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Scott's avatar

Our political leaders are worthless idiots. They are not worthy of anyone's brave sacrifice

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John Cougar Misanthrope's avatar

Great piece. I made it through Jon Krakauer’s book and walked away with a mixed reaction of profound sadness and rage. The greatest tragedy is that Pat Tillman continues to be used as a convenient prop by all sides in the political debate. Kari Lake recently trotted out Tillman’s memory praising him as a great patriot and Arizonan - he was from California - only to be skewered by Arizona’s leftists for doing so.

Tillman was a political liberal in the classic sense - he corresponded with Chomsky, for example - but I’m fairly confident that Tillman would have been disgusted by today’s democrats but equally disgusted by MAGA. It’s all speculative, of course. Kevin Tillman was critical of the January 6 riot and by all accounts was/is a Biden supporter.

One of the tragedies of the government’s rush to cover-up Tillman’s death was that the Army also burned Tillman’s journal that he maintained throughout his tour. The seeds of Tillman’s thought are there which is why they were burned. Tillman witnessed how the Jessica Lynch story was manipulated and fabricated by the Army and the neocons to turn her into the hero that she wasn’t in an attempt to drum up support for the Iraq war that was already turning into a disaster.

The best summary of Pat Tillman’s legacy is his youngest brother Rich’s eulogy at Pat’s funeral. It’s worth watching.

Also worth watching is Jonny Kim’s interview with Jocko that you kindly included. It’s a worthy time investment. I was struck most by Kim’s humility despite all of his amazing accomplishments. I’m left wondering what people like Kim - and Jocko Willink - truly think about what is happening in the country for which they have sacrificed and so obviously love.

Last point, seeing the DEI (or DIE as you more accurately put it) and other Marxist ideologies making their way into today’s military, what were your friend’s motivations for joining and what are his thoughts? I come from a military family but never served and occasionally I regret it. But then, I am not the person I was at age 18. I would not want either of my sons serving knowing what the military - and this country - has become.

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