Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

EXCLUSIVE: New York Times ‘Killer Vet’ Story Exposed as Erroneous by Pro-Troop Group
Move America Forward ^ | 01/14/2008 | Melanie Morgan - Move America Forward

Posted on 01/14/2008 4:15:04 AM PST by Impeach98

January 14, 2008 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Mary Pearson: (916) 441–6197 or Email: mary@moveamericaforward.org

EXCLUSIVE:

New York Times ‘Killer Vet’ Story
Exposed as Erroneous by Pro-Troop Group

SACRAMENTO- Move America Forward (website: www.MoveAmericaForward.org), the nation’s largest grassroots pro-troop organization, today announced that after vetting the numbers cited by The New York Times in their Sunday, January 13, 2008 story, “Across America, Deadly Echoes of Foreign Battles,” it became clear that the Times had engaged in demonstrably erroneous and false reporting.

It took seven New York Times researchers to find 121 cases in which veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan committed a killing in the United States, or were charged with one, upon returning home to this country.

The Times made the false conclusion that: “Taken together, they paint the patchwork of a quiet phenomenon, tracing a cross-country trail of death and heartbreak.”

The Times documentation of 121 potential killings out of more than 1.5 million veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom (Iraq) and Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan), divided by 6 years of conflict results in a murder rate of just 1.34 incidents per 100,000 veterans per year.***

That murder rate is far lower than the murder rate for the general population, demonstrating that the experiences of military service – including having served in Iraq and Afghanistan – actually made it less likely for returning veterans to commit murder once they returned home, than the general population.

Given a census-estimated population of the United States of 300,000,000 persons in this country as of October 2006, and FBI-compiled statistics of 17,399 homicide offenders for 2006, the murder rate of the general population was 5.80 offenders per 100,000 on average – and a rate of approximately 7.67 per 100,000 for men.

Since all but one of the veterans cited by the Times who committed a killing in the U.S. was male, the comparable rate is approximately 7.67 incidents of murder per 100,000 people among the general male population, compared to just 1.34 incidents per 100,000 returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans (of both genders).

“It’s obvious that the New York Times has an agenda of undermining the missions of our troops in the War on Terror, so much so that they are willing to resort to demonstrably false statistics to support their anti-troop bias,” said Melanie Morgan, Chairman of Move America Forward.

“The slander of our troops and veterans by the New York Times is unfortunately all too familiar. We heard this kind of nonsense about our returning veterans from Vietnam. It’s the same insult, different war.

“Perhaps the shameful staff of The New York Times has run out of war-time secrets to publish for America’s enemies to read, because now they’ve resorted to an all-out smear campaign of America’s finest men and women, who have served this country bravely and with distinction,” Morgan said.

In place of hard data to support their premise, The New York Times was instead forced to devote almost the entire portion of 6,321 word hit-piece to anecdotes of wrongdoing by individual veterans.

The New York Times even went so far as to trace back the phenomenon of murderous veterans to Greek mythology to back up their assertions of their report.

“The real mythology is the reporting by The New York Times,” Move America Forward’s Melanie Morgan concluded.

____________________________________

NOTE TO REPORTERS/BLOGGERS: Melanie Morgan and a delegation of staffers from Move America Forward have just returned from a 10-day trip interviewing U.S. troops in Iraq and Kuwait.

To schedule an interview with Melanie Morgan or the other members who traveled to Kuwait and Iraq including: Gold Star Mom Debbie Lee (mother of first Navy Seal killed in Iraq), MAF Communications Director, Danny Gonzalez, and MAF Deputy Executive Director, Mary Pearson, contact Ryan Gill of Move America Forward at: (916) 441-6197 or via email at: mary@MoveAmericaForward.org

>> You can link to this report, which is published at the Move America Forward website, at this location: http://www.moveamericaforward.org/index.php/MAF/MAFNews

*** Note that the central statistical measure is how many instances of alleged killings take place per 100,000 Iraq/Afghanistan war veterans who returned home. The New York Times might argue that our statistics are incorrect since the 1.5+ million Iraq/Afghanistan veterans have not been home during the entire 6 years of the war (especially since in the early onset of Operation Enduring Freedom troops were just arriving into the war zone).

However, Salon.com reports that as of January 31, 2005 there were 1,048,884 Americans who had fought in Iraq or Afghanistan. One can then calculate statistics from that point onward. Let’s give the New York Times the leeway of saying their alleged 121 incidents of killings by veterans occured during just the three years that elapsed since that time to the present. The murder rate per 100,000 people would still be approximately 3.5 incidents of murder per 100,000 returning Iraq/Afghanistan veterans.


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: banglist; dbm; iraq; mediabias; medialies; moveamericaforward; newyorktimes; oefveterans; oifveterans; troops; veterans
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 121-129 next last

1 posted on 01/14/2008 4:15:06 AM PST by Impeach98
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: BillF; kristinn; BufordP; Jimmy Valentine's brother; OldFriend; marty60; Ros42; CharlieChan; ...

You should see this - PING.


2 posted on 01/14/2008 4:20:07 AM PST by Impeach98 (Anti-war protestors should try holding rallies in Damascus and Tehran!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Impeach98
I suspected as much when I saw that number. Kudos to MAF for getting this out there.

I'd hold my breath for the NYT's retraction, but I don't have time to pass out this morning.
3 posted on 01/14/2008 4:20:51 AM PST by The Pack Knight (Duty, Honor, Country.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Impeach98

The Slimes strikes again. I knew it when I saw the headline yesterday. The truth completely contradicts the Old Gray Whore’s take on this. Hey Pinch, you’re sinking your ship, you schmuck!


4 posted on 01/14/2008 4:20:53 AM PST by CalvaryJohn (What is keeping that damned asteroid?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Diver Dave; reagan_fanatic; Vn_survivor_67-68; umgud; wouldntbprudent; Boiler Plate; massgopguy; ...

New York Times BUSTED - Ping.


5 posted on 01/14/2008 4:21:21 AM PST by Impeach98 (Anti-war protestors should try holding rallies in Damascus and Tehran!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Impeach98

Every FReeper who supports our military should send this article to the lying NYT today, just so they know we know better. This information should be on Rush’s show, Hannity’s and H&C on Fox tonight.
In the 70s,the Times attacked Viet Nam vets when they returned home from the war with lies like this. This time, the Times needs to have its nose bloodied in public and should be forced to apologize to the troops it has impugned.


6 posted on 01/14/2008 4:21:25 AM PST by kittymyrib
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Impeach98

........but the narrative fits

Fake but accurate.........

etc.


7 posted on 01/14/2008 4:25:40 AM PST by kb2614 (Hell hath no fury than a bureaucrat scorned)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Impeach98
“It’s obvious that the New York Times has an agenda of undermining the missions of our troops in the War on Terror...

NYT with an agenda. Geez, that's, that's pretty hard to believe.

8 posted on 01/14/2008 4:26:20 AM PST by stevem
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Impeach98
“It’s obvious that the New York Times has an agenda of undermining the missions of our troops in the War on Terror, so much so that they are willing to resort to demonstrably false statistics to support their anti-troop bias,” said Melanie Morgan, Chairman of Move America Forward.

Melanie needs to quit holding back and tell us how she really feels...

9 posted on 01/14/2008 4:26:25 AM PST by GOPJ (National ID-like gun control- will intimidate citizens and have NO effect on criminals.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Impeach98
“It’s obvious that the New York Times has an agenda of undermining the missions of our troops in the War on Terror, so much so that they are willing to resort to demonstrably false statistics to support their anti-troop bias,” said Melanie Morgan, Chairman of Move America Forward.

Melanie needs to quit holding back and tell us how she really feels...

10 posted on 01/14/2008 4:27:27 AM PST by GOPJ (National ID cards -like gun control- will intimidate legal citizens but have NO effect on criminals.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: GOPJ

Yes, that Melanie Morgan, never willing to bluntly say what she thinks ;-) LOL!


11 posted on 01/14/2008 4:29:19 AM PST by Impeach98 (Anti-war protestors should try holding rallies in Damascus and Tehran!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: kittymyrib

Good idea. Personally, I’d rather see a mass public hanging. With audio to hear what these damn traitors are whimpering when the hoods go over their heads.


12 posted on 01/14/2008 4:29:41 AM PST by Into the Vortex (IT'S FREDTIME)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Impeach98

According to the Left, if you’re not a chickenhawk, you’re a baby-killer ready to explode. The NYT’s been at it for 40-plus years.


13 posted on 01/14/2008 4:32:15 AM PST by Thrownatbirth (.....Iraq Invasion fan since '91.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Impeach98

The whole NYT story baffled me the moment I saw it.

If one accepts the premise of the article, that combat experience somehow leads to homicide, the late 1940’s when the WWII vets returned would have had to have been an extraordinarily violent era as there were many times the number of young combat vets on the streets then as opposed to now.

Since that was obviously not the case, the NYT story didn’t pass the smell test, only their acute liberal myopia prevented them from seeing the silliness of their big story.


14 posted on 01/14/2008 4:33:17 AM PST by I_Like_Spam
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Impeach98

All the News That Fits Our Agenda.


15 posted on 01/14/2008 4:34:35 AM PST by Steely Tom (Steely's First Law of the Main Stream Media: if it doesn't advance the agenda, it's not news.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Impeach98

Criminal aliens kill more than our vets.


16 posted on 01/14/2008 4:35:28 AM PST by upchuck (Attention Senator Clinton: Lying Is Stupid When The Truth Is So Easy To Find)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Impeach98
I don't believe one single word of the NYT. You'd think by now the countless times they've been proven to lie and deceive, along with their biased reporting, they been shown to be absolutely uncredible.

That fishwrap doesn't deserve to be given one iota of respect!

17 posted on 01/14/2008 4:37:06 AM PST by sirchtruth (No one has the RIGHT not to be offended...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Impeach98

The NY Slimes to the rescue of al - Qaeda

After radical Muslims had eight glorious years of killing with wild abandon without retribution, Bush was a wake-up call for Islam. It showed radical Muslims that America does have its limits and that not all American presidents are cowards. This was quite a shock for most of them. Now, because of that miscalculation, the radicals have lost their grip on Afghanistan and Iraq. Longtime ally and supporter, Libya, turned tail on the radical Muslims after witnessing how quickly Saddam fell before American might. Pakistan also made a rapid change in policy. No longer did the Pakistani government support the Taliban. The joy that radical Muslims felt after 9/11 was very short lived since the price tag for that attack ran much higher than the Islamics expected and the tab continues to rise. The highest cost to Islam as a whole is the great divide that has formed within Islam itself. Islam being what it is, it doesn’t find fault within Islam. Islam blames Bush.


18 posted on 01/14/2008 4:39:55 AM PST by IrishMike (Liberalism is Jihad from within)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Impeach98
Thanks! Saw this posted on FR yesterday. Crazed Veterans Spark Nationwide Crime Wave, powerlineblog
19 posted on 01/14/2008 4:42:01 AM PST by BufordP (Had Mexicans flown planes into the World Trade Center, Jorge Bush would have surrendered.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Impeach98

Hooray Melanie Morgan! Thanks for the ping, Impeach98.

The methods of propagandists. I’m sure the reporters /sarcasm will get Pulitzer prizes /sarcasm.

Thanks to MM for putting the story into greater context.

BUMP-TO-THE-TRUTH!


20 posted on 01/14/2008 4:42:36 AM PST by PGalt
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 121-129 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson