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True hero athlete. Day's theme: Challenge yourself [Pat Tillman]
San Francisco Chronicle ^ | May 3 2004 | Gwen Knapp

Posted on 05/04/2004 10:27:13 AM PDT by Soundman4x4

Tillman's youngest brother, Rich, wore a rumpled white T-shirt, no jacket, no tie, no collar, and immediately swore into the microphone. He hadn't written anything, he said, and with the starkest honesty, he asked mourners to hold their spiritual bromides.

"Pat isn't with God,'' he said. "He's f -- ing dead. He wasn't religious. So thank you for your thoughts, but he's f -- ing dead.''

What? This didn't happen for God, as well as country? A professional athlete turned soldier, and we're supposed to believe that he'd have no use for piety? Robbed of a cliche, where does that leave us?

(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
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To: Soundman4x4
So Tillman's atheism makes it less of a sacrifice?

He didn't say Pat was an atheist, just that he wasn't religious. I'd be curious to know what Pat believed, not that it matters much now.

41 posted on 05/04/2004 10:40:44 AM PDT by Not A Snowbird (You need tons click "co-ordinating")
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To: Soundman4x4
When my son's platoon went out on patrol in Iraq they would get together and pray before they left. When faced with immenent death, you will call on Gods grace and help.
42 posted on 05/04/2004 10:40:51 AM PDT by cpdiii (Oil Field Trash, Geologist, Pharmacist (REFUSE TO ATTEND A GUNFIGHT WITH A CAL. LESS THAN FORTY))
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To: Mr. Mojo
nor is it surprising that the author attempts to portray him as "homophobic."

I read the implications in the totally opposite sense. Rather than implying he was homophobic, they are implying he was gay. Especially when you put the football coach's comments together with incident of showing up at a baptism dressed as the "godmother."

43 posted on 05/04/2004 10:41:13 AM PDT by Maximilian
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To: The G Man

44 posted on 05/04/2004 10:42:06 AM PDT by threat matrix
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To: Maximilian
Yes, you could be right.
45 posted on 05/04/2004 10:42:23 AM PDT by Mr. Mojo
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To: Maximilian
The point is that a kid who lost his brother got drunk and dishonored his brother. It should have been private and the press made it public. It is sad and terrible that this kid's grief is being used for political purposes. The brother will feel bad about this one day, maybe even today, when he realizes he made the brother's service about himself and his cursing rather than the dead brothers death and sacrifice for our country. It is a pity it is spread out for all to see. It is really not our business.
46 posted on 05/04/2004 10:42:41 AM PDT by cajungirl (<i>swing low, sweet limousine, comin' fer to Kerry me hoooommmee</i>)
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To: Soundman4x4
Tillman was a thinking and, it appears, rather complicated man, not easy to stereotype. His brother's profanity strikes me as being an understandable expression of bitterness only, not necessarily an expression of true knowledge of Tillman's deepest beliefs. Even a man's brother does not know in full what that man believes in his heart.
47 posted on 05/04/2004 10:42:59 AM PDT by beckett
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To: BSunday
He is a young kid who is grieving. That's all he is.
48 posted on 05/04/2004 10:43:56 AM PDT by Bluntpoint
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To: Maximilian
He was married and he doesn't sound like somebody who would look for a beard if he was gay.
49 posted on 05/04/2004 10:44:21 AM PDT by Soundman4x4
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To: Soundman4x4
The booze was flowing freely, it's probably a good idea to save it until after the speeches..for a toast


50 posted on 05/04/2004 10:44:50 AM PDT by threat matrix
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To: BSunday
I didn't read the whole thing, but Tillman gave the ultimate sacrifice and I guess the brother knows he didn't do it for a bunch of what the brother views as sanctimonious people. Now I probably wouldn't curse at some religious gathering even if my deceased loved one didn't believe in any of that, but personally I find it refreshing that he just said what he wanted. He's obviously the kind of guy the reporters are always telling "unfortunately we're out of time ...."
51 posted on 05/04/2004 10:45:08 AM PDT by Williams
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To: Soundman4x4
So Tillman's atheism makes it less of a sacrifice? What's the point of the article??
Not at all. Indeed, if he was an agnostic (it doesn't say "atheist" it says nonreligious) one can say it was more of a sacrifice. In that case he wouldn't expect any heavenly reward.

Certainly it suggests that one can be a patriot and a hero without believing that we are "One Nation, Under God".

-Eric

52 posted on 05/04/2004 10:45:54 AM PDT by E Rocc (It takes a village to raise a child. The village is Washington. You are the child. - PJ O'Rourke)
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To: RightWhale
All we are is shooting stars -Bad Co I thought that "All we are is dust in the wind". -Kansas
53 posted on 05/04/2004 10:47:24 AM PDT by Pest (I will choose Free Will!)
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To: All
I guess Tillman's brother read the Ted Rall cartoon.
54 posted on 05/04/2004 10:47:52 AM PDT by BadAndy (Specializing in unnecessarily harsh comments.)
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To: snooker
Oh, I'm not hammering him; I just did not hear this and wanted to know if it was true.

Grieving people say a lot of stuff.
55 posted on 05/04/2004 10:48:28 AM PDT by Howlin
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To: The G Man
Wrong. The glass was for Pat's brother-in-law - the big guy - who spoke with respect for Pat and the assemblage. It was the scrawny kid that blew the lid on an otherwise moving memorial.
56 posted on 05/04/2004 10:48:47 AM PDT by Robert Drobot (God, family, country. All else is meaningless.)
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To: swarthyguy
Oh, get real.

This is a story posted to comment.

What are you so touchy.

Pat TIllman's brother has the right to say this. You don't agree.,

What's so damn sacrosanct about this time and place that you feel I stepped over some imaginary line.

~~~~~~~

Huh? I don't think YOU stepped over the line. I think his brother stepped over the line. I think the kid should've left his F Bomb arsenal at home myself.

57 posted on 05/04/2004 10:49:13 AM PDT by The G Man (John Kerry? America just can't afford a 9/10 President in a 9/11 world. Vote Bush-Cheney '04.)
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To: BadAndy
He's probably just an 18-21 year old kid who can't handle his beer and is angry that he never gets to see his brother again.
58 posted on 05/04/2004 10:49:15 AM PDT by threat matrix
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To: Bella_Bru
I sure wouldn't want to share my grief on national TV.
59 posted on 05/04/2004 10:49:43 AM PDT by Howlin
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To: Old Sarge
If he's asking if that was truly said, then there must be doubt among "the sheep" to begin with.
60 posted on 05/04/2004 10:50:15 AM PDT by theDentist (JOHN KERRY never saw a TAX he would not HIKE !)
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