Bryan Fischer - WankerI came across this story yesterday on Bryan’s site Why Now?. Bryan, who had a lengthy career in the military and in law enforcement is rather more restrained in his choice of words for his post title but shows an enormous degree of contempt for the man.
And with utter justification....
Last week Fischer,who is director of issues for a right wing group called the American Families Association (– looking at its stance on various isues, including Judaism, it is clear that the organisation is an assortment of gimlet eyed bigots, masquerading as wholesome Christians… Anyway, I digress) wrote an article called the Feminisation of the Medal of Honor
In the article he notes that The Medal of Honor would be awarded this afternoon to Army Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta for his heroism in Afghanistan. Giunta He took a bullet in his protective vest as he pulled one soldier to safety, and then rescued the sergeant who was walking point and had been taken captive by two Taliban, whom Sgt. Giunta shot to free his comrade-in-arms.
While saying that Giunta deserved his medal (well Duh!) he noticed a disturbing trend in the awarding of these medals, which few others seem to have recognized. “We have feminized the Medal of Honor.” This is because, in his twisted logic, that every Medal of Honor awarded during these two conflicts )sic – I think he means Iraq and Afghanistan) had been awarded for saving life and not for inflicting casualties on the enemy.
He then asks when “are we going to start awarding the Medal of Honor once again for soldiers who kill people and break things so our families can sleep safely at night?”
In his words “I would suggest our culture has become so feminized that we have become squeamish at the thought of the valor that is expressed in killing enemy soldiers through acts of bravery. We know instinctively that we should honour courage, but shy away from honouring courage if it results in the taking of life rather than in just the saving of life. So we find it safe to honour those who throw themselves on a grenade to save their buddies.”
And so on and so forth
Clearly Fischer thinks there is something effeminate about saving the lives of comrades in extreme circumstances as Giunta did, - as for that matter did Johnson Beharry the last member of the British Army to receive the Victoria Cross (NB Australia and New Zealand have since awarded their own version of the award. The criteri for the award are every bit as stringent as the original). Was Johnson Beharry’s award the result of an effeminate society? I would like Fisher to say that to Beharry’s face.. and to Giunta’s too. I think both of these extraordinary brave men would view him with a mixture of contempt and pity.
Anyway Fischer does not seem to know much about the recent recipients of the Medal of Honor. A quick check of a official site concerning US military history brings us details of Jared Monti who was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2006
Sgt Monti received his medal posthumously following this action:
On June 21st, 2006. While Staff Sergeant Monti was leading a mission aimed at gathering intelligence and directing fire against the enemy, his 16-man patrol was attacked by as many as 50 enemy fighters. On the verge of being overrun, Staff Sergeant Monti quickly directed his men to set up a defensive position… He then called for indirect fire support, accurately targeting the rounds upon the enemy…While still directing fire, Staff Sergeant Monti personally engaged the enemy with his rifle and a grenade, successfully disrupting an attempt to flank his patrol. Staff Sergeant Monti then realized that one of his soldiers was lying wounded in the open ground between the advancing enemy and the patrol's position. With complete disregard for his own safety, Staff Sergeant Monti twice attempted to move from behind the cover of the rocks into the face of relentless enemy fire to rescue his fallen comrade. Determined not to leave his soldier, Staff Sergeant Monti made a third attempt to cross open terrain through intense enemy fire. On this final attempt, he was mortally wounded, sacrificing his own life in an effort to save his fellow soldier.
Clearly Monti’s act of supreme bravery is not manly enough for Fischer. Perhaps Fischer should enlist as a corpsman and perform his duties under fire. I am sure his views on bravery would change radically… If e did not run screaming to the rear or if his comrades didn’t frag him first…
Finally if the saving of life is a feminine attribute, I will happily change my name from Jams to Jemima. I would much rather be in touch with this side of humanity than the vile, twisted version Fischer espouses
10 comments:
Mr. Fischer should have read about Mary Edwards Walker, MD, the only woman awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.
She was a field surgeon in WT Sherman's army, and was POW during part of her service in the Civil War.
In 1917 they changed the criteria for the medal, and they sent a letter to Dr. Walker, then 85, asking for her to return it. She essentially told to them to come and get if they were man enough.
General Sherman was not exactly a "bleeding heart liberal" and he recommended Dr. Walker for the award.
The award was reconfirmed in 1977, and she is still the only woman to have ever received the CMH.
Like the Victoria Cross, the Congressional Medal of Honor is normally awarded posthumously, given the requirements to merit the award.
Thanks for the comment Bryan. She was a worthy recipient. The criteria for award of the VC have changed over the years too. They were awarded more liberally in the 19th century (no other medal for valour was available then)but that does not take a thing away from anyone awarded them.
Now many VCs were awarded for the types of actions Fischer jizzes over but many were for the sort of thing that Giunta did.
In both cases it was for bravery above and beyond - as you said with the likelihood of death, the VC awards are around 50/50 living and posthumous
Add as many derogatory terms as nevessry Snoopy - it won't come close!
What a plonker!
You are too polite Liz!
I like plonker. I'd forgotten that one.
He's probably just jealous that he was never awarded one... Just because one has a "lengthy career in the military and law enforcement" doesn't make one an "expert" on soldiering .
(obviously)
Let me break up the monotony of the echoing choir in here. Your silly post is illinformed. The American Family Association supports Israel and the Jews. Your "poor mouth" has uttered falsehoods. It is intellectually lazy to label your opponents as "gimlet eyed bigots." Ad hominem, poisoning the well, etc. Your post is filled with logical fallacies. But you were able to use the sophmoric word "arsehole." Congratulations on your eruditeness and sophistication on being able to use "grown up" words.
Had you been an American and appreciated all that America has done for the world, you would have known that there has been talk by this current administration to award medals based on restraint. It seems our President would rather show compassion to our enemies rather than to end their lives on the battlefield. The more our enemies die, the better chance we have to live in liberty.
Compassion is important in the right circumstances, but on the battlefield, against an enemy that hates us and will kill our women and children, it is important to show determination and not restraint. If Ireland is filled with attitudes like yours, you deserve neither liberty or security.
By the way, what is a plonker?
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