Tim Blair

CBS 5 News tried contacting Tillman's former teamates with the Arizona Cardinals and members of the Cardinals front office, but we were unable to reach them.

We also attempted to contact members of the Tillman family to get their reaction to the posters.

I don't know what's worse, the fact that some dipsh1t made up these posters and posted them, or that the news company seems to be trying to score points off the family.

If it was my relative/loved one, I think I'd rather not even know about the posters.

Posted by: david at October 8, 2004 at 05:25 AM

Outrageous. I hope they catch the bastards.

Posted by: jafa at October 8, 2004 at 05:29 AM

They who printed and hung these posters are pompous, uncaring pricks.

Posted by: The Real JeffS at October 8, 2004 at 05:44 AM

For one thing, it's "disastrous."

Posted by: Jim Treacher at October 8, 2004 at 06:03 AM

Here's what I think they should do once they catch the bastards......suit them up in pads and give each and every member of the National Football League (U.S. Football) a free shot.

Then we can have the Army Rangers bring the fellows along on a training routine, and beat them senseless afterwards....no, I'm not bitter...

Posted by: Tman at October 8, 2004 at 06:55 AM

I could have sworn he was killed by a mujahedeen, not a Ranger.

I hope some of his former teammates find who was doing this, in a dark alley well stocked with pipes and bats.

Posted by: R C Dean at October 8, 2004 at 06:56 AM

Usually, I don't support public flogging, but if they ever do find these jerks...

Posted by: JohnFNWayne at October 8, 2004 at 08:40 AM

Although Tillman was killed by friendly fire, it happened during combat. "Cpl. Tillman was shot and killed while responding to enemy fire without regard to his personal safety." It said that because of Tillman's leadership and his team's efforts, the trail section of the convoy "was able to maneuver through the ambush to positions of safety without a single casualty." It sounds like he has or will receive the Silver Star posthumously for his actions in combat despite the fact he was killed by friendly fire.

I suggest some editing:

"I was killed by my own Army Ranger platoon in Afganistan on April 22nd, 2004. I am a hero to many of you. My death was tragic my glory was short lived. Flawed perceptions of myself my country and the war on terror resulted in the disasterous end to my life some prick putting up this poster spitting on the service of every member of armed forces of the United States of America, and don't question his patriotism."

PS. I find it really, really sad that the 4th result for Pat Tillman on Google is Rene Gonzalez's "Pat Tillman got what was coming to him" article. An unfortunate side effect of many people linking to it to point out outrageous stupidity, I hope.

Posted by: dorkafork at October 8, 2004 at 09:27 AM

The uneducated simpletons (for f*ck's sake, how hard would it have been to run that shitty, mindless prose through a spellchecker first?) who perpetrated this poster should be forced to live on some barren hills under Taliban rule in perpetuity, since they disagree so strongly with the removal of that glorious, high-minded culture from power in Afghanistan.

Posted by: Crispytoast at October 8, 2004 at 09:28 AM

I should've stated that better. When I said he'll get the Silver Star "despite the fact he was killed by friendly fire" I should've said "regardless of the fact..." It sounds like I'm saying being killed by friendly fire should disqualify someone from a medal. I meant that it has no bearing on the medal. He still gave his life for his country, the only difference the friendly fire makes is to make it more tragic.

Posted by: dorkafork at October 8, 2004 at 09:32 AM

bastards.

Posted by: Mr. Bingley at October 8, 2004 at 09:57 AM

Smear the little turd in bacon grease and send him to his friends in the Bekaa valley. I'm sure he'll find a nice sheep to mate with.

Posted by: Joe at October 8, 2004 at 10:29 AM

Aw man, I didn't realize Tillman died on my birthday. That makes this bit of turdery even more angering to me.

Ugh.

Posted by: meep at October 8, 2004 at 11:05 AM

It's a professionally printed poster, judging by the pics. Shouldn't be too many print shops in Pheonix...

Posted by: mojo at October 8, 2004 at 11:15 AM

If I were the family, I would employ all means to find out who put up the posters and then pursue all legal means to sue those persons for every thing they own or ever will own, for unlawful use of Pat Tillman's image. And I would make certain that the guilty person's name was posted everywhere for the perusal of the nation. The true punishment for cowards is the full light of day.

Posted by: Rebecca at October 8, 2004 at 11:51 AM

> I would employ all means to find out who put up the posters and then pursue all legal means to sue those persons for every thing they own or ever will own, for unlawful use of Pat Tillman's image.

Probably won't work - AZ doesn't have CA's laws about celebrity images and the fact that the family hasn't been selling the image will work against them.

Posted by: Andy Freeman at October 8, 2004 at 12:06 PM

If the people of AZ are not so mortified by this that they don't make the effort to find the guy without the family even being involved and see to it that he tries for his 72 raisins early, I would be ashamed to live there. This is totally despicable.

Posted by: dick at October 8, 2004 at 12:21 PM

Kinda sad that Mr Tillman took an oath to protect and defend the Constitution that guarantees a citizen's right to print such reprehensible filth.

Mr. Tillman was a modern day Nathan Hale. His name will to be spoken with reverence and respect as long as this old hillbilly keeps sucking wind here on Planet Earth.

Posted by: Yankee Air Pirate at October 8, 2004 at 01:25 PM

Most pathetic thing is, the creator(s) of these posters are probably feeling good about themselves due to the furor this has ignited. Yeah, you caused people pain and anguish. Always something to be proud of, if you're a ghoul.

(As for Tillman being killed by friendly fire. It happens. The citations for quite a few Medal of Honor awards tend to include variants of the phrase "in complete disregard for his safety" for a reason.)

Posted by: Patrick Chester at October 8, 2004 at 02:12 PM

What am I missing here? The story states that they know the identity of the ah,....... who did it. He's an "artist" and assistant professor of "Chicano studies" at ASU. Translation: a neo-marxist, class struggle little clown who spends his days trying to hold back young kids by indoctrinating them into believing they have no chance in society just so he can feel more important. And bye the bye, there are boatloads of printshops in the Phoenix but he probably didn't need one since an "artist" probably has a friend that would be happy to perform this "public service" for him. Now Dick, all you have to do is access the ASU website and find out the class schedule of this little parasite and do us proud since nobody in Arizona has the guts. And while your here, stop on by, just remember that AZ is a "right to carry" state.

Posted by: YoJimbo at October 8, 2004 at 04:17 PM

From the Perp's Bio :

"Mr. Leaños is an artist whose main research interests are in studying Digital Culture from Xicana/o, Latina/o perspectives as well as investigating how the university functions as a corporate-paramilitary institution. Mr. Leaños is also interested in the history and study of public art in the form of Xicana/o resistance, Tactical Media, and interventionism."

Or as we say in Australia, a Wanker.

Posted by: Alan E Brain at October 8, 2004 at 04:26 PM

Alan E. Brain, just as I said, a pathetic little neo-marxist. Let's see if the "University" practices some "interventionism" by kicking the little piece of gutter trash out. They won't ,of course, since that is reserved for conservatives who say anything that doesn't jibe with the party line. He'll go running to that "corporate para-military" establishment and scream "academic freedom"-and win.

Posted by: YoJimbo at October 8, 2004 at 04:38 PM

It makes me tired to think that the war won't end merely because the Jihadis have been exterminated-there are other loathesome insects to be dealt with.

Posted by: Mike James at October 8, 2004 at 05:53 PM

Well,
When Universities are no longer funded by coerced money (tax) then the parasitical bastards will have to work or starve. I hope they starve!

Posted by: Rob Read at October 8, 2004 at 09:42 PM

YoJimbo: Hey, don't slander Neo-Marxists!

Go visit Hak Mao (A Rad-Fem Marxist Blogger), or Norman Geras (A Marxist Professor in the UK), or even the good folks at Marxist-org-UK. Yes, I said Good Folks, people who think Saddam, Mao and Stalin should be roasting in hell, and are as pissed-off at what some have done in the name of Marxism as many Right-Wing/Libertarians would be if the KKK had been in power, and mass-murdered in the name of "American Democratic Values".

Neo-Marxists are a very different breed from your classical post-modernist Stalinist trendoid anti-rationalists. I still disagree with some of their methods, but they and I are in agreement with the basic aims. They even quote Tim Blair, James Lileks, Glen Reynolds etc approvingly now and then. They're as much against the Fashionista Pro-Fascist psuedo-Leftist Anti-War crowd as I am. They condemn the gassing of Kurds (even those not carrying Union cards) as much as I do. The fact that they call each other "Comrade" without a hint of sarcasm, I put down to their little foibles, much as I have an air of tolerant amusement over Tim's love of Gas-Guzzlers. That's OK, Tex of Whacking-day was good enough not to comment on my (993 cc Count em All!) Daihatsu Charade when I gave him a lift. I know how much that must have cost him. He's a Scholar and a Gentleman, tolerant of my little foibles too.

Posted by: Alan E Brain at October 9, 2004 at 01:20 AM

Alan E. Brain: a thousand knife cuts for any slight to that happy little band of marxists-neo or paleo. From now on I will make ideologically gender free statements when referring to these little class struggle clowns. I'm sure none are capable of turning Hegel upside down thereby standing him rightside up anyway.

Posted by: YoJimbo at October 9, 2004 at 02:39 AM

Apparently, due to the fact that some assistant professor of Chicago Studies was behind this abomination, this... has something to do with Chicano Studies? I didn't realize that Tillman was Hispanic.

Next thing you know, people will start looking to some moonbat Liguistics professor rattle on about politics and economics.

Posted by: Laurence Simon at October 9, 2004 at 05:13 AM