Statement from Chris Hayes

[proud2BlibKansan]

Mon May 28, 2012 6:26 PM EDT

On Sunday, in discussing the uses of the word "hero" to describe those members of the armed forces who have given their lives, I don't think I lived up to the standards of rigor, respect and empathy for those affected by the issues we discuss that I've set for myself. I am deeply sorry for that.

As many have rightly pointed out, it's very easy for me, a TV host, to opine about the people who fight our wars, having never dodged a bullet or guarded a post or walked a mile in their boots. Of course, that is true of the overwhelming majority of our nation's citizens as a whole. One of the points made during Sunday's show was just how removed most Americans are from the wars we fight, how small a percentage of our population is asked to shoulder the entire burden and how easy it becomes to never read the names of those who are wounded and fight and die, to not ask questions about the direction of our strategy in Afghanistan, and to assuage our own collective guilt about this disconnect with a pro-forma ritual that we observe briefly before returning to our barbecues.

But in seeking to discuss the civilian-military divide and the social distance between those who fight and those who don't, I ended up reinforcing it, conforming to a stereotype of a removed pundit whose views are not anchored in the very real and very wrenching experience of this long decade of war. And for that I am truly sorry.

http://UpwithChrisHayes.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/28/11924150-statement-from-chris-hayes

[spanone]

1. k&r...

[cheriemedium59]

15. Perfect!

You should read all the horrible comments on Chris Hayes twitter from the right. Just horrible and mean spirited unforgiving thugs. I am a veteran and a big fan of Chris and that has not changed. The man is contrite so lets move on ...

[rfranklin]

2. The comments on that page are very revealing...

Once they buy into the "fallen heroes" bullshit they fight tooth and nail (figuratively of course) to preserve that fantasy.

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. Pat Tilman was repulsed by the word 'hero'

And if there was ever a modern day American we could all agree to call a hero, it's Pat Tilman.

[rufus dog]

9. Best fucking Devil Back EVER

That was his position at ASU. In his Junior year the Sun Devils went up to Nebraska and got their asses kicked. Senior year the same group of guys went out and kicked the shit out of Nebraska. Now it was only a College Football game but it was obvious it was a special group of guys. Except for bad coaching in the Rose Bowl (the coach went prevent defense with a group of guys who only knew how to attack) Tillman would have won a National Championship. Would he have still gone off to Iraq, with out a doubt.

He is the best person to have every put on an ASU uniform and the best Army Ranger of our generation.

[JohnnyRingo]

17. As was John McCain, apparently

When confronted with the word he usually points out that he was rather unceremoniously shot down, glossing over his hero status by proclaiming himself a "terrible pilot".

The bottom line is that people like McCain and Tillman would feel no need to be revered as "heroes", they know they gave what they had for their country.

We know it too.

[ellenfl]

10. yes they do. if you will excuse the analogy,

the uber-patriotism exhibited in some of those comments and on exhibit in this country for the last few years, is highly reminiscent of 1930s germany. i see the point of honoring those who have taken up arms in our defense but, like chris, i feel the same way about using the 'hero' honorific in the case of victims. i think the term 'hero' has been denigrated by its constant application to people who survive a catastrophe or some other victimhood. surviving does not make one a hero. likewise, pat tillman was a victim and, tho' i came to respect the man, in his death he did nothing heroic. however, i believe his mother could be considered a hero by her actions to determine the cause of his death and to hold the military commanders accountable.

similarly, neither the people working in the twin towers nor those on the planes were heroes, but the police and firemen who lost their lives running into those buildings most definitely were. we take away the power of the word by the manner in which we (over) use it.

imo, people get on the hero kick to make themselves feel righteous about war even as they stay far away from it.

when the war in iraq started, i challenged a friend who supported the war to encourage her of-age kids to enlist. oddly, she took great offense . . . even though her husband had been career military.

ellen fl

[cynatnite]

13. It's also a matter of definition...

My idea of what a hero is falters a bit when I look at those like Pat Tillman who truly believed in going to war post 9/11. For them it was the right thing to do (Mitt Romney's sons should take note) and they were willing to die for it. I think there is something to be said for that. I'm not sure exactly what, but I'm not willing to look on his sacrifice as being less. Some will see this as being heroic (despite how he died), but others will not.

[ellenfl]

19. as i indicated in my post, i agree that taking up arms in our defense is

more than commendable, whatever the reasoning for doing so. But that does not make every enlistee a hero, as i understand the meaning of that word. by the same token, not all enlistees are our 'best and brightest', especially since the military had to relax requirements for some to enlist to fight in iraq and afghanistan.

that said, i keep my mouth shut (in other venues) because i believe supporting the troops is necessary for morale.

ellen fl

[Enrique]

3. great statement

in fact his original statement was very thoughtful and empathetic toward the troops, but there is no need for him to be defensive. Nothing wrong with a straight-up apology. Notice, no "if anyone was offended..."

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. I did notice that.

This was definitely not a republican apology.

[freshwest]

6. I think he was honestly contrite and clarified his position well. It's a very sensitive subject.

I have had several family members who were in the service and made light of it, although the last one living is dying from it. His wife is now pro-war, not because he is, since he isn't. He did what he had to do, he said, and left as soon as he could.

For her and other families, watching their spouses fight a losing battle to what happened, they seek a reason for not only their loved one's suffering, but their own feeling of loss. So they get very angry at anyone who says it was a mistake.

To face the horror is too much for his wife. He's already accepted it and is doing the best he can to deal with her attitude, as he is no condition to fight with her on this... Or anything else. I will miss him when he's gone for his wit, integrity and loyalty and his dedication to helping others.

[Scuba]

7. Hey Fox, this is how it's done.

[DefenseLawyer]

8. Since I'm not on sponsor supported tv

I'll go on record saying I'm in agreement with his original premise.

[Kencorburn]

11. I wonder...

..if any of those people writing their knee-jerk comments about hating America and the like, ever thought about how many of wars that we have involved ourselves, were actually in defense of our freedoms?

[GETPLANING]

12. The wingnut trolls really swarm the comments at MSN

[starroute]

14. So can we have a new word for "above and beyond the call of duty"?

'Cause we sure need one to single out the people who used to be called heroes and give them special credit.

Otherwise, we're just like those kindergarten classes where everyone gets a gold star just for showing up.

[Kencorburn]

16. Funny how in their cult of absolutism

that everyone who suits up and joins the military is a hero. The same folks who jump over the cliff to discredit John Kerry who, by most standards is a hero, sat silent when presented with evidence of the opposite in some of our other military personnel. Though not having served myself I can tell the difference between serving selflessly and serving selfishly.

[Mosaic]

18. I think it was Tina Turner who said it best

We don't need another hero. I'm not a stupid tv pundit, so I'm free to speak my mind. Memorial day celebrates killers for rich men. The last 'hero' fought Hitler. My opinion, this is a free country and I will never apologize for it.