Silver Star and the 'Liberal Media'

[Felix The Assassin]

[img]graemlins/rant.gif[/img] He we go again. Why is the term 'gives' used? Freaking lap puppies. Surely when the election was going, that kerry fellow wasn't 'given' a SS, he earned it on the river with the....yada, yada. Why then, do we even need to 'give' a Silver Star, when the Citation clearly states 'heroic actions'.
This SGT. closed with, engaged, and destroyed the enenmy of our nation. Yet She is 'Given' an award. And, it's only from this link, and the title of the article no less, all the other news agencies seem to have a bit more of ones actions. [img]graemlins/rant.gif[/img]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N16698982.htm

U.S. Army gives woman first Silver Star since WWII
17 Jun 2005 00:14:56 GMT

Source: Reuters

By Will Dunham

WASHINGTON, June 16 (Reuters) - The U.S. Army on Thursday, for the first time since World War Two, awarded a woman the prestigious Silver Star for gallantry in combat, honoring Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester for actions in Iraq during a rebel ambush.

Hester, a 23-year-old former high school softball and basketball player serving in the Kentucky Army National Guard, received America's third-highest medal for valor along with two male soldiers, Staff Sgt. Timothy Nein and Spc. Jason Mike, during a ceremony in Iraq, the Army said.

All three serve in the 617th Military Police Company from Richmond, Kentucky.

The U.S. military said Hester's squad on March 20 was shadowing a supply convoy when insurgents staged an ambush, but her squad maneuvered to cut off the attackers' escape route. The military said she assaulted the enemy with grenades and M203 grenade-launcher rounds and killed three insurgents with her rifle.

The U.S. military said 27 insurgents were killed in the fight, with six wounded and one captured.

Hester, who grew up in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and lives in Nashville, Tennessee, became the first female U.S. soldier to get the Silver Star since World War Two, the Army said. In remarks provided by the military, Hester said: "It really doesn't have anything to do with being a female. It's about the duties I performed that day as a soldier."

Hester was honored just weeks after U.S. House of Representatives Republicans backed off legislation to limit the role of women in combat situations. The Pentagon argued the measure would have undermined morale and hampered operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Her Silver Star citation praised her bravery and "heroic actions during combat operations in Iraq," saying her exploits saved the lives of numerous other Americans. Three soldiers of the 617th were wounded in the ambush, the Army said.

The Silver Star honors "gallantry in action against an enemy of the United States while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force."

[Azred]

Well, at least the author used the verb "awarded" rather than "gave" in the first sentence. It isn't like they really give away medals....

[Chewbacca]

Earning the award and actually receiving it are two seperate events. When you have a ceremony to receive an award it is because someone pins it to you or hands it to you ie. gives it to you. Of course you earned it, it is an award after all.

Plus the article not only breifly detailed the events but gave a full description of what the medal means in general terms.

If the implication that the media seeks to belittle the giving of medals and is therefore liberal- I'd have to say that's incorrect.

Now if the implication is the article is liberal for reporting a WOMAN earned the medal- that would be a fair assumption because women's rights and feminism has always had the lefty-liberal slant.

To get reallly liberal... It is cool that a woman earned Silver Star. To think they couldn't even vote here in the last century and now they can serve with honor. Thanks.

Anyway I think it's obvious this article is pro-reporting the giving of the medal and states clearly enough how it was earned and why the honor is significant. Perhaps the headline could have had a lil more pizzaz like "Woman's heroics in battle earn her Silver Star"

Anyway, why is being supportive of women's rights and progress so bad? This is good for the military, having woman heros who served certainly can't hurt recruitment amongst the female demographic.

[Felix The Assassin]

That would be a good assumption Chewy. However, ALL the other papers/news agencies, except this one and ABC-news-wire-story All used the U.S. Code title, "AWARDED".
On her day of presentation, she still was not 'given' the award. Again awards are not Given, they are earned through actions, and Awarded to the individual, or the....as chosen.

My qualm is with stories like these from folks like this and ABC that twist the wording, just because they can. In order to make it implied the Army felt obliged to 'Give' an award.

An excerpt from her interview from the Times (Army) "I'm honored to even be considered, much less awarded, the medal," she said.

I think it's HOOAH, and needs a lot more Positive Media attention.

FYI, even the bottom row ribbon, Army Service Ribbon has to be earned, don't complete entry level training, no ribbon for you! Then to say the Silver Star (3rd highest award for Valor, mind you) is Given! Bah!

MFYI: 3-9. Silver Star

a. The Silver Star, section 3746, title 10, United States Code (10 USC 3746), was established by Act of Congress 9 July 1918 (amended by act of 25 July 1963).

b. The Silver Star is awarded to a person who, while serving in any capacity with the U.S. Army, is cited for gallantry in action against an enemy of the United States while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force, or while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party. The required gallantry, while of a lesser degree than that required for the Distinguished Service Cross, must nevertheless have been performed with marked distinction.

c. It is awarded upon letter application to Commander, PERSCOM, ATTN: TAPC-PDA, Alexandria, VA 22332-0471, to those individuals who, while serving in any capacity with the U.S. Army, received a citation for gallantry in action in World War I published in orders issued by a headquarters commanded by a general officer.

(Don't see that 'G' word in there anywhere).

[Rokenn]

Originally posted by Felix The Assassin: That would be a good assumption Chewy. However, ALL the other papers/news agencies, except this one and ABC-news-wire-story All used the U.S. Code title, "AWARDED". (Don't see that 'G' word in there anywhere).

Well this shoots your whole premise in the foot. Since by this standard, 2 'liberal' media outlets out of the hundreds of others it would seem the media is overwhelmingly conservitive.

[Timber Loftis]

Let's call it what it is -- the Liberal Republican Media.

[John D Harris]

Originally posted by Rokenn: quote: Originally posted by Felix The Assassin: That would be a good assumption Chewy. However, ALL the other papers/news agencies, except this one and ABC-news-wire-story All used the U.S. Code title, "AWARDED". (Don't see that 'G' word in there anywhere).

Well this shoots your whole premise in the foot. Since by this standard, 2 'liberal' media outlets out of the hundreds of others it would seem the media is overwhelmingly conservitive. [/QUOTE]"Me thinks thou doust protest to much"

No where is there a premise that all media/overwhelming majority of media/simple majority of media/half of media/less then half of media/or any other amount of media is liberal except for the original media sighted in the first post, then in a later post ABC-news-wire-story.

Now I understand that the "L's" got code words they wish to push and assume all other people also have code words. There are some folks that say what they mean and mean what they say. That can be confus'n for code-talkers, code-graspers. Words mean things, so in the strict definition: to use the word "gives" when it is correct to use the word "Awards" is liberal (Webster's 6th meaning: Not restricted to literal meaning: a liberal interpretation of a rule - n). And since we're also using words the source sighted is considered to be media. The Assassin is correct in both what he wrote and the premise he put forth by the evidence he gave. That is the source is liberal and it is media, therefore liberal media.

[Felix The Assassin]

Originally posted by Rokenn: quote: Originally posted by Felix The Assassin: That would be a good assumption Chewy. However, ALL the other papers/news agencies, except this one and ABC-news-wire-story All used the U.S. Code title, "AWARDED". (Don't see that 'G' word in there anywhere).

Well this shoots your whole premise in the foot. Since by this standard, 2 'liberal' media outlets out of the hundreds of others it would seem the media is overwhelmingly conservitive. [/QUOTE]When your hot, your spot on.
The clue here is these are the only two that even bothered to carry it, the rest were working Sen Clinton's 'interoperable health IT network bill' presentation. [img]graemlins/wow.gif[/img]

[Chewbacca]

Wait! So the liberal media can be identified by codewords that are supposedly for liberals but conservatives can read them too? Wow!

Also, In this case the liberal media uses their codewords to draw people (liberals presumably) to articles that cast a favorable light on earning and recieving military awards. What conclusions can be drawn about the liberal media in light of this line of reasoning? Well obviously that the liberal media is pro-military. It reports on award earning and giving favorably and even highlights such articles with special liberal codewords like "give".

Wow. Just wow!

[ 08-18-2005, 09:32 PM: Message edited by: Chewbacca ]

[Felix The Assassin]

Now, we have a clear vision.

Let's continue.

Our guys and gals are riding in wheeled vehicles. Wheeled vehicles have, uhm, wheels, and are very lightly armored. You see, folks that say the Army 'gives' awards, are the one and same that calls anything with a track, a tank. A tank, is not politically correct, and is not user friendly, it creates a horrific image, akin to the 'Blitzkrieg' image of WWII. Even if it's only a 13 ton M113 medic track. Therefore, if we learn from the media that 'tanks' are on patrol, you, the unknowing get frieghtful, and our 'frieghtened politicians' tell the military not to use 'tanks', but to use lighter, (easily destroyable), and more (casualtiy producing) 'friendlier' vehicles. That way they can report more on the military's ability to 'give' awards.


This really is not a tank!





This is not a tank either!







This, IS a tank!





This is not the Army giving a Silver Star. This is a soldier, female, and a guardsman, mind you. Being 'AWARDED' her Silver Star.