Last week’s revelation of a video which showed Marines urinating on the bodies of dead Taliban handed people who see our troops as victims, or less than honorable members of society, an opportunity to remind us that our troops have no business wearing a halo. Yesterday, I came across an editorial which lamented the fact that our troops are so often portrayed in a positive light and our enemies are invariably “depicted negatively.”
Ms. Heard, the author of the editorial, devotes several paragraphs to explaining how the Pentagon, our government, schools, news organizations and others have worked to create and maintain an angelic, heroic, do-good image of American troops.
The establishment cloaks those who serve with honour. Fox News projects them as almost saintly showing soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan distributing sweets to clamouring kids or working with rural populations to build schools. Hollywood partners with the Pentagon to produce inspirational war films: the Pentagon seeks propaganda for recruitment purposes, supplying moviemakers with equipment and extras in return for censorship over scripts. On the rare occasions within those virtual co-productions when soldiers break the code they are always seen to be punished.
When the 1986 film Top Gun was released, army recruiting booths were installed inside cinemas. Movies such as Black Hawk Down featuring the Pentagon’s Black Hawk helicopters indoctrinate the public with the belief that Marines are dedicated, honourable and so loyal to their fellows that, despite the dangers, no man is ever left behind. Naturally, the other side is invariably depicted negatively. It is always America’s enemies who take pleasure in killing, raping and torturing.
Although I take exception to much of Ms. Heard’s piece, it did bring up an interesting question. Is it a mistake to think of our troops as heroes? Have we placed an undeserved amount of admiration and trust in those who serve?
I agree with Ms. Heard that in some corners there is, and always has been, an effort to paint our troops in a positive light. But I believe this comes more from the public’s desire to honor and support our troops during war and less from a grand conspiracy involving all sorts of groups who have competing and often divergent agendas. As with the clergy or counselors or any other occupation which relies on public trust, there is an understandable amount of shock and outrage when someone deviates from the mold. But when they do, that does not mean that the mold should be thrown away. Motives aside, it’s my belief that those who volunteer to serve their country, particularly in a time of war, deserve the positive adulation they so often receive. And it’s worth noting that the halo is involuntarily placed upon them. But our troops are human and sometimes humans do terrible things. Things which a mere apology can never fix.
My takeaway from Ms. Heard’s piece is that she would be comfortable swinging the pendulum in the opposite direction and feels that our troops and their leadership should be looked upon contemptuously because of an established “dehumanizing culture.” Your mileage may vary. Ms. Heard does one thing very well, though. She makes the case that so frustrates those of us who are members of the military community. She pulls out examples of unacceptable conduct and leaves the impression that neither the military nor the American people care if our angelic troops misbehave or worse, commit “heinous crimes.” The American people have been duped or, to use her word, “indoctrinated.” It seems we’re all patsies who have fallen prey to some sort of high-level public relations campaign designed to transform the American service member from mere mortal into the second coming of Christ.
But unfortunately for those who guard its secrets, in these Facebook/YouTube times inconvenient truths emerge to burst that carefully contrived noble bubble. Yet the American people have been so successfully indoctrinated that no matter what volume of heinous crimes comes to the surface, they still buy-in to the few bad apples line put out by former Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to excuse the physical, emotional and sexual abuse suffered by Iraqis detained at Abu Ghraib.
We do not minimize or “excuse” the occasions when service members misbehave, desecrate the war dead or treat others inhumanely. Nor should we. Military families understand (more than most) that during war, the unacceptable behavior of a “few bad apples” has a detrimental effect on all troops and makes their mission harder than it already is. There is no upside to bad behavior in a war zone. But reasonable people will understand that these examples are the exception and not the rule, and they realize there are varying degrees of bad behavior.
For every Abu Ghraib and offensive video, there are thousands upon thousands of examples of our troops conducting themselves with honor and integrity. They are making a meaningful difference in the lives of others. But try to tell that to someone who believes millions of Americans and service members are victims of a grand conspiracy which has successfully transformed us from free-thinking individuals capable of making reasonable judgments on our own to zombies who will swallow ill-placed propaganda hook, line and sinker. There is room for both. We are capable of viewing our troops as honorable and castigating those who bring dishonor upon their profession.
Calling a spade a spade is neither dangerous nor unwise. Not understanding that occasionally a spade doesn’t work as advertised is both.
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I completely agree. I was just making a similar argument to my cousin. People are basically good, and those who choose to serve our country are basically awesome for being willing to put their lives on the line for the greater good. That doesn't mean, however, that they're all perfect people who always do the right thing. And looking to the news for the facts is always risky, because the fact is that it's the worst stuff that makes the news. That's true of every group and type of person, not just the military. Do great deeds and humanitarian efforts? Your work will be appreciated, but greatly unnoticed. Do something horrible and shocking? It will immediately be covered by every news organization. That's just how it works. Our men and women in uniform aren't perfect, but we do need to keep the big picture in mind, and realize that just because there are one or two bad apples in the bunch doesn't mean that they're all rotten.
"Is it a mistake to think of our troops as heroes? Have we placed an undeserved amount of admiration and trust in those who serve?"
In my honest opinion, yes. I am very proud of the work my husband does and I absolutely believe that many servicemembers fall under the "hero" category. However, I don't agree with the widespread sentiment that once someone completes basic training and puts on that uniform they automatically become some demigod. All servicemembers may wear the same uniforms but they are NOT equal.
Am I supposed to refer to some 19 year old as a "hero" because they dropped out of college, couldn't find a good paying job and now fold parachutes for the army? Sorry, not gonna happen. A member of Seal Team 6 is a hero; a kid who joined up for the GI bill and does the bare minimum to get through their enlistment and wears their uniform to the mall for attention…not so much.
Great point, SemperSteen. Thanks for your comment. My major issue is that I believe the profession is honorable and should be seen as such. Whether it be the private just out of basic or the General with 35 years in, it is a noble profession and no matter the reason for joining, they did volunteer to serve.
The public has no way of distinguishing the good egg from the bad egg. They see uniformed troops in the airport and they are all part of the group who serve our nation. I have no problem with our troops being collectively viewed as honorable and noble. But it is true that when they are built up, the fall is rough when some abuse the trust placed in them. It's an interesting issue to ponder.
The term "hero" is bandied about so loosely today as to have lost it's effect, chalk it up to a society that has such loose morals and character that they are desperately hungry for those to look up too. Sports stars fail, politicians are laughable, hollywood stars exhibit the very vices we are desperately trying to seek solace from.
So we fall back on those serving our country, I myself have often wondered why we are so quick to castigate those serving when they committ an atrocity. Too often we forget that if not in the military, these people would very likely be in college. Yet we do not hear of those who in college committ the same grievious acts or far worse. How many "sexual harrassment" complaints happen on a college campus daily but let one pop up in the military and all hell breaks loose.
We were told at the beginning of this war that we are not fighting a Crusade, well then maybe it is time to quit expecting our Soldiers to live up to the myths of Saints going to Battle.
amen brother. Well said
You must not read enough because I see plenty of sexual assaults in the news on campuses.
Not to stray too far from the subject but Ms. Heard starts off by commenting about the movie Top Gun saying the Army put up recruiting booths in the Theaters. The movie was about Navy jet fighter aviators so I doubt the Army got much spin-off from it. She also used the movie Black Hawk Down as another example and said the Marines were honored as never leaving a man behind in the movie, but it was the Army Rangers who were portrayed not Marines.
To get back on the subject, when I was in Vietnam, my 1st Sgt. had a very short speech he gave to each new arrival in our Airborne Infantry company. He said; WHO YOU ARE……IS WHAT YOU DO……WHEN IT COUNTS! I do not think the "Pissing" Marines gave much thought along that line when they performed their now infamous act.
I think "hero-fatigue" is an enevitable side effect of 20 stories about homecomings each day, a show about surprise homecomings, 30 country songs capitalizing on deployed troops, etc, etc. There is an enormous amount of good-will towards the services in the general public right now, especially when compared with Vietnam. It's a shame incidents like the recent one tarnish that a bit, but it shines a very human spotlight on those actually at war as opposed to movies like Hurt Locker.
No not all military service members are heroes. However, in my humble opinion, most are. It bothers me tremendously when I see athletes or celebrities or politicians signing authographs for our troops, it bothers me when those same people are called heroes. It bothers me when the mainstream media, local media only report the negative on our military and I call them to task for it. I absolutely agree not every service member is a hero and perhaps because my son is in the army – perhaps i am a bit biased. But I am willing to admit that. I look up to the majority of those military members who honorably serve not for the money but because someone HAS to do what so few are willing to do
And you see below: This is what I mean when I criticize hollywood.
In the February issue of Men's Journal, the 40-year-old actor reveals he was scheduled to be on one of the two planes that crashed into the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. Had Wahlberg made his flight, the "Contraband" star predicts things would have turned out much differently.
"If I was on that plane with my kids, it wouldn't have went down like it did," Wahlberg imagines. "There would have been a lot of blood in that first-class cabin and then me saying, 'OK, we're going to land somewhere safely. Don't worry.'"
He has since apologized for those statements saying "To speculate about such a situation is ridiculous to begin with, and to suggest I would have done anything differently than the passengers on that plane was irresponsible. I deeply apologize to the families of the victims that my answer came off as insensitive, it was certainly not my intention,"
I'm always the person that will push the "BS" button on statements like this (like when Souja boy apologized for his lyrics in that song that caused SO much commotion) but I believe he was genuine. It's really no different than when you (general you, as in anyone who's ever done this) are watching the news and see a story about someone breaking into someone's home and causing them harm. Someone's typical response might have been "If that were me, I'd have shot him in the behind" or "If that were me, I'd have broken his knee cap". It happens while watching movies too. "LOOK OUT BEHIND YOU!! TURN AROUND!!" when the monster comes up behind the unsuspecting victim with a hatchet because we always know better than the person who is IN the situation.
The reality is that EVERYONE on the planet is or has at one time been an arm chair quarterback. We like to say things would have been different if WE were there. Things would have turned out better if WE were there to grace the situation with our awesomeness and quick thinking. Just the fact that he is famous and made those statements that turned up in print is where it gets sensational. I wonder how many people in the days following 9/11 made those same statements. "If I were there, I'd have taken their heads off with my super human judo chop".
It's not 'Hollywood' per se that needs to be criticized. His comment came from his human nature, not his fame because I'm fairly certain being famous doesn't give him super powers and he knows it.
See as a member of the "new scum bag brigades" I for one sure hope she appreciates the right to bring only the bad to light of the ones that fight and die for her constitutional right to complain. My first suggestion to her is to ask what sins she has comitted since she has cast the first stone to paraphrase a more famous historical figure in our hstory………..
Wow – well said!!!
Ms Heard, who the hell are you? In my 65 yrs all our enemies have always Tortured, Killed & Raped I like a unit S.O.P.I.E. WW2 Empire of Japan, bushito code, Germany the SS, N. Korea & Chinese Com. Forces, V.N. War , VC,& NVA. Present OP.s in Asia muslims insergents, Hussien's Army, all sub human animal like so called humans.We are not perfect but we punish our own, & hold them responsible for their actions, avery few may skate, by, but very few, we're pretty much as portrayed, tall good lookin, non obeast, young , smart Men & women willin to sacrifice our lives for a generally ungrateful Nation.
I take issue with Ms Heard's inference that Americans are like sheep who will believe what they are told. We are intelligent enough to figure out what is the truth and what is bullcrap. The ideal of a servicemember epitomizes what it means to be a hero for one's country. The reality is that they are human and come with all the strengths and imperfections that each human possesses. I agree that just because one chooses to serve their country does not automatically make them a hero. One's character and actions will earn him/her that title. I do not participate in the practice of idolizing others because of their occupation. I hold great respect for those whose character and actions have proven that they deserve such respect. I have been a part of the military community for over 20 years now and I have met heroes and I have met scumbags. Many of the Marines I have met have a strong devotion to the Marine Corps and to their country. They strive to uphold the standards of the Marine Corps and they do what they need to do to get the job done. I have the deepest respect for those Marines and I am so proud to be married to one of those Marines.
Americans ARE like sheep. Look at Fox News and the religous ******** people believe. My husband and I can’t wait until he’s done serving so we can move to a more secular country.
Good luck with that. One question, since you and your husband dislike this country so much, why did he join the military?
Americans ARE like sheep. Look at Fox News and the religous ******** people believe. My husband and I can’t wait until he’s done serving so we can move to a more secular country.
Is every service member a Hero? No. Only some perform acts of heroism in various ways and deserve to be hailed a hero. Those heros are still human, and "to err is human…". Even if you view every soldier, sailor, airmen or marine as a hero, keep in mind they are human and will make mistakes while performing their duties. In the pissing marine incident, I can't help but think some are too critical of their actions. Until you have engaged in combat, you have no idea what a man or woman goes through before, during or after the altercation. It is easy to sit back in the comfort of your home blogging about or openly criticizing the actions of combat veterans. The hard thing is understanding the fact that you lack the ability to accept the situation for what it is and thank GOD that the marines survived the incident and will live to fight another day on your behalf. Rewrite the article and call it "Critic Fatigue", because the men and women who have ACTUALLY fought the enemies for you are tired of the armchair quarterbacking. Be thankful instead, "…to forgive is divine."
Andi – Thanks for writing the story but this SO rolls off my back. A "journalist" commenting about how the military is being portrayed too positively in popular media? THAT'S HILARIOUS!!!
She would be better served to comment about her own "profession" and how it is depicted in popular culture especially when she can't tell the difference between a naval aviatory, soldier, ranger or marine.
In the meantime she can kiss my camouflaged a–.
Oh, and I agree the word 'hero" is thrown about quite loosely.
Opine:
Vet of many conflicts, police actions, etc here.
The Military is and always will be a reflection of the society from whence the participants came.
There was, once upon a time, wherein the folks that served were equated with Members of the Cloth.
The Military was considered a veritable, honorable, literally a Holy Mission Profession. Those days of naivette are long gone. The sad experience of Nam and following did that concept in.
Let us clearly understand, conflicts, wars, combat, brings forth emotions that would not grace a Mothers Thanksgiving Feast table.
In the specific case noted, one would have had to be there, to understand all the emotions present, generating the action.
Semper FI
I know this is going to sound cliche, but,,,, All's fair in Love and war.
I personally believe all our troops who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan (not to mention Vietnam, Korea, WW I +II, as well some of the conflicts around the world like Granada, Gulf war etc. )belong in the "Hero" line.
At what point does a service member's actions remove him from hero status, or do they remain there? I agree that they are heroes, but my definition has a fine line. There is a point where you cease to be a hero for a heinous act like urinating on dead enemies. Taking that specific incident, turn it around. What would you feel if you saw your loved one being urinated on? Would you rest easy and be able to sleep at night if you saw that? Would you be capable of thinking "well, all's fair in love and war, so I'm not at all upset that my loved one is being urinated on"? Probably not, and here is why.
They have loved ones as well, regardless of what their motivation for participating in a war. It boils down to humanity. Even those enemy combatants were human and deserved to be treated as such in death even if they were vile creatures in life. In an age where the "winning of hearts and minds" is just as important as the combat mission, we need to watch our actions. We're already seen by many many many countries as the big evil… why give them a reason to confirm that point of view?
There is a point where a "hero" can fall from grace. My husband would certainly cease to be my hero if he were to treat someone as less than human.
I would take a very hard look at the source of the referenced editorial: Linda Heard, look at who she writes for, and her previous work. Completely undermines the creditibility of an interesting article.
I'm a combat vet and have been on active duty for 23 years (enlisted 15 yrs, officer for 8 yrs; 11 yrs overseas). I see nothing wrong with holding servicemembers in high regard, but I think that it is overplayed to some extent. Especially, with regard to advertising aimed at military members/vets. In my view, it is not that they particularly love the military, it is just that many businesses view younger servicemembers (and spouses) as gullable, an easy sale, people they can take advantage of by offering military discounts, but more than make up the difference in upselling to them. Even some vets prey on young servicemembers, playing up their creds and pretending to be theier buddy, but buddy is only half the word.
…continued in another post…
…coninued from previous post…MustangE7-O4
Regarding the 'urination' video, anyone who dismisses this sort of misconduct as youthful indiscretions, makes excuses for the conduct because "the enemy does the same or worse," or say that "you don't understand, you weren't there" mumbo-jumbo are in denial or just don't get it. It does not matter what the enemy does, America is more than a great nation, but an ideal, a beacon of freedom, justice, and the rule of law. We're supposed to be the good guys, the ones with the white hats (referring to old western movies). Pissing on the corpses of our enemies only serves to embolden our foes, diminish support of some, and completely turn away those 'hearts and minds' we are trying to win over. Basically, doing what these guys did or condoning it is the same as pissing on our own ideals.
What you said is what I have been trying to convey to others. I actually asked my husband if I was crazy because so many were making excuses for what happened and acting like it was ok and I was not understanding how that was possible. Thank you.
If you take all the "HEROES" and line them up in the best battle formation, they would be overrun by the average forces of any nation. The reason we respect all members of the military is because heroes can't do what they do without the whole team. Don't give up respect for the team over a few bad plays.
My involvment with the People of the Arabian Gulf goes back to the late 1970s & 1980s. In those days a non-Arabic female writing for an Arab-owned institution likely owed her position and her visa more to her abilities to please her boss than her ability with letters. Whether Ms. Hurd earns her keep by pounding more than keyboards is not known, but clearly she is attempting to please someone who has an almost visceral dislike of the U.S. military. Her language displays such hostility to service men and women as to render her judgements spurious and even silly. Ms. Hurd is not so much a journalist as she is a cynical, angry person, for whom nothing done by our military would be enough to satisfy her need for spite.
Mea culpa, Ms. Heard's name is just that. Not Hurd, I regret the error.
Speaking as a military brat: The people in the military are regular people, a cross section of American society, who join for all kinds of reasons. Some are virtuous, some are creeps. Most are average, ranging from pretty good to the edge of bad. In dangerous situations, some act heroically and some act as cowards or scoundrels, and most do their job, whatever needs to be done. Strong people with good morals exhibit strength and good morals, brutal and criminal people act brutal and criminal. I think the stress of war and being far from home might make a person more of whatever they are naturally, and maybe bring out some things they didn't know were in them, both good and bad.
Anyone who serves to protect the freedom of the USA is a hero in my book. God bless our troops!
There are differences of opinion on who the general public calls a Hero and who the Military calls a Hero. That is why only the Military awards certain medals for valor to it's members. Medals for Valor are usually awarded to those who have distinguished themselfs in battle or have gone above and beyond the call of duty. It seems like during Vietnam, our returning Troops and Heros were disrespected and dishonored. That wrong was corrected many years later and it seems America is going overboard not to make that mistakes again. Maybe welcome home heroes is being overdone a bit, but it is better to do that than to ever make that mistake again. Then there are the "Real Heros" that paid the ultimate sacrifice and died for their country. God Bless them all.
When you have done all you have been told to do, say, “We are ordinary servants; we have only done our duty.” Luke 17:10 (TEV)
The stereotypical 'going above and beyond the call of duty' might simply mean doing what is asked that has not been concretely stated, but sometimes awards (ex: Purple Heart) can be given/received to highlight a unique experience or to remind us of application and inspiration.
This set of on-going wars, GIs are HEROS, in Vietnam we were BABY-KILLERS, in Korea nobody cared one way or the other. Frankly, none of it matters. Except to the families of the service members, especially the kids. It has always been that way. Kipling wrote about it long ago…"It's Tommy this and Tommy, and Tommy step outside, But it's thin red line of heros, when the bullets start to fly."
I've served in two wars and one revolution, my Dad served in his day, my two brothers served, and two of my sons served. So once again, civilian opinion matters little. Without us the nation would be gone, but it is still here. Heros? Not likely! Necessary? Absolutely! All nice guys–ya gotta be kidding!
This is America. We like to think we hold everyone to a higher standard of behavior. But the second they bombed us, the second they brought it onto OUR soil and killed innocent people, that's when they lost the right to complain if we desecrate a Taliban body. Our own Commander in Chief approved of the desecration of Bin Laden — burial at sea, deny them a place to gather and turn him and themselves as martyrs, and he's NOT in Muslim heaven — and on 9/11 we ALL would have done alot more than just urinate on a few dead guys.
They are heroes, no less than the people who signed up after Pearl Harbor. I'm glad WE have them. The flag I fly is as much for each one of them as it is for soldiers as far back as 1776. And I am still angry about 9/11!
If she really knew what she was talking about she would know that 'Top Gun' brought Navy recruiters into theaters and that Black Hawk Down was about Army Rangers not Marines