Beloved War Veteran Commits Suicide

[n2doc]

Last edited Sun Sep 21, 2014, 10:56 AM - Edit history (1)

U.S. veteran communities are reportedly grieving at news of the suicide of Jacob George, a three-tour veteran of America’s last decade-plus of war, after he failed to find relief from physical and mental injuries he sustained in battle. In a clip from a veterans event last year, he spoke of his experience with various types of therapy and performed his original song, “Soldier’s Heart.”

George’s suicide occurred after President Obama announced new war plans against the militant group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

In his presentation, which is viewable below, George spoke of the limitations of the Department of Veterans Affairs, which he said “isn’t designed to address the depths of the wounds we have.” The VA doesn’t “really look at the soul and how the soul has been injured in war.”

George regarded antiwar work as the most important part of his recovery. “I marched with my brothers and sisters to the NATO summit and I threw my medals back. And the act of throwing released something inside of me. I don’t know what it is. I’m still trying to figure it out. But it played a role in healing my soul.”

more

http://www.truthdig.com/avbooth/item/beloved_young_war_veteran_kills_self_after_obamas_war_announcement_20140919

[mylye2222]

1. OMG.........may he RIP.

[democrank]

2. So very sad.

Rest in peace, Jacob.

[NYC_SKP]

3. Has nothing to do with Obama's announcement, the author and truthdig should be ashamed.

Correlation is not causation, this seems to merely be coincidental timing.

George’s suicide occurred after President Obama announced new war plans against the militant group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

BTW, an average of 18 US veterans successfully commit suicide EVERY DAY.







Connecting this to the president is bullshit on the part of truthdig.

[MannyGoldstein]

4. In the end, does it matter?

Certainly, the symbolism is there.

As is the writing on the wall.

[NYC_SKP]

9. Yes, it gives an impression that this is a unique event. 22 suicides PER DAY, EVERY DAY!

The misleading argument suggests that if Obama hadn't announced air strikes, this wouldn't have happened, offers no evidence, it's bullshit.

Yes, it matters that we're honest.

Also. I was wrong with my reply, more recent studies say 22 vets/day and 1 active duty/day commit suicide.

Suicide Rate Among Young Veterans Has Tripled, Report Finds

by Esther Yu-Hsi Lee Posted on January 11, 2014 at 1:05 pm

At least 22 veterans commit suicide every day and young male veterans under the age of 30 are three times more likely to commit suicide when compared to civilian males in the same age bracket, according to a new briefing released Thursday by the Department of Veteran Affairs. The number of veteran suicides largely remained unchanged between 2009 to 2011, but the number of male veteran between the ages of 18 to 24 who committed suicide increased by a rate of 33 per 100,000 over the three year period.

Young veterans in the high risk age category had a suicide rate of 79.1 per 1,000, while other American males had a suicide rate of 25 per 1,000, as NBC News pointed out. The study found that overall, male veterans between the age of 18 to 24 and female veterans were most likely to commit suicide. About 70 percent of male veterans who committed suicide took their lives with firearms, while nearly 80 percent of female veterans died as a result of poison or firearms. What’s more, veteran suicides among those enrolled in the Veteran Health Administration (VHA) decreased by about 30 percent, but suicides among veteran non-enrollees soared by 60 percent.

Lead study author Dr. Janet Kemp, the VA’s National Mental Health Director for Suicide Prevention, suggested to the military paper Stars and Stripes that while the reasons for veteran suicides are unclear, soldiers have to deal with factors like readjusting to civilian life and dealing with both physical and mental combat injuries.

http://thinkprogress.org/health/2014/01/11/3150531/young-male-veterans-more-likely-commit-suicide/

[G_j]

12. "George regarded antiwar work as the most important part of his recovery."

nothing like realizing your efforts have been in vain...

[Enthusiast]

51. Me too.

[sabrina 1]

23. So going back to war is a good thing and will reduce those tragic numbers? Is that

what you are saying? I'm not getting your point. It is even WORSE that he is 'not unique' in that those who are sent to fight these unnecessary wars for profit are so desperate after their experiences that they are killing themselves.

I wish he WAS unique. And what do you think a new war will do?

So sick of the excuses, same old story as Iraq in 2003. Until the entire country says NO, rather than one half depending on who is in office at the time, we will continue sending people to die for money and oil.

But they have it all figured out don't they? There was not a single excuse made by the Left for Iraq, and hardly a dissenting voice on the Right for Iraq. Now they got the Left on board, or at least some on the Left.

Clusterfuck is not the word, disaster and tragedy and the losses are so great it is hard to comprehend how any one could continue to support our military excursions which, as WE predicted would only CREATE more hatred and anger towards this country, as it has.

[Raine1967]

45. You really believe that is what NYC_SKP is saying?

If so then the you and I are reading very different things. I am anti war and I don't understand your conclusion based upon what, exactly? We have a serious suicice problem with our troops. Just go look at IAVA and Paul Rieckhoff's work to slow suicide and try to eliminate it altogether.

This is a very sad story. to often told, to often a result of the wars they have fought during and for the Bush Administration.

NO ONE is saying what you thin they are saying, except, -- you.

[Generic Other]

49. Here, let Jacob George speak for himself

https://vimeo.com/66857895

[Raine1967]

108. I am not trying to dismiss his suicide.

that video is about year old. I was addressing what one DU'r said to another. I find that really ugly. I was speaking to that directly.

I am sorry I din't reply to you earlier.

[Generic Other]

109. I was addressing the whole conversation

Did not mean to single you out. I just think it is wrong to use his death to promote any agenda except the one he openly spoke of which was peace. As for the video, it is the video the OP's photograph was taken from.

[zappaman]

54. Wow.

Way to put words into someone's mouth.
Bad habit you have there.

[NYC_SKP]

86. The problem was their headline, which they have now *changed* to exclude the association w Obama.

Now if they really wanted to do a service, they would include in the article this fact:

22 veterans and 1 active duty service person commit suicide DAILY.

But they weren't looking to make changes, they clearly had a click-baiting outrage-producing political agenda to push.

22-1/day. Too bad they lost the opportunity to mention that.

[sabrina 1]

101. The country is rushing into another war. If you know any veterans who have

survived our various wrong headed wars, then you know that the very idea of another war is often more than they can bear.

It creates, as one veteran described to me, a feeling of deep despair, added to the depression they already suffer from and are trying to deal with just to try to find a reason to continue living. This veteran found that reason in his anti-war work. A hope that what he had suffered could be put to some good use, to stop these endless wars which will produce so many more like him and all the others who, yes, commit suicide after they return to a society they are no longer capable of adjusting to.

To dismiss the reality of what it means to all these veterans who came back knowing they had been lied to, of yet another war, is to not understand how frail their survival is and how hearing that we are off to yet more carnage and suffering despite their efforts, can take away their one reason for surviving.

Yes, we DO know of the suicide rate among veterans. But we don't hear about it on the MSM. It isn't a big issue so many Americans do not know about this extra devastating result of these completely unnecessary and tragic and FAILED wars.

To say that the authors don't want to change anything? That is so cynical, when in fact it is clear that they do not want one more veteran's life to go unnoticed or without having some effect which is what he was trying to do as he clung to the one thing that gave him the hope he needed to go on. No More War!

[MannyGoldstein]

30. Let's do something about this.

It's sick.

[Raine1967]

44. Thank you for saying this. That is all.

[cali]

21. yes it matters.

it's about integrity. it's about honest reporting. It's about not being deliberately misleading to serve an agenda.

[MannyGoldstein]

22. It's not dishonest

It could have been done better, but it's truthful and uses the sequence of events to call attention to two enormous problems.

Perhaps if politicians encouraged their children to enlist in the the military, we'd have fewer of these problems.

[libdem4life]

24. Allow me to rephrase...if politician's children were sent first...it used to be that way.

The King or the Dukes led the troops, sons at their side in training, expected to be on the front line with their own command at some time. At least those wars were honest...but I hate them all.

[cali]

27. Of course it's dishonest. It's an attempt to manipulate the reader

It's sad that you believe it's honest.

[Euphoria]

89. +1

[hobbit709]

5. And maybe knowing we were sending more people into that clusterfuck put him over the edge.

[No Vested Interest]

6. I agree, NYC SKP. I despise the guilt-tripping whether it comes from Fox, truthdig, or DU. nt

[still_one]

7. why not, they blame Obama for everything anyway

[frazzled]

11. That really is a shameful ploy, and does a disservice to this veteran's death

The issue of veterans' mental health and suicide is a serious one. How dare this writer try to use this man's death for political ends.

[G_j]

28. In my opinion, your outrage is out of proportion

Last edited Sun Sep 21, 2014, 08:25 AM - Edit history (2)

since, "George regarded antiwar work as the most important part of his recovery."
It certainly could have been written better, but there is little doubt war was very disturbing to him, and the source of his torment. Maybe while we are talking about taking these suicides seriously, we might consider examing the f@king ongoing military policies which have led to so many tragedies!

[Jack Rabbit]

13. Correlation may not be causation

What makes you think correlation excludes causation?

I'll reserve judgment on the matter until the facts are in. Do not be surprised if President Obama's announcement was greeted by Mr. George with a sense of dread that was palpable.

May Mr. George rest in peace.

[daleanime]

15. Amen....

[bulloney]

20. There's your "liberal media" again.

[demosincebirth]

29. I agree. Some are making a mountain out of a mole hill. It doesn't surprise me.

[FlatStanley]

32. The article makes a temperal link, not a causal link.

Interesting that you made the causal link yourself.

But don't worry. Democratic Presidents don't put boots on the ground, only bombs.

[MADem]

104. The article would have done well to make no link at all.

They disrespected the deceased by trying to join two news reports.


As I said elsewhere, it's as illogical as linking the Scotland NO vote to the death of Joan Rivers. There's a temporal link there, too, but it's as meaningless as this attempted association is.

[FlatStanley]

107. Ok

[rhett o rick]

52. I am going to disagree with you on this one. I don't know what the author's

agenda was but it may have been to point out the irony that this veteran that was very interested in foreign policy took his life at this particular time. It may be coincidence, but the author may be saying, that these decisions by our leaders to commit more troops to these horrors continue killing them even after they return home. If the President continues to send troops into harms way, then it's fair to hold him accountable for the deaths of those troops even after they return home.

Correlation is not (necessarily) causation, but it could be. We really don't know.

[KoKo]

80. Agree! and we have a Peace Action coupled with Action on Climate Change Demonstration

this weekend in NYC. People are back in the streets again. That we are at "endless war" once again has many people disturbed. Those who fought in Afghanistan, Iraq and other theaters who are wounded and mentally traumatized find our President's actions and bellicose rhetoric a betrayal. Those of us who aren't veterans but lived through Vietnam where we lost classmates/friends in that war take this new "endless war" very hard. Remember there were many across the Netroots who who were in the streets trying to stop the Iran Invasion before it happened and for quite a while after also take these actions by our President and the willing Congress as a betrayal.

[secondwind]

66. I agree with you.

[marym625]

88. How do you know that?

I am not trying to get into it with you, I seriously want to know. Considering the length of time he fought for his peace of mind, why would you assume that the idea of yet another war and countless other deaths and damaged human beings wasn't just too much for him?

I know the statistics of suicide in the military. I knew people who committed suicide after being in Iraq and one that couldn't deal with going back. I harbored a person that went awol after being told that a 3rd tour was coming up.

Too assume that the announcement made him completely despondent and feeling like a failure (which he was not) I think is a pretty big leap. But if you know something we don't about him personally, I wish you would share.

Said with respect.

[NYC_SKP]

92. I don't, and neither does truthdig. In fact, they changed the title of the article.

Maybe he did and maybe he didn't.

I am accusing them of implying a causal relationship that isn't there, nothing in the article supports the headline implication.

Their headline, now edited, read:

Beloved War Veteran Commits Suicide After Obama’s War Announcement

Further in the article:

George’s suicide occurred after President Obama announced new war plans against the militant group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

I wrote:

Correlation is not causation, this seems to merely be coincidental timing.

And now they've edited the article's title with the following clarification mea culpa:

Beloved War Veteran Commits Suicide

Editor’s note: The original headline on this post may have given the impression that George committed suicide in reaction to President Obama’s foreign policy. We regret any confusion or upset this may have caused.

So this is just another day in the world of the media and discussion boards. Truthdig posts a provocative title, somebody on DU is shocked and want's to spread the shocking news, readers fall for it. And then I call bullshit on it and try to inform the community with some even more shocking factual information.

It's very sad, I lost Gulf War vet friend to suicide.

[marym625]

96. Thank you.

I am sorry for your loss. For all our losses to the insanity of war.

[Feral Child]

94. Not attacking your position.

You are correct that this suicide was not caused by Obama's announcement. It does seem, and perhaps is, a deliberate linking for political reasons.

That said, it is somewhat excused by the thematic intent. I'll try to explain:

Jacob George has committed suicide. His (very tragic) demise was, without doubt, instigated by the trauma he endured in multiple tours of a vicious, ugly and needless war.

His death should serve as a reminder of the tragically broken lives that those wars have cost his generation, and that renewed war will continue the damage to more young people.

That's the connection, the theme that continuing these adventures-for-profit will devastate more young people.
We cannot keep shoving our youth into the mangle of imperialism without producing more casualties, on the battlefield and off.

I bristled at first at the seeming "direct" connection, but was able to relax and accept the validity of the article after a second reading.

Just my perspective, NYC_SKP. Not saying your perspective is invalid.

[Feral Child]

95. DELETE

Wrong place.

Jeez, I've been doing that alot lately.

[Plucketeer]

8. Mend those bones...

put salve on those symptoms - Next!

[JEB]

10. Another wasted life for a lost cause.

Just make sure you don't tie it to the President in any way. Some people need to gain a little perspective. One fine person is lost and they worry about any tarnish to someones reputation. Snap the fuck out of it.

[LostInAnomie]

40. Because the two aren't linked, and it is blatently dishonest...

... wording meant to imply causation.

[starroute]

14. Oh, no!

Someone I'm Facebook friends with though we've never met -- it's a friend of a friend thing -- has been posting this week about the death of his cousin Jacob. I thought it was just a death in the family, but I see now it goes a lot deeper. How sad!

[DeadLetterOffice]

16. .

[99Forever]

17. And the Warmongers just keep pounding their drums.

How many more must suffer and die for the greed of the 1%?

Maybe we're fighting the wrong enemy.

[Cha]

63. Yes, "warmongers" like Senator Sanders and Senator Warren..

Bernie stands with the President on this "Enormously complicated issue".. as he calls it. He disagrees with staying out of ISIS like some around are clamoring on about.

As he stated it's an "International effort" and guess what.. "they have to put money in it too."

Hartman and he talked about one republiCon saying.. they'll "blast him if it doesn't work and ask why he didn't do it sooner if it does." Sounds like a familiar whine.

Senators Warren and Sanders are on board with the President..

FrodosPet http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=5527989

Sen. Elizabeth Warren says she supports President Obama's decision to authorize airstrikes in Iraq

BOSTON — Warning against a new U.S. war in Iraq, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren on Friday stood by President Barack Obama’s decision to authorize targeted airstrikes to help defend Americans in Erbil, Iraq, and provide aid to a religious minority taking refuge in the Sinjar mountains.

“It’s a complicated situation right now in Iraq and the president has taken very targeted actions to provide humanitarian relief that the Iraqi government requested, and to protect American citizens,” Warren told reporters. “But like the president I believe that any solution in Iraq is going to be a negotiated solution, not a military solution. We do not want to be pulled into another war in Iraq.”


Senator Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said she supports president Barack Obama's decision to authorize new airstrikes in Iraq but cautioned against U.S. involvement in a new war in the Middle East.

http://www.masslive.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/08/sen_elizabeth_warren_warns_abo.html

[morningfog]

68. Yet they each voted against the only funding bill proposed.

Their support is clearly not for the entire war plan.

[Cha]

110. Yet they're behind the Airstrikes against ISIS.. "Warmongers"

[Dont call me Shirley]

18. May you be in Peace now, George. War will cease when the vast majority refuse to participate

in it anymore. That will leave the psychopaths to fight amongst themselves.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

19. Heartbreaking news

Please rest in peace Jacob.

[mopinko]

25. fuck

[Live and Learn]

26. Hope is on the horizon.

I wish he would have held on a bit longer.

http://neurosciencenews.com/ptsd-pet-scan-kappa-opioid-1336/

Neuroimaging Study Pinpoints Neurobiological Basis for Key Symptoms Associated with PTSD

Neuroscience News
September 17, 2014

Study led by NYU Langone Medical Center bolsters support for new, personalized approaches to treating PTSD and other trauma-based disorders.

In a novel brain-imaging study among trauma victims, researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center have linked an opioid receptor in the brain — associated with emotions — to a narrow cluster of trauma symptoms, including sadness, emotional detachment and listlessness. The study, published online today in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, holds important implications for targeted, personalized treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, a psychiatric condition affecting more than 8 million Americans that can cause a wide range of debilitating psychiatric symptoms.

“Our study points toward a more personalized treatment approach for people with a specific symptom profile that’s been linked to a particular neurobiological abnormality,” says lead author Alexander Neumeister, MD, director of the molecular imaging program in the Departments of Psychiatry and Radiology at NYU School of Medicine, and Co-Director of NYU Langone’s Steven and Alexandra Cohen Veterans Center for the Study of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury. “Understanding more about where and how symptoms of PTSD manifest in the brain is a critical part of research efforts to develop more effective medications and treatment modalities.”

The new study confirms a growing body of evidence linking a particular set of symptoms to specific brain circuits and chemicals, and bolsters a shift within the field of psychiatry away from “one-size-fits-all treatments” and toward more individualized medication regimens that target highly specific neurobiological components. “We know from previous clinical trials that antidepressants, for example, do not work well for dysphoria and the numbing symptoms often found in PTSD,” Dr. Neumeister added. “Currently available antidepressants are just not linked specifically enough to the neurobiological basis of these symptoms in PTSD. Going forward, our study will help pave the way toward development of better options.”

[Doctor_J]

31. might be easier to elect a president who refuses to enter another

fucking war.

[FlatStanley]

34. Exactly!

[Live and Learn]

42. While I am against the war, the article doesn't say that he

did it because of the war. In fact, it implies he did it because of the disease.

[Doctor_J]

43. And I'm not saying he died because of the war.

But there would be a lot less ptsd to treat if our "leaders" would stop killing people

[chrisa]

47. I know how to cure PTSD.

Don't send people off to war.

[Live and Learn]

53. PTSD is not a disease limited to war veterans.

It is caused by trauma of all types.

I would think people would be happy to hear that they have verified the brain changes of the disease and can now work on curing it.

[chrisa]

105. I know, thanks. I was just making a point.

I am happy for any advancement that can help PTSD, but at the same time I think the fact should be acknowledged that these soldiers would never have PTSD if they were never sent off to war.

[msanthrope]

91. As a crime victim with PTSD......I find you short-sighted. nt

[chrisa]

106. How so?

[geek tragedy]

33. Truthdig angling for the Fox & Friends niche?

This was a tragedy. Too bad some have to exploit it.

[hobbit709]

46. You angling for the noncompassion award?

[Drunken Irishman]

57. Nothing says compassion like using a suicide to advance a political point and trash the President.

Disgusting. This is a new low for DU.

[Cha]

64. "This was a tragedy. Too bad some have to exploit it." How do you did get "noncompassion" out of

that?

[bahrbearian]

67. Yup

Its all about how Obama looks to them, Circle the Wagons

[geek tragedy]

71. You seem to conflate compassion

with the pathological need to bash the President over any flimsy pretext. What this man went through, and how his story ended, are the bitter fruit of the poisonous tree planted by the 2003 invasion of Iraq. His tragedy is not an appropriate vehicle for scoring points in order to prove one's 'true progressive' cred.

[hobbit709]

72. you seem to conflate anything that is not 150% cheerleading as hatred of the president.

I do not blindly follow anyone.

[geek tragedy]

73. No, avoiding the "blame Obama for everything" mentality

on the Fox News right and fringe left is not cheerleading, it's being rational.

The point of the article was to score points, not mourn a tragedy.

[hobbit709]

74. Like I said 150% or the other

And you of course are not trying to score points of your own by trying to link anything you don't like to Faux?

[geek tragedy]

75. If it makes you feel better about yourself

to blame the President for this, that is your right, but it is not your right to have people respect such claims.

[hobbit709]

76. Actually I blame people you like with blind worship in their eyes.

[geek tragedy]

77. Even better. Hope you are enjoying your

superiority dance and that it enhances your self-esteem. Again, it's self-flattering nonsense, but whatever works for you.

[noamnety]

35. I just want to put this here.

[G_j]

36. thank you! nt

[Rex]

37. It appears our military professionals are getting tired of being used and killed off decade after

decade. Who could have guessed it?

[cliffordu]

38. God damn it.

He rode around the country on his bicycle with an outfit he founded called 'a ride till the end' as a rolling protest against wars of all stripe, Afghanistan and Iraq in particular....he and I corresponded a few times and he invited me to join the ride. I almost went and now realize I should have gone. Another brother gone, another casualty. There will be no memorial, no wall for him or the thousand of others who died and will die after the shooting fades, each killed by these wars surlely as those killed by shrapnel. This news breaks my heart.

Sleep well sweet brother, we hold you close even now.

[FourScore]

39. A beautiful man with so much promise. So sad.

[GeorgeGist]

41. Nor should we allow those who would march off and pay the ultimate sacrifice,

who would prove the full measure of devotion with their blood, to make such an awful sacrifice in vain.

[nomorenomore08]

48. ...

[annm4peace]

50. Please don't argue and bicker on this posting

This young Veteran touched many lives and probably saved many.. both young and older Veterans.

Please don't tarnish the posting of his death with bickering.


I was with local chapter of Veterans for Peace, chapter 27 tonight. Dave announced his death. Several of us in the room were at the NATO protest in Chicago and witness Jacob toss his metals. Dave spoke tonight of what an incredible guy Jacob was and how he uplifted even the Vietnam vets. He said he remembered Jacob taking off on his bike, with a banjo on his back.

I wish we could keep them safe. In Chicago, as the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans lined up in the march, the Vets for Peace took a rope and surrounded them,, standing on the outside of the rope that kept the reports and others.. like Jesse Jackson and Amy Goodman from crossing the rope.. giving these raw veterans space but also their support as the whole crowd marched through the street.. with riot cops everywhere. After a bit they did relax the rope and people like Jesse Jackson and others walked with the Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. I wonder how many of those young brave men and women Veterans are still will us.

heartbreaking.

[wyldwolf]

84. Everyone is saddened. But 'progressives' shouldn't use dishonest right wing tactics to make a point.

How many people do you believe will read the headline and skip the article, then spread the lie that Obama's actions caused this? It's a despicable example of a growing practice on the left to use dishonest click bait headlines.

[Luminous Animal]

97. You should delete your post.

[wyldwolf]

100. Says who?

[zappaman]

55. Well there's a reach.

But hey, anything to make Obama look bad is ok for the media, right?

[BuelahWitch]

58. "Making Obama look bad" is all you got out of this? Wow n/t

[morningfog]

69. It could have said he committed suicide after Robin Williams.

It is very misleading.

[defacto7]

59. ...

[littlemissmartypants]

60. ...

[blkmusclmachine]

61. I wonder how much $$$ the MIC made off this guy's warring for the 1%??? Sad!

[grahamhgreen]

62. Who will we invade to avenge this death?

[Cha]

65. Rest in Peace~ Jacob George~

[WinkyDink]

70. THEY CHANGED THEIR HEADLINE, AND APOLOGIZED:

http://www.truthdig.com/avbooth/item/beloved_young_war_veteran_kills_self_after_obamas_war_announcement_20140919

Editor’s note: The original headline on this post may have given the impression that George committed suicide in reaction to President Obama’s foreign policy. We regret any confusion or upset this may have caused.

[wyldwolf]

82. SURE they regret it. 'Truth' dig has become quite skilled at the click bait headlines

[NYC_SKP]

85. And, apparently, it works. I'm glad some of us called them on it. (nt)

[Cali_Democrat]

102. Thanks

People can be so ghoulish and blame Obama for the suicid?

Sad, but not surprising.

[marble falls]

78. Too sad to even say.

[cantbeserious]

79. What America Does To Soldiers Is Despicable

eom

[The Wizard]

81. "There's money good money

to be made,
By supplying the Army with the tools of the trade."
(Country Joe and The Fish, "Fixin' to Die Rag&quot

[KoKo]

83. Will Obama's Bombs Stop the Beheadings: John Oliver

Not so much a fan of Oliver's delivery style but the message deserves a hearing.


http://www.democraticunderground.com/1017216355

[Andy823]

87. Totally insane!

This is new low for all the Obama haters here. This mans death in no way was because of anything the president did or said. All those here who are supporting this kind of BS posting should be ashamed of themselves.

[ReRe]

90. What a beautiful young man...

... and what a tragedy that he is gone. And here's a question for everyone:

Does PO STILL not write a letter of condolence to these young men's families for the loss of their child or husband or significant other who took their lives because they couldn't live with the pain of PTSD caused from an unnecessary war that the Bush junta lied us into? Are they not granted military honors when they are interred?

RIP Jacob.

[MADem]

93. This is a terrible OP. It is really beneath the quality expected here at DU.

It creates an association where none exists, and it trades--blatantly and shamefully--on the death of an actual PERSON, an individual that people cared about, and it USES him to create a point he may not have wanted to make. It purports to speak for a dead man. It's wrong. It's propaganda.

It's as absurd as saying "Scotland Voted NO to Independence After Death of Joan Rivers."

The two incidents are unrelated, and "Truthdig" is apparently a "Falsedig."

That's not "journalism."

It's shit.

[Andy823]

103. I totally agree with you

At least the OP change the headline, but for anyone on this site to push such a meme as the OP hinted at, and others here jumped on and continued to push is really crazy. More and more I see the same old Obama haters taking it to a new level. I have seen posters refer to the president as "George W. Obama", and seen other posters posting all kinds of negative crap, from questionable sites, that put down the party and the president. I thought this kind of daily attacks were supposed to end before the elections, but I guess I was wrong. Instead of getting better they have gotten much worse.

[Feral Child]

98. Find Peace, Soldier

[whereisjustice]

99. Very sad. So many die protecting the rich from their own tyranny.