“I worry about the detachment and the lack of concern. We’re not pieces on a chessboard or a video game; we’re real people.”
- Paul Rieckhoff, executive director of Operation Truth and Iraq war veteran.
Perhaps it is because after September 11, anything goes. Perhaps it is because the over 1,500 dead American troops is still far less than the 58,000 that died in Vietnam. Whatever the reason, Rieckhoff is disturbingly correct in his observation.
People seem oddly unconcerned with the war in Iraq and the death and casualties of American troops (and tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians). Somehow, while troops are still fighting and dying, the news of Iraq has slipped to page A-12 and B-4 of your local newspaper. And our lives continue uninterrupted. We can watch March Madness and worry about losses in our office pools (this author is betting on Illinois) instead of losses of lives in Tikrit and Baghdad.
In a sense, part of what makes America such a special nation is our freedom to go about our daily lives without the worry and fear that accompanies daily life for so many other people in so many other parts of the world. Many of us felt that freedom disturbed by the acts of September 11 and in the days after wanted nothing more than to hasten the return of the days when we could again go about our American ease of life.
And thankfully, by and large we have returned to that comfortable feeling of American ease and freedom. But, perhaps in the process of doing so, we have forgotten about our American (and Iraqi) brothers and sisters abroad who are not today afforded the same.
So when you sit down on your sofa or neighborhood barstool to watch this weekend’s Final Four basketball coverage and see the typical shot of troops watching the games via satellite in Iraq, take a moment to think of what they will be doing tomorrow. And realize that of the faces of those troops you see so thrilled to have a much needed rest from their worry and un-ease, the madness in Iraq will ensure that some of them will never again set eyes upon their baby girls, hug their mothers, or kiss their wives or husbands.
- posted by Miles Granderson
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Rock the Vote Bio: Rock the Vote was founded in 1990 to organize artists and fight against censorship of musicians. Since then we've evolved to focus on empowering young people to get involved in the political process. We use pop culture, peer-to-peer organizing, and the latest technology to raise visibility of politics and demystify the process of registering to vote. @rockthevote Email the author at: blog(at)rockthevote.com |
http://www.willisms.com/archives/2005/04/rock_the_vote_t.html
Remember the days back when Rock The Vote was a nonpartisan effort to get young people to vote? Seems it has been taken over by someone with an agenda.
I’m glad to see that Rock The (Leftist) Vote has dispensed with any pretense of bipartisanship. Remember, kids, never trust anyone over 30 who isn’t in the AARP. And don’t skimp on your 401k–the poor will need it when Social Security tanks.
Your statement “People seem oddly unconcerned with the war in Iraq and the death and casualties… while troops are still fighting and dying, the news of Iraq has slipped to page A-12 and B-4…”
You seem to be saying that the concern of the American people toward our troops is based on the story choices of our liberal media. The fact is that they aren’t reporting it if it isn’t bad news.
Fewer or less prominent placement of stories in the newspaper doesn’t mean that the American people are less worried about our troops or less appreciative of there efforts to keep our country safe. It only means there is nothing sensational to report that would turn people against the war effort and ultimately our president.
RTV might do well to read this article describing abuses by nonprofits and charities. One of the problems the IRS notes is nonprofits engaging in political activity:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7385623/
Seriously, are kids these days such dupes that they’ll buy into RTV’s shilling for old folks. This whole enterprise is a fucking joke. I mean, you’ve proven yourselves less savvy politically than P Diddy.
Oh, and guys, sorry there’s not enough of body count lately in Iraq to put it on the upper fold of A1. Maybe you could get Michael “Minutemen” Moore to give the “resistance” a little pep talk. Fucking rubes.
No, I don’t remember the days when RTV was nonpartisan.
I think this article has it all wrong. It’s not that people don’t care or have become comfortable. I think the real truth is people think about it a lot but I also think most people actually support the effort. I think the elections in Iraq proved that the people in Iraq want to make a difference and they really took the wind out of the liberals sails.
I’d lide to thank you for perpetuating the dependance on the government that this and other government programs bring. That way a large government can rule and control all aspects of life… It’s a Brave New World afterall.
“To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”
–Theodore Roosevelt, former Republican president in a Kansas City Star Editorial on May 17, 1918 (during World War I).
I think that TR would probably say the same about war.
What is partisan about being concerned about MY friends and fellow Marines risking their lives in a cause that has questionable goals, and no stated exit strategy, and minimal protective gear?
bureaupimp –
“Note that political activity — sometimes called electioneering — is different from policy advocacy and lobbying. There is no prohibition against 501(c)(3)s adopting positions on questions of policy. Direct efforts to influence the outcome of legislative action — lobbying — is permitted under certain restrictions.”
http://www.nonprofits.org/npofaq/19/76.html
to my knowledge RTV has never mentioned a candidate by name or a specific political party.
The US policy toward the Middle East has been a failure since the Carter Administration.
Carter should have wiped out the Iranian Government when hostages were taken.
Reagan should have knocked some heads in Lebanon when our base was blown up.
Bush Sr. should have gone into Iraq and dislodged Sadaam the first time.
Clinton should have dislodged Sadaam instead of sending a bunch of missles as punishment.
Clinton should have dislodged AlQaeda after the first WTC bombing and USS Cole incident.
Clinton should never had given North Korea a bribe instead of dealing with the nuclear issue.
Bush Jr. has done the right thing by fixing Afghanistan and finishing the job in Iraq.
Once Iraq is done, hopefully the US will have the military bandwidth to finish the Iran and N Korea.
Fixing Afghanistan?? Sir, I beg to differ. Google News “Afghanistan” and learn something.
Little of our aid money is actually reaching the Afghani people. Most estimates say that 75% of the billions in aid is going to pay foreign contractors who are rarely held accountable for their work.
Health services for Afghanis have actually gotten worse since the US occupation.
Warlords still control vast areas of Afghanistan. The US military contigent has shrunk considerably since 2002, while the “insurgents” remain just as violently active.
Open sewers still criss-cross Kabul while foreigners live in gated compounds outside of the city.
The average life expectancy is 20 years shorter than neighboring countries.
Most people live on less than $2 a day.
Aren’t we ever going to learn that these are the situations in which extremists groups can attract young people? Extreme poverty amid organized violence is a breeding ground for ignorant action.
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