Remember Your Veterans / Saving Pvt. Ryan

[Nickdfresh]

Veterans Day
Lest we forget

Veterans Day honors men and women who have served in the U.S. armed services. Veterans Day, November 11th, is a legal federal holiday in the U.S. Great Britain celebrates November 11th as Armistice Day; it is not a legal holiday but special observances celebrate the armistice that ended World War I on November 11, 1918. France also calls it Armistice Day. Canada has a legal holiday called Remembrance Day that is celebrated on November 11th. Veterans Day celebrations in the United States include parades and speeches. Special services are held at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia; they begin with 2 minutes of silence, then after the playing of taps, a wreath is placed at the tomb which houses the graves of 3 unknown Americans who fought in World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. In a ceremony in Washington, D.C., a wreath is placed at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial to honor those who died in the Vietnam War.



In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11th as Armistice Day to remind Americans of the tragedies of war. A law adopted in 1938 made the day a federal holiday. In 1954, Congress changed the name of the holiday to Veterans Day to honor all U.S. veterans. From 1971 through 1977, Veterans Day was celebrated on the 4th Monday in October.

Our national holidays have a common factor: they honor our country or its traditions and customs. Celebrating America's past, present, and future is a function of each holiday. Veterans Day is a time to remember those men and women who served in our U.S. Armed Forces.




In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.


Flags today in tribute wave
For those loyal ones who gave
Of their youth, their hopes, their might
For a cause they knew was right.

Morning bells sound their call,
Pause and say a prayer for all--
All who served valiantly
That men might be ever free.

Toll of bells, drums' slow beat--
Silence falls in every street.
In each heart swells the plea:
Keep us safe, but keep us free!

--John McCrae

[Nickdfresh]

United States—Military Affairs—American Wars

America's Wars: U.S. Casualties and Veterans
American Revolution (1775–1783)
Total servicemembers 217,000
Battle deaths 4,435
Nonmortal woundings 6,188

War of 1812 (1812–1815)
Total servicemembers 286,730
Battle deaths 2,260
Nonmortal woundings 4,505

Indian Wars (approx. 1817–1898)
Total servicemembers 106,0001
Battle deaths 1,0001

Mexican War (1846–1848)
Total servicemembers 78,718
Battle deaths 1,733
Other deaths in service (nontheater) 11,550
Nonmortal woundings 4,152

Civil War (1861–1865)
Total servicemembers (Union) 2,213,363
Battle deaths (Union) 140,414
Other deaths in service (nontheater) (Union) 224,097
Nonmortal woundings (Union) 281,881
Total servicemembers (Conf.) 1,050,000
Battle deaths (Conf.) 74,524
Other deaths in service (nontheater) (Conf.) 59,2972
Nonmortal woundings (Conf.) unknown

Spanish-American War (1898–1902)
Total servicemembers 306,760
Battle deaths 385
Other deaths in service (nontheater) 2,061
Nonmortal woundings 1,662

World War I (1917–1918)
Total servicemembers 4,734,991
Battle deaths 53,402
Other deaths in service (nontheater) 63,114
Nonmortal woundings 204,002
Living veterans fewer than 500

World War II (1940–1945)
Total servicemembers 16,112,566
Battle deaths 291,557
Other deaths in service (nontheater) 113,842
Nonmortal woundings 671,846
Living veterans 4,762,0001

Korean War (1950–1953)
Total servicemembers 5,720,000
Serving in-theater 1,789,000
Battle deaths 33,741
Other deaths in service (theater) 2,827
Other deaths in service (nontheater) 17,730
Nonmortal woundings 103,284
Living veterans 3,734,0001

Vietnam War (1964–1975)
Total servicemembers 8,744,000
Serving in-theater 3,403,000
Battle deaths 47,410
Other deaths in service (theater) 10,789
Other deaths in service (nontheater) 32,000
Nonmortal woundings 153,303
Living veterans 8,295,0001

Gulf War (1990–1991)
Total servicemembers 2,183,000
Serving in-theater 665,476
Battle deaths 147
Other deaths in service (theater) 382
Other deaths in service (nontheater) 1,565
Nonmortal woundings 467
Living veterans 1,852,0001

America's Wars Total
Military service during war 42,348,460
Battle deaths 651,008
Other deaths in service (theater) 13,998
Other deaths in service (nontheater) 525,256
Nonmortal woundings 1,431,290
Living war veterans 17,578,5003
Living veterans 25,038,459

1. Veterans Administration estimate as of Sept. 30, 2002.
2. Estimated figure. Does not include 26,000–31,000 who died in Union prisons.
3. Approximately 1,065,000 veterans had service in multiple conflicts. They are counted under each conflict, but only once in the total.
Source: Department of Defense and Veterans Administration

[Nickdfresh]

ABC affiliates pulling 'Private Ryan'

Stations in 8 states will pre-empt broadcast of award-winning film due to concerns about indecency.
November 11, 2004: 5:43 PM EST



NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - ABC affiliates in at least eight states will not televise the network's broadcast of the World War II film "Saving Private Ryan" because they fear repercussions from U.S. regulators.


Tom Hanks, Matt Damon and Edward Burns in 'Saving Private Ryan.'
Affiliates in Alabama, Georgia, Iowa, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina and West Virginia said they were worried about running afoul of the Federal Communications Commission in Washington.

WOI-TV in Des Moines, Iowa, for example, said it decided to pre-empt the Academy Award winning film, which depicts several violent battle scenes and contains foul language, over concerns about possible fines by the FCC.

"Would the FCC conclude that the movie has sufficient social, artistic, literary, historical or other kinds of value that would protect us from breaking the law?" WOI-TV President Raymond Cole said in a statement appearing on its Web site. "With the current FCC, we just don't know."

Janice Wise, spokeswoman for the FCC's enforcement bureau, said it had received calls from broadcasters asking if the film would run afoul of the agency's indecency rules. Wise said the commission was barred from making a decision before the broadcast "because that would be censorship."

"If we get a complaint, we'll act on it," she said.

But at least one watch group that has urged the FCC to levy harsher fines for questionable programming said the broadcast should go ahead.

The group, the Parents Television Council, said in a statement on its Web site that "context is everything."


"We agreed with the FCC on its ruling that the airing of "Schindler's List" on television was not indecent and we feel that "Saving Private Ryan" is in the same category," it said. "In both films, the content is not meant to shock, nor is it gratuitous."

WOI-TV's Cole noted that the station is still concerned even though it has shown "Saving Private Ryan" in prime time on two previous occasions.

Since those broadcasts, however, the FCC has taken a strong stand recently against obscenity and profanity -- especially after the raunchy half-time show during the last Super Bowl telecast. Fines also have been levied for radio shows hosted by "shock jocks."

Another affiliate, WSB-TV in Atlanta, said it asked ABC for permission to air the film after 10 p.m. and to have the option to edit some of the scenes.

"ABC would not allow that, nor would it give permission for us to edit out the graphic language," said WSB-TV General Manager Greg Stone in a statement.

"With no options available regarding the preparation of the movie or altering the start time, we decided to pre-empt the network on this night," he added.

Instead, WSB-TV will air several programs produced by its staff.

A fellow affiliate, South Carolina's WSOC-TV, said in a statement on its Web site that ABC's contract with Steven Spielberg prohibits stations carrying the film to edit its content.

CORRECTION

An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified ABC affiliate WSOC-TV as WSCO-TV. We regret the error.


WSOC-TV said it made its decision to withdraw "Saving Private Ryan" amid the war in Iraq and concerns about FCC penalties.

In addition, Sinclair Broadcasting Corp.'s six ABC affiliates will not air the program, according to a spokeswoman for affiliate WGGB-TV in Springfield, Mass. Sinclair affiliates in North Carolina, West Virginia, Ohio, Alabama and Massachusetts were also affected.

ABC, a unit of Walt Disney Co. (Research), has said it is proud to air the 1999 film again.

"As in the past, this broadcast will contain appropriate and clear advisories and parental guidelines, and, as customary, we will provide advance screenings for ABC affiliates and advertisers," the network said in a statement.

[FORD]

Ken Schram Commentary: There Is No Saving Private Ryan

November 11, 2004

By Ken Schram

SEATTLE - There is no 'Saving Private Ryan'.

At least not at the almost two-dozen ABC affiliates that are too intimidated to air the award-winning movie.

I honestly don't know who's more at fault for this stupidity.

The FCC?

It sure has set the tone with its sudden strangle-hold on all things "indecent."

Of course, the FCC won't specify just what "indecent" means.

In typical bureaucratic double-speak, it says that would amount to censorship.

How about those simpering, whimpering broadcasters?

They regularly air crap that doesn't tweak what conscience they might have, but an honest depiction of war leaves them legally queasy.

What hypocrites.

And speaking of hypocrites, let's not overlook those raging conservatives who've been squirming in their Barcaloungers ever since Janet Jackson's boob got 2 seconds of accidental air time.

They set the stage for what we're dealing with right now.

So for all the veterans who fought and died preserving freedom; for all those who are fighting and dying today, I wish Private Ryan could have been saved for you.

Instead, we're becoming a nation of the self-righteous and self-absorbed who'd better start looking to save ourselves.

Want to share your thoughts with Ken Schram? You can e-mail him at kenschram@komo4news.com

[FORD]

And I personally find it sickeningly hypocritical that the Sinclair Fascist Broadcasting Nazi Corporation will censor ABC when showing the names and faces of those killed in Iraq on Memorial Day, and a realistic portrayal of WWII on Veterans day, but has absolutely no reservations at all about a grossly distorted portrayal of the Vietnam War era right before election day.

[Ally_Kat]

Why don't you guys start with the watch groups that are going to be the ones hounding the FCC to take care of the "filth" that is hurting our children?

Seriously.

Schindler's List was showin in its entirity. So was the film footage from 9/11. Did that cause problems? No.

The reason that whole Janet Jackson thing went how it did was because everyone acted as if they've never seen a tit before. It was made into this OMGscandle and some people looked for a reaction from the FCC. And I can bet you these people were the watch groups. "Think of the children!!" You know the type. If everyone had acted cool, it would have been forgotten by that Wed.

I highly doubt anyone will say anything about Saving Private Ryan, and those affiliates are acting like big, stinking, wet pussies.

[lms2]

Kansas is showing it, and my son it watching it, again. ;)

[conmee]

FORD,

I'm not sure if you can edit Thread Titles or not, but I noticed you closed down the ABC News/Private Ryan thread and pointed to this thread for ongoing discussion on that topic. Just for clarity's sake, I've edited this thread to let folks know that that topic is covered in here. Unless it's obvious when closing dup threads, change the thread title a bit to reflect the change. Also, if you can't do that, let me know, and I'll either give you that mod power, or if I can't, I'll change the thread myself.

SIEG OIL!!!
BCE UBER ALLES!!!

Icon.

[Nickdfresh]

One war is ended, one continues...

[BigBadBrian]

One war is ended, one continues...

I don't know why I've never read this book (I'm reading it now), though I've read other accounts on Operation Anaconda. I'm sure you've probably read this one, Nick:

(click image for link)
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ESJGT8VXL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg (http://www.amazon.com/Not-Good-Day-Die-Operation/dp/0425207870/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1352642512&sr=1-1&keywords=not+a+good+day+to+die)

[Nickdfresh]

I haven't read it, haven't read anything on Afghanistan yet. I've got this on order though:

http://www.amazon.com/Better-War-Unexamined-Victories-Americas/dp/0156013096#reader_0156013096

I guess most major political and military figures including Obama and McCain read the above book...