The American public was presented with two conflicting messages and symbols this weekend, as NFL player Pat Tillman was killed in action in Afghanistan and the nation saw the first pictures of deceased soldiers returning from Iraq.
In the case of the anonymous flag-draped coffins, we heard from Bush administration officials that the images should be secret in order to respect the families. On the other side, Pat Tillman's face was everywhere, drawing attention to his sacrifice and the tragedy of his death.
Tillman's story is certainly motivating, but the way his fame is allowing the story to be seen as superior to the other soldiers who have been killed, wounded or even served in either Iraq or Afghanistan is more a disservice to the families.
Anonymous soldiers continue to die every day, and no one will care because we don't know what they did before. Few will garner anything more than a plaque or wreath, much less a "freedom plaza" at a new NFL stadium.
Tillman deserves credit for sacrificing, but hundreds of soldiers will not be the first news story, the cover of a magazine or even have their flag-draped coffin shown.
Tillman's story is getting a lot of coverage particularly because he never wanted coverage for his actions, and not every soldier wants a parade when coming home. However, to elevate one soldier ahead of everyone else because of his pre-war occupation is a disservice.
Hundreds of soldiers have died and will continue to die in Afghanistan and Iraq. The messy reality must be confronted in a way that honors every soldier on the same plane. Soldiers and their families should be able to request a coverage blackout, but the decision should be theirs to make, not a uniform policy.
The Tillman family is mourning just as much as the family of every other fallen soldier, and the excess media coverage obscures the true teamwork and sacrifice of every soldier.
