Spring Break
Reminders of lives lost in war
Abstract:
Starting Tuesday and lasting until May 14, the Valley Library Quad will be covered in white and red flags to show the number of Iraqis and Americans that have died since the invasion of Iraq in March 2003.
The flags and information are brought to OSU by the Iraq Body Count Exhibit, which is a non-political organization that informs the public of the exact loss of life that has resulted in the past five years....
- Displaying 1 - 11 of 11
RJ Friedman
posted 5/08/08 @ 5:17 PM PST
Not to mention the fact that they used the highest estimate out there - one which is gathered from a very controversial method.
Originally posted byBrett Nunley
Non-political organization? Yeah right.
It's obvious what this is really about. It's anti-Iraq war and anti-Bush. You don't honor the fallen dead by merely pointing out the fact that they are dead. The left has been victimizing our troops from the very beginning, and the sick part is that they do it in the name of "honor."
When was the last time we read about a Medal of Honor recipient in the mainstream media? Instead, the troops are vilified at every alleged egregious incident (Murtha's comment, Ramadi mosque) and victimized (March 2007 Newsweek had an article titled "Forgotten Heroes" that had pictures of disfigured veterans).
Everyone knows there is a human cost to war, and the Iraq war is actually relatively low one. How about putting faces and names to some of the flags and telling what they did instead if that they are dead?
Laurie Childers has it all wrong. The flags aren't being used, our brave men and women are.
Tiffany Becker
posted 5/08/08 @ 10:08 AM PST
So my question is when are we going to start letting our Veterans who were actually there, let their voice be heard about these terrible displays that completely disrespect them. My husband was ready to go put flags in telling the real story. Like why there is only 1 flag per 5 soldiers instead of them having their own, but each Iraqi has their own flag. And how did they separate the Iraqi Army who is fighting for their country? Why aren't they separated from the Iraqi's trying to kill innocent people from tribal warfare? Show some respect!
All the Iraqi's aren't bad so quit portraying them as all the same. Also what about the insurgents that were not Iraqi at all? My husband was wounded by Syrian fire while in Iraq, so they aren't all Iraqi. He also has friends who fought against Iranians, Syrians and Chechen fighters in Najaf and Fallujah in 2004. Maybe someone from the Barometer should actually ask a Soldier or Marine that really knows the truth and not let organizations like this put down our Veterans and their brothers that died beside them.
Each group should have their own section but I'm sure they never thought about that. Also why do our Soldiers have the red flags which portray them as bad, and the Iraqi's are white and pure. Why aren't our soldiers that died blue to represent their honor? And how do they know the "exact number" of people who died? Where they watching the news? The fact is they don't and never will! They have probably never been there. And sorry but if it isn't political then why did the College Democrats sponsor them. Be real and tell the truth. But do not bring down our Veterans, the men and women who give you the right to hold your flags and do your demonstrations. Respect them, I know I do and would do anything for any of them.
All the Iraqi's aren't bad so quit portraying them as all the same. Also what about the insurgents that were not Iraqi at all? My husband was wounded by Syrian fire while in Iraq, so they aren't all Iraqi. He also has friends who fought against Iranians, Syrians and Chechen fighters in Najaf and Fallujah in 2004. Maybe someone from the Barometer should actually ask a Soldier or Marine that really knows the truth and not let organizations like this put down our Veterans and their brothers that died beside them.
Each group should have their own section but I'm sure they never thought about that. Also why do our Soldiers have the red flags which portray them as bad, and the Iraqi's are white and pure. Why aren't our soldiers that died blue to represent their honor? And how do they know the "exact number" of people who died? Where they watching the news? The fact is they don't and never will! They have probably never been there. And sorry but if it isn't political then why did the College Democrats sponsor them. Be real and tell the truth. But do not bring down our Veterans, the men and women who give you the right to hold your flags and do your demonstrations. Respect them, I know I do and would do anything for any of them.
info@iraqbodycountexhibit.org
posted 5/08/08 @ 10:49 PM PST
THE FLAG RATIO IS THE SAME FOR BOTH IRAQIS AND AMERICANS
1 flag = five lives
read the sign.
You are also reading too much into the color. There is no symbolic meaning behind the red and white. Just two different colors. Please visit the website for more information.
1 flag = five lives
read the sign.
You are also reading too much into the color. There is no symbolic meaning behind the red and white. Just two different colors. Please visit the website for more information.
Originally posted byTiffany Becker
So my question is when are we going to start letting our Veterans who were actually there, let their voice be heard about these terrible displays that completely disrespect them. My husband was ready to go put flags in telling the real story. Like why there is only 1 flag per 5 soldiers instead of them having their own, but each Iraqi has their own flag. And how did they separate the Iraqi Army who is fighting for their country? Why aren't they separated from the Iraqi's trying to kill innocent people from tribal warfare? Show some respect!
All the Iraqi's aren't bad so quit portraying them as all the same. Also what about the insurgents that were not Iraqi at all? My husband was wounded by Syrian fire while in Iraq, so they aren't all Iraqi. He also has friends who fought against Iranians, Syrians and Chechen fighters in Najaf and Fallujah in 2004. Maybe someone from the Barometer should actually ask a Soldier or Marine that really knows the truth and not let organizations like this put down our Veterans and their brothers that died beside them.
Each group should have their own section but I'm sure they never thought about that. Also why do our Soldiers have the red flags which portray them as bad, and the Iraqi's are white and pure. Why aren't our soldiers that died blue to represent their honor? And how do they know the "exact number" of people who died? Where they watching the news? The fact is they don't and never will! They have probably never been there. And sorry but if it isn't political then why did the College Democrats sponsor them. Be real and tell the truth. But do not bring down our Veterans, the men and women who give you the right to hold your flags and do your demonstrations. Respect them, I know I do and would do anything for any of them.
David Harrison
posted 5/08/08 @ 10:25 PM PST
Well, why don't the mainstream media show some respect for our troops and their sacrifice by showing flag-draped coffins returning from Iraq - they won't do that because their toadie corporate asses are owned by Bush and the Pentagon - thank you to the organizers of this exhibit for trying to wake people who would prefer to be unaware and show their patriotism by complacently slapping a "support our troops" sticker on their SUV
scott wolbrook
posted 5/08/08 @ 10:54 PM PST
I think that people have a hard time deali\ng with the reality of it - of this colossal mistake that we've been lead into - and they would rather find fault with organizations such as this one, and how "it portrays Bush in an unfavorable light", rather than simply acknowledge the exorbitant human cost of this debacle.
Brett Nunley
posted 5/09/08 @ 12:38 PM PST
Scott and David are missing the point.
Being against the war is one thing, but using our fallen dead as anti-war propaganda is distasteful and wrong. That's why showing coffins draped in American flags isn't honoring anybody, David.
We hear a lot about "supporting the troops," and no one wants to be on the side that appears not to. The display in front of the library is supposed to honor them, apparently
by "remembering" them as I was told by one of the workers assiduously placing them all over the lawn. Regardless of their intentions, these people are depicting victims, not
heroes.
I could have picked up a few of the red flags and put faces and names to them, but I honor those people by remembering what they did, not by emphasizing the mere fact that
they're dead. The media has shown what a speedy tongue suspicion has had throughout the war, vilifying our brave men and women every time an alleged egregious incident occurs (Ramadi mosque) and victimizing them in the name of "honor" (March 5 Newsweek had an article with pictures of badly wounded veterans with the headline: Forgotten Heroes). When was the last time we saw a Medal of Honor recipient on the front page?
As I was walking by, a girl stopped and told the planters they were "focusing on the negative," and she's absolutely right. Make no mistake about it: this display is nothing but anti-Bush and anti-war propaganda masquerading as a project of extolment, brought on by idealists who are hell-bent on reminding all of us that people die in wars. What they end up doing is trivializing the efforts of men and women who volunteered to serve their country.
I was definitely "forced to think" as I walked to the library. I thought about how sick the whole display was. General Sherman said "war is hell" for a reason. Yes, people die in wars, but acknowledging that simple fact does not suffice after the honorable and often magnificent deeds done while they lived. Instead, this group endeavors to raise money to buy more flags so they can emphasize more deaths supposedly in the sacred name of "awareness."
Being against the war is one thing, but using our fallen dead as anti-war propaganda is distasteful and wrong. That's why showing coffins draped in American flags isn't honoring anybody, David.
We hear a lot about "supporting the troops," and no one wants to be on the side that appears not to. The display in front of the library is supposed to honor them, apparently
by "remembering" them as I was told by one of the workers assiduously placing them all over the lawn. Regardless of their intentions, these people are depicting victims, not
heroes.
I could have picked up a few of the red flags and put faces and names to them, but I honor those people by remembering what they did, not by emphasizing the mere fact that
they're dead. The media has shown what a speedy tongue suspicion has had throughout the war, vilifying our brave men and women every time an alleged egregious incident occurs (Ramadi mosque) and victimizing them in the name of "honor" (March 5 Newsweek had an article with pictures of badly wounded veterans with the headline: Forgotten Heroes). When was the last time we saw a Medal of Honor recipient on the front page?
As I was walking by, a girl stopped and told the planters they were "focusing on the negative," and she's absolutely right. Make no mistake about it: this display is nothing but anti-Bush and anti-war propaganda masquerading as a project of extolment, brought on by idealists who are hell-bent on reminding all of us that people die in wars. What they end up doing is trivializing the efforts of men and women who volunteered to serve their country.
I was definitely "forced to think" as I walked to the library. I thought about how sick the whole display was. General Sherman said "war is hell" for a reason. Yes, people die in wars, but acknowledging that simple fact does not suffice after the honorable and often magnificent deeds done while they lived. Instead, this group endeavors to raise money to buy more flags so they can emphasize more deaths supposedly in the sacred name of "awareness."
Kevin Taylor
posted 5/09/08 @ 2:02 PM PST
Some have (quite reasonably) asked why there has never been such an Iraqi body count exhibit on display for the Iraqi slaughtered under the regime of Saddam Hussein.
The answer is simple: Saddam Hussein was a murderous dictator who so ruthlessly butchered the Iraqi people during his rein of terror and savagery that it would be impossible to tabulate the exact number of innocent victims so eliminated.
The answer is simple: Saddam Hussein was a murderous dictator who so ruthlessly butchered the Iraqi people during his rein of terror and savagery that it would be impossible to tabulate the exact number of innocent victims so eliminated.
Eric
posted 5/09/08 @ 2:22 PM PST
Where were all of the flags for the Iraqis and Kurds killed at the hand of Saddam Hussein when he was in power? Were were all the feminists and liberals protesting his treatment of women and children? How can this war be a mistake we took out a dictator who trampled on human rights and are trying to provide something America has taken for granted, Democracy.
jbjd
posted 5/10/08 @ 6:15 PM PST
According to several government sources quoted in the press at that time, it was the sight on the nightly news of those flag draped coffins coming back from Vietnam and an accurate body count that propelled the end of that conflict.
According to the military brass and the diplomats (and the London Times), to end the current war in Iraq, vote for Hillary Clinton for President of the United States.
http://www.taylormarsh.com/archives_view.php?id=26733
According to the military brass and the diplomats (and the London Times), to end the current war in Iraq, vote for Hillary Clinton for President of the United States.
http://www.taylormarsh.com/archives_view.php?id=26733
Brett Nunley
posted 5/11/08 @ 12:59 AM PST
Originally posted byjbjd
According to several government sources quoted in the press at that time, it was the sight on the nightly news of those flag draped coffins coming back from Vietnam and an accurate body count that propelled the end of that conflict.
According to the military brass and the diplomats (and the London Times), to end the current war in Iraq, vote for Hillary Clinton for President of the United States.
http://www.taylormarsh.com/archives_view.php?id=26733
The Vietnam War was a victory for the left. NVA brass commented how they relied on the left to keep morale in the United States low.
- Displaying 1 - 11 of 11
Brett Nunley
posted 5/07/08 @ 4:54 PM PST
It's obvious what this is really about. It's anti-Iraq war and anti-Bush. You don't honor the fallen dead by merely pointing out the fact that they are dead. The left has been victimizing our troops from the very beginning, and the sick part is that they do it in the name of "honor."
When was the last time we read about a Medal of Honor recipient in the mainstream media? Instead, the troops are vilified at every alleged egregious incident (Murtha's comment, Ramadi mosque) and victimized (March 2007 Newsweek had an article titled "Forgotten Heroes" that had pictures of disfigured veterans).
Everyone knows there is a human cost to war, and the Iraq war is actually relatively low one. How about putting faces and names to some of the flags and telling what they did instead if that they are dead?
Laurie Childers has it all wrong. The flags aren't being used, our brave men and women are.