Quantcast

I'm 'Uncomfortable' Calling Fallen Military 'Heroes'. Really? Who the hell is Chris Hayes?

jt 2012/05/28 02:48:11
+5
You!
Add Photos & Videos

Top Opinion

Sort By
  • Most Raves
  • Least Raves
  • Oldest
  • Newest
Opinions

  • Iamfree 2012/05/30 05:10:22
    Iamfree
    +1
    I heard his comments, and went back and listened to them again. After listening three times, I can say that I understand that he is clearly an anti-war person, but he picked a piss-poor time to shoot off his mouth.
    reply
  • The_Infidel_Atheist 2012/05/29 06:27:26
    The_Infidel_Atheist
    +1
    I kind of get what he is saying, but he definitely picked the wrong time to say it. Are all military service members heroes? I don't know about that one. I have met some dirtbag Marines that don't give a damn about their commitment to the Corps, their Country, and their fellow brothers. They certainly aren't heroes. If everyone in the military is a hero then that demeans the meaning of the word. To be a hero, one has to exhibit heroism. My heroes are my fellow devil dogs who watch my back and keep me from getting my head blown off. Also all the veterans, past and present, who served with honor and heroism in their military service. So to answer your question, no, not everybody in the military are heroes. Only honorable warriors are.
    reply
  • frank 2012/05/28 16:17:38
    frank
    +2
    Chris Hayes is right where he should be, at MSNBC and they all can go to H*LL.
    reply
  • elijahin24 2012/05/28 15:33:30
    elijahin24
    +1
    If you only commented, and didn't watch the video, please do watch the video, and consider his point.
    As a soldier myself, and a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom; I understand what he's saying, and I actually think he's right (and not a little bet courageous for saying it on national television). Under the Bush Administration, military heroism was used as a bludgeon to beat people into line behind an unjust war. The implication was that if you don't support the war, you don't support the troops. This is, of course, ridiculous. But it goes even deeper than that. The death of Spc. Pat Tillman (NFL star who gave up football to join the Army Rangers after 9-11), was exploited mercilessly by the government, as have many other stories of heroism; as a means of getting people to fall in line behind wrongdoing of our government, and frankly of some of my fellow service-members.
    Hayes isn't saying that there is no heroism in the military; in fact, he points out that there are MANY heroes in the military. What he has a problem with, is the use of that heroism as propaganda, and the automatic assumption that those of us who have served are heroes. Not all are. I'm uncomfortable being called a hero myself, because while I did see combat, I was never in a position to save a life. But I...
    If you only commented, and didn't watch the video, please do watch the video, and consider his point.
    As a soldier myself, and a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom; I understand what he's saying, and I actually think he's right (and not a little bet courageous for saying it on national television). Under the Bush Administration, military heroism was used as a bludgeon to beat people into line behind an unjust war. The implication was that if you don't support the war, you don't support the troops. This is, of course, ridiculous. But it goes even deeper than that. The death of Spc. Pat Tillman (NFL star who gave up football to join the Army Rangers after 9-11), was exploited mercilessly by the government, as have many other stories of heroism; as a means of getting people to fall in line behind wrongdoing of our government, and frankly of some of my fellow service-members.
    Hayes isn't saying that there is no heroism in the military; in fact, he points out that there are MANY heroes in the military. What he has a problem with, is the use of that heroism as propaganda, and the automatic assumption that those of us who have served are heroes. Not all are. I'm uncomfortable being called a hero myself, because while I did see combat, I was never in a position to save a life. But I don't think he's even talking about that. There are some in the military who are decidedly villainous. Abu Grahib, and Guantanamo Bay are two good examples of this. These examples are few and far between, and most of us are good Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines; who do our job diligently and conscientiously. And for those who want to call us heroes; as I said, I'm uncomfortable being called one, but do as you will. But it shouldn't be assumed that everyone who wears the uniform is either hero, or villain. And neither possibility should be used as propaganda to support a political agenda, especially since neither possibility describes us all.
    To those who are heroes, I salute you. To those who are villains, quit screwing up our reputation. And to the rest of us, here's hoping that wars end before we ever have to be heroic.
    (more)
    reply
  • cmdrbnd007 2012/05/28 14:18:56
    cmdrbnd007
    +2
    I'd never heard of him before and I just assume never hear of him again. Go crawl back into your hidey hole Chris.
    reply
  • elijahin24 cmdrbnd007 2012/05/28 15:33:53
    elijahin24
    +1
    Did you actually watch the video?
    reply
  • Heffeweizen 2012/05/28 07:31:57
    Heffeweizen
    +3
    There's one of the top reasons that no one watches PMSNBC and why it enjoys such low ratings. Good grief, the douche canoe comes out with this on Memorial Day Weekend?
    reply
  • elijahin24 Heffewe... 2012/05/28 15:34:10
    elijahin24
    +1
    Did you actually watch the video?
    reply
  • Heffewe... elijahin24 2012/05/28 23:13:55
    Heffeweizen
    +1
    Yeah, he sounded like a stuttering fool trying to spit that line out.
    reply
  • elijahin24 Heffewe... 2012/05/29 14:51:22
    elijahin24
    +1
    He sounded to me like a man who was saying something he knew would be taken out of context, so he was trying to pick his words very carefully.
    reply
  • Iamfree elijahin24 2012/05/30 05:11:30
    Iamfree
    +2
    Perhaps he wouldn't face so much criticism if he hadn't picked such an appalling time to try to make his point. It was in poor taste no matter how you try to defend it.
    reply
  • elijahin24 Iamfree 2012/05/30 11:46:58
    elijahin24
    +1
    The problem is that his point is a good one. He isn't saying that there are no heroes in uniform. He's saying that our government has a nasty history of exploiting heroism, for the purpose of pushing wars, often unjust wars, on a sheep-like population. Look what they did with Pat Tillman. He's obviously a hero, but rather than honor his sacrifice, the Army (an organization that I myself serve) exploited it for recuriting purposes; for a war that is, by any reasonable measure: unjust.
    reply
  • Iamfree elijahin24 2012/05/30 18:44:32
    Iamfree
    +1
    I understood his point. He just chose a piss-poor time to make it. Sorry, but his timing is just indefensible.
    reply
  • elijahin24 Iamfree 2012/05/30 20:23:44
    elijahin24
    +1
    We disagree, and that's ok. I just felt that his timing was necessary. His point wouldn't have gotten the attention it deserves, if he had made it at another time.
    reply
  • Iamfree elijahin24 2012/06/01 21:06:35
    Iamfree
    +1
    Understood elijahin24, but don't you see that he damaged his case because of his poor timing? His point was lost because of the anger he engendered. It was unwise, and even worse, it was just nastily timed.
    reply
  • elijahin24 Iamfree 2012/06/01 21:53:19
    elijahin24
    +1
    His point would have been ignored if he hadn't. What good is it to make a good point that nobody hears?
    reply
  • Iamfree elijahin24 2012/06/03 04:31:20
    Iamfree
    +1
    He damaged his cause. It's as simple as that. I guess he thought it was worth it.
    reply
  • Heffewe... elijahin24 2012/05/30 11:41:10
    Heffeweizen
    +1
    So, why say it at all then? I get it, it's his right to voice his opinion, but he is definitely guilty of very poor timing. Any other day, no one probably would have even noticed.
    reply
  • elijahin24 Heffewe... 2012/05/30 11:48:14
    elijahin24
    +1
    Any other day, his point wouldn't have been heard. And it's a good point, that NEEDS to be heard. As I said above: He isn't saying that there are no heroes in uniform. He's saying that our government has a nasty history of exploiting heroism, for the purpose of pushing wars, often unjust wars, on a sheep-like population. Look what they did with Pat Tillman. He's obviously a hero, but rather than honor his sacrifice, the Army (an organization that I myself serve) exploited it for recuriting purposes; for a war that is, by any reasonable measure: unjust.
    reply
  • Heffewe... elijahin24 2012/05/30 12:05:36
    Heffeweizen
    +1
    Guess we will have to agree to disagree. Thanks for serving, BTW.
    reply
  • elijahin24 Heffewe... 2012/05/30 12:25:02
    elijahin24
    +1
    I'm going to post my own blog on this topic, digging deeper into the culture which leads to this outrage, from my perspective within the Army. I hope you'll read it. I'm hoping to finish it by noon.
    reply
  • BlytheSpirit~bn0 2012/05/28 07:13:00
    BlytheSpirit~bn0
    +2
    After reading the responses posted here, I realize that any rational talk about this article is out of the question. What you people want to do is hate, complain, thump your chests and cry out how you are so much better than those "liberals." A lot of what this reporter has to say has merit, but you can't discuss any of it because all you are able to do is insult. Learn some critical thinking skills. Learn to debate. Open those steel traps you have for minds. Otherwise this country is well and surely doomed and you can thank yourselves for it. I'm more and more saddened each time I visit this site. I thought my countrymen were better than this. I'm sorry that so many of you have proven me wrong.
    reply
  • Heffewe... BlytheS... 2012/05/28 07:36:01
    Heffeweizen
    +5
    So, you're OK with coming out with this on Memorial Day Weekend, when most folks honor the troops who have fallen? I will call a spade a spade and Hayes came across as an idiot, right down to the stuttering.
    reply
  • BlytheS... Heffewe... 2012/05/28 07:48:37
    BlytheSpirit~bn0
    +2
    I said nothing about not honoring the troops who have fallen. And neither did he.
    reply
  • Dee 2012/05/28 04:53:07
    Dee
    +3
    Sorry, that young man looks like he could never never make it through boot camp. Perhaps there is a bit of jealousy there since no one would ever expect him to amount to anything close to being a hero.

    Those that can - do. Those that can't - work for MSNBC.
    reply
  • elijahin24 Dee 2012/05/28 15:34:56
    elijahin24
    +1
    Did you actually listen to what he was saying?
    reply
  • Dee elijahin24 2012/05/28 18:57:12
    Dee
    +1
    Yes. From start to finish.
    reply
  • mwg0735 2012/05/28 04:47:47
  • elijahin24 mwg0735 2012/05/28 15:35:49
    elijahin24
    +1
    I don't know how, but every time I think you've said the dumbest think you could possibly say; you somehow manage to raise the bar.
    reply
  • mwg0735 elijahin24 2012/05/28 17:07:54
  • Dagon 2012/05/28 03:54:37
  • elijahin24 Dagon 2012/05/28 15:36:05
    elijahin24
    +2
    Did you actually watch the video?
    reply
  • Dagon elijahin24 2012/05/28 16:53:17
  • elijahin24 Dagon 2012/05/28 16:58:31
    elijahin24
    +1
    That isn't what he was saying. He wasn't disrespecting us at all. He was saying that he doesn't like seeing the term "hero" exploited to promote war. Which it has been for years.
    reply
  • Dagon elijahin24 2012/05/28 17:04:41
  • elijahin24 Dagon 2012/05/28 17:22:24
    elijahin24
    +2
    And that is in no way contrary to what he said. But what he is uncomfortable with, is the exploitation of military personnel to get people fired up to support wars, which may or may not be just; like the government did with Pat Tillman.
    reply
  • Dagon elijahin24 2012/05/28 19:04:59
  • elijahin24 Dagon 2012/05/28 19:14:26
    elijahin24
    +2
    And again, this is in no way contrary to what Hayes said. He's just opposing exploitation and propagandizing of genuine heroes.
    reply
  • Dagon elijahin24 2012/05/28 19:16:55 (edited)
  • elijahin24 Dagon 2012/05/28 19:31:04
    elijahin24
    +2
    But I assume you want to honor your friend. Isn't it dishonoring him, to use him to promote dishonest ends?
    reply
1 2 3 Next » Last »

News & Politics

2013/06/20 05:32:03

Hot Questions on SodaHead
More Hot Questions

More Community More Originals