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How Much Is the Life of a U.S.Soldier Worth?
Townhall.com ^ | January 13, 2011 | Douglas MacKinnon

Posted on 01/13/2011 11:10:36 AM PST by Kaslin

What is the life of a U.S. soldier worth compared to that of a Member of Congress? Apparently much less in the eyes of some in the mainstream media if we go by two tragic news-making examples.

The first, this past weekend’s shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-AZ, and the murder of innocent civilians around her. The second is the killing of 12 brave soldiers and a civilian at Fort Hood, TX, in 2009.

While many in the media have insidiously created false reasons for the shooting of Giffords to further their far-left agenda, they did all in their power in 2009 to demand that no one jump to conclusions regarding the motives of that shooter.

Compare the broadcast network, cable network, and newspaper coverage of the terrorist shooting at Fort Hood with the Tucson attack: There is no comparison.

Several hours into the tragedy in Tucson, there was wall-to-wall coverage, with network anchors flying to Arizona to breathlessly report from the scene.

In contrast, coverage was limited, tentative and cautious in the extreme concerning whether the Fort Hood shooter was a Muslim terrorist.

It’s easy to forget that 12 soldiers (including one who was pregnant) and one Army civilian were killed at Fort Hood.

Today, Giffords - an incredibly dedicated and decent public servant - lays wounded in a Arizona hospital, while six others who stood near her, were murdered.

Yet, the news coverage of her wounding far eclipses the killings at Fort Hood. Why?

Unfortunately, no mystery here. It was clear to all that the Fort Hood shooting was terrorism and that the shooter was a Muslim fanatic.

That is a reality that flies directly into the politically correct propaganda of the far-left that irresponsibly dismisses the threat or even existence of homegrown Muslim terrorists.

This dangerous cover-up was illustrated earlier this week when Rachel Maddow of MSNBC, in recounting recent fatal mass shootings in the United States, referred to the terrorist at Fort Hood only as “an Army psychiatrist.”

No mention that he was a Muslim-American by the name of Maj. Nidal Hasan. No mention that he was a man who had been in email communications with Yemen based, American-born, terrorist Anwar al-Awlaki.

No mention that after the horrific terrorist attack at Fort Hood, al-Awlaki declared Hasan a “hero” and said, “fighting against the U.S. Army is an Islamic duty.”

So, even though just last month, Attorney General Eric Holder said the growing number of American citizens joining terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda “…keeps me up at night,” Maddow and others in the mainstream media would still prefer to sweep the news of homegrown radicals like Hasan and his connections to Anwar al-Awlaki – who Holder said “would be on the same list with Bin Laden” - under the rug.

Why? To better marshal their forces in Arizona to invent theories as to why the “far-right” is responsible for the unhinged actions of a single demented individual.

While that is certainly bad news for our national security and those in search of honest journalism, somewhere in Yemen, American-born Anwar al-Awlaki is smiling as he plans his next attack.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Government; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: arizona; forthood; giffords; islam; muslims; obama; palin; sharia
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To: manc
If these woman had not been shot would bozo and his followers from the media have been there yesterday and would the thousands of disgraceful classless cheering clapping students.

NO.

21 posted on 01/13/2011 11:37:57 AM PST by happygrl
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To: Kaslin
I have been haunted by this greatly today more than days past. I have been keeping quite for days now until after last nights memorial service when I finally had a belly full. The media jumped on the Fort Hood shooting quickly to portray a madman instead of mentioning terror. Fort Hood was a jihadist terrorist attack no doubt about it. The media and our Military leadership cleaned it up in a PC nature in order not to offend Muslims. Juxtapose the treatment of the Fort Hood terrorist attack to the massacre in Tuscon. The media reflexively tried to tie the actions of a true madman into a political terrorist event. The whole thing has left me feeling hurt, angry, and quite frankly sick to my stomach.

To be quite honest I have been feeling irritated since the Fort Hood attack concerning how government and the media stuck their nose into a Service funeral. Those funerals have usually been set aside for our troops to honor fellow troops. The families bury the dead but our troops have a service funeral using gear and photos. This is a way for troops to attend a funeral downrange or in mass when they cannot go home with a body. It was an intrusion of a private moment that kept many of our troops on post in front of a TV instead of paying tribute. All of this for a dog and pony show to allow the CIC to attend in order to get PR time on the news.

The day before the Fort Hood attack I greeted one son home to return to Fort Hood joining his brother at Fort Hood who was on two weeks of R&R. Fort the first time in months I slept knowing that my sons were on US soil, safe and sound on Military turf. My security was totally shattered the next morning when the news broke out about the attack on my car radio while I was taking care of errands. To have an event like this used by our media, Military leaders, and government officials in the wrong way is the height of betrayal by those we must depend on.

I pray for America to return to decent honorable actions. I hope that our people continue to work out routing out the dishonorable people who use events like this to obtain more power while destroying ours. I hope I don't pray alone.

22 posted on 01/13/2011 11:38:17 AM PST by armymarinemom (My sons freed Iraqi and Afghan Honor Roll students.)
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To: Spok

Neither could I. As a matter of fact I changed the channel after Governor Brewer spoke and watched NCIS, which I normally don’t watch


23 posted on 01/13/2011 11:38:34 AM PST by Kaslin (Acronym for OBAMA: One Big Ass Mistake America)
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To: MsLady
“Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you; Jesus Christ and the American G. I. One died for your soul; the other for your freedom.”

That, dear Lady, is one of the most profound posts I've read on FR.

24 posted on 01/13/2011 11:40:26 AM PST by happygrl
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To: StayoutdaBushesWay

That would make a great bumper sticker.


25 posted on 01/13/2011 11:41:38 AM PST by MsLady (If you died tonight, where would you go? Salvation, don't leave earth without it!)
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To: StayoutdaBushesWay

“I like that! Very well stated. Think I’ll make a bumper sticker :)”

#####

It already is.

I’ve seen it here in St. Louis.


26 posted on 01/13/2011 11:41:47 AM PST by EyeGuy (RaceMarxist Obama: The Politics of Vengeance)
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To: armymarinemom

Great tagline


27 posted on 01/13/2011 11:42:07 AM PST by Kaslin (Acronym for OBAMA: One Big Ass Mistake America)
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To: happygrl

Thank you!!! I wish I could say I wrote it, but, I didn’t. I’m not sure who the author is. It’s so true though.


28 posted on 01/13/2011 11:43:16 AM PST by MsLady (If you died tonight, where would you go? Salvation, don't leave earth without it!)
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To: skeeter
Well said! It's their religion. Did you see that disgusting, ghoulish display last night? If the American people are dumb enough to once again elevate that piece of turd President we have to another term based on some political speech at a college football stadium of addled Democrats then we deserve all the misery. Bottom line is a Congressman is worth more than anyone sans a minority President. See the liberal secular(I think Satanic) worldview is this is all there is, they are on a futile quest to perfect man, and Congressman are their mini Jesus(s), saviors that can right all the wrongs. With that paradigm, we wonder why they sometimes violently overreact to every slight or hint of opposing them. I pray for my enemies and hope they see Jesus as Lord and not Oprah and some government program. Shame on FoxNews for their blatant shillling of Obama and propogating this spectacle
29 posted on 01/13/2011 11:43:41 AM PST by pburgh01
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To: Kaslin

Thanks


30 posted on 01/13/2011 11:44:26 AM PST by armymarinemom (My sons freed Iraqi and Afghan Honor Roll students.)
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To: armymarinemom
I hope I don't pray alone.

Many, many of us here on FR pray the same prayer.

Each one of these incidents gives more and more of the public a belly-full of the crassness that is derived from worshipping the State and those who promote its power.

Honor resides in the individual taking responsibility, not on idolizing politicians and their power to deal out goodies.

31 posted on 01/13/2011 11:47:52 AM PST by happygrl
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To: pburgh01
Did you see that disgusting, ghoulish display last night?

I did. I found the atmosphere incongruous to the event, and somehow ominous.

32 posted on 01/13/2011 11:54:02 AM PST by skeeter
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To: skeeter

Yet the MSM was slobbering all over themselves about it. Making this tragedy about Obama and the Democrats yet trying in some demented way to explain it as not shilling for the Democrats. We knew this was coming. Could you imagine if this wackadoo who shot those folks was a Rush listener or a Republican. Oh and in local news we had a house fire where 5 family members died in a suspected arson...hmm wonder if Obama will do a moment of silence for them. Maybe it was some disguntled public employee who did it because Republicans wanted to give tax cuts to the rich and his budget was cut. Well the saving grace is the American people have the attention span of a 5 month old puppy and NFL playoffs are this weekend. So this is a 1 week story and a temporary bump for the magic negro.


33 posted on 01/13/2011 12:05:21 PM PST by pburgh01
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To: pburgh01

Its tough to escape the feeling that free speech in this country - freedom in general - hangs on the acts of one demented soul.


34 posted on 01/13/2011 12:13:55 PM PST by skeeter
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To: happygrl

I hope the sickening display of politics at it’s worse last night wakes even more people up from a liberal slumber. If we do not watch our officials they will become self serving. We haven’t watched for far too long. The media I guess needs to be protested just like our government.


35 posted on 01/13/2011 12:30:46 PM PST by armymarinemom (My sons freed Iraqi and Afghan Honor Roll students.)
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To: Kaslin

Our soldiers never get paid enough money to compensate them for their riak.
In 1963, I remember getting $78/month as an E1 recruit.
They get more today, but I’ll bet it isn’t any more in 1963 dollars.


36 posted on 01/13/2011 1:46:54 PM PST by BuffaloJack (What rights will the Obama's regime take from us today?)
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To: BuffaloJack
They get more today, but I’ll bet it isn’t any more in 1963 dollars.

According to one inflation calculator, $78 in 1963 is equivalent to $557.73 today. E1's with less than a year of service get $1467/mo.

37 posted on 01/13/2011 1:54:41 PM PST by Bubba Ho-Tep ("More weight!"--Giles Corey)
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To: happygrl

the hypocrisy from the left and this socialist admin is astounding.


38 posted on 01/13/2011 4:21:57 PM PST by manc (Shame on all who voted for the repeal of DADT, who supported it or never tried to stop it. Traitors)
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