The Stupidity of American Hero Worship

[resdepbrian]

Note: I wrote this earlier tonight, I know a lot of us here are military and ex-military so I thought I would share it with you....Brian





Smith a Hero? No. Jennifer Parcell? Yes
The Stupidity of American Hero Worship
by Brian C. Noell

There are times when I am truly ashamed of many of my fellow Americans.

I work mainly out of my home office when I write. That is where I am the most comfortable and productive. My desk faces the picture window allowing me brief little breaks to gaze out and reflect on my thoughts. Usually when I do write, I always have a radio or television on, not because I am watching or listening but more for background noise than anything else. Usually they are on some news station, and I am half listening to them, but as a rule I am usually not very interested in their content, preferring instead to read the news, whether it be over the internet or in newsprint.

A lot of Americans died yesterday, most of whom have names I have never known, and whose names I will never know. They were fathers, mothers, grandparents, uncles, aunts and some were children of other Americans. But in the course of my writing yesterday I couldn’t help but hear the news of the passing of two Americans in particular.

Every news network in America informed us yesterday of the death of Anna Nicole Smith, with many running a news crawl on the lower part of our television screens informing America of the latest updates on her death and the investigation that was to follow.

Smith, who was born Vicky Lynn Hogan in Houston, Texas in November of 1967, is best known for being a former Playboy Playmate of the Year in 1993 and will be remembered most for her marriage to 89 year-old billionaire J. Howard Marshall, thirteen months prior to his death in August of 1995. She subsequently battled Marshall’s heirs for her half of the billionaire’s estate, pursuing his fortune all the way to the Supreme Court. More recently, Smith gave birth to a baby girl in September of 2006, only to lose her grown son Daniel Smith later that same week while he was visiting her in the hospital. She also had her own reality television show known as “Anna Nicole Smith: Exposed”. Since her death yesterday, three men have come forward to claim paternity of her daughter, the first being Howard K. Stern, her attorney; photographer Larry Birkhead, and oddly enough Frederic von Anholt, 64, husband of actress Zsa Zsa Gabor.

Many of you may think that I am heartless and cold, but who the hell cares about Anna Nicole Smith?

Anna Nicole Smith was nothing more than a two-bit, gold digging, “B” movie sex starlet whore, who got to the top because of her over-sized breast implants and her marriage to a man who was a billionaire and two steps away from death. It sickens me that the major television networks of this country or the world for that matter, as well as the newsprint people have devoted so much coverage to this shining example of American stupidity, and degradation. America should hang their head in shame for ever producing someone of this caliper, and for putting her on a pedestal for everyone to admire. Frankly the only media coverage that should be devoted to her should be the front page of the National Enquirer, and a ten-minute segment on Entertainment Tonight, right before they segway to an ad for penile dysfunction.

As I said earlier in this column, we as Americans lost a true hero yesterday. Nobody knows the name of Jennifer Parcell. Jennifer was a 20 year-old marine corporal whose life came to sudden and tragic end while defending her country in what the Defense Department has described as a “supporting combat operation” in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. I wish I could share more about her life, and I will share what I have found, but when I was doing research for this column earlier today I found over 6000 articles related to Anna Nicole Smith using the search engine Google. I found twelve for Parcell.

Jennifer Parcell, a Bel Air, Maryland native graduated from Fallston High School in 2004. In January of 2005 she followed her older brother Joseph into the Marine Corp. Joseph has been a Marine since 2003. For a month both Jennifer and Joseph were stationed together in Iraq until their tours of duty separated them.

Based out of Okinawa, Japan, Jennifer was a member of Combat Logistics Regiment 3, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force. She loved boating, scuba diving, yoga and music. She was a math wiz in high school, and received six medals while serving with the Marine Corp, one of which was the Humanitarian Service Medal, for the work her and her unit did following the earthquake that ravaged Pakistan last year. She also was the sponsor of a young African child through her church’s missionary undertakings.

Which one of these two women would you be proud to stand next to, call a friend, and more importantly an American?

[cwtlady]

Which one of these two women would you be proud to stand next to, call a friend, and more importantly an American?

I agree with you 100%. Great post. Jennifer Parcell is someone this country can be proud of.

[countybear]

Excellent post. Thanks, Brian.

[Buttercup]

That's a great post.

[Pedro56]

Great Article. I want to tell you a bit about one of my personal heros though. Not to many people have ever heard of him, he has been forgotten a lot like the events that transpired on 9/11 have been forgotten.

David W. Karnes (born ca. 1958) is a former U.S. Marine who located and helped rescue two police officers trapped in the rubble from the September 11, 2001 attacks at the World Trade Center.

Karnes, an accountant by profession, left his office at Deloitte and Touche in Wilton, Connecticut on September 11, 2001 immediately after witnessing the attacks on television.

Karnes later was quoted as saying: “I told people at my office ‘you guys may not realize it, but we're at war right now.' After staying at my desk for a few hours praying and asking God what I should do, I left the office to go to the WTC site.”[1]

According to a Slate magazine profile, Karnes drove to a local church and "asked the pastor and parishioners to say a prayer that God would lead him to survivors. A devout Christian, Karnes often turned to God when faced with decisions."[2]

After getting his hair cut, putting on his Marine Corps camouflage utility uniform and obtaining equipment that included rappelling gear, he drove from Connecticut to the World Trade Center to assist with the disaster. He met another Marine, Jason Thomas, at the site, and walked with him into the rubble. According to a Defense Department profile of Karnes:

“As we were walking we were yelling at the top of our lungs ‘United States Marines, can anyone hear us?'” Karnes described. “As we approached the depression of the south tower I thought I heard something. Indeed it was some muffled call for help, I ensured them that Thomas and I were both looking for them so keep yelling so we can find you.” Karnes instructed Thomas to position himself on some high rubble for visibility and to guide any responding rescuers to the trapped men. After calling his wife and sister on his cell phone with instructions to relay to the authorities his whereabouts, Karnes and Thomas were able to find two survivors.”[3]

The two men were Will Jimeno and John McLoughlin.

Karnes spent a total of nine days at the site before returning to his office. Upon returning home he reenlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve and went on to serve in the Philippines and Iraq, where he served for seventeen months.

In the 2006 film World Trade Center, directed by Oliver Stone, he is played by Michael Shannon.

[Al Lowe]

ANS is definitely NOT a hero. Problem is, she's an "attraction." A stupid one, to be sure. But still an attraction.

[Hannibal]

OUTSTANDING post.

[Rhino]

In this country, a set of tits sells more soap than a dead Marine. Sad, but true.

I think that's a great article, Brian, and if it were up to me I'd tattoo it to the forehead of every Neanderthal who watches the E! channel.

[resdepbrian]

Thanks all for your kind and generous responses!!!

[lewisipso]

Media caters to ratings. Sad.

[Rhino]

Brian: Is it okay if I repost this in another forum?

[TXCharlie]

Great post Brian - The same could be said for sports "heros" too.

If you're a Reserve Deputy, you should send a PM to a moderator & get verified.

[Autumn2009]

Amazing post. Thanks.

[Rhino]

Great post Brian - The same could be said for sports "heros" too.

If you're a Reserve Deputy, you should send a PM to a moderator & get verified.

Not sure- but I thought verification was only for full time and retired LEOs (?).

[TXCharlie]

Not sure- but I thought verification was only for full time and retired LEOs (?).

The FAQ's say full-time, part-time. or reserve (but must be fully sworn with full arrest powers).

[Piggybank Cop]

One is a lady and one is a bimbo; if you don’t know the difference you’re an idiot.

Nothing personal; you’re still, an idiot.

[resdepbrian]

One is a lady and one is a bimbo; if you don’t know the difference you’re an idiot.

Nothing personal; you’re still, an idiot.

I don't care if you are a moderator...but if you're calling me an idiot and directing that statement toward me and the article I wrote, then it has to be one of the most ignorant, asinine statements I have ever seen posted on this forum.

Apparently you can't read or maybe you just have a problem with comprehension. What a moron.

Nothing personal.

[213th]

Well said sir. Do you mind if I forward it to some coworkers?