Yesterday, Nick Berg’s father was on the news. He flat out blamed his son’s death on George Bush’s and Donald Rumsfeld’s sins. I can’t even begin to imagine what it would be like to lose a child. And losing a child in the grotesque and dispicable manner that he did is beyond anything that my mind can grasp. However, everything I have read or seen on the news about Nick Berg says that he was over there voluntarily trying to build his business. He was not only warned by the US military to get out, but also was given the option for them to provide assistance in getting out. I have not seen the video (saw stills on the internet). From what I could see, and this should be obvious to anyone, the ones to take full blame are the Al Quida members in the video. Why in the world is his father finger pointing?
On the same note, the parents of the lady in some of the Abu Graib prison abuse pictures, Lindley English (sp?), have come out and said that she did nothing wrong and was not involved. I understand the story is still being investigated and that it is possible she received orders from higher-ups to do the things she did. But come on! It sure looks to me like she was involved with her cigarette hanging from her mouth, hands pointed to the prisoner’s genitals, and proudly smirking. Why in the world are her parents finger pointing?
Here’s my point:
What is with so many parents covering up for their children’s actions? It can’t be easy for any parent to see his/her child’s face on the news, painted in a negative light. But to put blame on the wrong people? Aren’t we parents forever? Doesn’t this send the wrong message?
It has already been pointed out by various media sources that Nick Berg’s father and mother disliked George Bush and his administration long before the unfortunate, despicable and grotesque murder of their son by al-Qaeda.
Mr. Berg’s reaction to his son’s death is obviously overwhelming and such an outburst under such circumstances should be understandable even if it is difficult for others to understand the logic of such a conclusion.
It must be extremely difficult to accept the fact that Mr. Berg’s son was made fully aware of the risks he was assuming by being a Westerner, and American and a Jew in Iraq. In spite of those cautions, Nick Berg chose to remain. In no way shape or form am I saying that Nick Berg or his parents deserved what happened to Nick. Nick’s father is having extreme difficulty accepting this reality.
In spite of all the good that happens in this world, sometimes bad things still do happen to good people.
Pray for Nick Berg’s parents that they will find comfort in all the good things Nick Berg accomplished before his life was ended by ruthless and brutal animals.
Berg’s father is still coping with the fact that his son is gone, and apparently it’s easier for him to deal with it if he believes that his son was not to blame - despite the fact that he was 1) in a hostile arab country, 2) was not attached to an outfit that provided security, and 3) was jewish and had recently been to Israel - which automatically means “spy” to muslim extremists.
$1 says he was outed to Al Qaeda while still in iraqi custody, they just waited for the right time to pick him up.
re: Linnley English, her parents are probably just mortified because the fact that her daughter was the porn star slut of Abu Graib - did you hear about the video she made? How about the shows she would do? The gang bang? Ugh… America’s finest…
re: Linnley English, her parents are probably just mortified because the fact that her daughter was the porn star slut of Abu Graib - did you hear about the video she made? How about the shows she would do? The gang bang? Ugh… America’s finest…
JohnA,
Be careful. It sounds as if you are falling into the trap the Boston Globe made with the porn website photos they printed claiming to be pictures of abuses in the Abu Garib prison.
More an indictment of one of America’s finest? newspapers just seeking to print the truth and give readers the “whole” picture rather than an indictment of America’s finest in our military.
Maybe you should read up on the Genuine Hero Thread.
This is in no way, shape, or form related to triathlon. I didn’t think it had to. I was under the impression that this is a forum for triathletes to discuss varying forms of topics.
Grumpwheat:
I believe it does send the wrong message. That daddy and mommy can make excuses for their child’s behavior is wrong. Should they still love their child? Absolutely. Should they stand by them in this difficult time? Absolutely. But don’t point fingers at others to make excuses.
The difference between the two (English and Berg) is that Linney deserves everything she has coming to her.
“Congress members, who viewed shocking new pictures of abuse in the Iraqi jail, said England appeared in a sicko video having sex in front of prisoners at Abu Ghraib and that she was snapped in graphic sex acts with other U.S. soldiers.”
The blame goes all the way up. I think one of the most astute observations on the topic was made by George Will, one of the country’s foremost conservatives.
“Pornography is, almost inevitably, part of what empire looks like. It does not always look like that, and it does not only look like that. But empire is always about domination. Domination for self-defense, perhaps. Domination for the good of the dominated, arguably. But domination.”
If we have allowed the codification of domination, doesn’t the responsibility for the resulting pornography lie with Bush, Rumsfeld, and ultimately, us?