"Final Salute" was moving and slickly produced, but there's little doubt that the main motivation for the piece was to campaign against the war in Iraq, not to honor the brave soldiers who died there or the soldiers at home who help bereaved families. After all, "Final Salute" was brought to you by the same newspaper folks who "honored" our soldiers last Memorial Day by running a big, front-page photo of the Peace Jam protest in Boulder, and who "honored" the President on his 2004 visit to Denver by running a front-page photo of war protesters that was 4 times the size of the President's photo. Some things never change.
The Rocky wants to hammer relentlessly on Iraq casualty tolls while completely ignoring the enormously important accomplishments of our troops there, so as to leave the public with the impression that American soldiers are dying in vain. Ironically, this belittles the achievements of the soldiers the paper is pretending to honor. It's why I think that "Final Salute" is, in essence, a contemptible piece of political propaganda, even as it tries to masquerade in a cloak of compassion and patriotism.
Political propaganda is what the Rocky does best, and it doesn't surprise me that Time Magazine would pick up this story, since Time and the Rocky share a similar left-wing point of view.
November 28, 2005
9:02 PM
Bob Day writes:
Contrary to what the Rocky would like to think about Final Salute, its focus on deaths was not an honorable way to remember these fine young men and women. They were all heroes, simply because they made the ultimate sacrifice.
But an even more glaring omission from all the obsession in mainstream media over the death count is any interest whatsoever in finding out about and reporting on the stories of heroes who lived through their experiences. Either way, whether our troops perish or survive, their stories of heroism are being completely ignored. To date over 208 Silver Stars have been awarded by the Army alone. It is utterly contemptable, and I would argue, seditious, for the major media to turn a blind eye to this incredible story. Why is there no pride in the achievements of these amazing troops?
Saying "I support the troops" has sunken to the level of saying "Have a nice day" in terms of sincerity, understanding and meaning. It is time for responsible journalism to stop promoting an anti-Bush agenda as their overriding priority and get out some of the truth of what young Americans (and non-citizens) are sacrificing on our behalf.
November 29, 2005
7:45 AM
Pearl writes:
Hi -- I'm helping out my 87-year-old cousin, who doesn't have a computer, by posting this for her. She's a big fan, and wanted to respond to your Saturday column.
Saturday morning, Nov. 27, 2005
Dear John Temple,
This morning, before I left to go to brunch at the Park Hill Course Club house, I read your column, and I wanted to add my voice to your comments.
I arrived there in time to enter to hear complaining that there weren't enough handicapped parking places. Don't you think that golf courses should be loaded with places for so many senior citizens? (All 20 of us?) Not that we'll be playing golf!
Who are we? We are the "Angels" -- alumni of East High School, Denver, Colorado, class of 1936! We are here for a brunch get-together. We do it 10 times a year.
You are too young, dear editor, but it seems you are suffering from the same malady that many of us have. Why, just today our John, who is in 24-hour a day care, lost his car keys, and we might have to call AAA to come rescue him.
Who am I not to be understanding? I went out to put the top up on my convertible and I forgot how to do it. Then I remembered "Oh, there's those two thig-a-ma-jiggies that work like two huge clips!"
During brunch, one couple told us that they recently moved into a retirement community, then forgot they had moved, and drove miles out of their way to their old house, where they had lived for 57 miles.
While Clyde was telling us about his World War II experiences, his oxygen tank was giving him trouble.
Half the group asked the guest speaker to talk louder -- the batteries in their hearing aids were low, but when that was suggested, one man replied, "No, thanks, that's not the trouble. The speaker just isn't speaking loud enough." I'm sure the golfers could hear the speaker as they were teeing off!
However, we wouldn't miss these get-togethers. One woman began to worry if senior transit would remember to pick her up. "Oh, dear," she fretted, "I forgot that phone number, and I live in Golden."
Our excuse for not remembering is that we were all born in Colorado when the state was only 70 years old, and Mayor Robert Speer died the year that we were born.
The time on my car clock is just right! But that's only because I couldn't change the time last spring for daylight savings. So it will be correct until next spring, and I'll worry about it then. Then do I set to spring forward and fall back, or the reverse?
I suggest that you don't look at the instructions that come with any high-tech equipment as they were probably written by someone in India. Remember when it say just fit A (page 11) into D (page 17) -- and do it before the light goes off. The person who built the thing lives in China.
And I suggest that you look in the other pocket for your keys -- unless you locked them in the house next to your grocery list.
November 22, 2005
7:41 PM
Alan Aardvark writes:
"Final Salute" was moving and slickly produced, but there's little doubt that the main motivation for the piece was to campaign against the war in Iraq, not to honor the brave soldiers who died there or the soldiers at home who help bereaved families. After all, "Final Salute" was brought to you by the same newspaper folks who "honored" our soldiers last Memorial Day by running a big, front-page photo of the Peace Jam protest in Boulder, and who "honored" the President on his 2004 visit to Denver by running a front-page photo of war protesters that was 4 times the size of the President's photo. Some things never change.
The Rocky wants to hammer relentlessly on Iraq casualty tolls while completely ignoring the enormously important accomplishments of our troops there, so as to leave the public with the impression that American soldiers are dying in vain. Ironically, this belittles the achievements of the soldiers the paper is pretending to honor. It's why I think that "Final Salute" is, in essence, a contemptible piece of political propaganda, even as it tries to masquerade in a cloak of compassion and patriotism.
Political propaganda is what the Rocky does best, and it doesn't surprise me that Time Magazine would pick up this story, since Time and the Rocky share a similar left-wing point of view.
November 28, 2005
9:02 PM
Bob Day writes:
Contrary to what the Rocky would like to think about Final Salute, its focus on deaths was not an honorable way to remember these fine young men and women. They were all heroes, simply because they made the ultimate sacrifice.
But an even more glaring omission from all the obsession in mainstream media over the death count is any interest whatsoever in finding out about and reporting on the stories of heroes who lived through their experiences. Either way, whether our troops perish or survive, their stories of heroism are being completely ignored. To date over 208 Silver Stars have been awarded by the Army alone. It is utterly contemptable, and I would argue, seditious, for the major media to turn a blind eye to this incredible story. Why is there no pride in the achievements of these amazing troops?
Saying "I support the troops" has sunken to the level of saying "Have a nice day" in terms of sincerity, understanding and meaning. It is time for responsible journalism to stop promoting an anti-Bush agenda as their overriding priority and get out some of the truth of what young Americans (and non-citizens) are sacrificing on our behalf.
November 29, 2005
7:45 AM
Pearl writes:
Hi -- I'm helping out my 87-year-old cousin, who doesn't have a computer, by posting this for her. She's a big fan, and wanted to respond to your Saturday column.
Saturday morning, Nov. 27, 2005
Dear John Temple,
This morning, before I left to go to brunch at the Park Hill Course Club house, I read your column, and I wanted to add my voice to your comments.
I arrived there in time to enter to hear complaining that there weren't enough handicapped parking places. Don't you think that golf courses should be loaded with places for so many senior citizens? (All 20 of us?) Not that we'll be playing golf!
Who are we? We are the "Angels" -- alumni of East High School, Denver, Colorado, class of 1936! We are here for a brunch get-together. We do it 10 times a year.
You are too young, dear editor, but it seems you are suffering from the same malady that many of us have. Why, just today our John, who is in 24-hour a day care, lost his car keys, and we might have to call AAA to come rescue him.
Who am I not to be understanding? I went out to put the top up on my convertible and I forgot how to do it. Then I remembered "Oh, there's those two thig-a-ma-jiggies that work like two huge clips!"
During brunch, one couple told us that they recently moved into a retirement community, then forgot they had moved, and drove miles out of their way to their old house, where they had lived for 57 miles.
While Clyde was telling us about his World War II experiences, his oxygen tank was giving him trouble.
Half the group asked the guest speaker to talk louder -- the batteries in their hearing aids were low, but when that was suggested, one man replied, "No, thanks, that's not the trouble. The speaker just isn't speaking loud enough." I'm sure the golfers could hear the speaker as they were teeing off!
However, we wouldn't miss these get-togethers. One woman began to worry if senior transit would remember to pick her up. "Oh, dear," she fretted, "I forgot that phone number, and I live in Golden."
Our excuse for not remembering is that we were all born in Colorado when the state was only 70 years old, and Mayor Robert Speer died the year that we were born.
The time on my car clock is just right! But that's only because I couldn't change the time last spring for daylight savings. So it will be correct until next spring, and I'll worry about it then. Then do I set to spring forward and fall back, or the reverse?
I suggest that you don't look at the instructions that come with any high-tech equipment as they were probably written by someone in India. Remember when it say just fit A (page 11) into D (page 17) -- and do it before the light goes off. The person who built the thing lives in China.
And I suggest that you look in the other pocket for your keys -- unless you locked them in the house next to your grocery list.
Sincerely, Pearl Wolfson
(I think)