LETTER FROM PAT TILLMAN'S BROTHER
KEVIN TILLMAN - 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 Constitution 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.
11 Comments:
I think we know the "SOMEHOW"...
This letter says it all..."SOMEHOW"!
Voltaire: Anyone who has the power to make you believe absurdities has the power to make you commit injustices.
Luckily this country is still a democracy.
Nominally at best. Keep deluding yourselves.
I particularly appreciated Tillman's jabs at 'drawings from five year olds' and 'stickers on cars'; these barbed remarks willprobably draw true ire from some people, but I for one am glad to see someone point out this kind of trite, propagandistic, pseudo-sentimentalist crap for exactly what it is--an attempt to keep people cowed (if you're not sporting one of those crummy decals, you don't support the troops, hence you can't be a patriot); and having small children sending drawings to soldiers is just a ploy for indoctrinating the kiddies early on into the idea that 'wars' and 'soldiers' are good things, things to want to do and be when you grow up. The 'cute' factor involved is just too sick-making for words, and I'm glad to see someone puncture the myth that men under battle conditions are just so heartwarmed by getting a piece of crummy artwork from somebody's drooling toddler. (Somebody who has all of his/her loved ones safely at home in the states, no doubt--but boy doesn't it make them feel like part of the Big Effort to be doin' their bit for The Boys Over There!) It's good to read someone so straightforwardly bursting these balloons of rose-colored smarm we as a people love to float around our heads, the better to fool ourselves out of thinking too closely about what's happening 'over there', and the real motivations for, and consequences of, our leader's deeds. It's time to stop using our children, and our weak-witted followers as a way of shielding ourselves from the murdrous facts.
It seems clear that when Pat got out he was going to say a lot.
What's more, there'd be a lot of people ready and willing to hear what he had to say.
Do you suppose there were some in DoD who figured as much?
The official explanations for Pat's death have been contradictory from the beginning.
One has always been suspicious that the accidental shooting by friendly fire wasn't so accidental, nor friendly.
With certainty it can be said that Pat is dead and not talking.
Mission accomplished?
One has to wonder about the conspirators, if there actually were any, how they must feel about themselves at this point in time, having played at the world stage and completely goofed, had gone on to portray themselves as priests, self-styled political control freaks, and captains of the economy when everything possible had gone wrong in the end anyway.
They have thrown themselves into the abyss with no return and yet no recognition of their actions is forthcoming. That everybody holding a stake in the outcome could so willingly throw themselves behind such a standing wave is truly an experiment in a day at the forum.
Nobody believes anymore that Mohammed had the greater Karma and thus we labour under a lesser god making amends for our lack of faith and grief because of 9/11. None the least do we believe in the competence of despotic bureaucrats with too many corporate ties or party insiders wrangling false promises hoping the world will fall in line with the presumed leader. On some level, they are being humored.
Awfully comforting to think there was a conspiracy at all, not just a collapse into depravity.
Nothing needs to be added to that letter as it says what most of us have known all along.
Kevin is a bigger hero than Pat.
Bravo for saying what needed to be said.
Interesting that those who blogged about how great this letter is all chose to remain anonymous in their replies.
One person (above) for instance wrote "I particularly appreciated Tillman's jabs at 'drawings from five year olds' and 'stickers on cars'; these barbed remarks will probably draw true ire from some people, but I for one am glad to see someone point out this kind of trite,..." Interesting ~ I'd have to ask this person if he/she/it thinks Kevin Tillman appreciates someone who supports his comments about 'telling it like it is' but who himself/herself/itself hides behind 'the shield of Anonymity'.
I don't think many of you get this... If you want to make a comment & hide from the consequences of making that comment, OK. It's your choice but where's your credibility? You didn't sign your life away - and if you did, this doesn't include you. Your brother/sister didn't get killed or die horribly like Kevin's brother did - and if he/she did, I take it back & apologize.
For those who just want something to say but don't have enough guts to say 'I said it' and sign it ~ congratulations, this is your blog. But think about this... Are you any better than the people who honk their horns to say they support war - but stay home & don't go to war themselves? Are you better than the parents who have their kids draw things for soldiers away at war - but don't do anything for the soldiers yourself? Let me answer that for ya - NO!
Here's a charming blog "Kevin is a bigger hero than Pat. Bravo for saying what needed to be said." You think ANYONE, besides you, appreciates that comment you f*#%ing idiot? Good, now that I've cleared my conscience...
My name's Dan. My email address is danjustdan555@aol.com. Now you know who I am, who are you?
Dan, it's marvelous that you feel free to put your name to your comments. The fact that some posters choose not to do so, for reasons ranging from simple concern over their privacy (there are some strange folks out there trolling the Net for that type of info, in case you hadn't noticed), to the fact (as in my case) that they are not registered with a name, and may be posting from a place where it is not feasible to do so. Going under the tag of "Anonymous" is an old and thoroughly respected means of maintaining privacy when publishing. It does not make the writer's content one whit less legitimate- only the content itself can proclaim that. I respect your opinion, but would suggest that you might be a bit less high-handed with the rest of we simple mortals. There may be highly legitimate reasons we employ the Anon moniker that you are not a position to be aware of.
Hello
I am the mother of an Army person whom had died and was stuffed in a body bag marker un-viewable and sent home to us. I was told by the Army our sone was not in-tack. However just like Pat we received pictures showing our son was in tack and he was able to be viewed. I want to know how we can get someone to hear our story because no one once to help us. Is it bacausr our son was not famous?
My name is Debbie and my home phone number is 425-413-9846. Please if you know someone that will news this true story please help this sadden family.
Thank you
Mother of John
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