Yeah. A wedding picture of a guy horribly mutilated by a hugely unpopular war. How can anyone read a political element into that? The nerve of some people!
:rolleyes:
My post was a response to the outpouring of outrage and sympathy to injured soldiers, when I think there should be a hell of a lot more outrage and sympathy for an ongoing travesty that we hardly even think about. Yeah, your war is occupying your attention in your country at the moment, but there is a much worse thing going on that we all seem to be taking for granted that is killing and disfiguring people on a daily basis, that we are all vulnerable to.
Yeah, okay, the carnage of automobile collisions and the way we all ignore it probably should have its own thread. Consider me leaving it alone in this thread now.
I don’t see where Mangetout made any sort of political statement. It’s you who is being presumptive in saying that he has a political agenda.
Perhaps because many car accidents are just that-accidents, and this was an unnecessary war founded on a lie that has really fucked a lot of people over. Perhaps because we KNOW it never had to happen in the first place.
Thanks very much for posting those, and also to Promethea for <paulharvey> “the rest of the story” </paulharvey>. I honestly wasn’t sure what to think when I saw the first photo in the OP - without some context to hang it on, I wasn’t even sure I wasn’t looking at a movie still.
I have known far too many disabled and handicapped people to fall into the automatic assumption of heroism based only on the fact that they ARE handicapped in some way (we all have things in our lives to overcome; someone with a physical handicap is not automatically braver or more noble than someone who does not have a physical handicap.)
That said, this young man and his bride seem to be very committed to one another, and very accepting of a horrible amount of misfortune, recognizing that life does go on and no amount of whining or blaming is going to change what has already happened. I wish them a very happy life together.
They do look happy in the rest of the linked photos. I agree that the first one (in the OP) was probably more of a “what? we’re ready?” pic). Candid shots are great, except sometimes they turn out funny. I have one from my wedding that looks like I’m about to make out with my cousin! Slightly wrong angle!
You can tell he has a good sense of humour… I had to laugh at the picture of his hand, with the thumb graft, on the sheet (towel?) that said “government property”. He might say he’s not very political, but how can you not see the dark humour in that?
I wish them the best.
I like. I got a feeling of authenticity from the article. They have a long history together, including the time he helped her deal with her father’s sudden death. He sounds like he has a great sense of humor. I really appreciated the other pics to give context… she has a dress similar to the one I wore, maybe I’m biased… but she loves him and he loves her. I mean if you really love someone for who they are it’s not really any surprise you would want to marry them.
There is a young man here in town who is the same age as my youngest son (who is in the Navy, by the way.) The young man, named Jason, was horribly wounded by a bomb that killed another Marine very early in the war. Jason has recovered as much as he ever will. He is blind, his face is scarred and he’s deaf in one ear. He does not look like the handsome, fun-loving young man his parents and fiance saw off to Iraq. But Jason and his fiance (who’s name I don’t remember) did marry, the government (on behalf of a grateful nation) will pay him a small penson for the rest of his life, he is continuing occupational therapy, and he and his wife are making a life for themselves. I have talked with Jason’s father a time or two, and what he told me was that, in time, he hates less and less the people responsible for the damage to his son and loves more and more every moment he spends with his son and new daughter-in-law. It’s no different, really, than if Jason had been in a terrible auto accident. There will be grandchildren and Thanksgivings and family debates and practical jokes. Because Jason didn’t die. And that, to them, was most important.
I’ll say this: He’s a better man than I am.
I see no shame. I see nothing that the guy should be ashamed of. In fact, I see no tragedy here. The guy married a good woman who stuck by him, and he obviously had so much pride in himself and his accomplishments that he wore his uniform to his wedding and had his comrades help him celebrate.
In many cases, things like this bring people closer together and reveal deficiencies in someone’s level of devotion. Naturally, I’m sure all involved wished that he had come home intact, but nevertheless it revealed to each other something that they may not have known existed.
What we do, what happens to us, colors everything about us. Nobody wants to live in a bubble, so we have to take the good with the bad and make the best of what we have left. These two are doing so, and good for them.
No, I suppose it was a political statement; pretty much what Miller summed up in post #41. But…
So fucking what?
and
On whose behalf is 29car offended?
Thanks to those who posted the extra links and photos, it’s much better to look at that photo in context. Those are two very courageous people and we can but admire them for being so public with their story. Yes, he has been horribly injured and yes, life will be difficult for him but they seem determined to make things work together. I wish them luck and much happiness.
My impression of the original pic was that they were still getting set.
Loved this in the article:
Who said I was offended by your post, you pompous ass? Most of the country (world) is against the war, as I’m sure you’re very aware.
What I found distasteful was your insertion of your snide remark in a thread where it didn’t belong. Of the hundreds of current threads on this board bashing the current administration and the war, you chose this one? Just because the guy was wearing a Marine uniform didn’t make it an invitation for your lame commentary on the war. Your using a photo of what was probably the happiest day of their lives, in spite of the circumstances leading up to it, to express your opinion on a war and a president you and millions of others dislike was just unbelievably arrogant on your part.
But how mighty clever it was of you to use a played out 3 1/2 year old joke to make your “point”.
If you get to read whatever you like into my posts, why shouldn’t I do the same with yours?
And no, you don’t sound offended or upset at all.
Don’t you guys get Oprah over there? 
He was a guest several months ago and seemed like a very funny guy who doesn’t have a political bone in his body.
I’m so glad to see more pictures; thanks to you who linked them. Seeing Ty smiling just made my day. Their life will be hard, and his injuries may be so extensive that his life still may be threatened in the future, but it’s obvious she still sees and loves the man inside.
I’ve seen a magaziene in the grocery store, is that what you’re talking about?
While disagreements and certain levels of debate are allowed in MPSIMS, direct insults are not. If you want to insult another poster, the BBQ Pit is the place to be. Please do not do this again.
This comment stikes me as curious. While it seems these folks are truly impressive, and are doing a great job making the best of a bad situation, how can you not consider injuries of the magniitude he incurred to be tragic? I am glad some good came out of this ugly situation (meaning the entire Iraq invasion), but I really wonder if this couple wouldn’t have gladly exchanged their current situation for countless other scenarios that would have allowed them to be married but would have left him with a face, both hands, etc.