WTF? I went to the American Diabetes Association and found this:

[Ladyhawk]

http://www.diabetes.org/backfromiraq.jsp?WTLPromo=HOME_1st_sgtthompson&vms=172795320591

It tells the story of how a soldier with Type One diabetes was able to fight in the war. Yes, he's very brave, braver than those here at home who are ranting and raving. I also believe he is doing what he thinks is right.

However, I'm tired of everything being about the military and war, war, war. I believe the war is wrong, totally wrong, and that we've set something in motion that could spell our own doom. Jesus...100,000+ dead Iraqis and 1700 dead US soldiers. When will it be enough?

And why in the hell did the American Diabetes Association jump on the jingoistic bandwagon? Why couldn't they have profiled someone with Type One who became a teacher or a doctor in a foreign land? Why didn't they profile someone who is giving back?

I'm really upset at this nation's priorities...flags, yellow stickers, hoorah for someone overcoming adversity to fight in the bloody war. :(

Once again, I have nothing against the individual soldier. I just have a problem with how the US views war. I'm tired of everything being about the military. :(

[lenidog]

1. I think you have to view it in this context and its the one I think

is the one they looked at when picking the story. They are trying to get the message out that while being a serious disease diabetes doesn't mean the end of your life. that with careful planning you can do anything you want with diabetes. He is an example of that. Unless you go out in the some serious bush a doctor or a teacher will never really have a problem getting the insulin they need to combat their diabetes. Even then they just make sure they have a large stockpile and unless something drastic happens they should be fine. Being combat is an entirely different kettle of fish. There are lot of things that can go wrong and keep you from getting your insulin.

[Ladyhawk]

5. Yes, it is a good example of that and I'm glad that the soldier is getting

the care he needs. Really. I'm not just saying that. I have Type Two, which is a helluva lot easier to deal with than what that poor kid has. Basically, he has no pancreas function at all and is managing just fine. He puts me to shame as far as diabetes management. I can't manage my puny little disease and he's out there fighting a war with Type One. I just hope he doesn't get himself killed in the process. :(

Still, they could have featured someone in the Peace Corps and got the message across just as well.

I think one reason it upset me is because I live in a town where Bush worship is the norm. I'm tired of the fundyism, faux patriotism and militarism. :( I went to the website for info and found more evidence of Bush's bloodthirsty war. :( I just want it to stop. That's all. I don't want to have to look at more dead Iraqi children. I make myself look at them to remind myself that war isn't a game. It's very real and the cost in grief is astronomical. Our kids; their kids...dying, maimed, destroyed...every. single. day. :cry:

(By the way, I love your thylacine pic. I always feel teary-eyed when I see pics of extinct or extremely endangered animals. The story of the last wild Spix's macaw broke my heart.)

[lenidog]

14. I totally understand your point of view and you make an excellent

point. I also see why it would upset you, especially having to deal with it 24/7 where you live. Maybe they rotate the stories around or possibly no one has ever sent them a story about anyone like that. From looking at the article again it seems to been printed before by "Stars and Stripe" and they just picked it up because it filled their needs.

Hopefully America will come to its sense and put an end to this war and some way kick Bush out of office. I served fought in the first Gulf War and served as a peacekeeper in Bosnia so I have seen the effects of war first hand and no exactly where you are coming from.




As to my thylacine picture, thank you. While surfing the net I found a cool web site about the thylacine and it reawakened a long dormant interest in him. I have adopted him as my DU mascot. I picked up a screen saver there too and have installed it on my computer.:-) It weird though I seem to be bombarded now out of the blue with thylacine stuff. This afternoon on "Animal Planet" they were running an episode of their show "Animal X" on it they go looking for mystery animals and the episode was about the thylacine and reports that there may be some left. The night before that I found a web site selling t-shirts and other items and one of the things they were selling was a variety of thylacine t-shirts and sweat shirts.

[SeveneightyWhoa]

2. You sound like this is the only story they've ever published.

I have type 1 diabetes.

This story is fine, and it doesn't trouble me at all. Just another story of a diabetic fulfilling his dreams, against the odds.

You write: "Why couldn't they have profiled someone with Type One who became a teacher or a doctor in a foreign land? Why didn't they profile someone who is giving back?"

Are you suggesting that they've never done any of those things before? Why is one article/story so upsetting to you? You can always jump to the next article, or go to a back-issue, or wait for the next one.

[Cleita]

3. I hate how they are propagandizing everything.

Now sick people are supposed to feed the war machine. We are heading for a military state.

[SeveneightyWhoa]

4. You see an article in a Diabetes magazine about a diabetic soldier..

..and this leads you to conclude that "we are heading for a military state"?

LMAO!

[Cleita]

8. Well no, that doesn't but throw that in with

with so many alarms that are going off with the direction this country is heading in and it adds up to heading for a military state. A woman who survived Anschluss and the Nazis was on Mike Malloy tonight saying the conditions were similar. She never thought she would live to see it again. She said we are headed for a jackbooted state and she isn't the only Nazi survivor who is saying this. So anybody with any sense better wake up.

[cynatnite]

10. But this article had nothing to do with anything resembling

the possibility of moving towards a military state. It just seems like you're reaching a conclusion by way of something totally unrelated by the fact that a guy in the military with diabetes had a story written about him.

[cynatnite]

6. This isn't about the military

It's about a guy in the military.

[SeveneightyWhoa]

7. And its also about a diabetic guy in the military..

..which, in my very humble opinion, makes the story somewhat suitable for a Diabetes publication.

But then again, if any mention of the word "military" gets your eyeballs spinning and your tinfoil hat whirring, then I can see where someone would have a problem with this article.

[Cleita]

9. It's carefully laid out propaganda.

Like the poster said, why couldn't they profile some other profession?

[Ladyhawk]

11. Yeah, what Cleita said I said...or something like that. :D n/t

[SeveneightyWhoa]

13. Like I've already said..

Are you suggesting that this is the first time the American Diabetes Association has profiled a profession?

"Carefully laid out propaganda", huh? So the ADA is in cahoots with the Pentagon? Perhaps Karl Rove?

[Cleita]

16. Do you know how PR firms work whose clients are special

interest types like perhaps the Pentagon? They get stories published in various types of publications. The publication itself may not be aware of what they are doing. Since I didn't seen the article, I don't know who the author is or his/her bio. It usually tells you a lot.

But it just seems like there has been an unusual flux of military as a good thing being propagated through various avenues, TV, Radio, billboards and magazine articles.IMHO

You can think I am paranoid, but that's okay because I am. :tinfoilhat:

[cynatnite]

19. There is no glorification of war in this article, but...

since we are at war, it's inevitable that human interest stories such as this will be published. There are still 135,000 troops in Iraq and I will not fault anyone when a story comes out highlighting their personal struggles, tragedies and successes.

[SeveneightyWhoa]

21. See, you're just speculating.

And yes, you may just be paranoid. At least you admit it. :)

[Guaranteed]

12. They want money.

This kind of story gets people to open their checkbooks.

[SeveneightyWhoa]

15. If any thread showcases DU's anti-military sentiment..

..this is it.

I can't believe some of the responses to this thread.

Why don't we just boycott the ADA now? "Diabetics don't deserve our support, those Bush-loving warmongering military assholes!"

[Ladyhawk]

18. This is absolutely not what I said, nor what I meant.

What is it with GD? Lately I've watched several threads get blown out of all proportion. It seems that some people aren't taking time to read the original post before making outrageous hyperbolic claims.

I never even hinted at the conclusion you drew: "Diabetics don't deserve our support.". Sweet Jesus, I feel for the kid. I'm sure others responding do, too.

Please, actually READ the original post in its totality, then engage brain before engaging keyboard.

[SeveneightyWhoa]

23. Um, my post was more about some of the responses in this thread..

..moreso than your original post.

[G_j]

20. jeezz

talk about distortion. :banghead:

[RandomKoolzip]

22. Actually, it's this one:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1573471

Talk about having an agenda!

[cynatnite]

17. Nowhere in this article is anyone taking a stance on the war

There is no other agenda but to show that people with diabetes can live normal lives no matter how they CHOOSE to live their lives.

It's that simple.

Don't read so much into it.