Okay, which tone deaf member of the government came up with this bright idea? Let’s just say it’s one hell of a way to denigrate the military when we have people fighting. It’s difficult to imagine why they did this. Maybe it was considered a more “modern” way to get attention, but it’s so, SO wrong. Is there someone we could smack? With appreciation to Raw Story:
An analyst on Thursday described the White House’s recent video game-style hype videos as “distasteful” following the recent deaths of six American service members in the war against Iran. The videos, which have a similar presentation and style to the popular game “Call of Duty,” have been posted on the White House and Department of Defense’s social media accounts and have been produced to “set the narrative” and appeal to President Donald Trump’s base, which includes gamers, CNN anchor Dana Bash reported.
Gamers? So what? COD is a great FPS, but that certainly does NOT mean it is suitable for real life. You revive in a video game. You do not revive OUT of the video game. What a slap in the face to our servicemembers. (No, I do not play. My husband does. That’s how I know the game.) This is horrifying. This is unethical. This should not have come out from the White House and the DoD’s social media.
CNN senior political analyst Nia-Malika Henderson described why the videos might have instead raised questions after the first American casualties since the military strikes started Saturday in Iran, plus the estimated 1,100 Iranians who have died. “I think this is in keeping with the way Pete Hegseth is also talking about the war,” Henderson explained.
“He, of course, had a press conference yesterday talking about utter dominance, talking about the war, likening it to a football game, I think was one of the analogies that he used. And it’s part of the sort of bro culture that Donald Trump used to win. It’s part of Pete Hegseth, why he’s the secretary of war, and why it’s not the you know, the Department of Defense anymore. So it’s part of the selling of the war, and we’ll see if it’s effective.” How Americans actually view the war is not yet clear, she said.
I know our household is *against* the war. The damn thing should never have been discussed, let alone started. But remember, Bibi has a trial coming up as soon as his country is NOT at war. (No insult intended to our readers.) Remember Denis’ column from yesterday when he gave us the approximate cost for just a few days. Remember how the situation in this country SUCKS. This is damn near disastrous. And what do we do when we run out of weapons and anti-aircraft systems and planes and, and, and?
“The shock and awe part of it is always part of the initial selling of it — the utter dominance of the American military,” Henderson said. “‘Best military ever in the history of the world.’ We get that right. And you also could see that the White House obviously understands media, understands social media. This is a president who is watching the coverage of this war on his television set every day and trying to program it right. And so I think that that’s part of it, it’s part of why they were so high on the sinking of that naval vessel, which apparently was just sort of a ceremonial vessel, and hyping it up. So listen, this is a White House that is good at the hype.”
But that hype could be insensitive to military families, Henderson argued. “I think listen, if you were part of the families who have lost Americans — six Americans have died — this is quite distasteful to liken war to a video game because, you know, these are soldiers’ lives who are at risk,” Henderson added. “And so, to liken them to a football game or a video game, I think, is offensive to a lot of people.”
It cheapens their lives, as if they were actually only part of the game. Only. Sheez. Blood is real when it’s yours. It’s disrespectful. What an affront to those families. What are our people overseas thinking if they see this? We are nice and cozy at home, and they are over there *fighting*. We don’t have a real way to understand what they are going through. Our military is not a video game or a football game. These are real, living PEOPLE. The WH and Petey Boy can just bugger off.
See you soon!
Friends, I know everyone begs you for money. I promise that among all those asking for spare change, we are the smallest and the hardest-working. We’re a group of old, disabled people, except for one writer in his mid-50s. The rest of us are in our sixties and seventies, and this is a labor of love. All we’re asking for is the chance to keep telling the truth about Trump and help ensure democracy survives. If you can help, please do. Thank you. Ursula
running out of planes? kuwait (our ally) has already accidently shot dow three of our f-16s, which is avtually kind of impressive (all flight crew ejected, no casualties).
IK am saying they *could* run out, not that they *have*. Also, yes, I knew about the Kuwait mistake. I was very pleased to know the flight crews were safe.