankful to live free in Ohio, USA. btw: I don't remember anyone wanting to "hang" Clinton for oral sex, they just wanted him out of office.
posted by bavarianmotorworker at 07:13 PM on March 21, 2007
Iraq had nothing to do with 9-11. Shock-and-awe it all you want, doesn't change that. News at 10:00. PS - Iraq also had no WMDs.
posted by rumple at 08:37 PM on March 21, 2007
bmw, I see it kind of like a large-scale version of a much-publicized police manhunt: you get everybody whipped into a froth over the bad guy, or who you say the bad guy is, and maybe you railroad some poor bastard, and maybe the truth never gets out, and maybe that's good enough for someone to get elected DA. But consider this: while you're organizing a necktie party for someone who didn't do it, the guilty party is going free. And that's exactly what happened post-9/11, unfortunately. I must also respectfully disagree with your assessment about what has been bought with the blood of the soldiers in this war. Honestly, I don't believe it's bought one bit of freedom. Rather, I believe this sacrifice has been used as a prop to justify deceit and malfeasance on a scale rarely seen before, and rather than preserving freedom, has ironically been used as a bully club to stifle the free and open discourse that is fundamental to a democratic society. I truly wish that none of those things were true.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 08:53 PM on March 21, 2007
They're coming around the curve... What or How would you do things differently? (not meant to be taken with an attitude, just a simple question). Not surrounded myself with yes men and women. Had factual evidence there were W'sMD. Had the common sense to understand that if I had never fought for "freedom, democracy, tyranny, communism, muslimism, terrorism, bagism, shagism....whatever...if I never had the balls to put my own life on the line, I better damn well find people who have. It's no coincidence the best American military mind of this generation, Colin Powell, got away from Bubbya as soon as he could. Here's what else I would have considered: I know I would have shocked and awed the whole country until a white flag was flown. Then the question is this: Would that have stopped terrorism? The answer is resounding, NO! This war has been waged for nearly 5,000 in the Middle East, and no country, not even the U.S., will stop it. One must have a clear understanding of Middle Eastern history before waging war with them. So what you're saying is, you would have blown the fuck out of hundreds of thousands of people, the vast majority completely innocent of preventing "freedom", you would have changed life as they know it in a region for probably hundreds of years, knowing all the while it wouldn't do any good. You're okay with genocide, as long as you feel free. Is that what you're saying? I think Nobel has Peace Prize with your name on it. btw: I don't remember anyone wanting to "hang" Clinton for oral sex, they just wanted him out of office. I have no idea how that is relevant to this discussion. Someone help me out here. All that said, whether it be the Civil, Revolutionary, War of 1812, WW1, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War or the current war, I am truly thankful for all of soldiers and their families who have sacrificed with their lives/limbs to keep this country free. No, I don't know all their names, but I'm still thankful to live free in Ohio, USA. I don't think we get pats on the backs for feeling patriotic and appreciative. There'e nothing wrong with being grateful for those being killed, maimed, decapitated, shit on, butchered and drag through the streets so I can gorge myself on the latest lard sandwich at my favorite health food store, McDonald's. Funny, I don't feel any more free than I did before over a quarter of a million people, military and civilian, were injured or killed. Strangely enough, I feel less free. Apparently Bubbya hasn't made it a hundred miles south of the ranch to spread his infamous freedom seeds. I don't know...maybe being a fireman in the Air Force has made me completely against fighting stupid fucking wars. I guess I chose a field to save lives instead of ending them for a reason. My conflict, of course, is that I was an expert marksman and would have killed if ordered to do so. Fortunately, 'nam had just ended and we weren't very hungry to go slaughtering people so soon after that proud victory. I wonder if anyone there now is conflicted about murdering people. Thank you for what you're doing, Lance Corporal Jeremy Staat.
posted by Texan_lost_in_NY at 09:03 PM on March 21, 2007
It appears that some of us have forgotten 9/11 Including those at the top, making decisions that kill people and put US (and Australian) troops in danger. As far as we all agree, 9/11 was caused by Al Qaeda. The US had few problems putting together a coalition of partners to go after Bin Laden and his ilk in Afghanistan. They haven't found him yet. Meanwhile, in a completely unrelated matter, Saddam Hussein was accused of having WMDs in Iraq. And we now know (but many suspected at the time) that this evidence was wrong. However, evidence of WMDs is not a sufficient justification for war. The alternative of the existing weapons inspection regime was working, and Saddam posed no real threat to anyone. Al Qaeda was never in Iraq before the 'regime change', but they are certainly there now. With bells on. What pisses me off is that men, women and children have to die because some idiot at the top makes the wrong decision. The placing of soldiers in harm's way is the most important decision any elected politician can make. Bush (and Australia's Howard) had plenty of alternatives to invading Iraq, and could have put more resources into getting Bin Laden. Now they've really stuffed it up, possibly for generations to come.
posted by owlhouse at 11:06 PM on March 21, 2007
Semper Fi bro
posted by budman13 at 11:23 PM on March 21, 2007
If this were MeFi, I'd be flagging this as hard as I could.
posted by Ufez Jones at 11:57 PM on March 21, 2007
I wouldn't have seen this link if it hadn't been posted here, and from the angle of a friend following through with a promise it's an interesting story (no matter if you agree with his choice or not). But since the story is only peripherally tied to sports the discussion that we have going really doesn't fit well on sportsfilter. To avoid a thread of headaches I'm going to leave the link but close the discussion.
posted by justgary at 12:29 AM on March 22, 2007
You're my hero Jeremy Staat, along with the untold others, and their families who have sacrificed for this great country of ours. Godspeed!