Has anyone seen the cover of the new Esquire Mag? This will stop you in your tracks

[LynneSin]

[babylonsister]

1. How terribly sad, and he's one of how many? nt

[LynneSin]

2. If there is even one - that's too many

I saw this at Borders and I just started to cry right there in the store. Only reason I didn't buy it was because the line was 2 miles long and I had to get going.

But I do plan to get a copy before the year is out

[19jet54]

128. Life Altering...

While I understand your emotional response, he/they do not need our pity, or negative responses, but our support and respect.

That young man has my full support for recovery; my respect for his service; my admiration for his self-sacrifice in risking life and limb literally. There can be no mistake about 3 purple hearts for shrapnel in his case? Please do not confuse "the politics" with "his personal dedication" to his country. Treat him with honor, as an equal and challenge him to excel in life regardless of such life altering events? Let me ask: If a neighbor was being robbed, raped or attacked, would you get involved or just hide? I am NOT supporting the Iraq conflict, but I am supporting those who serve the War on Terror! On which front did he receive his injuries? Regardless, THANK YOU for your service!!!!!

"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.---" - John Stuart Mill

Now regarding Iraq, bring our sons & daughters home you lying pig

[NJCher]

3. that takes awhile to sink in

The enormity.

And the years to come, as we see these individuals re-enter civilian life.



Cher

[BlueCaliDem]

144. Yes, that's true. It's painful...very, very painful but necessary for everyone to see...

...what war does to our troops.

The majority of the American people are so violent-prone, and have such a love for violence, and war that I doubt we'd learn anything from "in-your-face" photos like this.

That's what makes it doubly painful.

[joanski0]

4. Oh, dear. That just makes me want to burst out

crying. I can't take much more of this. Somebody has to stop them.

[liberalnurse]

5. POWERFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope it makes the rounds on the media talk shows!

[TwentyFive]

86. I hope it makes the rounds at freeperville. Would definitely get deleted.

The freeper morons would not be able to handle it.

[lpbk2713]

6. "I joined the Army and all I got was this lousy T-shirt."

No intended toward the veteran in the photo.


Point is ..... he made a huge sacrifice for an unworthy and corrupt BushCo administration.

[MockSwede]

28. Sacrifice

Nothing King Bush does can make anything that happens in Iraq worthy and honorable. It's these folks, like the one pictured, who are there and have been there and what they have done and do each day that makes whatever good they do worthy and honorable, regardless of the overall outcome. I'm figuring only they can say whether or not the cost was worth it, and their opinions will not be the same and may change over time, but the worth and honor are theirs alone. Go Cheney yourself GWBushco. Your words and actions dishonor these men and women.

[DoYouEverWonder]

31. The wounded don't even get that

My company just sent cases of 'dud' t-shirts to Iraq, just so the wounded soldiers would have something to wear while that are in the hospital. The problem is that if they get blood on their clothes, they have to throw them away, so a lot of these soldiers end up with nothing to wear.

[rucky]

38. He's also holding a Purple Heart...

in his artificial hand.

"We have some lovely parting gifts for you, courtesy of the US Army."

[cui bono]

46. that's what really struck me too. n/t

[Pachamama]

60. Wow! He sacrificed 2 legs & 1 arm and what did Bush ever sacrifice?

That picture is very powerful....and when I look at him and think of Bush and Cheney and Rumsfeld (all who never served) and who sent him and the other soldiers like him that have been wounded or died, I get sick to my stomach.

How dare Bush say he feels for the families or soldiers that have suffered....

[calimary]

83. The REALLY sad thing is that someday, some chickenhawk will

question his patriotism, and lambaste him, mock, and insult him because he's seen too much to want to go along with some latter-day sicko bush wannabe's policies of unilateral aggression. I look at this young man and see another Max Cleland.

This is heartbreaking. What a waste.

BTW, bush doesn't really feel for the families of soldiers who've suffered. He doesn't feel - AT ALL. You can't feel when you have a chunk of sulfur in your chest where a human heart might otherwise be.

[WinkyDink]

93. "[S]omeday"?? How about NOW, when they see the COVER?

[Selteri]

122. This young man has made an awesome sacrifice for his country.

For that I salute him and honor those like him who have been injured, mourn those who have fallen and salute those like my uncle who never were wounded through sheer dumb luck that chose to serve this country honorably. These men, regardless of why they chose to join or what became of them have all given themselves to this country and deserve nothing less than for us to give them as good of medical care we give our congressmen and pay scales more akin to those earned by celebrities and CEOs.

I disagree about Bush not feeling though, he feels a great deal.
He feels about his personal comfort.
He feels about his personal well being.
He feels little if not nothing for anyone other than those that serve his personal self interest.
He feels just right for being impeached.
He feels like a dictator trying to control a democracy.
He feels slimey and disgusting and people need to wash him away.

[curiousdemo]

99. The sad part to this man is..

Papa Bush and George Washington...errr...Moma Bush talk about this S.O.B as a Angel in Chief, where in actuality he's SATAN who smell like Sulfur, reveling himself as an Angel In Chief.

[SquireJons]

120. Actually, Rumsfeld is a veteran, but still a war criminal

The thing that really sticks in my mind is the way that the purple heart was ridiculed at the Republican National Convention in 2004. I will never forget nor forgive what they did (handing out band-aids with hearts to say that it's nothing). I hope that the image of that fat ugly bitch with the band-aid on her face really comes back to haunt these assholes.

I'm planning on pasting her image on the back of my car with the caption "The face of compassionate conservatism - vote Democrat forever"

This cover might make a nice companion picture.

[lpbk2713]

123. Don't forget another image of *compassionate conservatism* while you're at it .....

[Jawja]

105. Yes, the Purple Heart.

And * didn't mind sliming and degrading this medal with the Swift Boaters and those despicable purple heart bandaids.

What a filthy disgusting piece of shit he is.

[Swamp Rat]

7. HOLY CHRIST!

[flyarm]

8. I HAVE NO WORDS..ONLY TEARS.........N/T

[keopeli]

9. Powerful Picture. n/t

[Heidi]

10. Happy to give you your fifth recommendation.

[riverwalker]

11. but if he enters politics

and happens to be a Democrat, he will be labeled "unpatriotic" and slandered and smeared like Max Cleland.

[annabanana]

12. from the article

http://www.esquire.com/features/articles/2006/061207_mf...

"When I rolled over the line from Kuwait to Iraq the first time, and those people were cheering and screaming, that's when I knew we need to help these people. Whether I agree with being there or not, I don't know, but if we pulled out now it would make me raise the questions, Okay, so all those guys who lost their lives and lost limbs, was it for a reason? Did we change anything? Was it worth it? If it is, then great, pull out. If it isn't, then they all just died in vain. I don't know. I can't be the one to sit there looking at the overview and say he lost his life for no good reason.

-snip-

I was in a police station one day, sitting at the top of the stairs. There were three Iraqi cops downstairs standing around a desk. I saw this guy walk in and didn't think anything of it. He walks up to them, says, "Allah akbar," and presses the button. He had a vest on under his long robe, but it didn't go off. Those three cops just started beating the shit out of him. Almost killed him. You should have seen his face when they were done. You couldn't tell it was the same guy who walked into the police station.

I wasn't scared the first time. But the second time, after the first three weeks, then we were all scared. Not scared like shivering-in-your-boots scared, but there was always the tickle in your throat that you knew you were in real danger, that it was just luck. At any moment, anything could happen. We were lucky for ten months. We knew we would get hit. It was always a question of how bad it would be. I never thought it would be this bad."

The kid is relentlessly upbeat. It is up to US to police the policymakers and keep kids like this safe and whole.

[Straight Shooter]

41. We're in a war zone with people who shout "God is great" before blowing everyone up.

Somehow I feel their religious fanatacism will prevail over our so-called political will. The willingness to commit suicide, combined with technology and the proximity of targets, how do you fight something like that? It will never end. Never, ever end.

==================================

I bet bush thinks that guy's prosthetic arm just totally rawks!

[CoffeeCat]

45. Exactly...

...and how do you bring democracy to this situation?

Many in power right now do not understand history--or civilization for that matter. Not
every country can be like the United States. Not every country aspires to be like the
United States. Our country is a thriving democracy because of the very-unique trailblazers
who dared to discover and create something new. Not everyone on the planet thirsts for
what we have.

We're just so damn arrogant. We assume that OUR way is the best way--and the only way.
The United States is a unique animal. You can't box up our way of life, plop it down
in the middle of the dessert and expect it to thrive--anymore than you can expect Americans
to adopt another country's culture, overnight.

We can't force our way of life down the gullets of those who don't want our way
of life. You certainly can't change the world--if you lack respect and reverence
for those who do things differently than you.

[Lisa]

70. One of the things that made America much admired in the late 1800s

... and early part of the 20th century, was NOT having a globe-spanning empire with a huge military to keep it in line. Sure, there were situations in the Philippines, China, and Central America, but by comparison to the British and even the French, there weren't as many countries where the inhabitants could point to the US and say that they were the oppressors. So a lot of smaller nations looked up to the US, and wanted to imitate it (being a republic just like America, and listening to American pop music, etc.). My friends from Iran say that a half-century ago, people in the Middle East liked and trusted the US way more than Britain! Apparently there is a jurisdiction in Paraguay which is named after US President Rutherford B. Hayes, who was asked to referee a South American border dispute more than a century ago, because America was felt to be impartial and fair!

A lot of countries, including Canada, looked at things the US had developed (like the Constitution and the Endangered Species and Clean Air acts) and decided that they wanted similar stuff. In that respect, America "leading by example" could ultimately have a much broader and more positive impact than your very apt description of "boxing up" and "plopping down" the American way of life without considering local perspectives, since it affects places that were never successfully invaded (and that includes the "good" invasions like WWII).

[EVDebs]

78. Read Kevin Phillip's Wealth and Democracy

The fate of economic empires of the past, as you note, is that 'globe spanning empire with a huge military' that ensures a top-heavy elite get all the wealth. Spain, Netherlands, Britain, and now the US, all declined due to that wealthiest 1 and 1/2 percent's greed.

[Roland99]

109. Well, we stepped in when the British moved on. Ever see "Blood and Oil: The Middle East in WW1"?

EXCELLENT documentary about the British drive to control the oil in Iraq/Iran as its military moved from coal to oil.

Now we're the British doing the same fucking thing.

[WinkyDink]

95. The US is nothing more than the bastion of capitalism. Scandinavia, e.g.,

is more democratic, even as they are socialistic, if we think in terms of real, not on paper, freedom (does any other "democracy" have "free-speech ZONES"?). What do we offer, but exploitation and "privatization" of others' resources, immorality, crappy "entertainment" meant only to gull others into buying more crap, tawdry values combined with guilt-ridden religiosity, Monsanto-owned plant "patents" and non-reproducing crops, schools for death squads and torturers, environmental destruction and global-warming indifference/causation, trying to turn every other nation into our lesser: bastardized McNations but without the wealth and the weapons to protect it?

And now we can't even boast about having free, honest, and open elections.

[Diclotican]

152. Hello WinkyDink

WinkyDink

I do not agree with you that we in scandinavia is Sosialistic, but we do have a society who have a "big state" influence.. The fact it that Norway, Sweden, Denmark Finland and Iceland have been reported as one of the best country to live in, in the world.. US to the comparision is on the 17th plass:... We even have a "universial healthcare socity" where we pay the "bills" by the taxes.. Its exencive, but its worth it when you are ill and really need medical help... So I pay my taxes, and hope for the best...
In old "days" the most of europe, inncluded Norway, where I living have been seen up to US even as we allways have been critical of US... For many norwigian the drive to travel to US, for a better life was one of the biggest issue in the late 1800, and the beginning of the 1900.. Even after ww2 many norwigian emigrated to US, for finding a better life, job and security after the war...

Some have travel "home" again after they have been in US for many year, but the most of them stayd in US, and have been a part of the US ever since.. Many have fighted in the war that US have fought since 1945... Many have died, and many have been wounded. But they have ALL been americans...

But after the GWB we may not se US in the same light again, maybee is time to Europe to grow up, and stand on its own feet again.. And not bee THAT depended on US military force, when it loocks like US dont want to hear to "old europe" any more..
The ironic in all this is that before the Iraq war, many americans told us, who dont want to be part of the "coalisation of the willing" that we are not nedet, not in Iraq, not everywhere where US want to go to war.. After the war, when the whole thing was going from bad to worse. THEN he Administration want ut the irelevant" to do the work they may not easy can do itself.. Its is amazing to se, who "insulted" the US Administrastion is, when they was told that they can't expect big military forces in Iraq as in Afghanistan....
Can it bee, becouse of the insult the most of europe felt when Mr Bush, Donald Rumsfeld and CO was telling us, their old NATO allied, that we are not more needet?

When it comes to the picture i also feel a deep sorry for the soldiers in Iraq, who are willing to risk everyting, and I mean everything even if it was for a big ugly lie.
And it is horrible no know that for every soldiers who came home, woundet but in life, they are many more who never come home, alive then.. If the american pepole was knowing all the soldiers who came home to US in coffins, the suport for Bush-war wil go down to one ore two procent in a blink of a aye..
But becouse they are not been told the truth, many stil suport the war, and wil suport it as long MR Bush is in office... Even after he is either trown out, or ended his office in 2009, they wil be many who suport the war. Becouse they DONT WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH about the horrible ugly sivil war who is been fighted under the USs nose....

The rest of the world, and even many in Norway just hope that it wil end soon.. Not that we do hope US wil loose in Iraq, but we do hope that the terrible presidency of Bush wil end, with a more normal president.. Who can rebuild the damage that Mr Bush have doing to the US repetation..
We do hoped for the end of mr Bush in 2004, but to the amazing america wotet for Bush.. Now we know that his days is numbered as a president.. We do hope that he cant be doing more harm in the world, then he have been doing already..
He is HORRIBLE president.. Even CLinton whith is amazing use of Sigars, was a great leader when its come to Mr Bush... I do mis Clinton as President.. He was in many ways a man who have brains, sorry he dont use it allways..
I rembembered when Mr Clinton was in Oslo i 1998, it was a cind of "party" over Oslo then.. Even as the airport (Gardermoen) was closed down when Airforce One landed, and a lot of security was in place inside the capital.. And Norwigian ar not known a Great partypeople when outside...
If President BUSH ever visited Norway, i do dobt he wil be welcomed the same way.. Maybee som eg on his limosine, but not the way that Mr CLinton was welcomed...

I hope for the best, but I am afraid that Mr Bush wil do his best to destroy the United States of America as we know it.. And have been know for the last 230 year...

Diclotican

[Miss Chybil]

69. It will end.

Probably not in the way we think it will end and definitely not fast enough, but one day the Mesoamericans quit cutting each other's hearts out in the name of god/s. One mummy was the last mummy prepared for a tomb beneath a pyramid. One man was the last man to be stretched upon a cross, (not a religious act, but a penal one). One Kamikaze pilot was the last to take his own life and the lives of others in WWII. One Frenchman was the last Frenchman to be laid beneath a guillotine and one "witch" was the last witch to be burnt upon a stake. Everything comes to an end and other things begin. Good things and bad things. Someday, hopefully, in our lifetime, we will look back and say, "Remember when people used to blow themselves up to make a point?" Hopefully, that won't be a "nostalgic" moment - who knows what's coming next!

[WinkyDink]

94. The question is not "how", but "why". It is not our fight.

[nolabels]

63. Yea but where was this media conglomerate before the invasion/ occupation

I am just plain sick of these few greedy white billionaires dictating what the hell is going to get talked about. Do we really need to give credit to these fellows that made major contributions in taking the US to that point? If you let them few billionaires pin the whole mess on * then you are just as stupid as *

Below a link about who owns what in corporate media, chapter / The Hearst Corporation

http://www.cjr.org/tools/owners/hearst.asp


Sure it's not just corporate media but does anyone have any suggestions on a pound for pound more vulnerable place to make change that is viable?

[pitohui]

71. and the young man was a gymnast in school days

another photo on the inside shows him doing a handstand with wearing the artificial hand

he certainly has a good attitude, i guess if anyone can overcome this, he can

i think i would be considerably more bitter

[WinkyDink]

98. He's still young.

[Freedomofspeech]

13. Gee, thanks , bush...

This young man, and thousands like him, have lots to look forward to. I hope you rot in hell, bush. What courage it must have taken this young man to pose for that picture. God Bless him.

[vkobaya]

140. Bush in hell

<i>I hope you rot in hell, bush.</i>

Good Lord! Can you possibly believe there is any other destination for Bush than hell? My God, as a believer, it is unimaginable that Bush has earned any other reward than an eternity roasting in the fires of hell. His crimes so exceed the crimes of anyone else, are beyond unimaginable, that he cannot ever be forgiven, has to be crap that he is a Christian, he could not possibly believe in God and yet commit such massive evil. Do you know that he has begun filling the concentration camps that he had Halliburton build? How long before the showers and ovens are going full blast? The truth is that Bush wants full well to go to his lord and master, Satan. He would be extremely disappointed if he found himself inside St. Peter's gate.

God's mercy is vast, beyond our comprehension. But even God's mercy has limits. 655,000! 3,700 in October! 2980! Nope, now the count is 2,983! 356 more in Afghanistan, to say nothing of the tens of thousands of Afghani civilians who have been butchered by this evil, mass and serial murdering despot. Yes, I believe God's mercy is beyond my comprehension, but it is also beyond my comprehension that His mercy can possibly stretch that far.

[DesertRat]

14. From the article

"I could be perfectly fine without kids. If my wife wants kids, that's fine, too. It's not an issue because of this. But I plan on wearing my prosthetics most all the time. And if I have those on, I'm not going to be able to carry my kids. I can't really bend over because it'll throw my balance off. So I'm not going to be able to pick up my kids. So you're walking through the park and they don't want to walk, they want to be carried. Sorry, I can't do it. I've thought about that a lot. It's going to be hard."

[CrispyQ]

15. God I hate this administration.

I cannot think of a severe enough punishment for them.

[tabasco]

16. Obscene oil profits and Osama still on the loose.

[JudyM]

55. Yep, that sums it up. Big mission accomplished. n/t

[curiousdemo]

96. The smirk on his face says it all...

He probably thinking, Boy!! I'm walking away with a boat load of money, courtesy of my buddies Bush and Cheney.

[mod mom]

17. God I hate bu$h and all his war mongering profiteer cronies! TO THE HAGUE!

[LostinVA]

18. Yeah, I saw that Saturday

*sigh*

[Sydnie]

19. .....

Please, forgive us for not storming DC, and not leaving, until we stopped this madness.

[duhneece]

20. My late husband lost both of his legs at Chu Lai, commited suicide in 1998

Our son spent Christmas and Thanksgiving in our county jail and will probably go to prison for drugs (meth)...while the war profiteers get rich off of this illegal occupation.

I don't blame my son's addiction on his father's combat experience or his father's suicide, but I do think those experiences contributed something. Too bad the Dept of Defense or the Army don't keep track of these 'costs' of war. But we do.

It is with tears that I recommend this.

[sarge43]

24. War: The 'gift' that keeps on giving.

duhneece

[lildreamer316]

62. .....

[Maat]

75. Blessings to you and your family.

Healing energy headed your way (from a retired social worker, who appreciates what you are going through)!

I'm so sorry you are going through this ... it is with tears that I re-read your post.

[duhneece]

77. Hugs and healing energy from Sarge43, lildreamer316 and Maat received!

The compassion expressed by you three for my family's specific loss and by DU for ALL of our losses gives me so much to be grateful for....so much to feel hopeful about. Thank you.

[GenDem]

79. Thoughts and prayers being sent your way, duhneece.

[Mind_your_head]

81. Oh duhneece.......

I'm so sorry.....it's lame that I can only offer an 'internet hug', but if I could do it in person, I would. Here it is anyway.....

Peace & love to you.....I can't begin to imagine what you're suffering/have suffered.....

[jaysunb]

87. This Viet Vet sends his positive vibration.....

I've seen many of my fellow soldiers and their families suffer both in combat and in it's never ending nightmare.
Another poster said it best : war, is the gift that keeps on giving.

All the best to you.

[elehhhhna]

21. WIsh they'd put this photo in the upper right corner of that cover:

Purple Hearts are SOOOOO funny! They're just HILARIOUS!

[Chorophyll]

39. Yeurrrgghhh.

I agree. They should have put this photo on the cover somewhere, just as a reminder. Well, ya got your Commander-in-Chief, Bandaid Lady. Congratulations.

[A Simple Game]

43. I would bet you a dollar that to this day that woman is

proud of that picture.

The kind of sickness she has doesn't heal easily.

[The Wizard]

149. REMEMBER THEM

If you are able, save for them a place inside of you and one backward glance when you are leaving, for the places they can no longer go.

Be not ashamed to say you loved them, though you may or may not always have. Take what they have left and what they have taught you with their dying and keep it with your own.

And in that time when men decide and feel safe to call the war insane, take one moment to embrace those gentle heroes you left behind.
Written January 1, 1970 by Major Michael Davis O'Donnell
Dak To, South Vietnam

[TheCowsCameHome]

61. Should be on the cover of a brochure from a cattle auction.

[Hekate]

66. Send it in with your LTTE to Esquire. Betcha they print it.

Masters of War.

Hekate

[LynneSin]

90. I look at that picture and I get so angry

That woman should be ashamed of herself for mocking something so serious as the purple heart. If that was my mother, I would be so ashamed. How many purple hearts were awarded to soldiers who left limbs on the battlefield just so she has the ability to tape a damn band-aid with a purple heart to her chin?

[curiousdemo]

97. A Sulfur sympathizer....

How wonderful..

[The Wizard]

103. The woman with the Purple Heart Band Aid

is living proof that some people just need a good beating.

[nolabels]

114. But a compulsory draft into the military for those kind of people would be........

so much more fitting. I remember many a smarmy one in the days back in boot camp

[niceypoo]

115. The purple heart band aid woman is named Pat Peale

She's known Karl Rove since he was "a youngster."
She's fixed dinner for George W. Bush.

She's also whipped up lunch for that hungry Republican crew of "rioters" in Florida who were determined to stop that nasty ol' vote count from proceeding in the 2000 election.

One of her sons works for Phil Gramm, ex-Republican Senator from Texas, and the other of her sons works for Fred Thompson, ex-Republican Senator from Tennessee.

When Texas Democrats went to Oklahoma to prevent redistricting, she chased after them, doing her "chicken dance" for the cameras.

She's not an accidental delegate, caught with a stupid band-aid on her chin.

[SquireJons]

121. Thank you for this information

It's just what I've been looking for.

Got a copy of the picture for me? I've got it somewhere but hell if I know where at this time. I want to use it (see my earlier post in this thread).

[LynneSin]

124. I never knew her name - googled and found this interesting rant about her

http://www.poetryinlife.com/blog/archive/2004_08_01_mar...

Pat Peale - Texas Delegate -- some people have no class
I'm sure that all the people that have been awarded Purple Hearts over the years are thrilled with this. Talk about "supporting the troops." This mocks not only Kerry - which was their intent, but EVERY service man and woman that has been wounded in the LINE OF DUTY. These people talk so very much about supporting our troops an standing beside them. Well, Ms. Pat Peale, Delegate from Texas, rest peacefully tonight knowing that people are fighting for your right to make a complete ass out of yourself. Not only are they fighting, they are dying.

In fact, on the day that you, Ms. Pat Peale, Delegate from Texas, chose to make such an ass out of yourself on MSNBC, U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Aaron N. Holleyman was killed in Iraq. He was 26, from Glasgow, Montana. He was assigned To the 1st Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group and based in Fort Campbell, KY, He was killed by hostile fire - an IED attack in Khutaylah (nr. Syrian border), Iraq.

First the Yahoo news story pic, because that one's much much clearer, then a pic from MSNBC

[pink-o]

129. Scrolling thru these posts....

...didya notice this stupid bitch has the same vacuus yet smug smile as that fuckwad Lee Raymond from Exxon in the pic posted earlier???

Nice drugs there, Guys. Did Rush share some of his stash with them both?

[niceypoo]

134. She looks like a female Neil Boortz

Same smug grin

[mahatmakanejeeves]

22. I've seen that.

A lot of the rest of that issue is, like too many other magazines intended for young men, devoted to articles about the right way to spend your money to impress the people around you. How to have the fanciest car, the most impressive sound system, the nicest suit, the....

[pitohui]

111. the magazine is paid for by advertising

you do realize that advertisers are the source of profit for esquire magazine and they are required to carry so much material regarding fashion, new tech, etcetera to support their advertisers?

without the fashion coverage etc. the editorial side of the magazine probably wouldn't exist

[sarge43]

23. No words, just rage and pain. n/t

[progressoid]

25. Amazing photo but what is the accompanying article like?

Hopefully not a fluff piece.

[MrCoffee]

110. The article is incredibly powerful...read it here

it's just the kid telling his story in bits and pieces.

http://www.esquire.com/features/articles/2006/061207_mf...

[Neshanic]

26. Remember that thing he is holding means nothing according to freepers.

You know how they went on about those "Purple Hearts", and everyone in Vietman got one, even for desk job injuries.

[The Wizard]

104. Actually I could have gotten one

but I didn't report the injury; too busy with survival and other such trivia.

[PegDAC]

138. My father turned one down

in WWII. He said there were guys getting them for cutting themselves shaving.

[Bigmack]

27. I sent the links ...

for the cover pic and the story to all my friends.

I didn't send the actual pic. I told them to brace themselves and be strong, and then open it.

I'm conflicted..... somewhere between tears and rage.

How can we NOT hate * ?

Glad I'm not one of those christians! Otherwise, I'd have to forgive the war criminals who sent this man to lose his limbs for nothing!

[ArmchairMeme]

29. Symbol of this Outrage

I remember so clearly the first symbol of this type of injury in Iraq. A young child of 8 or 9 who was shown with both arms blown off at the shoulders. The picture didn't stay in the news very long but it stayed with me. The thought of what that child would have to live with, the dependancy of others for everything! He would have to depend on others to install his protheses each day before he could do anything for himself, anything. Our military used these bombs to destroy this child's life.

I think the number of amputees (American) is now upwards of 20K. The only news we see of them is to uphold their courage and display how happy they have been to sacrifice for their country. Bush shown jogging with a double amputee and quipping about how much faster the man runs now with his new equipment!

A symbol of what has been given, but given for what? What is the reason for doing this? If it is merely for profit then all these people who have sacrificed for what Exxon profit? Halliburton profit? All defense contractors? Certainly not for democracy there or here.

The outrage continues.....

[PreacherCasey]

51. That image has stayed with me as well. I'll never forget it.

[raccoon]

118. I think you are referring to Ali Ismail Abbas.

http://www.aliabbas.net /

His picture haunts me too. And the thought that he will never hold his children in his arms.

[MindPilot]

30. Yeah? You want some pain? Go check out the real thing.

A few days ago I was at the local VA Hospital handing out phone cards. It's fucking tragic. Broken bodies and shattered souls and for what? So some rich motherfuckers can be even richer? You HAVE to believe it was for god and country or some sort of noble cause; reality just doesn't fit what you see.

[mirandapriestly]

32. exactly. makes me sick.eom

[cool user name]

33. Everytime someone dies or is injured, indirectly or directly, from this aweful war ...

... is another reason why we have to impeach the criminals in the White House.

600,000 + reasons to Impeach. IT'S IMPERATIVE!

[valerief]

34. I've seen it before with Vietnam. Why do the parents of these kids

send them over there? They should remember Vietnam, too.

[LynneSin]

36. Perhaps we thought there would never be another Vietnam?

Or perhaps Vietnam was so long ago that the horror has faded from our minds.

Or perhaps the parents weren't even alive during Vietnam. It's feasible - I'm 40 and barely remember Vietnam; that's old enough to have a kid serving over there.

Serving in the Military is never a horrible choice for one's child - electing people who take our military for granted by sending them into harms way without a strategy or exit plan in a war that was based on lies was!

[valerief]

37. I'm talking about the parents who let them join the military after

the Bush coup. It boggles the mind. Even before 9-11 it was clear Bush was itchy to use them as cannon fodder. It was spelled out on the PNAC website.

[stanwyck]

68. "Let" them join?

We're not talking about middle-schoolers. These are young adults. "Let" them? These are people, not pets or possessions. If the parent has done his/her job, the son or daughter makes the decision. How exactly do you prevent an adult from joining the Marines if that is what the young man wants? Ground him? I doubt that the young person who is that much tied to Mom's apron strings is looking for a career in the military. Don't think a kid that much under Mom and Dad's thumb is going to make it through boot camp. Best to stay at home and "let" Mom and Dad make the decisions.
No wonder we have 30 somethings who act like adolescents.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

65. Speak for yourself

"Serving in the Military is never a horrible choice for one's child"

Were I a resident of the USA, in the current circumstances, I'd take the news a child of mine is joining the military about as well as if s/he'd been kidnapped.

[LynneSin]

76. Perhaps today most of us would agree with that

But 10 years ago it was a different world where if we used our military we had exit strategies

[stanwyck]

67. We don't send them over there

My son made the choice to join the Marines. I wanted him to stay in college (which he hated.) My husband and I raised our son and daughter to be independent and make their own decisions. They have. My son's decision was his own. Not ours. He is a liberal who voted for Kerry. He has had two tours in Iraq with another coming up this January. This administration "sent him over there."
We didn't.

[alfredo]

35. bush/cheney/rice/rumsfeld and the rest are war criminals

and deserve nothing less than spending the rest of their natural lives in cold dark cages.

[dogday]

40. Hope he gets treater better than Max Cleland

did....

[connecticut yankee]

42. How horrible!

I burst into tears when I saw the picture. So young and with so much to have looked forward to.

Of course, it makes no difference to Bush and his cronies. They all avoided service and so have their families.

How long can this madness go on?

[LynneSin]

44. I find certain irony that the tagline for the magazine is "Man at his Best"....

For clearly it was man at his worst that got this guy on the front cover of Esquire. This picture haunts me

[Sugar Smack]

47. That is the image of rage. The words, the small, ironic smile on

that poor guy's face. He is enraged with good, good reason, and is showing the world the result of what this farce is about. I have no words to express my own rage at this.

[Imagevision]

48. Bush to send 30,000 more US. targets just in time for Saddam's hanging...

blood for oil, that's all its ever been!

[Jcrowley]

49. No Words

K&R

[oasis]

50. Bush's War. Others continue to pay the price for a lying egomaniac. (n/t)

[nadinbrzezinski]

52. And some day a kid, perhaps this one

will run for office and the damn republicans will make fun of thier ahem scratches

[Auntie Bush]

53. That picture needs to be pinned up at the foot of bush's bed!

That poor young man make me want to cry! What kind of future does he have and what kind of dreams of the future were shattered? Did he want to be a Doctor, an artist, a skier, a truck driver etc.?

Why didn't the damn media publish pictures like that before the 2004 election? Maybe his arm and legs could have been saved. The media is almost as guilty as bush* and his gang of crooks and liars.

[pecwae]

54. Sincerely hope he has strong family support

In my years at the VA I saw so many horribly injured, physically and emotionally, that were dumped by family who just didn't want to be bothered any longer. I held the hands of too many while they died when their family never bothered to visit.

One lady told me she wasn't having her chronic brain syndrome husband home because he urinated on her carpet. Another woman came once a month to see her quadraplegic husband (she had a handicapped van, home that was all fixed up for wheelchair use, etc). but refused to feed him or help turn him because she didn't want ot break a nail.

One of my guys, Ernie, was a veg due to being given a frontal lobotomy while serving in Korea to cure his overaggressivenss. That cured him all right; all he could do was eat when you put a spoon near his mouth.

Unless you've been in or worked in a VA you really can't understand what happens to those unfortunates who have no advocates.

[pitohui]

72. he does appear to have a strong family support system

this young man has no brain injury, was a high school athlete (gymnast) who is making amazing progress w. his artificial limbs, and family was prominently mentioned in his story

[Tekla West]

56. We have heroes in country...

and insane cowards at the helm. It time to have "We the People" in the streets to stop the madness.

Under no circumstances should We the People allow these insane cowards to send more heroes over there. The should be forced to bring the rest home before they all make the cover. Or before they all get abused at a Republican Convention by people who never went, never intended to go.

We need to pick a day and do what should have been done long ago. We need to not go to work, not go to school, not go shopping. We need to turn off the TV, shut down the computer, take out the IPod ears, go out in the streets and talk to each other. We know what to do, we know how to do it, and we know it can be done.

bush&co sent these people there, but we are responsible for them in the end. Time to make the government understand that.

And, after a day of no shopping, no schools, no workers, no nuttin - belive me, every CEO in the USA will be on the phone to people who take thier calls, and this will end.

[democrank]

57. Sweet Jesus, for what?

For what great and wondrous George Bush Cause did this young man get maimed? I want to cry.

[truedelphi]

58. New Military weapons - I have just been putting two and two

Together -there was no reason to allow any insurgency and their militant reaction at all.

We now possess (I mean our military) the ability to neuitralize people's reactions through the pulsing of EMF (Electromagnetic Frequencies) and Elf's (Etremely Low Frequency) through an environment.

Probably have had this ability for at least four or five years.

So why didn't we deploy this technology to Iraq - itw ould have beamed frequencies at the Iraqi population to make them lethargic rather than to become insurgents?

Well,because of two things:

PNAC wants to have chaos there, for the long term

And two PNAC wants an Army and m,ilitary force that is trained to kick in doors late at night and haul people off to dungeons.

Then the training that was given over there can be used at home here.

[ThatsMyBarack]

59. Another yellow ribbon on another gas guzzler....

....won't make up for this.

[MGD]

64. I remember Oct. drill at my National Guard drill hall so well. It was right before the '04 election.

There were so many Bush/Cheney stickers on the backs of those vehicles in our parking lot. I remember seeing only one sticker for Johh Kerry and I was acively looking.

[StClone]

73. I'm sick to know We were correct

As so often is the case, DUers knew the score and the fine youth and motivated were suckered in and scarred by the madman.

[wildbilln864]

74. Arrest the...

fucking cowardly Bush/PNAC cabal!
How can we continue to allow this when we know we should not even be there. We were lied to in order to do this!?

[Marr]

80. And if he runs for political office as a Dem, the people who sent him to

get his limbs blown off while they sat at home reading Bill Kristol columns will call him a traitor.

[JI7]

82. i think the Chimpanzee thinks he should thank him(Bush)

for being given the chance to sacrafice the things he did and get that purple heart .

[Ian_rd]

84. Good lookin' dude. He looks like Sam Rockwell.

He's got balls for putting himself on the cover of a magazine after suffering such a physical blow. I don't know if I could do that. If he ever runs for national office as a liberal, we can expect that purple heart in his hand to be crayoned onto bandaids and worn by Republicans as a joke. Ha. Ha.


Ha.

[TwentyFive]

85. I'm sure the right wingers are already calling him a traitor, just for reminding Americans about war

This young guy is just like the caskets. They want him out of sight because seeing him reduces support for _their_ war.

[lpbk2713]

102. I'm afraid you're right. He's gonna find out about Swift boating.

Just as soon as they realease his identity. Remember when Rummy blew the whistle on the soldier who named names in the Abu Ghraib photo shots? Well, you can be sure someone in the Pentagon has been assigned the task of releasing this guy's home address, phone number, e-mail addy, etc. They will Swift boat him all to hell and back just to teach him and any others who might get the same idea a lesson. Soon you'll be hearing all his vital info repeated over and over on the RW propaganda outlets radio and TV shows so that the mail and phone calls can begin. No doubt in my mind.

[Skittles]

89. male body parts are not required for courage

ask Ms. Duckworth

[Ian_rd]

91. Slang terms are rarely meant to be taken literally

For instance, if I used the word "groovy" to describe music or clothing, I am most likely not referring to the physical texture of the object in question and whether or not it has a grooved surface.

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ball#Synonyms

[Skittles]

136. the word GROOVY is not SEXIST

fer chrissakes FIND ANOTHER EXPRESSION

[bperci108]

107. I would disagree.

Tammy Duckworth has a giant brass pair. (Figuratively speaking, that is...)

This world needs more ballsy women like her.

Mother Jones and Red Emma would be proud.

[Skittles]

135. that tired, sexist expression needs to be retired

saying women have balls is just plain asinine

[BlooInBloo]

88. Every republican voter deserves what he got.

[Raskolnik]

133. Knock it off.

You can adequately dislike the policies of this administration without resorting to this kind of nonsense.

[durrrty libby]

92. Wow.. That makes me angry

What a God Damn waste!

If that were my loved one, I'd be spitting nails at some

despicable sons a bitches.

[AllexxisF1]

100. What a waste.

Ok it's about time we shift the paradigm in a big way.

It's about time we Democrats start not only laying the blame on this Administration but the people that voted them into office. Every single person that voted for President Bush should take a long hard look at this photo and be told that THEY TOO ARE RESPONSIBLE.

Every person here should hammer this home to every single voter that made a conscious choice to vote for current President. This is THEIR doing and they should all be held to account. Some with a court trial at the Hague, others a good tongue lashing with a look of utter and complete shame.

It's about time we start handing out blame and even if it means you knock on your neighbors door and shove this magazine in his face and tell him, THIS IS YOUR FAULT!

Only then will these Freepers really accept what they have done.

[proReality]

101. I don't hate Bush, I wish him the best of...

Nights filled with visions of eyes of the dead...
screams of pain to fill his head...
wails of mourning to unsettle his soul...
curses from millions to thwart his goal.

I don't hate Bush, I wish him the best of...

(feel free to add your own curses here)

[merh]

106. from the article

Everything that has happened to me since I've been hurt has happened to me because I've been hurt. I got to go to the Pentagon. There's this quarter-mile-long hallway that is just filled with people, and I mean filled with people. There's a little space to go through and everyone is clapping and crying and coming up and hugging you. Okay, that's great. But what about all the people who did the same exact thing that I did that didn't get hurt? They should get the same recognition we do. We all did the same thing. Some people just got the shit end of the stick, that's all. It's all luck.

http://www.esquire.com/cgi-bin/printtool/print.cgi?page...

[Eurobabe]

108. Holy shit, a triple amputee...

Where's Jenna and Babs. Jr. again? Partying it up in Argentina or Paraguay? There is a reason why those girls are there brushing up on their Spanish.

[disndat]

112. Esquire cover

This cover should be put up on every bus, every subway car, every highway in the U.S. If we could get some anti-war organization to raise the fund. This picture should be etched indelibly into everybody's consciousness. Too many people in this country are still oblivious or in denial.

[AwakeAtLast]

113. When I first saw the pic, I saw a good looking young man

Then it hit me - don't get me wrong, he is a good looking young man and could normally be on the cover. I realized WHY he was on the cover

<sigh> The look on his face says it all

[janetle]

117. Yes--me, too

When I clicked on DU, all I saw at first was this handsome young man my son's age from the shoulders up. I could see the US Army on his shirt. And then I scrolled down......

How devastating. How maddening. How frustrating. How sad for his Mom.

[Debi]

116. What happens when the image on this cover fades?

When people no longer hold this young man up as a hero?
When the VA no longer assists him and he cannot get a job?
When people block his wheelchair or government assistance won't pay for new prosthetics?


One additional consequence of this war will be people with disabilities no longer being ignored (at least I hope not). Here at DU individuals with disabilities are respected and encouraged. Not true so often out in society. But something will have to happen. Busses will have to ALL be wheelchair accessible as will stores/restaurants/elevators/crosswalks.

For this young man his battle is just beginning, his physical wounds may have healed and he may be learning to walk and use his prosthetic arm. But he will have to fight each day for dignity and respect as a person who is not 'whole'.

[Radio_Lady]

119. My God. Powerful and chilling. I hope he can manage his emotions through the coming years.

No one in our immediate family has been impacted by this war. That makes me feel both guilty -- but relieved.

However, our grandson, who will be 18 next February, would be of draft age, if this monster of a war goes to that involuntary footing.

[Scurrilous]

125. "A soldier will fight long and hard ...

...for a bit of colored ribbon." ~ Napoleon

[Demlobos06]

126. My 2 tours to Iraq with the national guard

and all I see is no end in sight. This war is bullshit, and all I keep hearing is we need to stay the course in order to honor the sacrifices of our fallen troops. How fitting for these chicken shit cowards who hold the bible in one hand and the pitchfork in the other. The more I think about these people who mock and abuse our military the more it pisses me off and the more I realize that this war is turning into nothing more than profiteering (thanks for shit KBR)and a war of religion that these chicken shit fundamentalist christians want. I grew up methodist, but in the last 5 years I have turned completely agnostic. Sad state we're in.

Iraq war vet-
(who will more than likely go back for a 3rd time)

[B Calm]

130. Welcome to DU

[Evergreen Emerald]

131. You are why I continue to protest.

[LynneSin]

146. Welcome to DU!!

And if you need anything let us know, especially if you're going back (although we'll do our best to hopefully prevent that!)

[janetle]

148. Thank you for your post....

...I was in the streets protesting this war before it ever started. It was wrong and illegal from the outset----and this from me whose father fought in both WW2 and Korea and died a proud veteran.