Pat Tilley

[Wildcard Ky]

Pat Tillman

You have probably heard by now that Pat Tillman was killed in Afghanistan. He was the NFL player that walked away from a 3.6 million dollar contract to join the Army and be a Ranger.

I'd like to share a few thoughts on people like Tillman without getting into the politics of the war. I realize that people have differing views on what we are doing in the Middle East, and that's okay. My thoughts are about the man, not the war.

What he did in walking away from that kind of money to serve what he felt to be a higher purpose is something very rare in western culture anymore. Money seems to be the driving force behind so many things now. We all get so consumed with the acquisition of wealth and material things. Money has become the single greatest status symbol. Me and I have become the predominant lines of thought.

Tillman was making the money. Then Sept 11th happened and he felt a greater calling. He literally gave up millions of dollars to join the Army along with his twin brother. How many of us would give up so much to serve something we felt so passionately about? I'm pretty sure I wouldn't do it. It is refreshing and eye opening to see someone that didn't put themselves first and answered a higher calling. Someone more concerned with integrity and honor than money.

America lost a great man when Tillman died. His selfless actions have certainly made me take a long look in the mirror.

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

Wildcard Ky,

I agree. However, his last name was TILLMAN.

RF

 

[Wildcard Ky]

Thanks RF. Don't know how I made such a tremendous error. I'll edit to fix my goof.

 

[minsue]

Forgive me if I come off sounding crass, but the media attention on Tillman's death angers me. Please don't misunderstand. I am not in any way trying to take away from his life or his death.

Since he played football in Arizona, his death is, of course, the main news story here today. I finally turned the evening news off after the first fifteen minutes of the broadcast because they were still reporting on Tillman's life and death, as they had been for the entire newscast. I began to feel quite angry because so many of our soldiers are dying. Yes, Tillman was an honorable man. Yes, he sacrificed his life doing what he felt was right and noble. Why is it that people seem to feel he gave up so much more than the rest of our lost soldiers because he gave up money?

We have a volunteer military. Every single one. Are any of their lives worth less because they didn't give up a million dollar contract to enlist?

 

[Guest]

I don't have especially strong feelings about this, and I'd never heard of this man until today. But I did immediately wonder what all the parents, spouses, lovers and children of the other hundreds of lost men (and women?) in Iraq are thinking and feeling as they read and watch this news. It is plainly sad to me.

Perdita

 

[rgraham666]

Rangers Lead The Way!

Vaya con dios, Mr. Tillman.

 

[Couture]

Forgive me if I come off sounding crass, but the media attention on Tillman's death angers me. Please don't misunderstand. I am not in any way trying to take away from his life or his death.

Don't be a player hater Mindy Sue. This morning on NPR, I heard someone crying because BD lost his leg in Iraq. Only thing is...BD is a cartoon character from Doonsbury.

The fact is, many of people don't know anyone who's been killed or wounded in this war. And then when someone like Pat gets killed, it's made a lot more real to everyone. These are real people dying over there. These are children's fathers...football stars....sons...brothers...and and lest we not forget...mothers and daughters.

War is serious business.

 

[tiger_smurf]

I don't think anyone is saying that Pat Tillman is in any way more important than all of the other people who have lost their lives in the war. But, he is someone that people know. His is a story that people will talk about, i.e. what we're doing right now. No one's saying that the others haven't sacrificed as much as he has, be it money, family or anything really. It doesn't matter. The ultimate sacrifice is life.
I hear it on the news every time someone dies over there. And every time it makes me sad. I wouldn't call it crass. This is a news story that brings awareness to a wider audience. Every endeavor needs a spokesman. A poster-boy. A face to seperate from the crowd. It doesn't make the crowd any less important or real. It affects us. It just gives us a simple dose of reality.

-ck

 

[SnoopDog]

That's the definition of a hero isn't it. He truly risked a life that really was worth something. Too bad people like him have to die during their service.

Snoopy

 

[Colleen Thomas]

Pat Tillman isn't different because he walked away from money only. He walked away from a successful career in Pro football to enlist as a common soldier after 9/11. Many sports heros did so during WWII. The thing here is he is the only one who has thus far.

-Colly

 

[lucky-E-leven]

Heartfelt sympathies and regrets over another life lost. His name should be important because he was there and did not return alive, not because he was famous before he got there. My best friend's brother is in Iraq and was recently standing not 4 feet from a 23 year old woman who was an interpreter, when she was shot and killed. Don't suppose anyone knows her name or that she died? I'm irritated by this.

I'm too young to know about Vietnam first hand, but my Mom told me when it was going on that the media would update the death toll everyday and as people watched it rise, they began to realize what a slaughter it actually was.

I personally feel as though the general public has been extremely shielded from the actual facts about this war/occupation. I know I have to do some digging every week or two when I want to know what the actual number is. I just checked and it appears to be just at 700.

I don't care to get into the mechanics of it, but would point out one thing. Every Sept. 11th since 2001 has included a reading of the names of every single person killed on home soil on that dreadful day and I don't see this tradition going away for a long time. When will I see a nationwide mourning and reading of the names of the 700 I just mentioned? Most likely, never. Just as much of a life lost and yet not nearly the amount of recognition or respect. It saddens me immensely.

~lucky

 

[Weird Harold]

Many sports heros did so during WWII. The thing here is he is the only one who has thus far.

Many of the sport figures who enlisted in WWII faced the draft and had little choice -- only a very few, like Ted Williams did so completely voluntarily, and he did it twice -- in WW2 AND the Korean Conflict.

Pat Tillman is not the only person to give up a sports career to enlist since 9/11 -- his brother (Earnest?) is also serving in Afghanistan after giving up a professional baseball career.

I know that Pat would be apalled at the notice his death has received -- he said as much in the very few interviews he granted to the media since he decided to enlist.

Unfortunately, the media and political flacks need "heroes" and someone who gave up an income that most of us can't imagine ever having because of his personal conviction that he was needed in the military is perfect for their purposes.

I admire Pat for his personal sacrifice because that kind of casual disregard for financial security is all to rare in this day and age, and he stands out in a crowd of very brave and commited people because of it. But I'll accede to his stated wish and refrain from making him any more of a hero than his actions have already made of him. His loss will be felt more by many people because of his prominence, but the loss of his example and leadership is what I regret about HIS loss.

Lucky, I wholeheartedly agree that a reading of the names of the fallen should be a national remembrance. It is done for the Vietnam Vets listed on The Wall after so many years of being forgotten, but the WWII dead and the dead from the Korean War deserve the same kind of remembrances.

I do NOT however think that it would be appropriate to use such reading as a political statement and I can't see it NOT being used in that way while the conflict is still in progress. I waited over 20 years for the Vietnam fallen to be recognised for their sacrifice and I'm still waiting fifty years after the conflict ended for the fallen of Korea to be remembered. I can wait for the fallen of Iraq and Afghanistan to be recognised.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

Yes, Tillman’s death is a tragedy. All premature deaths are tragedies, especially in war. And what makes this war so tragic is that it’s all so pointless and unnecessary.

It would at least be better if we could tell ourselves that these men are dying for the sake of our freedom or safety, but the fact is that we’re less safe and less free than we were before this fiasco began. The fact is that they’re dying for Bush and Cheney’s mistake and no matter how noble a picture they try to paint of it, that’s what it is, and it’s about time someone came out and said so. It’s a waste. That’s all it is. A shameful waste.

There are no WMD’s. There is no al-Qaeda connection, and Iraq is not a democracy waiting to happen and Bush as Rumsfeld thought. And if anyone in the administration had put aside their ignorance and arrogance for a moment they might have realized this and we wouldn’t be in the absolute mess we’re in today.

But they didn’t, and now we’ve got this sick, hate-filled country on our hands, and things are worse now than they were before we invaded them, and our boys are dying over there. Being murdered by the people they thought they were supposed to help.

You can splash all the red white and blue paint on this that you want, but you still don’t change the fact that what they’re dying for over there is nothing more than this administration’s arrogance, ignorance, and ineptitude.

---dr.M.

 

[Belegon]

It is a good thing for Pat Tillman's sacrifice to be so heavily recognized. The reason has been given here already but I will repeat it, with added commentary.

One of the most horrible things about modern warfare is the lack of the personal connection. A man pushing a button can rationalize away his own actions much easier than a man who must swing a sword and see and feel the results of his actions. Similarly, 700 dead in a country of millions is easier to rationalize away when you do not knowany of them.

Millions feel that they knew Pat Tillman. His death is personal. This is why I am not in the least upset to see his story receive more coverage than 699 others. He gave up his dream in the name of honor and that is important. It is not more important than the others who did the same, but it may be more personal and therefore more real to the general public.

Pat Tillman was honored this morning before the start of the NFL draft. Immediately afterwards, a young man was made a multi-millionaire by having his name read on a stage and he had the gall to look disappointed by the name of the team that preceded his name. My son was awake and watching. IT IS IMPORTANT TO CELEBRATE THE LIFE OF PAT TILLMAN AND THE MANNER IN WHICH HE LIVED IT!!!!

 

[Belegon]

Dr. M

By the way, Pat Tillman did not die in Iraq. He died in Afghanistan. The right or wrong of the Iraq conflict is irrelevant in this discussion.