|
Ron Jackson's Perspective
The Sunday Journal -
Think
Kankakee, Illinois
May 2, 2004
Tillman's death
returns war to page 1 |
 |
|
April 2004 was
the worst month for American casualties since the Iraq War began,
but we had become comfortable with the daily Iraqi war death tolls
being limited to page 5 news. That all changed in the past few
weeks as pictures of Old Glory-draped coffins appeared in
newspapers, and the headline, “American soldier killed in
Afghanistan gave up $3.6 million NFL contract,” got our attention.
The surrendering
of the multi-million dollar sports contract sells the story but does
not tell the story. The story captured our attention because
professional athletes today do not do what Pat Tillman did. A few
years ago former heavyweight boxer Riddick Bowe retired and spent a
week in the Marines. Recently golfer Tiger Woods spent less than a
week in an Army fantasy training camp.
In the 1940s and
1950s it was different. During World War II and the Korean War, it
was no big deal for professional athletes to serve in the military
at the peak of their sports career. It was expected. Some were
drafted; some volunteered.
During the
radical and revolutionary 1960s, our opinions of war changed in
America. Athletes were at the forefront of war protests. Boxing
legend Muhammed Ali preferred to serve time in jail rather than to
serve in the military. In our best effort to distance any similarity
in today’s war with the Vietnam War, Tillman is the antithesis of
Ali.
Pat Tillman, the
former professional football player who gave up a promising career
and millions of dollars to serve his country is a great story.
Although we have hundreds of thousands of heroes serving our
country, his death gave us another visible hero that warranted front
page coverage. Our other heroes may not have given up the
opportunity to earn millions of dollars, but they all made
sacrifices. Some 600 and counting, like Tillman, have made the
ultimate sacrifice, their lives.
Let’s put all of
them on the front page and lead television news stories. Stop
dishonoring them by relegating the daily death toll to the back pages. Stop hiding their stories. Stop hiding pictures of flag-covered
caskets. Stop treating them as if they are less a hero because they
did not have fame and fortune before they offered to serve.
Pat Tillman was
the epitome of the American soldier, the best. We only send our best
to die in war. If you have a checkered past, you are not wanted. If
you lack basic academic skills, you are not good enough. If you have
a pre-existing physical condition, you can’t help us. If you have a
drug problem, we don’t need you. If you have maliciously killed
someone in this country, you are not good enough to die for us on
foreign soil. Of course, if you are related to a member of Congress,
well, then you are too good for war.
Many will
remember and admire Pat Tillman for walking away from riches. Spec.
Pat Tillman wasn’t special just because he gave up a promising and
profitable sports career. Like all the others serving our country,
he is special because he gave himself.
That is the
story. |
|
|
Thanks for stopping by! |
|
|
Home
| About | What's New |
Books | Columns |
Archives |
Seminars | Search |
Contact |
| |
|
|
|
