Very sad. I ran across this article early yesterday as I was searching for Buckeye related articles for the front page. Frankly it wasn't Buckeye related so it didn't get posted, maybe I'll add a general news heading to cover topics like this.
Anyway, the kid has the right to his opinions. I couldn't be less in agreement with them. It seems he is now offering up an apology and a repositioning of his intent with the article. Hogwash. If you have an opinion and it is worth publishing, then you DAMN WELL better believe in it. Retracting, apologizing and deflecting after the damage is done shows what little conviction he had in the opinion to begin with. Pathetic.
The Editorial Board's statements are WORSE in my opinion. They are even more gutless. They distance themselves from the article and make painfully clear that this article DOESN'T relect the editor's or paper's opinions. All the while spouting the virtues of the First Amendment to defend their lack of judgement. Slimy attention whores.
On the whole, the repositioning of this kid's intention with the article COULD be acceptable. From what I gather, he is now saying the article was meant to point out the hypocrisy of a media that will make Tillman (who has some celebrity) a "hero" while other soldiers who die alongside of him remain nameless. If this was the true intent of his opinion piece, then it does have some merit (this was even discussed in a previous thread here at BP). Even the Tillman family will say that their son was no more a hero than any other soldier fighting and dying for his country. BUT, if that was the true intent of the article, why didn't Rene list some of these other heros? Why didn't he point out that the media is making Tillman a hero moreso that his brothers in arms? NO, I think this was an anti war piece that took a cheap shot (that is the kindest term I can think of) at an American who paid the ultimate price. All for some cheap publicity. It really makes me sick that some people can actually have these beliefs. Hey, if you disagree with the war, fine, say so. ANYONE would lampoon and ridicule someone who has paid the ultimate price of freedom is not deserving of an opinion OR citizenship in this country.