Attacking Bellavia: Comparing Heroes Now "Racist"

I am also incensed over the fact that idiotic conflation of such non-events to real racism, cheapens and degrades the continuing struggle against real racism in this nation. These two, Stein and the Hotline (not Hot Air) character, along with several commenters, make reference to Obama's speech on racism being "timely" in reference to this alleged racism. In fact, their comments did more to damage any possible good or truth that Obama's speech might have done.

Having attended the Vets For Freedom event in Kansas City, heard Bellavia's speech about real heroes vs. the paper heroes America puts on pedestals, read his book honoring the men he fought with (of all ethnicities and races) and listened to many other speeches by these men and women, the idea that Bellavia was making a racist remark or could be construed to do so is preposterous beyond belief.

Bellavia's speech was slightly abbreviated in order to move the event along and introduce McCain. In this event, he mentioned that Tiger Woods would not be the "hero" that he taught his children to look up to. He would teach them to look up to men like McCain. He introduced McCain as "the real 'Audacity of Hope'".

Bellavia has given a similar speech all along the Vets for Freedom tour. In Kansas City, his speech regarding the same theme, included noting various athletes and Hollywood stars from Tiger Woods to Tom Cruise, among several, that people call "heroes" when, in fact, he served with real heroes and was on tour with some real heroes. It is a theme that has been repeated many times among those who have served, their families and those who support them as on this blog: America has lost its way when choosing its "heroes" and it shows in our continued selfishness, our unwillingness to sacrifice in a greater cause and our total absorption with all things "me".

Sam Stein has very likely never read Bellavia's book, House to House. While it is a book about war, it is not a book about hate. It is a book about love for the brothers that Bellavia served and bled with in the Battle for Fallujah. It is about the love and honor that he feels for those who he served, who died in that battle and later. he never mentions the race, color or ethnicity of these men, though he calls them by name and their names sometimes gives their heritage away along with several pictures of his unit included in the book. They include black, white, Hispanic, Asian and many other nationalities and ethnicities. These men were not colors or races to Bellavia, but brothers. He calls them "heroes" and they are more so than a Woods, Obama, Clinton, Cruise, Spears or any other whom the shallow would deem "heroes" for their alleged "struggles" to overcome things that have little to do with sacrificing all for another.

Bellavia's heroes are men like 1Lt Edward Iwan, Japanese-American, who led Bellavia's platoon and who died in Fallujah November 12, 2004 having taken over the gunner's position in a Bradely fighting vehicle, surrounded by insurgents on every side firing AK-47s, sniper rifles, heavy machine guns and RPGs. Iwan was cut down by just such an RPG. Bellavia continuously referred to Iwan as a great leader who took care of his men to the end.

At the end of his book, Bellavia lists the 41 men from his unit who gave the ultimate sacrifice in order of the date of their death. They are a true representation of America's "melting pot" with names like "Khan", "Kennedy", "Eckhart", "Martinez" and many more. Bellavia wants people to remember these men and honor their sacrifice.

Stein and the other fellow, posted only a small snippet of the actual event in order to make this implications. I note that he did not bother to post any other video or pictures from the event that clearly shows the many men and women of many races and ethnicities that were part of the "Vets on the Hill" event. These men and women had served in the military as Bellavia had and were there for the same reason: to insure that those who had fought, were fighting and those who had sacrificed, had their voices heard. They want to insure, as LTC Steve Russell (ret) has said, that their sacrifices were not simply "remembered" by names chiseled on a black stone wall, but would be "honored" by a lasting memorial of freedom and democracy in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Those attending, those of the many races, ethnicities and genders, knew exactly what Bellavia was speaking of when he compared a "hero" for children like Tiger Woods to a real hero who had sacrificed much for his nation like McCain and the many who had served in the past and present. Tiger, Bellavia has previously noted, is a fine man who has made much of his talents and often gives much back to communities like free golf clinics for the young and underprivileged, charitable events and various foundations. He is an excellent example of how to be a self made man who knows how to give back in recognition of the advantages he had been given.

But, if you are going to tell your children about "heroes", "sacrifice" and "love of country" who are you going to tell them about?

Try Mike Mansoor, Navy Seal, Medal of Honor recipient, who have his all for his country and for the men he served with when he jumped on a grenade.

Obama was not completely wrong. There is racism in this country, though not institutionalized and rarely raising its head publicly. I know what racism looks like. I had an unpleasant and unfortunate experience last week when someone made a comment that was neither ambiguous, subtle nor misconstrued, though it was under their breath and in the company of people they thought were "like minded" for some unknown reason. That person now knows it is unacceptable and intolerable, not only by me, but those in our group.

This egregious and scurrilous attack on Bellavia, however, makes me very upset. What good has Sam Stein done to equate, no, lower the issue of real racism to comparison with this non-event? I'll tell you, he has done no good. In fact, the construing of these comments to "racism" actually provides people cover when confronted with real, subtle and unsubtle, racism. He has done nothing, but provided a place for every half-wit with a political ax to grind, who see our soldiers as nothing but jack booted oppressors, and dislikes McCain, the Iraq war, and various other angst and neurosis, a place to vent their ugliness and idiocy.

Sam Stein owes Bellavia an apology, in public (since he made it that way).

Sam Stein, tear down that post.