A SOLDIER'S PERSPECTIVE
THE WEB'S LEADING MILITARY BLOG SINCE 2004
Editorial cartoons over the past five years have done more than test boundaries. Some have flat out crossed them, especially in the case of depicting members of the armed forces.
The latest in a long string of sick cartoons comes from Ted Rall. It is response to this letter by Major Gary R Brickner published in the New York Times
.
To the Editor:
Re “Sacrifice of the Few,� by Bob Herbert (column, Oct. 12):
My experience on returning from a tour of duty in Afghanistan was much the same as that of Sgt. Mike Krause when he came home from Iraq, as described in the column.
Except that for every person in the airport who thanked me for my service, there was at least one who conspicuously avoided eye contact. Was it because I reminded him of his own lack of sacrifice in this war when others have sacrificed all?
The situation Sergeant Krause describes has serious implications for our country.
Historically, the most difficult decision a democracy could make was to go to war. It was always preceded by intense debate because the people needed to be certain that the sacrifices and hardships to be endured by all were commensurate with the goals to be achieved.But a citizenry detached from the reality of war and incurring no personal risk from it can never give such decisions the importance they once had.
To put it more simply: a country where a fraction of the population does the fighting for the rest may find it all too easy to avoid the hard choices and just let the other guy (and gal) do it.
Gary R. Brickner, M.D.
Princeton, N.J., Oct. 12, 2006
Maj Brickner had a very good point. Perhaps those who avoid eye contact are ashamed of their lack of sacrifice.
The cartoon response by Ralls. Click for full view.
Mr. Rall’s gall is unbelievable. First he assumes that those in the military hate gays (not true), then he assumes we are disgruntled enough about our pay to harm others. He doesn’t stop there but goes on to insult those with physical disabilities. And like every good liberal in the media, he can’t avoid a bashing on President Bush.
Mr. Rall needs to sit down with a few military service members and have a bit of a chat. His generalizations are of the grossest kind, and his contempt for the military and the president boarders on the unhealthy. Perhaps that chat could show him that those of us in the military are nothing like he describes us.
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LOL imagine that this scammer actually said if you dont know anything
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@ anonn this one was easy to figure out this liar basically tell where
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@ anonn still not sure why you are using my username but anywho great
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i would love to see what pics he has sent you.....he has started email
Kat in Ga: A Soldiers' Angel
OMG – that cartoon is infuriating… and sooooo wrong!!!! I’d rant more but I’m late for church….
yankeemom
Mr Rall also needs a visit from some Military Moms who have witnessed the same at the airport when meeting their Soldiers or Marines. Yes, and I would be one of them!
Andrea
What Mr Rall (Mr. Gall?) NEEDS is a year in Iraq/Afghanistan with a daily dose of six hours buried waste deep in sand with bottled water one inch away from his grasp!
I offer no apologies for this most spontaneous (after seeing/reading his so called cartoon) fantasy. While our soldiers cover our backs – we at home are subjected to the likes of this coward! Sometimes it just takes my breath away.
Calybos
Or perhaps people avoid eye-contact with a visible symbol of an illegal and disastrous war. I know it makes ME uncomfortable to see a living, walking reminder that the U.S. has fallen so far from its principles.
Rall seems to be pricking the Maj. Brickner pompous-arrogance balloon, the same attitude that says “I’m U.S. military, and that MAKES me right!” And that’s a good thing.
If you folks want blind servitude and flag-waving crowds chanting slogans of solidarity… try moving to a Muslim theocracy. Or North Korea. This is America, where dissent is the highest form of patriotism.
Cpl M
Finally, a liberal says what they really mean. You in no way support the troops but hate the war. I’m glad you can be so honest.
Maj Brickner in now way has any kind of holier than thou attitude. He never claimed to be right about anything. He only stated the obvious that the only people making sacrifices in the war are the troops.
I don’t want blind servitude at all. All I want is for you to stop thinking about yourself, and think about the rest of the country and the very visible threat we face from radical Islam.
You dissent is not patriotism. Don’t fool yourself.