Sort of. Excerpt:
Second, Mr. Tillman served an evil president and an evil cause. Anyone with an open mind after 9/11 could easily have learned the truth, that the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq occured instead of a war on terror, not as part of one. A person who planned to risk his life in combat should reasonably be expected to dig a little deeper rather than to fall for Bush's transparent lies. We all judge each other, and while Tillman's decision to sacrifice millions of dollars for his beliefs is admirable, his belief that killing the citizens of Iraq and Afghanistan had something to do with defending America was not. At best, Tillman was foolish and misguided.
Finally, it's time for troops who signed up post-9/11 to take a little personal responsibility. It's one thing for a career soldier to go where the politicians tell him or her to go, but quite another to join the military when the "president" is an illegal usurper occupying the White House, he's an out-of-control warmonger using the deaths in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania to promote a partisan political agenda and his wars are nothing more than grabs for control of oil and gas resources and pipeline routes. Liberals tend to let volunteer soldiers off the hook, but let's not forget the hard, cold truth:
If no one had enlisted after 9/11, we wouldn't be fighting these immoral wars based on lies and greed now.
There's more, including Rall comparing Tillman with a Palestinian suicide bomber.
It angers me that Rall still believes that Afghanistan has nothing to do with the war on terror. It infuriates me that he took the word of some Afghans he hung out with (when he "risked his life as a visiting cartoonist") and determined that we were there for an oil pipeline. His outright reluctance to see fighting the Taliban as fighting terrorism mystifies me.
Dementia, indeed.
P.S. Until John Kerry stops advertising on Rall's blog and until Kerry stops linking to Democratic Underground, don't try to tell me that Rall and his kind do not represent the mainstream left. Obviously, they represent the man you are supporting for president.
Update: I am going to say this just once more. While I view Pat Tillman as a hero, he was no more a hero than anyone else who puts their life on the line each day to fight the war against terrorism and evil. However, because Tillman was already familiar to many of us, his face became the face of the war. For myself - and I believe this is true for many people - Tillman represents all the soldiers who have died in the war on terror. If you piss on Tillman's grave, you're doing it to all of them.
Second Update (below)
Comments
Oh. My. Effing. Gawd. Rall has to win the award for greatest fifth columnist in the country.
Posted by: Sean M. | May 4, 2004 06:08 AM
There you go again. Telling the truth. You're gonna pay!!
BTW, I knew the non-political blogging wouldn't last. As long as you don't force it, you'll be okay.
Trust yout feelings, Michele.
Posted by: david in mn | May 4, 2004 06:09 AM
I wonder if Rall's knee-jerk hero-bashing stems from his dad leaving him when he was little? After that, he decided there were no heroes in the world?
Posted by: Jim Treacher | May 4, 2004 06:49 AM
two minor corrections: Afghani refers to the Afghan dollar, Afghan refers to the people (sorry but this just sticks in my craw) and the post by the cartoonist refers to a plane that hit Philadelphia -- no plane hit Philly. a plane did hit in PA East of Pittsburgh in the middle of no where, but not Philly.
other then that spot on.
Posted by: hen | May 4, 2004 06:57 AM
as well as more legitimate ones like Editor & Publisher.
haha Yeah, the "he RISKED HIS LIFE DAMMIT!!" media outlet is the "legitimate" one.
Posted by: C Bassett | May 4, 2004 07:01 AM
Hen, fixed the Afghan thing, but you'll have to write the author of the quoted passage about the Philly thing.
Posted by: michele | May 4, 2004 07:01 AM
Something about this reminded me of a bit from the comics, in Kurt Busiek's Marvels, regarding J. Jonah Jameson's legendary anti-hero mania. I think a lot of people like Rall might have similar motivations:
Phil: You've recently written articles accusing Spider-Man of kidnapping Dr. Jorgenson, the blood specialist -- and of proving himself "yellow" by not stopping a crime wave.
JJJ: Yes. So?
Phil: So how can you exhort Spider-Man to act by calling him a coward -- but when he does act, you label him as a criminal?
JJJ: Phil, if he was a hero -- if your "Marvels" were truly the selfless crusaders they claim -- how could the rest of us measure up? How could we meet that standard?
Phil: But Jonah -- what does that have to do --
JJJ: Nothing! It has nothing to do with the case! Spider-Man is a glory-seeking fraud -- and I'll expose his hypocrisy whenever I --
(and then the conversation is interrupted)
Posted by: David C | May 4, 2004 07:23 AM
I wonder if Rall's knee-jerk hero-bashing stems from his dad leaving him when he was little? After that, he decided there were no heroes in the world?
DING DING DING. We have a winnah! Pick your prize, anything from the top row. Rall's soul, Micah's heart and Rene's balls, all available and unused by their previous owners! Winnah! We have a winnah!
Posted by: JimK | May 4, 2004 08:11 AM
I really dislike Rall, but he looks a lot like the main character from FireFly and I loved that show.
Posted by: Frank J. | May 4, 2004 08:48 AM
I'm glad to see you didn't entirely give up the political aspect of your blog Michelle. Ass-spelunkers like Rall need to be exposed for the brain dead Osama fan club that they are, and you do it so well.
Just for the record
Firefly = Good
Rall = Sniveling little twit
Posted by: Defense Guy | May 4, 2004 09:06 AM
This was 100% expected.
Remember "In tonight's news, Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead."
Rall is completely consistant, so much so that you don't really need to post anything more about him than: "In today's news Ted Rall is still a loudmouthed despicable blowhard asshole."
The day TD shows a little humanity, I'll know that I've died and gone to heaven.
It's not going to happen. No point waiting for it.
Posted by: Joshua Scholar | May 4, 2004 09:15 AM
BTW, where did you get Ted Rall's defense of his comic from?
Posted by: Frank J. | May 4, 2004 09:27 AM
. . . he's an out-of-control warmonger using the deaths in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania to promote a partisan political agenda . . .
Remember, only Ted Rall is allowed to use those deaths to promote a partisan political agenda! Him, and maybe Tom Tomorrow.
Posted by: Phil | May 4, 2004 09:37 AM
Is Kerry really running ads on Ted' blog? I could not find them.
Posted by: TDC | May 4, 2004 09:53 AM
Rall doesn't address his putting racist words in Tillman's mouth. As far as I'm concerned, the Ted Rall Unemployment Project is my goal for the day.
Posted by: Pat Curley | May 4, 2004 10:07 AM
I couldn't find Kerry ads (or any other ads) on his blog, either.
Posted by: David Foster | May 4, 2004 10:14 AM
Those who went into the second building to fall went back in KNOWING the first building had collapsed and the second could as well.
There were firemen and policemen who mentioned that the buildings might fall on them before they went in but they had to get as mnay out as they could.
These men DID know what was going on. I would call that heroic.
Posted by: Sarah Schreffler | May 4, 2004 07:19 PM
Did anyone notice that JimK's websites all now directly link to Democratic Underground? What the fuck happened because it's pretty damn funny
Posted by: Noved | August 14, 2004 04:43 PM