I’m kind of surprised that a thread of this nature doesn’t exist. (If it does, I’m sure that there will be a rush to correct me.)
For those of you that might have been under a rock somewhere and may not be aware, Pat Tillman was killed in Afghanistan over the weekend. He was an Army Ranger. Before that he was a Safety in the National Football League making over a million dollars a year.
He walked away from a 3.6 million dollar contract to pick up a gun and kill the people who would love nothing more than to slay any one of us in our beds.
He put his money where his mouth is and did something that many of us are unwilling to do. He completed training that many of us who are willing are incapable of completing.
He died doing what he believed in. And I would like to take this opportunity to show my deep appreciation for his service and my heartfelt condolences to his family following his sacrifice.
Tillman is one of thousands who deserve or thanks and admiration. I salute them all.
I can’t believe this went all day with no replies except a note from a moderator. I’m glad it didn’t turn into a flame-filled debate.
Agree with him or not, it does take a person with extraordinary integrity to do what he did. To walk away from so much to do what he believed was right is just amazing.
I know it is no comfort to his family, but his actions prove they raised an honest man.
Second that! Whether you think the war is right or wrong… Tillman gave up a very comfortable life to do what he thought was right. I saw an interview on SportsCenter where he said it was because his father and his grandfather… his whole family had served in previous wars. He said he just felt he owed it to them and his country to do his fair share. Very rare in this day and age…
Pat Tillman’s actions, both leaving fame and wealth to serve his country and refusing to make a public spectacle of his choice, were fine, noble, and honorable. I am proud beyond words to have served in the same military as a man of his caliber.
And by the way, while Sgt. Tillman’s circumstances were unique, his character was not. The US military is chock full of people to whom the words “service before self” are not just words. I am honored to serve with all of them.
I was hoping someone would say that. Mr. Tillman was indeed a noble man who died for his country. The fact that some people think that since he was semi-famous, it makes his death an even greater tragedy, kind of chaps my hide. Every soldier who voluntarily puts his/her life on the line deserves our equal respect.
His parent must feel an uncomfortable mixture of pride and loss. Well, at least he died doing something he felt strongly about.
I think this just goes to show that noble truth that money does not equal satiefaction. Tillman had to do more with his life so he did it, and I doubt his last thoughts were those famous words by Comic Book Salesman before he was hit by a nuclear bomb, “Ohh…I’ve wasted my life.”
It would be good if the youth of the nation who see atheletes as “role-models” would shun those atheletes such as Kobe Bryant and honor those such as Pat Tillman.
It’d be better if we had more celebrities and atheletes like Pat Tillman, that Kobe Bryant. But it seems that folks like Pat Tillman are a very rare breed.
Damn right.
An Arkansas unit lost people over the weekend. The brother of a guy I can’t remember from High School.
I saw a woman at the corner store Sunday when I bought a paper and doughnuts. When she left the guy at the desk explained that her son was in that unit and there was a communications blackout for the unit;she had no news from him. She looked up from the newspaper box, and I saw through the window that her eyes were as dark tunnels to a vast misery.
Can you imagine that, not knowing if he were alive or dead and in pieces to be identified by DNA?
I was glad to finally see some replies this morning. I’m also glad that the tone of the OP was respected and someone didn’t feel the need to make some remark about how Tillman “died for GWB’s obsession” or some other inappropriate musing.
I served in the Navy for six years and never came under fire. Those who have drawn enemy fire have my heartfelt respect. I singled out Pat Tillman because of the extraordinary situation he walked away from to fight for what he believes in. Not many of us would voluntarily give up millions to put our lives on the line.
But I have the same amount of respect for Brian Stewart. Brian is the son of an English teacher from Ohio. He was enrolled in college at the University of Cincinnatti when the burden of duty began to gnaw at him after September 11th. He left school and joined the Army. He volunteered for the Infantry. His goal is to become a Ranger.
Pat Tillman was a Ranger when he died. Brian Stewart will pick up the banner that fell from his hands. I only hope that Brian will not have to pay the same price for his patriotism and his sense of duty that Pat Tillman did.
I had never heard of Pat Tillman before the news of his death. Since then, I’ve read a lot about him. I’m going to remember his story, and bring it up the next time someone starts griping about how much athletes get paid vs. their relative worth to society.
(Yes, I know he didn’t give his life to football. But he was willing to give up his lifestyle to serve his country. That’s a hero, even if he had lived.)
I’ll agree with all the previous posters. It is unbelievable to think that in this day and age someone would walk away from a potential multi-million-dollar lifestyle in order to serve their country. Incredible story and very sad too.