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No heroes?
Thomas Sowell (archive)


December 2, 2004 | Print | Send


You cannot fight a war without many brave men taking risks with their lives in order to try to accomplish their mission. Yet can you name a single American hero in either of the two wars going on today in Afghanistan and Iraq?

Chances are you can't -- not if you rely on the mainstream media. You may be able to name someone from the little band of people involved in the prison scandal in Iraq or perhaps Jessica Lynch who was rescued, but not those who rescued her.

There are apparently no heroes among the more than 100,000 men and women fighting for us overseas -- only victims. At least, that is how the news gets filtered and spun in most of the media.

Any reservist whose life is disrupted by being called to active duty has a good chance of making the front page of the New York Times with his laments. But 99 fellow reservists who are focused on their duty are far less likely to be featured.

Enemy casualties, no matter how large, seldom get as much publicity as even a handful of American casualties. A whole ghoul school of journalism was preparing for the thousandth death among American troops in Iraq, so that they could run big features on it.

The New York Times covered page after page with the names of those thousand dead. The television wing of the ghoul school did similar things in their broadcasts. The rationale for this is that they are "honoring" the dead troops and perhaps showing that the media, too, are patriotically "supporting our troops."

The fraudulence of this can be seen in the fact that Ted Koppel, who sneered at those journalists who wore little American flag lapel pins after 9/11 as people who were "flag waving," has made the display of American dead a feature of "Nightline."

Why is it that the New York Times, which has been against this war from day one, and against the military for decades before that, is spearheading this way of "honoring" our troops? What they are in fact doing is rubbing our noses in the casualties at every opportunity.

People have every right to be for or against this war or any other war. That is what editorial pages, newspaper columns, and radio and TV talk shows are all about. But pretending to be reporting news and "honoring" the troops is dirty business.

While our troops were willing to put their lives on the line to carry out their missions, they did not go overseas for the purpose of dying. Nor have they died without taking a lot more of the enemy with them. Every terrorist killed in Iraq is one that will never come over here to commit another 9/11.

Anyone who was serious about honoring the fallen troops would honor what they accomplished, not just the price they paid. More than 5,000 Marines died taking the one little island of Iwo Jima but they were honored for taking Iwo Jima -- a wretched little island in itself, but a crucial forward base for supporting the air attacks on Japan that ended World War II.

Those who are busy "honoring" the deaths of American troops in Iraq seldom have much to say about what those troops accomplished. The restoration of electricity, the re-opening of hospitals and schools, and all the other things being done to try to restore a war-devastated country get little attention, and everything that has gone wrong makes the front pages and TV news for weeks on end.

This is the approach that gave the media their biggest triumph and ego boost -- the discrediting of the war in Vietnam.

More than 50,000 Americans died trying to save that country from Communist attacks. Their achievements included victories on the battlefield that were negated politically by the way the American press reported the war.

In recent years, Vietnam's Communist leaders themselves have admitted that they lost that war on the ground but hung on because the American anti-war movement gave them hope that they could win it politically. It was a well-founded hope that the American media helped make come true when we withdrew both our troops and our financial and political backing for the Vietnamese under attack.

At that time, the media had not yet come up with the gimmick of "honoring" American war dead but they were nevertheless able to throw away the victory for which those men sacrificed their lives.

Will they repeat that heady achievement a second time in Iraq? They certainly seem to be trying. And it is no honor.



©2004 Creators Syndicate, Inc.

[RogerRabbit]

As usual, Mr Thomas Sowell hits it right on the head again.
I get so irritated that the media has so much power and abuses it so badly and our activist judges back them up to the hilt

[tony54]

[shawa]

"While our troops were willing to put their lives on the line to carry out their missions, they did not go overseas for the purpose of dying. Nor have they died without taking a lot more of the enemy with them. Every terrorist killed in Iraq is one that will never come over here to commit another 9/11."

Right on, Mr. Sowell!!

I have been dealing with a great heartbreak for my neighbors whose
son, a young 22-year-old Marine was killed by small arms fire
two weeks ago while on patrol in Fallujah.

He enlisted in the Marines right out of high school, and shipped out
to Iraq in February, 2003. He fought in Operation Iraqi Freedom with
the 3rd Infantry, 1st Battalion.

He received a formal commendation for saving the life of an Iraqi
civilian, and was cited for his "leadership" and "devotion to duty".
He was due to be discharged last June but signed up for a second tour
of duty.

This brave young Marine believed strongly that his mission was
protecting our country from the threat of terrorism on our shores.

Under the guise of honoring our fallen soldiers, the media only want
to propagandize their deaths to further anti-war sentiment!!

I choose to honor young Michael in life and in death for his dedication
to service and protecting our way of life.

Please remember his parents in your prayers.

[Jack Hetherton, jr]

[gmez2001]

[Mother]

Thank you so much for posting the Thomas Sowell piece. I have submitted the following letter to my local weekly newspaper editor and his corporate offices at Cox News- with a copy to Thomas Sowell- including Sowell's piece and the posts in the column as an addendum:

Mitchell,

I've been trying to find a way to say thank you for the Amanda's story about Gilchrist's impending departure to the USMC. To simply give thanks would be remiss, because this was not just a story. Simply by your nature, I know that you understand what I am about to explain. I know that I don't need to explain my feelings. Regardless, I must share my thoughts.

Gil's reaction to the story was very nice-there was a hint of a smile on his face. It may not seem much perhaps, to anyone else, but as reserved as he is, that smile meant the world to me. The only "things" he is permitted to take with him to recruit training, outside of a small duffel bag that will be placed in storage, are those "things" he can carry in his heart. Giving him this gift of acknowledgement and appreciation -from "home"- as he leaves "home" is huge gift he can carry in his heart. As his mother I am eternally grateful for this gift you have given.

The controversery that rages across this country with regard to responsible journalism is one that is vital to my remarks. As an ardent supporter of our military personnel I have seen and felt the damage that some forms of journalism inflict by simple ignorace or by those who do not go to work to push a pencil, but to push an agenda.

Those Americans who go to work and do not push a pencil but who daily put their life at risk should- by simple civility, integrity or responsibility- not be subjected to additional turmoil by acts that can be prevented. The hearts and minds of America are not a thing to be taken lightly. My son is not the only American leaving home with a small duffel bag. Those things that American journalism places in the hearts and minds of America's son's and daughter's are vital and need to be protected and defended from ignorance, agendas, etc. The pain and wounds caused by such can last a lifetime and indeed have a profound effect on our national life.

That said, I thank you for the reverence and care you have taken with my son's heart and mind. I can not, do not and will not take it lightly. As you know, I have always been highly impressed by the quality of your journalist standard in keeping this community not only informed, but educated. In the years I have been priviledged to know you and read your newspaper I have never had occassion to doubt your personal or your journalistic integrity. This, however, is personal and you have my deep, eternal gratitude.

Semper Fi.

Julie B. Rose, Grifton

[P. Aaron]