ZOT! The Walking Wounded

The American Conservative ^ | January 31, 2005 | Fred Reed

[hard_rocker1232]

The observant will have noticed that we hear little from the troops in Iraq and see almost nothing of the wounded. Why, one might wonder, does not CNN put an enlisted Marine before a camera and, for 15 minutes without editing, let him say what he thinks? Is he not an adult and a citizen? Is he not engaged in important events on our behalf?

Sound political reasons exist. Soldiers are a risk PR-wise, the wounded a liability. No one can tell what they might say, and conspicuous dismemberment is bad for recruiting. An enlisted man in front of a camera is dangerous. He could wreck the governmental spin apparatus in five minutes. It is better to keep soldiers discreetly out of sight.

So we do not see much of the casualties, ours or theirs. Yet they are there, somewhere, with missing legs, blind, becoming accustomed to groping at things in their new darkness, learning to use the wheelchairs that will be theirs for 50 years. Some face worse fates than others. Quadriplegics will be warehoused in VA hospitals where nurses will turn them at intervals, like hamburgers, to prevent bedsores. Friends and relatives will soon forget them. Suicide will be a frequent thought. The less damaged will get around.

[Not A Snowbird]

OH CRAP! I'm #2!

I make it a practice NEVER to be #2! I'd rather risk the thread getting pulled before my stuning comments could be added than put up with that abuse!

[Hi Heels]

Thanks... I like him too. If I could ever find a cat like that maybe my 6 dogs would behave....

[Not A Snowbird]

Hi Freedumb!

Fly safe.

[Fiddlstix]

Tha s sew tru
tank yew

[Budge]

"I don't know if you want any of this, Dammit. It's nasty, like troll meat."

[Darksheare]

Coolbeans!

Missed you lately.
Tempted to sadistically stick you on all my pinglists just so you are kept apprised of stuff.
;-)

Been pretty odd lately, CJR812 has been back repeatedly and zotted repeatedly.
At least 7 times in one day recently.
And the troll quality has gone way down.
We'd thought they couldn't get any shoddier, well.. they can and did.

[Darksheare]

Well, you're zotted now.
Don't you feel stupid?
You FAILED to fool us.
Now you can't go and post your "Victoly!" thread over at DU.

[Tax-chick]

James and I love that picture, too!

[Lady Jag]

IT MUST HURT TO THINK THAT WAY
OR TO EVEN THINK AT ALL!

[Darksheare]

Without typos, I'd be doomed!
And.. there wouldn't be ganags of epopel either.

Should a typo occur, check your keyboard for typo demons first.
After that, if you didn't find any, you're probably safe as they may have moved on to someone else's keyboard.

[andyandval]

Glad you like. BTW, that is KoRn strutting his stuff on Val's computer screen.

[freedumb2003]

I try to fly as safetly as possible. Every now and then I think -- seriously -- about getting a pilot's license.

[Constitutionalist Conservative]

[Conspiracy Guy]

Ewe batter beleave it.

[freedumb2003]

"Been pretty odd lately, CJR812 has been back repeatedly and zotted repeatedly.
At least 7 times in one day recently.
And the troll quality has gone way down."

I am telling you, good trolls are getting so tough to find. I think the older DUers have all been ZOTted, so they are having their 10-yo kids doing troll duty.

[Conspiracy Guy]

Knot rightin good iz uh sine off caracter.

[4mycountry]

::::waves to DS:::::

[Conspiracy Guy]

Grate advise

[AirForceMom]

You are a moron.

[day10]