Hero

April 23, 2004 in Uncategorized
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This is so sad.

Tillman killed while serving as Army Ranger

For those who don’t know, Pat Tillman was a professional football player that left a $3.6 million contract on the table shortly after 9/11 to join the Army Rangers, the first NFL regular to leave for military service since WWII.

Just because this guy is a pro athlete, it doesn’t make it any more tragic that he was killed than some faceless 19-year-old getting gunned down in Afghanistan. However, it does put in to perspective all the trials an tribulations that we deal with on a daily basis. He could’ve taken the easy way out. He could’ve worn the flag patch, or donated money to some random fund, or done the somber “I support the troops” interviews that were all over the sports shows shortly after we went to war. But he didn’t. He turned down a multi-million dollar contract to go make $17,000, and lay the groundwork for the ground troops to enter Iraq. And in the end, whether you agree with the war or not, you cannot deny that he made the ultimate sacrifice. And I cannot deny that he was a better man than me.

6 Comments to Hero

Seriously though, I don’t get it. If I were to have given up my career-to-be as a zookeeper and rushed off to Afghanistan, would you have thought it was a good idea? He gave up lots of money and a (assumedly) good career, to do a thing I wouldn’t recommend a needier person to do. Why is that commendable? It seems somewhat understandable to join up if you are deeply in need of a job and have no other options, or need the money to pay for college. So being rich hurts him as far as my opinion goes. I see armed forces as a necessary evil. I respect members of the armed forces as I respect all people.

ali on 28 April 2004

Ammendment: I respect members of the armed forces as I respect all people, except for people who voted for Bush.

ali on 28 April 2004