They days of an objective and impartial media reporting the news are long gone. Every news report we see has a slant to it. It could be right or left of the political spectrum, but our media has becoming increasingly biased. One of the most obvious examples of this slant has been the overwhelmingly negative bias towards the war in Iraq that has developed over the past few years. Stories on the war are repeatedly colored with an anti-war brush. The good work being done by our troops, the successes we have experienced, the victories won are not being reported. The media has truly gone from an objective bystander simply showing the events as they happen, to a much more editorial entity, reporting their views as truth.

One retired soldier has apparently had enough of the media’s reporting tactics and has sent an open letter to members of the media. An angry retired Army Sergeant Major said the following in his letter:

“American news media, the New YorkTimes particularly. Each time you publish stories about national defense secrets and our intelligence gathering methods, you become one with the sub-human pieces of camel dung that torture and mutilate the bodies of American Soldiers. You can’t strike up the courage to publish cartoons, but you can help Al Qaeda destroy my country. Actually, you are more dangerous to us than Al Qaeda is. Think about that each time you face Mecca to admire your Pulitzer.

You are America’s axis of idiots. Your collective stupidity will destroy us. Self-serving politics and terrorist abetting news scoops are more important to you than our national security or the lives of innocent civilians and Soldiers. It bothers you that defending ourselves gets in the way of your elitist sport of politics and your ignorant editorializing.” (From Wake Up America)

Many times when I see our troops on the ground in Iraq or Afghanistan or even here in the United States training for war, I am struck by how separate they often seem, like they do truly exist in a different world. While the debate about the war wages on all around them, they seem somehow removed from it. They don’t fight with words, they don’t argue about the politics of the war, they train to fight the war. They are prepared to do their duty whatever and wherever that will be. However, it is inspiring to see someone who has worn the uniform and who has served this country speak up with pride and passion.