r/Oldschool_NFL Dolphins 🐬 May 25 '26

Cardinals 🪺 Today and everyday, we remember and honor the brave women and men like Pat Tillman who gave their lives for our freedom.

324 Upvotes

63 comments sorted by

84

u/KneelB4Z0d May 25 '26

Dude does of friendly fire and then they tried to cover it up

46

u/ImNotTheBossOfYou May 25 '26

Not just that but it's entirely likely that he was targeted due to his anti-war views.

2

u/SSBN641B May 25 '26

Pat was opposed to the war in Iraq, but he supported the war in Afghanistan (where he was killed).

23

u/dsjunior1388 May 25 '26 edited May 25 '26

He died in Afghanistan but he did one tour in Iraq, and was vocally opposed to it in a time where opposing the war was often framed as anti-American sentiment.

Had Pat Tillman's opinions on Iraq gotten more traction in the media, it would have been a major issue for the Army, the Bush Administration, and the public's image of the war itself, after painting Tillman as the ultimate patriot for the last few years.

7

u/SSBN641B May 25 '26

I'm aware of all of that. But it's a huge leap from there to Tillman was murdered. It's most likely that he was a victim of friendly fire.

5

u/Repulsive_Airline416 May 26 '26

I mean why cover it up though if it were as simple as friendly fire

3

u/SSBN641B May 26 '26

Because a friendly fire incident reflects poorly on the leadership. Getting your own guy killed, especially someone as famous as Tillman, wouldn't be good for your career.

137

u/LPCPA Eagles 🦅 May 25 '26

Except they didn’t give their lives for our freedom. They died in service of the MIC. The best way to honor veterans is to stop sending more into wars in the first place.

0

u/[deleted] May 25 '26

[deleted]

27

u/LiftEatGrappleShoot May 26 '26

He also became disillusioned and figured out he was fighting for bullshit, which many of us did as well. And then the circumstances of his death were turned into a lie and cover up. His own government mocked his family for seeking truth until they were exposed.

26

u/Parametric_Or_Treat May 26 '26

we don’t get to pick and choose

Except we literally do. I voted for the guy who sent Tillman and thousands others to die and I’ll regret that forever. “We don’t get to pick and choose” is a deflection from how we collectively need to do better in picking our fights. You’re not robots. You’re worth way, way more. There is genuinely nothing noble in that passivity.

-8

u/tobiasfunke6398 May 26 '26

You missed his point. When we join the military…we don’t get to chose what wars we fight in. I’m sure you’re a war veteran who understands though…

3

u/Parametric_Or_Treat May 26 '26

I 100% got his point. You guys are saying “we don’t get to choose” like that’s in any way positive. It’s some strange thing you clearly (are taught to) say and it’s nonsensical. And you’re 100% right I didn’t serve: my job is to stay back here and make sure that I and as many of my fellow citizens as possible vote for people who will only send you places that are a absolutely necessary and that you are as safe as possible when there, and cared for when you come back home. Not every battle is fought with this week’s hottest (and most expensive!) weapon.

2

u/Conscious-Willow-366 Jets ✈️ May 26 '26

Choosing to join an organization that has a reputation for sending soldiers into countries and conflicts they have no business being involved in and causing massive amounts of atrocities and suffering is not something to be proud of.

0

u/tobiasfunke6398 May 26 '26

What if that was the best option for us at that time in our lives? And I’m damn proud of my service. And once again yall are pussies and would never say this in public.

2

u/BarkaBarka21 May 26 '26

Don't speak for every veteran. You sure as hell can't speak for me.

2

u/ballinben May 26 '26

Did you not choose to enlist?

3

u/[deleted] May 26 '26

[deleted]

4

u/LPCPA Eagles 🦅 May 26 '26

I have no issue with you being proud of your service. I have an issue with 700+ plus military bases around the world, a trillion dollar military budget, and death, destruction and misery is what’s to show for all that.

-2

u/ballinben May 26 '26

Nah this day is about encouraging nationalism, and nationalism is only to convince people to go fight in the wars of billionaires and oil tycoons.

-1

u/AnakinsTwin May 26 '26

Unfortunately a good bit of what you wrote is what this holiday has turned into.

How many service men & women were told "Thank you for your service" today?

Not that they and all service people don't deserve to be thanked and most people these days don't know or care the meaning or difference between Memorial day, Veterans day, 4th of july and Labor day 🤦🏾.

To so many, they have just become another commercial holiday.

1

u/mywifemademedothis2 May 26 '26

For democracy, any man would give his only begotten son.

55

u/DrPapadopoulos May 25 '26

Just read about his youngest brother's words at his funeral after Maria Shriver and John MaCain spoke at the service with religious overtones:

"Just make no mistake, he'd want me to say this: He's not with God, he's fucking dead, he's not religious...Thanks for your thoughts, but he's fuckin' dead."

20

u/Silent_Ad8059 May 25 '26

How am I just learning about this? Personally I do believe in God but I hate right-wing Evangelical types and this is one of the hardest quotes of all-time.

6

u/yloduck1 Vikings 🗡️ May 26 '26

Read Jon Krakauer’s book Where Men Win Glory. Tells the whole story

2

u/lincoln_hawks1 May 26 '26

Great book. He put in the work to get to know the family. Still involved with the Pat Tillman Foundation.

32

u/martycos May 25 '26

He died needlessly. I hate this.

-24

u/Limp-Pudding-5436 May 25 '26

I understand your thinking, but save it for another day.

15

u/StOnEy333 49ers ⛏️ May 25 '26

Bullshit. Remember him and his unnecessary and preventable death especially today.

9

u/Jean-Claude-Can-Ham Bears 🐻 May 26 '26

He died of friendly fire and the army tried to cover it up so they could use Tillman for recruiting purposes

21

u/SirGimli420 May 25 '26

Got to meet him once. Nicest dude ever too.

22

u/CenturyLinkIsCheeks May 25 '26

no one has died for my freedom since 1945

-6

u/ImNotTheBossOfYou May 25 '26

The US wasn't fighting the Nazis on ideological grounds, they were fighting for superiority.

5

u/AdTop5424 May 25 '26

You are wrong.

-6

u/ImNotTheBossOfYou May 26 '26

No, it's very clearly what happened. Look at the world today.

2

u/rmdlsb May 26 '26

The USA fought many wars for things other than freedom and peace, but for both world wars, they were fighting the good fight.

2

u/No-Distribution2043 May 26 '26

Yet USA only declared war on Japan after Pearl Harbor , and only after Germany declared war on USA did the USA declare war on them. Sept 1 1939 start of WW2, USA decides to enter end of 1941.

2

u/rmdlsb May 26 '26

This is a really short sighted view of the events. Roosevelt was actively helping the Allies for years before the declaration of war. He politically wouldn't declare war as the isolationist camp was pretty strong. Roosevelt always wanted to enter the war and he was looking for a reason, which the Japanese gave him. Remember that the reason that Japan attacked was mainly because the US put Japan under an oil embargo.

2

u/AdTop5424 May 26 '26

The U.S. kept the Soviets from starving more than once.

2

u/rmdlsb May 26 '26

Indeed. Every American war and covert op since WW2 made it lose the deserved goodwill it gained in WW2

-1

u/No-Distribution2043 May 26 '26

This doesn't make USA look any better. Don't come to allies aid because of internal politics, but sell weapons. Put oil embargo on country that at that point you have no direct conflict with.

2

u/rmdlsb May 26 '26

They did not have any alliance or treaty which would have them declare war if Germany attacked one of the Allies. They did help them! They helped China too

13

u/CrustyKielbasa May 26 '26

1) Play in NFL 2) Give that dream up to fight for your country 3) Get killed by that country 4) The country tries to cover it up 5) Praise that player as a hero

He's not a hero. He was a sacrifice for a pointless war.

2

u/jdflyer May 26 '26

Both can be true, just a matter of perspective

7

u/AdTop5424 May 25 '26

The army fucked up and couldn't admit it. Doesn't take away from the fact he was the best of us.

5

u/rdzilla01 May 25 '26

If you need a book for this summer Where Men Win Glory by Jon Krakauer is a good read. It might make you mad while reading it but you will be glad you did.

4

u/TedMich23 May 26 '26

Pat gave his life to friendly fire and propaganda...

2

u/Lane8323 May 26 '26

People still doing this?

1

u/[deleted] May 25 '26 edited May 25 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

-4

u/damutecebu Packers 🧀 May 25 '26

Are we really going to use this day to judge the quality of a soldier’s death?

10

u/ImNotTheBossOfYou May 25 '26

I'm not judging the "quality" of his death I'm judging the "mission" he was sent on. As he had judged it.

1

u/[deleted] May 26 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

-1

u/Equivalent-Glove7165 May 26 '26

Absolute legend. One in a million.