Body Bag Blues



Predictably, the tributes continue to flow in for ex-Cardinal Patrick Tillman, killed in Afghanistan yesterday. Much has been made of Tillman walking away from a $3.5 million contract with Arizona in order to serve his country. I knew he was an Arizona State graduate, but presumably not one with a degree in economics.

There have been few eulogies in the sports pages and on sports yak radio in the past 24 hours for any of the innocent civilians blown to bits by U.S. military in Afghanistan or Iraq. And why should there be? We're reminded over and over again that Tillman died protecting our way of life --- as though we're the only ones entitled to such, or that said way of life is somehow more sacred than someone else's.

One would-be Sean Hannity on the AM dial yesterday offered the following...."it's just like Toby (Keith) says in the song, 'freedom isn't free'.

Damn right. Protecting the business interest of a superpower doesn't come cheap.

Much as I dislike politicizing the death of any individual, that's already been done. Sports pundits seem to have no problem celebrating the supposed heroism of Tillman and his colleagues, but why is it only dead Americans worth weeping for?

In less heroic news, perhaps St. Louis Rams DE Leonard Little ought to consider riding a bicycle.

Posted: Sat - April 24, 2004 at 04:22 PM      

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