Public Eye
April 13, 2007 10:09 AM

In Imus Controversy, Stories Of Soldiers Forgotten

By
Brian Montopoli
Topics
Media Issues
(AP)
Former CBS Moscow bureau chief Beth Knobel has passed along a piece by Gregory Papadatos, an army medic. Papadatos, a sergeant, is in New York between tours; he has served in Iraq and will soon be deploying to Afghanistan.

Papadatos writes about a close friend, an active duty Army medic now in Iraq whose tour has just been extended for three months. "She got there in October of 2006 and was expecting to leave in October of '07," he writes. "Now she will be there until January of '08...unless she gets hurt before then."

Here's a little more information about Papadatos' friend:
She joined the Army with a high school diploma and no college. We left the Army's Combat Medic Course just under three years ago, and since then she has spent a year in Korea, a year and a half in Texas, and six months in Iraq. In those three years, she has earned an Associate's Degree, taking classes at night and on the weekends (and, in Iraq, online, in her spare time). She had planned to go to college - a REAL college - full-time starting in January of '08. Now she won't be back in time for the first semester of the year, so she'll have to wait for the summer or fall of '08. And - oh yes! - she enlisted, in the summer of 2003, for FOUR years, but the "Stop-Loss" policy keeps her in uniform until further notice.
Continues Papadatos:
Now, keeping all of this in mind, somebody please tell me why a deejay with a reputation for irreverence calling a basketball player a "nappy-headed ho" should leave that woman "scarred for life" (which is a direct quote from one of the Rutgers basketball players, in Wednesday's newspapers). After that, somebody please tell me why I should care about it. And THEN somebody please tell me why that one incident, which caused no bleeding or dying, is getting more radio air time than the fact that MY little buddy - along with about 100,000 of her closest friends and colleagues - has just been told she has to spend three extra months in a combat zone.
You can read more about Papadatos and other soldiers here.

Add a Comment See all 19 Comments
by fhminteer April 15, 2007 1:08 PM EDT
Geroge Bush joked about the lack of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq to these same journalists. His prime reason for the deaths of thousands and thousands of people. Where was all this moral outrage then? If we can't laugh at ourselves then we are in deep trouble. Talk about making a mountain out of a molehill.
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by luluford April 14, 2007 4:46 PM EDT
I'm with Greg. News is so sensational and without substance. Imus has been spewing racial garbage for years. Good riddance! Our country has been following Bush's misguided neo-con agenda long enough. The cost in human suffering is way to high. The time for exiting Iraq is long overdue.

SUPPORT OUR TROOPS! BRING THEM HOME NOW!
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by cbsnews29 April 14, 2007 2:58 AM EDT
Bush needs to be impeached now, and our troops need to come home, once and for all. Lets get a leader in office, and start focusing on the United States of America. All of our soldiers need the best medical care possible, when they return home, and anything less than that is just inexcuseable from our government. Bush has created problems for the United States, and for the American people. Bush has put the U.S. into an uncontrolled defecit. Bush continues to hurt the United States, with no regard for our military troops, or anyone in Congress that wants the Iraq war to end. Bush has a legacy he wants to fulfill, at the expense of the United States, and the American people.
Reply to this comment
by cbsnews29 April 14, 2007 2:58 AM EDT
Bush needs to be impeached now, and our troops need to come home, once and for all. Lets get a leader in office, and start focusing on the United States of America. All of our soldiers need the best medical care possible, when they return home, and anything less than that is just inexcuseable from our government. Bush has created problems for the United States, and for the American people. Bush has put the U.S. into an uncontrolled defecit. Bush continues to hurt the United States, with no regard for our military troops, or anyone in Congress that wants the Iraq war to end. Bush has a legacy he wants to fulfill, at the expense of the United States, and the American people.
Reply to this comment
by cbsnews29 April 14, 2007 2:58 AM EDT
Bush needs to be impeached now, and our troops need to come home, once and for all. Lets get a leader in office, and start focusing on the United States of America. All of our soldiers need the best medical care possible, when they return home, and anything less than that is just inexcuseable from our government. Bush has created problems for the United States, and for the American people. Bush has put the U.S. into an uncontrolled defecit. Bush continues to hurt the United States, with no regard for our military troops, or anyone in Congress that wants the Iraq war to end. Bush has a legacy he wants to fulfill, at the expense of the United States, and the American people.
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by willclem April 14, 2007 2:15 AM EDT
freedom: Your article hit sore spot. Why is it that the media does not take Bush to task for all the garbage he has fed the American People since his admittance as President. We now have learned that perhaps over 5mil e-mails may have been destroyed and bethca the results are "not by mistake or accident". The period concerned is the same period that the media was helping George W and crew establish credentials for invading Iraq. Even though the "excuses" were false - [lies if you prefer] there has been no repercussion of the acts that have caused the wrong results during this debacle. Your regard for the young person vs the body protection is just one "slip it by em" attitude the Administration has taken - what they don't know -well they just won't know. Without the media help the PEOPLE would never had known about the prior disparity in making sure all had proper facilities to enter combat activities. The answer to all of the unanswered questions lies in the willingness of Congress to initiate the Iraq Investigation. That will no doubt take investigators back to September 1997 as a beginning. Only the voices of the PEOPLE can surf enough desire in Congress to get it started
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by doc_gp April 14, 2007 12:10 AM EDT
My intent, when I sent my little essay to Ms. (Dr.) Knobel, was not to debate Imus, his remarks, or his punishment. My intent was to point out that that issue was - and still is! - getting a huge and disproportionate about of media coverage, while developments that affect the lives of dozens of thousands of Americans in military uniform are barely mentioned, if they are mentioned at all.

Let's get some perspective, here. Imus's remarks didn't kill or maim anybody. The extension of American soldiers' tours in Iraq WILL cause death and injury. Looking at it that way, which story deserves more attention and air-time?

- Greg Papadatos


PS: Just so you know - that picture isn't me.
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by willclem April 13, 2007 11:44 PM EDT
Sarge, you got the nail square under the hammer -why is our society so set up that one issue such as the Imus two word derogation mean more on the media coverage than all the injuries - death of our troops and thousands of deaths of the innocent Iraqis --and the answer ---it sold a big continued story that the announcers could spend days going over and over and over - every TV channel has exercised their vocal chords over this ordeal which should have been announced - closed and plans to go on made in two days. Imus recognized the severity of stupidity and acknowledged that he did not direct his words to any of the girls - bad - atrocious - demeaning - but not the first occasion of impropriety of a media host - others go about daily repeating words of unwelcome sound.. Not a peep - whimper - zilch from the media managers. - Imus%u2019s wrongful act was so mishandled by management of the media that it makes wonder how management became management. To undo the Imus program, which overnight could have been a model - a catalyst of what a good early morning program should be - no %u201Ctry it again the right way%u201D. Imus has talent and talent is hard to come by.
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by freedom51-2009 April 13, 2007 8:47 PM EDT
Yes, I agree, enough about Imus! [It took us all week to find out what "those words" meant!] All this attention for Imus while American's soldiers are fighting a war and dying in Iraq. Eight American soldiers recently died, and their names weren't even mentioned!

So, CBS News, here's a story for you, Americans, and our soldiers. Something good.

Tomorrow, April 14th, a fund raiser is being held in Defuniak Springs, Florida. HELP A SOLDIER CHARITY POKER RUN. An Army Green Beret [Tim] is being deployed to Iraq, is qualified and approved by the Army to wear a better quality body armor than "standard issue." But here's the catch - it cost $5,800 - and he has to pay for it out of his own pocket. Why does this soldier want this armor so much? About two weeks before Tim's March 5 marriage, the man who was suppose to be his best man, was due to come home from Iraq but was killed by an IED. They think the fallen soldier may have survived if he had worn this better body armor, as it protects more body parts and is better quality material.

CBS News - Please get your cameras, writing paper/pens, and get on your motorcycles. Meet Tim and family and Americans who have committed to be there and help this soldier! Where: At THE OUTPOST in Freeport, Florida, 9:00 a.m., first bike out at 10:30 a.m. Let America see and hear about something good! Tim sincerely wants to come home from Iraq to his wife and children - all in one piece. Thank you.
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by revdr72741-2009 April 13, 2007 8:22 PM EDT
This "incident" has a direct bearing upon the situation you described, it's called RESPECT!! As you look at what passes for discourse in our great country, we see a lack of respect for anything and everything, from the candidates for president, to issues like this controversy concerning Imus and his show.
As a vet of the SE Asia conflict, I understand your position, as well as your wonder about something such as this, causing so much controversy, when good people are being "shafted," into the extended tours, and all the inequities foisted upon those who choose to serve this great nation in uniform, and under the flag of our country.

However, take a look at the disrespectful attitudes that are displayed during our on-air discussions concerning persons running for public office. Research the defeat of former Senator Max Cleland (D-GA) for a prime example.

When will we as a nation, return to civility in conversation, as opposed to shrill, screaming tirades, geared to bring out the worst in people? Where does one go to regain one's reputation, once it has been besmirched by false propaganda?
Again, I understand your concern for the everyday issues and realities that come with the responsibility of being a member of our armed forces, but the point should be directed to reclaiming decent and respectable means of discussion, so that our sacrifices, mine in SE Asia, and yours in Iraq/Afghanistan, will lead to a better nation, of which we all will be proud of!!
God Bless
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