Stripes letters re: Denver Bronco Cheerleaders/deaths of Navy SEALS

[lebkuchen]

Shades of Abu Ghraib

On Page One and Page 7 of the July 6 July edition of Stars and Stripes, there are pictures of the Denver Broncos cheerleaders in Afghanistan with the troops on the Fourth of July. Good so far...

http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=29368&archive=true

The poses, however, are far too reminiscent of the recent abuses at Abu Ghraib prison. Where was the editor?

We, as Americans, must be more sensitive to how things appear to the rest of world.

Marc Collard
Stuttgart, Germany


Inappropriate photo

I’m not sure what I’m more disgusted by, the type of entertainment the Denver Broncos cheerleaders provided to our troops in Afghanistan, or the fact that it was so proudly displayed underneath the devastating headlines about the Navy SEALs that were killed (“Two SEALs found dead in Afghanistan,” July 6, Associated Press).

The picture of cheerleader Holly Baack dressed as whatever type of character she was portraying with her foot on the back of the soldier doing push-ups was just gross. I have never seen cheerleaders dress as characters or do the type of entertainment that was described in the article that Stars and Stripes reporter Jason Chudy wrote. It sounds like some glorified strippers were sent to get our guys (some of which I’m sure have wives, fiancées or girlfriends they have been separated from for quite a while) all worked up and needing a cold shower.

Cheerleader Tahasha Wilbon was quoted as saying that she thought it makes the shows more personal and special because she had grown up in a military family. I wonder how her mother would have felt to know her husband was downrange being entertained by half-dressed women that had lots of what appears to have been hands-on action with the soldiers. I can assure that if it had been my husband there and I had seen this article, the last thing it would have done for me is boost my morale.

I appreciate the cheerleaders wanting to support our soldiers and going to the bases, but surely they can provide entertainment in a more wholesome manner. And surely Stars and Stripes can find more worthy news to display on the front page next to the announcement of the deaths of soldiers.

I hope the families of those soldiers didn’t have to see that issue of your paper.

Mary M. Major
RAF Lakenheath, England

Disappointing pair

After picking up the July 6 edition of this fine publication, as I do on a daily basis, I was disappointed to read the headline: “Two SEALs found dead in Afghanistan.” Almost simultaneously, my eyes were drawn to a large photo of scantily dressed Denver Bronco cheerleaders standing over soldiers with their heals on the soldiers’ backs as they performed push-ups.

Adding fuel to the fire of my frustration, a photo inside displayed a cheerleader teasing a young, blindfolded soldier, almost appearing to be giving him a lap dance. I’m sure the article was hardly worth reading, for I didn’t get that far before putting the paper down in disgust.

You may think I’m a bit of a prude, feminist, whatever you wish to call me. Truth is, I’m hardly any of the above. I am an American soldier, serving here as a photojournalist, who happens to find nothing appropriate in what I saw.

Let’s start with the depressing headline and consider what was directly below it. How can you tastefully place two such topics side by side? You can’t. Did you have a hard time deciding which was more front page-worthy? I can tell you for certain that I speak for many readers, especially female servicemembers, when I say it was in horrible taste to grace the cover of your paper with a photo of cheerleaders using soldiers for fun, causing them a little pleasure, directly below a headline talking about two men who lost their lives.

Couldn’t you have at least had the decency to save it for the inside? I am truly disgusted by your choice of front page this time around and hope that others will see where I’m coming from. And the story itself ... that’s another letter to be written.

Pfc. Laura Bigenho
Camp Liberty, Iraq

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=125&article=30289

[lebkuchen]

1. bump

The Stripes editor's ruse to use sex to divert attention away from the SEALS' deaths didn't work on readers.

[zbdent]

2. I thought the "wet burka" contests were

outlawed in Afghanistan . . .

(Aren't they supposed to be covered head-to-toe, like the women in uniform?

[lebkuchen]

3. The spouses, who hadn't seen hubbie in a year, would've appreciated

the extra cover, undoubtedly, though the show itself highlights the lack of cultural understanding and training, which would have benefited the soldiers in their mission. This show is an "in your face" who gives a damn what the local nationals think. They may as well fly the Playboy Bunny flag from the base pole.