The Meaning of One Thousand

Posted By Blackfive

I'm sure that by now, you've all heard about ONE THOUSAND.

That's all it is...just a number. The media focuses on the number. I think that they couldn't wait for it. They like the sound of it. They like the look of it ("see how it fits above the fold!") They look to it in order to get another sound bite out of John Forbes Kerry.

One thousand killed. It's terrible, horrible, makes me tear up just thinking about it. But the actual number makes no difference to me.

My friends that died in action in this war would still be gone. More will die, too. It's truly sad, but it's a fact of war. The military understands this, and they will still go where we send them.

Another fact to consider is that we should have thousands of dead, not one thousand.

Why?

Because of the protection from Kevlar, Body Armor, and Armored Up Humvees have protected vital organ areas. That's why we have a record number of amputees and other WIAs compared to KIAs. They are losing limbs rather than lives. That too is a terrible price to pay, but one that must be payed. Does the media add this little fact to it's reports?

Of course not. The media is focusing solely on the number rather than the substantive sacrifices. Watch them start with the number and then launch into quotes from both sides of the aisle.

Last night, up with the baby again, I watched news cast after news cast (Night Line too) that had a pre-recorded interview with a Soldier or Marine who has returned and questioned the war in Iraq. And the media focused on the number instead of the Americans who gave their lives, who were passionate about doing what was right, who were ready to die for us. My friends who gave their lives knew what they were doing and supported the decision to go to war. I mourn them every damn day, but I don't pity them. I honor them. I remember them. The number one thousand has nothing to do with that. It has everything to do with politics.

Then, I heard John Kerry speak, in reference to one thousand, about bringing the troops home. Doesn't he know that he's fueling the fires instead of supporting the troops? What the hell is he thinking? Why doesn't he promise better armor development and equipment and technology to fight the War on Terror? Why doesn't he say that he'll run every terrorist to ground?

Instead, the media cheapens everything that we stand for by focusing on some number like it was a finish line. My dear friends are part of those four digits. But they are much more than that to me and, I suspect, to you, as well.

One final thought: Jay Levine of CBS (Channel 2) Chicago tried to slant his One Thousand Deaths story against the president and the war but could only find returned Illinois National Guard soldiers who support it even though they lost good friends in Iraq. Mr. Levine, a world class a$$ if ever there was one, just didn't get it...

Update 3pm: Sondra K. wants to hear from military types about this subject.

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Comments

The Meaning of One Thousand

I'm sure that by now, you've all heard about ONE THOUSAND.

That's all it is...just a number. The media focuses on the number. I think that they couldn't wait for it. They like the sound of it. They like the look of it ("see how it fits above the fold!") They look to it in order to get another sound bite out of John Forbes Kerry.

One thousand killed. It's terrible, horrible, makes me tear up just thinking about it. But the actual number makes no difference to me.

My friends that died in action in this war would still be gone. More will die, too. It's truly sad, but it's a fact of war. The military understands this, and they will still go where we send them.

Another fact to consider is that we should have thousands of dead, not one thousand.

Why?

Because of the protection from Kevlar, Body Armor, and Armored Up Humvees have protected vital organ areas. That's why we have a record number of amputees and other WIAs compared to KIAs. They are losing limbs rather than lives. That too is a terrible price to pay, but one that must be payed. Does the media add this little fact to it's reports?

Of course not. The media is focusing solely on the number rather than the substantive sacrifices. Watch them start with the number and then launch into quotes from both sides of the aisle.

Last night, up with the baby again, I watched news cast after news cast (Night Line too) that had a pre-recorded interview with a Soldier or Marine who has returned and questioned the war in Iraq. And the media focused on the number instead of the Americans who gave their lives, who were passionate about doing what was right, who were ready to die for us. My friends who gave their lives knew what they were doing and supported the decision to go to war. I mourn them every damn day, but I don't pity them. I honor them. I remember them. The number one thousand has nothing to do with that. It has everything to do with politics.

Then, I heard John Kerry speak, in reference to one thousand, about bringing the troops home. Doesn't he know that he's fueling the fires instead of supporting the troops? What the hell is he thinking? Why doesn't he promise better armor development and equipment and technology to fight the War on Terror? Why doesn't he say that he'll run every terrorist to ground?

Instead, the media cheapens everything that we stand for by focusing on some number like it was a finish line. My dear friends are part of those four digits. But they are much more than that to me and, I suspect, to you, as well.

One final thought: Jay Levine of CBS (Channel 2) Chicago tried to slant his One Thousand Deaths story against the president and the war but could only find returned Illinois National Guard soldiers who support it even though they lost good friends in Iraq. Mr. Levine, a world class a$$ if ever there was one, just didn't get it...

Update 3pm: Sondra K. wants to hear from military types about this subject.

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» Counting from The Cool Blue Blog
The media is exploiting the fact that 1,000 soldiers have died in defense of freedom as a result of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Senator Kerry, believeing (again) that the war is wrong did not hesitate to mention the fact on the [Read More]