Pat Tillman's Legacy

The Nation: What Has The U.S. Become?

(The Nation)  This column was written by Kevin Tillman.

---

Editor's Note: This article was originally published on TruthDig.com

---

It is Pat Tillman's birthday November 6, and elections are the day after. It gets me thinking about a conversation I had with Pat before we joined the military. He spoke about the risks with signing the papers. How once we committed, we were at the mercy of the American leadership and the American people. How we could be thrown in a direction not of our volition. How fighting as a soldier would leave us without a voice.... until we get out.

Much has happened since we handed over our voice:

Somehow we were sent to invade a nation because it was a direct threat to the American people, or to the world, or harbored terrorists, or was involved in the September 11 attacks, or received weapons-grade uranium from Niger, or had mobile weapons labs, or WMD, or had a need to be liberated, or we needed to establish a democracy, or stop an insurgency, or stop a civil war we created that can't be called a civil war even though it is. Something like that.

Somehow our elected leaders were subverting international law and humanity by setting up secret prisons around the world, secretly kidnapping people, secretly holding them indefinitely, secretly not charging them with anything, secretly torturing them. Somehow that overt policy of torture became the fault of a few "bad apples" in the military.

Somehow back at home, support for the soldiers meant having a five-year-old kindergartener scribble a picture with crayons and send it overseas, or slapping stickers on cars, or lobbying Congress for an extra pad in a helmet. It's interesting that a soldier on his third or fourth tour should care about a drawing from a five-year-old; or a faded sticker on a car as his friends die around him; or an extra pad in a helmet, as if it will protect him when an IED throws his vehicle 50 feet into the air as his body comes apart and his skin melts to the seat.

Somehow the more soldiers who die, the more legitimate the illegal invasion becomes.

Somehow American leadership, whose only credit is lying to its people and illegally invading a nation, has been allowed to steal the courage, virtue and honor of its soldiers on the ground.

Somehow those afraid to fight an illegal invasion decades ago are allowed to send soldiers to die for an illegal invasion they started.

Somehow faking character, virtue and strength is tolerated.

Somehow profiting from tragedy and horror is tolerated.

Somehow the death of tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of people is tolerated.

Somehow subversion of the Bill of Rights and The Constitution is tolerated.

Somehow suspension of Habeas Corpus is supposed to keep this country safe.

Somehow torture is tolerated.

Somehow lying is tolerated.

Somehow reason is being discarded for faith, dogma, and nonsense.

Somehow American leadership managed to create a more dangerous world.

Somehow a narrative is more important than reality.

Somehow America has become a country that projects everything that it is not and condemns everything that it is.

Somehow the most reasonable, trusted and respected country in the world has become one of the most irrational, belligerent, feared, and distrusted countries in the world.

Somehow being politically informed, diligent, and skeptical has been replaced by apathy through active ignorance.

Somehow the same incompetent, narcissistic, virtueless, vacuous, malicious criminals are still in charge of this country.

Somehow this is tolerated.

Somehow nobody is accountable for this.

In a democracy, the policy of the leaders is the policy of the people. So don't be shocked when our grandkids bury much of this generation as traitors to the nation, to the world and to humanity. Most likely, they will come to know that "somehow" was nurtured by fear, insecurity and indifference, leaving the country vulnerable to unchecked, unchallenged parasites.

Luckily this country is still a democracy. People still have a voice. People still can take action. It can start after Pat's birthday.


Former Major League Baseball player Kevin Tillman joined the Army with his brother Pat, a former National Football League star in 2002, and they served together in Iraq and Afghanistan. Pat was killed in Afghanistan on April 22, 2004.

[itchybrain]

Let's see the Neocons rip this guy apart.

[markmn29]

Well said Kevin, you and your brother are true Americans and when i vote on November 7th i will be thinking of Pat and the 2700+ other Americans who have died from the mistakes of this republican administration.

[bluestardad]

Do not expect any type of serious policy change, redeployment of troops, ending of the Iraq war, shifting troops to Afghanistan or anything that remotely resembles common sense from this Administration%u2019s review of Iraq policies or the Baker Commission. Time and time again the American people have held out hope that this Administration will do the right thing and time and time again we have been let down. From Afghanistan, Iraq to Louisiana this administration%u2019s policies are not based on common sense or the will of the people who elected them. President Bush has been described that "He's not somebody who gets jumpy at polls." That translates to %u201CI do not care what the People who elected me think%u201D. But that is OK now too because he has exposed his true self to the American People and we are going to dethrone this administration and those who supported it starting November 7, 2006. The problem is how many more people will die because of its ineptitude before we the American People can intervene?

[gunnypao]

Well written...well thought out...your brother would be proud of you. It is time to begin getting rid of this administration...let it start November 7.

[foundvoice]

The latest war in Iraq started with an unprincipled conservative commentator calling some of our elected representatives traitors, simply for invoking their constitutionally mandated checks and balances on the Executive branch. The evidence is now clear that the only traitors to the long-held principles of this country are the current occupants of this White House. Vote on November 7 to take the first step in stopping the treason...

[petesis]

Dear Mr. Tillman.
I read your excellent article through tears. Tears of sorrow because what you are saying, I have been saying for years. Tears of relief that finally people are finally seeing what I have been seeing. And tears of anger that you and your brother (and so many others) were used in such a manner. That you knew the possibility and still went. I was thankful at least that your brother died in Afghanistan which is in my mind more legitimate than Iraq. But everything you said is essentially true. And I fear that with our current system of government, and our current lifestyle within this country, that it is too easy for our so called leaders to manipulate us again and again. That we are too far gone to change. I hope I am wrong about this last one.

[webdepot]

God Bless Kevin... and may Pat rest in peace knowing we, the people, will do all we can to bring justice back into this country starting this election cycle..

[clanuti-2009]

This piece should be read by the President. This piece should be read by every politician. This piece should be read by every voter. I do not cry for Pat Tillman, a very brave and honorable man. I cry for the loss of our countries' moral focus, our honor, and our dignity. Americans through history have never been afraid of anything. Somehow we now accept the politcal teaching that we should be afraid (of almost everything).
Mr. Tillman, I thank you for writing a heartfelt epitath to your brother, and a concise history of this period for our Country. A truly great Country.

[editors_afj]

"Tragedy Induced BDS"

http://www.federalistjournal.com/fedblog/?p=2864

[editors_afj]

http://www.federalistjournal.com/fedblog/?p=2864

[campbelldj]

Can't wait to see the far right try to 'swift boat' true heros like Kevin. Stay strong brother!

[webdepot]

Editors_AFJ-
These guys certainly have a warped sense right and wrong.. Honest postings by caring people asking sensible questions are sloughed off by these editors with name calling, ignorance and the old dodge, "it's been discussed before, we're not going over it again". These editors make a bunch of "claims" without backing up a single one with e-v-i-d-e-n-c-e..
I would be happy to sign up on their blog and debate the issues with them... but I refuse to have a battle of wits with an unarmed person.

[nzacchino]

To the editors (not for publication):
This article was written by Kevin Tillman for truthdig.com, where it originally appeared. The Nation was given permission by truthdig to post it (and it so credited truthdig). Permission for its use by CBS News must come from truthdig.com. Please simply say in the header: "Written by Kevin Tillman for truthdig.com" (You can verify this by going to The Nation and truthdig.com websites.)

[von293096]

Well written by a true American.I hope most American will under stand what Mr.Tillman is telling us.I know one person that will not understand this and his name is President Bush.

[fallngempire]

I'm just glad everyone is finally waking up. The country may not even recover as it is now, but at least we have a chance if we throw out enough trash in November.

[bellal-2009]

Dear Kevin Tillman, Your brother was a brave and honorable man. Anyone that would trade a life of fame and riches to serve their country shall never be forgotten and Pat Tillman's death was not in vain. When I think of the Taliban and the brutality and oppression of that regime particularly toward the Afghan women, I am only sorry we didn't intervene sooner. Your brother died an honorable death and are very sorry for your loss.

[pendragon679]

This article should be required reading for everyone seeking high public office.

Unfortunately, it will likely fly over the heads of Rove & Co.

Mr. Tillman, it is people like you who make me proud to be an American.

[emhawks]

Mr. Tillman, you have written a very moving & eloquent epitath to your brother. My thoughts & prayers go out to you & your family. Your brother sounds like a very brave & honorable person.
As others @ this site have said, this piece should be read by the President, the Vice-President, every politician & every voter in this country!
Kevin Tillman said,"People still have a voice. People still can take action. It can start after Pat's birthday." I think a nice way to honor Pat Tillman would be for his fellow Americans to go to the polls on Nov. 7th & vote for change.