Names of the Dead Faux Controversy
I haven't taken the time to blog about politics lately, not only because I've been so busy, but also because nothing has moved me enough to take the time to sit down and move anything beyond a quick draft post. What happened this week was different.
I cannot make sense of the controversy surrounding Ted Koppel's reading of our fallen heros' names on Nightline. Before I go on I must admit that I wasn't able to watch the show last night so I can't speak to how it was presented.
It is no secret that I strongly support Operation Iraqi Freedom and that I don't want to see an early withdrawal or anything that would leave Iraq half finished. I feel our troops are making great progress and having lots of success battling the evil there; instead of here.
Whats the harm in tributing those who have gave their lives for this? I've had this link, on the right, on the front page of this site since I started this blog. Anyone who has made this great scrafice deserves nothing less than to be remembered for what they did. We should all memorize their names, think of them and their scrafice, and pray for those that they left behind.
Abraham Lincoln said it best in Gettysburg...
But in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we may take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
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War on Terrorism
by usrbingeek at 2004-05-01 11:18 ET (GMT-5) | 2 Comments |
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Here's the harm:
“But we felt that the impact would actually be greater on a day when the entire nation is not focused on war dead,” he said.
That, and the fact that he's doing it during sweeps.
Look, it is a good thing, but when the motivation is obviously ratings and shock value, I'd prefer Koppel not use troops who sacrificed as a prop.