at least in Rush Limbaugh's lexicon. By now many have heard of this bottom-feeding chickenhawk's assessment of anti-war veterans. Frankly, his lies & inanities ceased to bother me a long time ago; what does one expect? Besides, since I began speaking out against this war after I returned from Iraq, I've been called far worse. What I find more interesting is Rush's explanation in Frank Silva's Baltimore Sun article.
Rush "explained" his comment as being taken out of context by "the Drive-by Media" and all Democrats. More drivel, of course, since his words were transcribed:
LIMBAUGH: “There's a lot more than that that they don't understand. They can't even -- if -- the next guy that calls here, I'm gonna ask him: Why should we pull -- what is the imperative for pulling out? What's in it for the United States to pull out? They can't -- I don't think they have an answer for that other than, "Well, we just gotta bring the troops home."
CALLER: “”Yeah, and, you know what…’’
LIMBAUGH: “"Save the -- keep the troops safe" or whatever. I -- it's not possible, intellectually, to follow these people.’’
CALLER: “no, it's not, and what's really funny is, they never talk to real soldiers. They like to pull these soldiers that come up out of the blue and talk to the media.’’
LIMBAUGH: “The phony soldiers.’’
CALLER: “The phony soldiers. If you talk to a real soldier, they are proud to serve. They want to be over in Iraq. They understand their sacrifice, and they're willing to sacrifice for their country.’’
LIMBAUGH: “They joined to be in Iraq.’
Seems pretty clear to me. But I digress.
Rush, evidently, was only talking about one phony soldier, Jesse MacBeth, who billed himself as an Army Ranger when he in fact only served a few months before being discharged. I happened to meet Jesse when he first joined Iraq Veterans Against the War. It was clear from the start that Jesse was disturbed; he seemed to be in emotional pain, and his (pregnant) girlfriend expressed her fears for him. Admittedly, I was taken in, due in part to the same haunted look I've seen in the eyes of many combat veterans. When I learned later that Jesse's "service" was a fraud, I didn't feel angry but very sad. He was clearly emotionally disturbed, and although his demons didn't originate in Iraq they surely possessed him. I still pity him.
IVAW rightly repudiated Jesse's claims when we learned the truth. If IVAW and other anti-war groups are guilty of anything, it's in wanting to truly support the troops. When one hears the stories of soldiers returning from the trauma of war, and who eventually begin telling their stories (not a common thing), who is going to say, "Oh yeah: prove it?" While it's true that organizations must take care to verify the claims of members, particularly spokespeople (such as requiring discharge papers to prove service), it should never be at the expense of our humanity. I'm proud of the fact that many of us who were "taken in" sincerely wanted to help another person in pain. If we erred in not asking enough question soon enough, then at least it was an error for the right reasons--goodness and compassion. And this from men and women who themselves have suffered in their own right.
Jesse MacBeth's story is not unlike Tania Head's. [ As some commentators have pointed out, who would challenge a survivor of the Twin Towers to prove her story? That so many people showed their compassion in supporting her speaks more to their inherent goodness and compassion than their gullibility. Ms. Head's falsehoods should be cause for pity, not outrage, and no one who believed her should feel guilt over reacting to the pathos of her story. A story may be fiction, but when it taps into the seat of our shared humanity, the story becomes irrelevant.
Back to Rush. His derision of Jesse MacBeth is simply a smokescreen for his animus for those who oppose this unjust and illegal war, and indeed anyone who stands up for justice, the rule of law, and peace. I seriously doubt he even understands how someone can oppose his master's war (" it's not possible, intellectually, to follow these people’’). But reason isn't his strong point, anyway; why think about something when you can attack the person? His leap from Jesse to Rep. Murtha to all Democrats would be impressive if it wasn't so ignorant. Rush's fallacious thinking doesn't point simply in his failed attempts at reasoning; it ultimately shows his cruel, mean, petty and ultimately inhumane & inhuman nature.
Those who have seen up-close the brutality humans inflict upon others and been revolted by it cannot help but struggle for what is right and good. Those who believe in the innate humanity of people can as well, without having to experience the horrors of war. I'm grateful for both groups: they truly are my band of brothers and sisters--real soldiers.