Would that have been the good ‘red injun’ scout dude leading the Cavelry to the maiden from the wagon train who’s now held by the bad red injun dudes ?
L_C, you have this gigantic chip on your shoulder regarding the US.
Do you feel inferior? I think that might be it. Little, jealous London_Calling. Can’t be part of the big boy group so has to be bitter at all opportunities.
So pathetic. So typical.
“Do you feel inferior? I think that might be it. Little, jealous London_Calling. Can’t be part of the big boy group so has to be bitter at all opportunities.”
It’s attitudes like that that give people a negative view of the US.
(not that everyone has that attitude. But far too many do)
Neurotik, wasn’t London_Calling making a comment about how an artificial, Hollywood-style narrative has been forced onto the Jessica Lynch story in order to make it more dramatic and to function better as propaganda? Nothing particularly anti-American there, IMHO.
I think he was, Lola
The thread is about Jessica Lynch and her concerns at being used. My post was about subtext and manipulation. Everything else is creative license on your part, or my part.
Fill yer boots you dark stranger riding in a poncho ridin’ inta town with that big iron on ya hip.
I’m not sure I follow the reasoning here. The GI Bill is one of the benefits that the miliatary uses to sell itself! Their TV ads are continually mentioning how you can use military training in the “real world.” I hardly see how joining the armed forces for an education makes her enlistment oath any less heartfelt or valid.
IMO, the real hero of the 507[sup]th[/sup] is Sgt. Donald Walters. Jessica herself said that her gun jammed, which means she couldn’t have performed any of the heroic actions that were attributed to her. By process of elimination, only Sgt. Walters was in the right place at the right time. Problem is, Jessica a good looking woman and alive while Sgt. Walters is a dead cook.
Does anyone remember that lovely CBC news story about Jessica Lynch, her treatment, and the US media attention/spin?
It came out months ago but I can’t seem to find it via weeb searching.
Seems pretty clear to me. Maybe you weren’t paying attention at the time, but support for the war in Iraq wasn’t nearly where the decision-makers wanted it, even after it started. Protests were many and vocal. They wanted something for people to rally around, and they picked Private Lynch to be it.
They wanted to sell the public on the idea that the Iraq war is a good thing, even after it began. Many of us never bought it, and fewer and fewer people are buying it now.
“I type-board you salvation”? 
Avalonian, the media hyped Pr. Lynch with stories of heroism. I remember the Pentagon sayng they had no info but the media kept reporting that Lynche went down in a blaze of glory. She wasn’t the poster child for the administration, the media wanted the story.
Sure the military taped her rescue, just like they tape bombs entering doors and blowing up buildings. So the fuck what. I’ll bet that if the mission went terribley wrong you’d love to see that video.
Pr. Lynch is promoting a book, nothing more or less.
Me talk pretty some day.
I thought it meant “I salute you” in French. Maybe it doesn’t, how the fuck should I know. I guess if you never have any dates on Saturday night you got plenty more time to be a smart-ass.
According to google’s translator, it’s:
I board you hello!
That’s probably closer to luc’s meaning.
No, actually I wouldn’t. And fuck you very much for saying so.
Based on what you have to say about me, someone you have no idea about and have never met, I can pretty safely guess that the rest of your opinion is equally bullshit.
You are dismissed, son.
Oh please people. Granted, she’s a bit of a natural bitch (i.e. snubbing the Iraqi informer) but these statements are her publisher’s gambit. They know a gung-ho book won’t sell in the current climate while an E True Baghdad Story that bashes the Pentagon will . I love how the plain talkin’ hero waves off the accolades with one hand while waving in the million dollar fruit of her accolades with the other. You’re right Jessica, you’re not a hero. So how about sharing that money with the rest of your unit?
There’s heroes, and there’s saints.
And as to this speculation about her publisher’s intent, can you back that up with anything beyond your own intuition? Not saying you’re wrong, being ignorant. But why should I believe you’re right?
Well, then.
As an attempt to continue on with intelligent discourse, let’s pose a question: if you were in her situation, would you sell the book/movie? OF COURSE she was the innocent blonde WOMAN in a horrible situation, saved by the good old U.S. soldiers. That doesn’t tarnish the fact that she was a hero of war, does it?
I don’t think the movie should have made it to production without her approval - but the proceeds go to the war effort, right? I’m assuming her book proceeds will go the same way…
The problem, of course, is that we didn’t save the other 447 soldiers:
Yep. That takes ovaries!
The pentagon used her. The media reported it to death.
I’m for cutting her some slack.
Atleast when most of the Bush haters post they have balls and don’t use code words.
You were the one not paying attention, the media pumped up the story, not the “decision-makers”. And now Pr. Lynch is doing it.
As a woman, living in West Virginia, and a member of the media, I for one, have heard all I ever care to about Ms. Lynch.
Yes, I’m thrilled she was rescued --alive-- unlike so many more of our men and women serving in Iraq. Yes, I’m sure she faced unimaginable horrors and witnessed deplorable acts, both of which will haunt her for the rest of her natural life. And yes, her rescue did provide some of us with a brief glimmer of hope in a very, very dark hour.
But. . . .
She was manipulated by the military, and also by the media, and has now achieved a status many of the soldiers, sailors and marines still serving will fail to earn.
How many of us remember the names of the other members in her unit— other than Ms. Johnson-- the ones who did not survive? Have their families received the same accolades or the same amenities as Ms. Lynch? If she is considered a “hero,” shouldn’t the others be considered, at least posthumously, also?
The corporation that owns the daily newspapers in the vicinity of Ms. Lynch’s home town is providing her with a free round-trip ticket to Hawaii at a time of her choosing. Of course this was announced by publishing her high school senior portrait on the front page of daily and weekly newspapers throughout the state.
Gov. Bob Wise announced after her rescue that Ms. Lynch may attend West Virginia University tuition-free when she deems herself fit to begin her college career.
And I’m sure it will continue. . .
But, a co-worker’s 19-year-old son joined the National Guard for the same reason as Lynch (to attend college on the GI Bill), and has been stationed, along with his unit, in Iraq since March. So far, the daily newspapers have yet to offer trips across the street, much less to Hawaii and Gov. Wise has made no statement regarding Guardsmen attending college on the state’s tab. And families received notification just last week the Guardsmen may or may not be home for Christmas.
I’ll be thrilled Tuesday if the local television stations air that portion of the interview (somehow, I expect a commercial break during that particular part) and she does admit her rescue was a blatant attempt to further the effort. But I’m hopeful she’ll encourage more attention to be focused on Ms. Johnson, her fallen comrades and their families rather than solely on her rescue.