Pat Tillman

Richmond Times-Dispatch ^ | Apr 24, 2004

[Ligeia]

Pat Tillman lived every boy's dream. He starred on the collegiate gridiron (while earning academic honors) and in the National Football League. His ranking among the best defensive backs brought him the big bucks. And at the height of his game - and after being offered a multi-million-dollar, long-term contract - he proudly walked away.

[Ligeia]

[Mamzelle]

bump

[SerpentDove]

Another lib nightmare, in an election year.

A true high-profile American hero, right when they were trying to portray the soldiers as unwilling victims; just when they were talking about how only the "poor and downtrodden" are sent to war.

Liberals hate the idea of having ideals worth fighting for, and this story, one that Americans relate to and one that inspires national pride and renews fighting spirit, is like sand in their craw.

Tooooo bad.

Thanks, Pat Tillman.

[xkaydet65]

We must remember. as Rush said yesterday, that each coffin that returns contains a Pat Tillman. An American who chose to place his/her life in harm's way for a cause far greater than themseves. James Micherner asked the question fifty years ago. It bears repeating. "Where do we get such men?"

[Don Corleone]

Pat Tillman....AMERICAN

[mtntop3]

Well said.

[Ligeia]

Agree; they're all heroes.

"He joins comrades whose names are not so well known but whose sacrifices reflect an equal, inestimable courage; they sleep with a sad but grateful nation's kiss upon their brows."

[Crawdad]

I've been giving this some thought, and I'm embarrassed that it has never been as clear to me as it is today. It appears many, many people seem to think that people who serve in the armed forces go into their service as unwitting dupes with nowhere else to go who, after joining, are then "programmed" into becoming flag-waving, America-loving patriots. How wrong these people are.

[jwalsh07]

I love Americas soldiers, I truly do. I think as a group they are the best America has to offer.

But Pat Tillman is a special case, there's no denying it. Like Pat, I played football, though obviously not at his level, and enlisted in the US Army.

My problem is I don't know what I would have done if somebody had offered me three million dollars prior to enlisting. I'd like to think I would have still enlisted but I just don't know.

I do know what Pat Tillman did.

God bless him and every American soldier, sailor, marine, airmen and coasties.

[Mark in the Old South]

Eternal rest unto him, oh God.

[phil1750]

HERO

[JZoback]

"Where do we get such men?"

Forged by the indomitable American Spirit born from the love of Freedom and Liberty.

Things liberal pukes sweat at night worried that someone actually may take these two pillars of American culture seriously.

God Bless Pat Tillman and help his family in their time of loss

[gedeon3]

Pat Tillman, a great American Hero. This is a real patriot and hero; unlike the so-called 'war hero' john kerry.

The likes of Pat Tillman are everything that a pig like bill clinton could never be; the likes of Pat Tillman are the ones that traitors like bill clinton, and the democrats hate and fear.

[Killborn]

God rest his soul. His life story is a guiding light for our times. It can never be repeated often enough.

[pgkdan]

Tearful prayers for this American hero and all of the American heroes putting their lives on the line and making the ultimate sacrifice. May God make us worthy of their sacrifice.

[ardara]

Days like today I thank God for Free Repulic,where I can share my thoughts with such wonderful Americans.
Semper Filelis

[Tennessee_Bob]

Those who paint the American military as "dupes," or men and women with no where else to go, have likely never served.

The men and women I served with in the US Air Force were some of the best and brightest people I ever met. Men and women with brains and ability; men and women that could have done anything they chose to do outside of the service, yet chose the service because it was the right thing to do.

We weren't "dupes," we weren't "programmed," and we all could have been doing something else. But we were doing what we were doing because we loved our country.

There was a guy in my basic training flight that had a PhD in Astrophysics. The training instructor asked why he wasn't going into the officer corps - his response was "Because I want to work for a living."

Captain Price - the best OIC I ever had, had a degree from the Academy - he was (as he described it) a "rocket scientist," cross-trained from the space program to become a maintenance officer - because it was where the "real people were." He wasn't in it for the money.

Pete Plodek - escaped a communist regieme and joined the Air Force - because he felt he had a debt to the United States that he could never repay.

We lived and died for people we never met.

[Ex-Wretch]

Lofty and noble words only demonstrate the vain effort at truly identifying this young man. I too played college ball and dreamed of a pro career. It never happened and I chose to fill my life with the self-indulgence of the times instead.

I am truly thankful for this patriot and all that have gone before and will come after him. "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)

Pat, I salute you and hope to meet you around the throne of God soon.

[Aaron_A]

We can thank our chief al-lie in the war on terror (Pakistan) for providing the support and refuge to Pat's killers.

[GeorgeW23225]

Pat Tillman represented everything that was "RIGHT" about America. May he and all of our other fallen heroes rest in peace, knowing that a GRATEFUL Nation mourns.

God bless them all, and may God continue to bless The United States of America !!