The Black Republican

Stand tall and be proud - this has been a awesome day. I feel as proud to be an American as much or more today than any day since the ceremony for my commissioning as an officer in the US Army.

The first reason I'm so proud is because today Chris and I, in a manner, put ourselves in harms way - at least as much as is possible without leaving sunny southwest Florida! We played the part of "Protest Warriors" outside the location being visited by President Bush today. We had our 36"x40" posters (courtesy of www.ProtestWarrior.com), I wore my BUSH IN 2004 T-shirt (which, BTW, Chris got me for Christmas) and Chris had a I LOVE THE USA T-shirt, and we were both armed with the truth.

I'll write more about our experiences at the "protest" later.

The second reason I'm so proud is because on my way home I found out that, unfortunately, more young heroes have died in battle today - and one of those brave heroes was Pat Tillman.

The past few days have seen a rise in the rhetoric regarding the reinstatement of the draft, headed by the ever-bombastic Congressman Charles B. Rangel (D-NY) :

"I don't think we want to believe that this is the kind of country where we take those who need the money to fight the wars, and others don't have any sacrifices to make"

Given that sentiment, what do you think the congressman would have to say to the friends and family of Pat Tillman, a man who sacrificed a dream career in the NFL, the cheering adulation of millions of spectators, and a salary of $9 million?

I mention those things not because Pat Tillman ever said or believed that giving up those things was actually a sacrifice, and not because his death is any more or less tragic because he had those opportunities, but because people like Charlie Rangle measure sacrifice that way. Congressman Rangel believes that not enough of the "privileged" are risking their lives in the military.

Earth to Charlie Rangle... we are all extremely privileged just to be Americans! Some people (rich and poor, black, brown, white, yellow and red)  just feel obligated to give something back for that privilege.

By couching his arguments in the cloth of class warfare, Congressman Rangel diminishes the sacrifice that all our men and women in service have made, are making, and will continue to make in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere. Is the death of Pat Tillman any greater a loss than the sacrifices made by the 800+ others that have given that last full measure? No! Was his life more valuable than those other men and women? I think Pat Tillman's life and death debunk that notion, Congressman Rangel's sentiments and the entire anti-war effort:

Tillman made no public statement. He wasn't in this for the publicity. But you didn't need to dig too deeply to find an explanation for his actions. Friends said that the 9/11 terrorist attacks had affected him deeply. Cardinals defensive coordinator Larry Marmie, after a conversation with his former player, said Tillman felt he needed to "pay something back" for the comfortable life he had been afforded.

Well, Congressman Rangel, is this what you had in mind? In your world, do we need equal amounts of casualties from each socioeconomic strata and in the proper demographic proportions in order to make things "fair"? Well Pat Tillman gave up a job with the Arizona Cardinals to take a job with the patriots - the real patriots - and I don't know about you, but when I look at all of those that have been killed and wounded in this war (to include WTC1, Kobar, The African Embassies, the USS Cole, and 9-11) I don't see their socioeconomic strata or where they fit in demographic breakdowns, I see Americans... and heroes.

And through all this... the foul-mouthed anti-Bush protestor and the death of another American son, I am still filled with pride - not because Pat Tillman has died or because a young woman has such a poor command of the language and disrespect for honest debate that she must be reduced obscene ad homonym personal attacks, but because I live in a country where fine young people still believe that it's their duty to fight and die for that young woman's right to voice her opinions (however obscene they may be) without fear that she will be stoned to death for doing so.

UPDATE: I heard about Pat Tillmans death while listening to the Glen Beck show on the way home. He had a great suggestion -  that we call the NFL and request that both the 40 yard lines in every NFL stadium be repainted from just white to Red, White and Blue in honor of Pat Tillman, and to represent the sacrifices of all of Pat's brothers and sisters in arms. (Tillman's jersey number for the Arizona Cardinals was 40.) The phone number to call to get this done is: 212-450-2000.