Iwo Jima Veterans Blast Time's 'Special Environmental Issue' Cover

[Gunny]

I just dont understand why they would be angry?

It a very big and important issue so its not trivializing the sacrafice they made that day.

Without winning the inviromental "war" this country will be in very big trouble.

You wouldn't. Some things you don't screw with. Marine Corps Customs, History and Tradition would be one.

Winning the "environmental war" does not require debasing a Marine Corps icon.

 

[dread]

If I may - I'm going to go ahead and posit that KungFusion wasn't offering his query in attempt to disparage anyone with a record of service to this country; rather that he was in actuality lamenting the fact that the supposed elite in that category -- those who have served most valiantly, upon whom we should look with admiration and respect; those whose unique perspectives give them a voice on many issues that we should want to strain to hear -- often come across as intellectually deficient to quite a remarkable degree.

When asked to speak about his objection to the magazine cover, this war hero, who we're supposed to revere, can't come up with a better argument (or even heart-tugging sentiment) than "The second World War we knew was there." and "We'll stick a dadgum tree up his rear..."?? If you served in the military, and especially if you were a veteran of Iwo Jima, would you want those words to represent you? It's unfortunate for everyone that this is the best this guy could do, and I can't fault KungFusion for his commentary.

Even if KungFusion wasn't going that deep and was simply being cheeky, so what? If someone serves in the military, they're forever and ever off-limits as subjects of criticism? Even the humorous, ironical kind?

Give me a fuckin break. Kung poo meant one thing and one thing only. That he despises people who serve and shits on them whenever he gets the chance.

You are pathetic for sticking up for him. Or maybe you too are one of those "screw military" types?

 

[dread]

Why should the vets be upset? The "famous photo" was staged!

I see their point but that photo was inspirational to the folks back home. Using the photo to inspire someone to plant a tree may symbolize the planting of justice on Iwo. It's possible, isn't it?

I think some people have way too much time on their hands to nitpick every thing that comes along!

You wouldnt be saying that if you had a teenage daughter and someone took her photo, say off her website and "staged" a photo op for something OTHER than what she intended it for.

 

[jillian]

Personally, I think it would be worse to forget about these things.

I don't think those things should be forgotten. I don't think they should be diminished by using the them for things that aren't close to comparable.

 

[rayboyusmc]

Poor taste to take an image like this and use it for another purpose.

There are a lot of other ways they could have done this.

Shows a lack of creative skills like much in the media today.

 

[Gunny]

Why should the vets be upset? The "famous photo" was staged!

I see their point but that photo was inspirational to the folks back home. Using the photo to inspire someone to plant a tree may symbolize the planting of justice on Iwo. It's possible, isn't it?

I think some people have way too much time on their hands to nitpick every thing that comes along!

You are incorrect. The photo was NOT staged and had NOTHING to do with propaganda.

It was a photo of a standard US flag being replaced by a garrison flag which is much larger. It was done to inspire the Marines at Iwo Jima at the time, to ensure they could ALL see that we had the high ground.

Joe Rosenthal just snapped some pics of the second raising and turned them in with his usual run.

Tell the three Marines that never made it off that rock that raising the Colors was staged, jerkoff.

 

[Gunny]

No, Brian, I cannot agree with you. Sending people to replant a flag so it could be seen from the ships is staging. Staging is what Bush does with every speech in the public forum. Therefore, I believe the second flag raising was staged and the survivors were used to sell war bonds. They knew they weren't the real heroes who had planted the flag. That fact drove Ira Hays over the edge.
A family photo of mine used as a polygamist family is an absurd parallel, the point of which I do not get and will not pursue further.

I think the parallel between the flag on Iwo and a tree is a positive that symbolizes giving and caring and unselfishness.
Apparently it all depends upon one's perspective.
And no one respects the men and women of WWII more than I. That's where my father and uncle were; one in the ETO, the other in the PTO. A family friend (a new father by less than two weeks) took a bullet between the eyes on Omaha. A co-worker of my father's didn't come back. A neighbor's father who just turned 90 last week jumped into Germany. We bowled with a man who left a leg in France, and I golfed with a woman whose husband's shoulder was saved but the cancer that developed in the shoulder eventually took his life. He was part of Patton's division, rushing into the Bulge. An artist I know never met his father who was shot down flying the Hump. Respect? I'd say I have respect, knowing how many lives were affected and changed.

You are incorrect. Replacing a smaller flag with a larger one is NOT staging. It's called psychological warfare. A morale booster for the side of the flagraisers and a kick in the ass to the other side.

Staging would be getting all of your photographers together and replanting the flag solely for the purpose of taking pics.

 

[Gunny]

Why are war heroes always such retards?

Why are wimps always so critical of their betters? Trying to make up for that lack of stones, or what?

 

[rayboyusmc]

[QUOTEOriginally Posted by KungFusion
Why are war heroes always such retards?

Why are wimps always so critical of their betters? Trying to make up for that lack of stones, or what?][/QUOTE]

Both wrong. There a lot of war heroes who are intelligent modest Americans who did what they had to do when it was needed. There are those who play at being heroes but were not. Criticize them, not the real heroes.

Not everyone who criticizes your point of view is a wimp, Gunny.

 

[rayboyusmc]

To clarify on "staging"

That would be what the Bush administration did on the Carrier with the sign:

"MISSION ACCOMPLISHED" and Bush flying in with his mighty codpiece after making the ship wait extra time befoe the sailors and Marines could get back to port to see their families.

That is true "staging"

 

[Gunny]

[QUOTEOriginally Posted by KungFusion
Why are war heroes always such retards?

Why are wimps always so critical of their betters? Trying to make up for that lack of stones, or what?]

Both wrong. There a lot of war heroes who are intelligent modest Americans who did what they had to do when it was needed. There are those who play at being heroes but were not. Criticize them, not the real heroes.

Not everyone who criticizes your point of view is a wimp, Gunny.[/QUOTE]

And I made no statement to that effect. That would be as opposed to everyone who criticizes my POV being WRONG.

 

[Gunny]

To clarify on "staging"

That would be what the Bush administration did on the Carrier with the sign:

"MISSION ACCOMPLISHED" and Bush flying in with his mighty codpiece after making the ship wait extra time befoe the sailors and Marines could get back to port to see their families.

That is true "staging"

Only YOU could twist Iwo Jima into a criticism of Bush.

Yes, that was obviously staged. So what. So was rolling our poor-old wheel chair-ridden Brady when Clinton signed the Brady Bill. Big deal. Politicians and photo ops are SOP.