Pat Tillman is an American hero.
He was also the absolute epitome of service and duty.
A man who gave up a $3.6 million contract as a professional NFL football star to serve his country in war as an Army Ranger making $18,000 a year.
He is someone who deeply understood the meaning of the word “duty” and therefore risked and later gave his life to defend our freedom and democracy after the devastating 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York.
He who has sworn an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, to bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of the United States, and to obey the orders of the President of the United States and of the officers commissioned over him.
A man who puts others before himself.
A man who loved his family with the same passionate loyalty he showed to the United States of America.
He was a man of honor, dignity, honesty and integrity, and was loved by his family, friends and colleagues as much as he was by his people.
A man who chose to live a selfless life for low pay rather than become a highly paid celebrity.
Compare and contrast with Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex.
A man who became a prime example of abandonment of service and duty.
A man who gave up serving his country to serve himself.
A man who barely understands the meaning of the word “duty” gave up his job serving the people as a member of the British Royal Family and traded in the royal title he got nothing for to live in California as a greedy, money-hungry celebrity.
Through his actions, he shamefully abandoned his oath to bear “true and faithful allegiance” to both his grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, and his father, the new King Charles III.
A man who always puts himself before others.
A man who degraded, slandered, mocked and embarrassed his own family with astonishing malice and dishonesty.
A man of dishonor, disgrace, dishonesty and complete lack of integrity, now hated by most of his family, many old friends and colleagues, and much of the country.
A man who chose selfishness and an empty Hollywood status over selflessness.
Yet somehow, despite the Grand Canyon-sized gap in class between them, the Duke of Sussex has been selected as this year’s recipient of the annual Pat Tillman Memorial Award, an annual life achievement award established in his honor.
The award is given annually by ESPN to “an individual who has a deep connection to sports and has contributed to others in a way that mirrors the legacy of former NFL players.”
Harry, who previously served in the British Army, was given the medal because he is a leading figure in the Invictus Games, an international sporting event for injured veterans.
But the idea that he’s in any way “reflecting the legacy of Pat Tillman” is a sick joke.
The only people not laughing are Tillman’s own family.
His mother, Mary, is an extraordinary woman who has worked relentlessly and courageously for 20 years to uncover the truth behind her son’s death – initially believed to have been killed by enemy fire in Afghanistan, but later discovered to have been killed by friendly fire from other U.S. soldiers, and that military leaders had been lying about it for so long. He told the Daily Mail“I am astonished as to why such a controversial and divisive person was chosen as the recipient of the award. There are far more deserving recipients. These people do not have the money, resources, connections or privilege that Prince Harry has. I believe these are the types of people who should be honored.”
Her views echo public outrage.
A petition launched to stop the pro-royalty award being presented in Los Angeles later this month has already garnered more than 25,000 signatures.
It states, “Pat Tillman was an example of duty, honor and sacrifice. To present this honor to someone who does not reflect the spirit of the award would dilute the award and disrespect Tillman’s memory.”
that’s right.
In fact, it’s hard to think of anyone less suited to carry on the legacy of someone like Pat Tillman.
Army Rangers live by their creed.
The pledge includes commitments to uphold “good name” and “honor,” “never let down” their comrades, be polite, demonstrate fortitude, lead by example and never give in, and finally concludes with “never under any circumstances do anything to bring shame on their country.”
How will all this take the hateful, rude, petulant scum of a brat who never stops trying to embarrass his country?
Tillman once said, “Somewhere inside us there is a voice that guides us in the direction of who we want to become, but it’s up to us to follow it.”
His inner voice led him to become a patriotic hero.
Harry’s inner voice was guiding him towards the traitor.
Pat Tillman would be writhing in his grave over this tarnishment of his reputation.
