A model of protest for Iraq war amputees

[TheNoNamedOne]

Every year the White House plays host to a kids T-ball game, which I think is nice. You know T-ball, that is where the kids really are so young that their bodies just can't do justice to the sport of baseball, so every thing is made easier for them.

T-ball on the South Lawn (http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news?slug=ap-bush-t-ball&prov=ap&type=lgns)

Since things are quite hard for amputees from the Iraq war, perhaps a group of Iraq War veterans who are amputees and are against the war, could request that the White House host a T-ball game for them, too.

I wonder what impact seeing our discharged soldiers playing T-ball at the White House as former shadows of their physical selves would have? How heartless it would even be for the White House to deny such a request to our brave deformend men and women. And none of this is sarcasm.

The anti war veterans groups should be requesting such an event, and inviting all the news media photographers to cover it as they hit the balls and round the bases with their prosthetic limbs.

T-ball on the South Lawn for amputees. A striking image, indeed.

[P_chan]

Are you freaking serious? That would be degrading to the wounded vets! I'm sorry but if I was a iraqi war veteran amputee and I heard you say this, I would probably have to slap you.

He amputees! Your life is already hard enough but let me use you and propaganda to promote my agenda!

[TheNoNamedOne]

lol, P.

Of course P, I don't mean for any old regular Iraq protest group to push for this. I meant it as an idea for those veterans who are strongly opposed to the war who are amputees and who have become, or are thinking about becoming activists against the war.

Why would such a person want to slap me if they knew that if they added their activism to the protest movement it could hasten the end of the war and spare anyone else from having to endure becoming an amputee? I don't think they are as timid, frail, or as selfish as you make them out to be.

Give them a little more credit, why don't you? It wasn't too long ago that just throwing your medals over the White House gate was considered inconsiderate and shocking. Why should showing off your lack of ability to play real baseball and be brought back down to the physical level of a 5 year old be anymore shocking? And what better way to showcase it and get publicity for it?

[P_chan]

sure if they supported your agenda but there would be at least as many that don't. Thats like having a bunch of special kids going out to play T-Ball so you could get more funding for a special needs program. I could tell having them march to the white house but doing something they know they can't, and looking like a fool while doing it, is kind of shameful and disrespecting to what they sacrificed. I don't like trying to get support for your cause through sympathy.

[TheNoNamedOne]

sure if they supported your agenda but there would be at least as many that don't.

Well, for those that don't, they don't have to participate. Just because one half doesn't agree and doesn't want to participate, that is not any reason to say the other half should not, or that their doing so makes them foolish, shameful or disrespectful.

Thats like having a bunch of special kids going out to play T-Ball so you could get more funding for a special needs program.

Then those 'special' kids should set their sites on an activity even easier than T-ball if they can't participate in that. I think that most mild amputees with only one limb, perhaps two missing, with today's prosthetics would be able to play t-ball, albeit they may be a little rickety at times and fall once in a while as they swing and lose their balance once in a while, or when running down a ball, or running the bases, but they'd probably be able to do the task over all. Hell, some amputees are excellent skiers and mountain climbers!

The point is to merely showcase the injuries at a reduced level of ability and garner media for their sacrifices that they now come to see as for a wrong cause and are in activism against it.

I could tell having them march to the white house but doing something they know they can't, and looking like a fool while doing it, is kind of shameful and disrespecting to what they sacrificed.

Why is it shameful and disrespectful if they don't feel it is not? You mean they should be grateful for their limbs loss they sacrificed for this ill planned and conceived war?

And, I am not suggesting them doing something they can't. I am suggesting them doing something that they can with their diminished physical abilities.

I don't like trying to get support for your cause through sympathy.

Whether YOU like it or not is irrelevant and there is nothing inherently wrong about it. It can be effective. Over the last few months an org has been running very moving advertisements in the Yomiuri Newspaper showing pics of children in Africa with hideous cleft lips and seeking donations for operations that could correct that deformity. I am sure sympathy has come into play a lot for the donors who send money to them.

Don't you know? -- an image is worth a thousand words, and sympathy is just one of the emotions that spring forth from viewing horrid images.

[Bones]

Originally posted by T.P

Quote:

I meant it as an idea for those veterans who are strongly opposed to the war who are amputees and who have become, or are thinking about becoming activists against the war.

I would be willing to bet that most amputees, those that have served within the armed forces, and are amputees because of it would enjoy reading this thread. But it just goes to show the general public, just how much contempt, as well as animosity, you have towards the military.

If "The White House", were to hold a t-ball tournament for amputees, there would be more than a few participants. They would participate only to show the rest of the world that the loss of one, or more appendages, does not prevent them from pursuing the sports that they are interested in. That you really can live a full life without an arm, or legs, and that while they may be physically challenged, that life can go on.

And the spectators would cheer them on for their courage, instead of just giving up, or being part of the "Freak-Show" that you had envisioned to further your cause.

On the other hand, perhaps you just posted this to generate message traffic within the forums. If so, perhaps you are in a position to request to go to a war zone, get acquainted with some military people, and see how they fare upon their return from a mission. You may be able to make some friends, see how they live, and see who comes back.

And if you're really lucky, you won't have to dig through a bag of appendages, to identify someone that you played cards with last night. That ring, that tattoo, the wallet with pictures the person showed you yesterday...

Also, you will never have to look the parents in the eyes, when you visit them to tell them that their son/daughter has been killed. You will never have to endure the look of blame in their eyes, for their losses.

But,why should you?

The only thing that you are doing, is complaining about a thing that you have never had the courage to do yourself.

NBTP

[P_chan]

Quote:



I would be willing to bet that most amputees, those that have served within the armed forces, and are amputees because of it would enjoy reading this thread. But it just goes to show the general public, just how much contempt, as well as animosity, you have towards the military.

If "The White House", were to hold a t-ball tournament for amputees, there would be more than a few participants. They would participate only to show the rest of the world that the loss of one, or more appendages, does not prevent them from pursuing the sports that they are interested in. That you really can live a full life without an arm, or legs, and that while they may be physically challenged, that life can go on.

And the spectators would cheer them on for their courage, instead of just giving up, or being part of the "Freak-Show" that you had envisioned to further your cause.

On the other hand, perhaps you just posted this to generate message traffic within the forums. If so, perhaps you are in a position to request to go to a war zone, get acquainted with some military people, and see how they fare upon their return from a mission. You may be able to make some friends, see how they live, and see who comes back.

And if you're really lucky, you won't have to dig through a bag of appendages, to identify someone that you played cards with last night. That ring, that tattoo, the wallet with pictures the person showed you yesterday...

Also, you will never have to look the parents in the eyes, when you visit them to tell them that their son/daughter has been killed. You will never have to endure the look of blame in their eyes, for their losses.

But,why should you?

The only thing that you are doing, is complaining about a thing that you have never had the courage to do yourself.

NBTP

Very well said NBTP. A T-ball game a show people that they gave for their country but not even a missing limb can stop them from enjoying their life is a great idea. I just can't see war vets who are paraplegics and quadriplegics wanting to play T-ball to gain sympathy to end the war. Thats like them going up there and saying, "I've given up on living life and am just a cold shell of my former self. Please end the war so there won't be anymore like me." I think they would be a little too proud and have too much self esteem to do something so degrading to themselves.

[TheNoNamedOne]

A T-ball game a show people that they gave for their country but not even a missing limb can stop them from enjoying their life is a great idea.

Could you reword the above a little. I am not exactly sure what you mean.

I just can't see war vets who are paraplegics and quadriplegics wanting to play T-ball to gain sympathy to end the war.

It may not be to solely gain sympathy. It wouldn't have to be that at all. It could be just making a statement about what the war has done to their physical abilities and be factual by showcasing it. Sympathy and awareness, however, would probably be a bi-product of the display.

Thats like them going up there and saying, "I've given up on living life and am just a cold shell of my former self."

Why would it mean they've given up on living? A sport game is a celebration of physical life and competitiveness -- one that requires a fighting spirit to win. Giving up is losing.

If they show up to the T-ball event that would mean they want to add their voices to the debate in winning the decision to bring the war to an end.

"Please end the war so there won't be anymore like me." I think they would be a little too proud and have too much self esteem to do something so degrading to themselves.

I don't think so. I don't see how it is any less proud or degrading than showing disrespect for your country and time served by throwing your medals over the White House fence for publicity of your beliefs, which many soldiers have done as a way to protest and show their opposition to wars.

[P_chan]

What I mean is the T-ball game would be good to show the public that they still live good fulfilling lives.

[TheNoNamedOne]

What I mean is the T-ball game would be good to show the public that they still live good fulfilling lives.

Ok, thanks, P_C. I see what you mean now.

Yes, it would to some degree, and perhaps to a very high degree at that -- but it would still also show some of the diminished physical ability they will be forced to live with for the rest of their lives -- albeit depending on the severity of the amputation(s) and technology of the prosthetic limb(s).

Or perhaps the White House could host a Special Special Olympics for Amputees of the Iraq War? Perhaps that would be more appropriate than a T-ball game. Would you support that? Even if many (not all) of the participants displayed ribbons or some sign of protest on their athletic gear symbolizing they protest the war? You know, kind of like when football players honor a certain person with a sticker or something on their helmet, but in this case a sign of protest instead.