A SOLDIER'S PERSPECTIVE
THE WEB'S LEADING MILITARY BLOG SINCE 2004
The View From Under A Rock blog has a great post up from a Soldier’s perspective (hehe). It’s about the mass media coverage of Jacko and lack of such for people with far more honor. Here’s a teaser:
Why is it that when ONE man dies, the whole of America loses their minds with grief. When a man dies, whose only contribution to the country was to ENTERTAIN people, the American people find the need to flock to a memorial in Hollywood , and even Congress sees the need to hold a “moment of silence” for his passing?
Am I missing something here? ONE man dies, and all of a sudden he’s a freaking martyr because he entertained us for a few decades? What about all those SOLDIERS who have died to give us freedom?
To answer that last question, we have our one day a year. It’s called Memorial Day. You know, the day that most Americans just look forward to a day off and completely miss the point. At least, that’s what our elected reps and boob-tube citizens would say. Anyway, read the rest of this letter from an active duty Soldier over at View From Under A Rock here.
In case you also missed this one, Ranger Up also ran a great post a few days ago about Col. Ed McMahon. Yeah, I didn’t know that Ed was a Colonel either. The following was written by Ed’s son, Lex McMahon:
Ed’s Marine Corps career began during World War II and lasted 23 years. At the end of it all, Ed was promoted to Colonel – he considered this to be one of the greatest accomplishments of his life; amazing when you consider the body of his work.
Over the years, Ed told me that he wanted to be remembered as: “a good entertainer, but a great Marine!†Considering Ed was an entertainment giant, this speaks volumes in regards to his love of the Marine Corps, with its inherent brotherhood and Corps values of respect, honor, and integrity – the defining elements of Ed’s character.
And yet, we have over a dozen gene pool cleansers out there killing themselves because a messed up pop star died after taking too many pills while contemplating his next underage sleep partner and they simply “can’t imagine life without him.”
Meanwhile, real heroes who have done nothing but good with their lives and refrained from controversy are simply buried without fanfare. Real heroes who served their country under some of the worst times get crapped on while Michael Jackson is compared to Jesus!
I’m speechless. Please make sure you read all of Lex McMahon’s eulogy over at the Ranger Up blog.
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Linda
Great perspective CJ. Because he was from a town in Indiana not too far from Chicago it has been the lead story on the local news for ages it seems…That’s why I love having a dvr we can fast forward thru all of it.
Critical Facts
cj:
The point you miss is that MJ accomplished far more during his life than most service persons do during theirs, hence the seeming disproportionate attention over the past week.
ONE PISSED OFF SOLDIER
Are you freaking kidding!? MJ was a child molester. We SOLDIERS do more then you think. We give up awhole a lot of freedom to keep this COUNTRY great as she is. You need to wake the HELL UP!!
“A Veteran – whether active duty, retired, national guard or reserve – is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to “The United States of America”, for an amount of “up to and including my life.” That is honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it.”
– Author Unknown
NY-David
While I appreciate your service to our country, you may also want to brush up on your knowledge of the law and the concept of being innocent until proven guilty. I don’t recall him being convicted of child molestation.
NY-David
NY-David
Sorry to have gotten off topic, but I wouldn’t make such a comparison as what CF made.
NY-David
Isaac
CF,
The point is, that the entire media and world stopped for an entertainer’s death, while the death of people who VOLUNTEER to defend YOUR freedom, are barely even mentioned in passing.
And I dare say most servicemen accomplish MUCH more than MJ during their time of service than he did during his entire life.
sue05
Michael Jackson doesnt/didnt deserve every media outlet hijacking the news ad nauseum for weeks. Personally, I couldn’t have cared less that a mentally ill pop star self destructed. Yet I do care that there are brave men and woman fighting and dying for our country and no one gives a crap because they are too wrapped up in some sickos funeral.
He sang. Big whoop. Someone sacrificing themselves for the greater good, THAT is more of an accomplishment than “MJ” ever could have understood. What did he ever do to support the men and women in uniform who allowed him the right to be who he was?
Critical Facts
sue:
In response to your wholly uninformed rhetoric, you might take a look at the link that follows:
http://www.examiner.com/x-13412-Veterans-Affairs-Examiner~y2009m6d29-Michael-Jackson-was-longtime-US-Military-supporter
NY-David
Not sure what I’m most impressed with… that you pointed this out or that it came from SF. Give the guy credit where due and move on.
NY-David
sue05
So he gave one concert for the military stationed in Japan, far removed from what is going on now, that our troops are involved in. (Ooo let us fawn forever over the pedophile.) I have much more respect for someone like Gary Sinese or Toby Keith or the pro wrestling association members who give of their time than I ever would for “MJ”. He was a sicko and didnt deserve the ridiculous fawning he received which was my point.
Critical Facts
Hmmm. I would recommend reading the article a little closer, but you appear already to have your mind made up and no amount of evidence to contrary is likely to change your view.
Dave Jenest (Patriotwatch)
Message sent to Judge Andrew Napolitano hosting Glenn Beck’s show yesterday.
Headlines the last two days on Fox report accurately on the mainstream media’s saturation coverage of Michael Jackson’s death. Fox also reported “Relatives of Soldier Killed in Afghanistan Decry Lack of Coverage Amid Jackson Spectacle.” We would like the families to know, Lt. Brian Bradshaw and his comrades in arms were memorialized on July 4th. http://www.patriotwatch.com/VetVideos.htm
From our virtual stage, VIPs and participants alike shared a moment of silence and this message:
REFLECTIONS: “Let us remember the 13 U.S. soldiers KIA in Afghanistan after the media feeding frenzy over Michael Jackson’s death on June 25. These are the true American heroes and treasure lost. As we watch and listen to videos messages from and about our troops, members of our virtual world may share their personal thoughts and stories with each other.”
Last week we faxed news releases http://www.patriotwatch.com/7-4-09.htm to Fox News Network. Maybe we’re not good with PR as an all volunteer nonprofit organization. But we did want to let you know: We did not forget Lt. Brian Bradshaw and his comrades in arms.
Shannon
MJ made a lot of contributions, but they weren’t even on the same level as a United States service members. I’m on the side of Martha Gillis, whose nephew Brian was killed by an IED, in A’stan, on the same day MJ died. One man brought joy to a lot of people through his music…one man brought us that much closer to keeping our freedoms intact. No contest! None at all!
I agree that many Americans have forgotten, or maybe never understood, what the military has afforded them in their life. It’s sad and one more thing that separates the military from the civilian world. Maybe if the media wouldn’t paint the military as ignorant, nothing better to do, high school dropouts, social misfit, gang sign flippin’, fools, who like to break the law, people would be a bit more educated on the military.
If there was ever a time, it is now, to rise up and start writing letters, and making phone calls, to get our REAL heroes the recognition and support they deserve. Silence is NOT golden, it perpetuates everything wrong.
T the D
I am in complete agreement – I even said something to a friend on the day of the MJ memorial. It was something to the effect of “Imagine if we gave even a 10th of the coverage to our fallen soldiers as we have to the death of Michael Jackson.”
Michael Jackson may have been an accomplished and successful entertainer known around the world, but that doesn’t even come close to comparing with what our soldiers do for us everyday.
The people who fight, and especially those who fight and gave ALL for their country deserve so much more.
~T the D
http://www.twitter.com/Trish1981
Karen
HERO- definition– a man distinguished for exceptional courage, fortitude or bold enterprise. I believe this fits military personnel. Therefore, a Hero, male or female, should be recognized. mj, was neither. a hero, nor military. I agree with the letter, and would be thrilled to thank the one who wrote it.
Karen
HERO – defined-a man distiguished for exceptional courage, fortitude or bold enterprise. Men and women of the armed forces deserve this title. Every day.
MJ does not. Respect, admire and thank the right people, not one id……