More Whining

In the spirit of my earlier rant, I thought I would share the following, which I passed along to my former professor who was concerned when she saw a report on CNN of action that we'd had here in the Baqubah area (specifically the town of Buhriz).

"Yes there was some happenings here yesterday (24th). I too saw the report on CNN and BBC and it is just sickening how the news lies. The actual spoken words weren't that off, after all they were working off one of our press releases, but the video footage that went along with it was just false, false, false. To begin, I'm not even sure that the video footage that they had of fighting was in Buhriz (a nearby suburb of Baqubah). They showed people out in the street with AKs and RPGs and dancing and firing rounds in the air, but that didn't happen at all. You see, we have our UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) that was up during the fight and it scanned all over the city and never showed any masses of people. We also have a radar, designed to tell where mortars and artillery are coming from, that picks up AK47 rounds too.

"When we get an acquisition from it we check it out, even when we know it is small arms fire. That group of people they showed on CNN was not from the Baqubah area and I doubt it was from within the past year. One lie that was spoken was that the people were rallying around the insurgents. That couldn't be farther from the truth. The locals here have started putting up white flags at their homes to show that they are against the 'insurgents', who, as I mentioned before, aren't locals anyway. One other thing that should be mentioned is that the attackers went after the Iraqi National Guard, not us, and they were spanked. The Iraqis are not amused by the 'insurgents' attacking local boys.

"When I see things like that (apparent file footage being used to further propagandistic agendas) it makes me wonder what else CNN and BBC are fashioning and what can really be trusted. Are those really Sudanese refugees they show during the little thirty second story? Are those people crying really the parents of the children that got burned up in the school in India? I could go on and on, but obviously my point is that I do not trust these 24 hour news networks. Perhaps Jayson Blair (and/or Stephen Glass for those who prefer an older reference) could find a home with one of them and complete the charade of journalistic integrity. I am now giving these networks the same bemused condescension that to this point I had reserved to "Weekly World News" (The tabloid that usually has a headline along the lines of "Bat Bpu Hired to Remove Rodent Infestation") or US Weekly (the PEOPLE magazine ripoff), but then again, those are not trying to pass themselves off as bastions of objective reporting...


P.S. Here is a CNN.com link about the attack:

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/07/25/iraq.main/index.html

Wailing and Gnashing O' Teeth (The Punishment Begins)...

One of you finally decided to speak up and put me in my place concerning the foul nature of SGT Rickenbacker's letter. A fellow officer sent me the following. As per his advice, I apologize to any of you I have offended by forwarding the SGT's letter or for any other child-hating missives. I suppose I apologize to those I haven't offended as well and I pray for your child hating-missive-agreeing (and if not agreeing, then non- offended) souls. I hope that "the righteous fist of morality" strikes only me and I want you all to please feel free to send any pent up Andre hate mail on this or any topic. I see the light...


---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 20 Jul 2004 12:47:51 +0400
Subject: RE: Defense of Honor!!! (Re: FW: Write a Soldier...)
To: andre

Andre,

I'm going to have to jump in on this. Far from being funny, the email was very offensive. Not in a funny comical way offensive, but really just tasteless. You'd be best served by just not bringing it up again, or maybe even apologizing for sending it out. If (and I think this is highly unlikely given the things you've written in the past) you didn't write the letter, then you are equally culpable for forwarding the thing on. Not only does it offend the small children who are writing these letters, but also is offensive towards our comrades who have died here.

As I said before, if you don't want the letters and cards, please forward them to me and I'll find a good home for them. Did I mention that we had a group of 10 year olds back in Nebraska that all told their parents that they didn't want birthday presents, and that instead they wanted their parents to send us things here. I felt pretty bad for the kids because we get sent so much crap already as it is.

Anyway, if you're not getting hate mail, then you're not getting read.

Or something like that anyway.

Feel the righteous fist of morality bee-atch.

-Jim

Defense of Honor!!! (Re: FW: Write a Soldier)

I feel that my character has been impugned by several of you who have deigned to suggest, both blatantly and subtly, that I wrote SGT Rickenbacker's letter. While, obviously, I posted it, and I happen to agree with much of what it says, I would never, ever sink so low as to berate a child, regardless of the circumstance. Indeed, I found the letter funny, in a very impersonal email sort of way, but, I must inquire, have any of you ever seen me act in any way that would suggest that I would be capable of saying such hurtful things? I submit to you all that I have always been a champion of the less fortunate, both in general [my years of community service (not court- ordered, mind you)] and particular (Campbell). I kindly, yet firmly, request that those of you who have propagated and perpetuated such malignant mendacities please retract them.

FW: Write a Soldier

The following letter was written by a fallen 2nd Brigade soldier. His buddy, who had promised to send it, had to copy it though because the actual letter was crusted with gore. He was so moved by the letter, to a child that had taken part in the "Write a Soldier" campaign, that he thought it a fitting tribute to his friend to share it with others as well. I think it is appropriate as well.


This is that letter:

Dear Timmy Smith,

I was SGT Dave Rickenbacker and I am dead. I wrote this letter, kept it in my hip pocket, and made my buddies promise to send it if I ever bought it. I'm writing to you Timmy because, frankly, it's your fault; that's right, your fault. You see, I was working out in the hovel we call a gym and I saw your letter, along with others, and it made a distinct impression on me.

I'll get into why you are responsible for my death in a moment but first I wanted to get a few things off my chest, the first being: Don't you think in retrospect, having been responsible for the death of a soldier, me, that you could have put the slightest effort into that letter? I mean, I know by the stacks of these letters that I see from all over the country that y'all only do these as make work, but would a little sincerity have been so hard? You didn't even try though, but hey you tell me if the following sentence is really the best you can do "I kant imajine how it is their…". I know I should probably blame your teacher as well, but at a certain point I think you should take responsibility for your actions. Would proofreading it have been so tough?

Secondly, I see from your letter that you attend the Paradise Education Center in Shreveport, Louisiana. That sounds like one of those places that rich people send their kids when they're booted out of every other school. What ticks me off is the name of the school. It's just another example of how our society is going to hell. Heaven forbid anyone damage you little brats' (and your parents') fragile psyches by telling it like it is (Miscreant Reform School doesn't roll off the tongue, does it). It makes me think of how they call prisons "correctional facilities" now. I'm gonna tell you something. You got a choice, you can either pull your head outta your ass and quit wasting your parents money (that means learn to spell, moron) or you can get ready to enlist, 'cause that's gonna be your only option when you have to get a GED.

Okay, well I mentioned it before, and now I'm gonna tell you why you are responsible for my death. Overall the letter just chapped my ass because of it's amazing insincerity. I'm sure you just got your little assignment, knocked it out (by the way four lines is not a letter), and then went back to torturing the class' pet turtle or engaging in some other deviancy. What set me off, and what set you apart from the rest, was the last line: "I'll be preying for you." What a load of crap. Did you pray Timmy? Did you? Hell, no! You wrote that because it sounded like something your mom would say and you couldn't wait to get done and go to recess. You know, maybe your prayer could have had an effect. Oh wait, no you don't know and you never will, because instead I took a bullet in the face, or I got my legs torn off by an IED blast, or a mortar decapitated me, spilling my brains all over the place. Don't you think it might have been worth the four seconds to honestly and sincerely pray something to the effect of "Dear God, please protect the soldiers that are fighting for me." You disgust me.

In summation, I'm dead, it's your fault and welcome to the Army.

SINCERELY,

Dave Rickenbacker
(Deceased)