Pat Tillman

I've been thinking a bit about the death of Pat Tillman, and I'm not sure what to make of the media attention that it is receiving. Granted, the notoriety of a former NFL player who gave up all of the wealth and fame that comes with that profession to become an Army Ranger does speak volumes for the man's character, however, the fact that he didn't sit for interviews about his decision, because his sacrifice wasn't any greater than that of any other Army recruits, speaks even louder.

The problem that I have with the media coverage is that it seems to point Tillman out for lauding, which is the last thing he would have wanted. He made the sacrifice with a complete understanding of the repercussions, and he did it for a cause greater than himself. The fact that most of the publicity he is receiving is because of his NFL stature, just seems to draw a distinction between himself and the rest of the WIA or KIA from Afghanistan and Iraq that he would have despised.

This is not to say that Pat Tillman doesn't deserve all of the attention he is getting...rather, it is to say that every soldier that dies in a war deserves the same. Sadly, I don't see this happening anytime soon, especially since the current administration is doing everything it can to hide each of these soldier's fates.