While wondering whether Osama Bin Laden and Britney Spears have the same publicist--since neither seems to ever go away and both continue to garner major media coverage for the lamest of "news" (OBL's latest dye-job and Brit's over-hyped VMA performance)--I happened to stumble upon an HBO special last night in which former Soprano mafioso James Gandolfini sat down with a group of wounded Iraq War vets for a series of candid interviews about their injuries.
The special, Alive Day Memories is a definite must-see, regardless of your views on this controversial war. As graphic as it is, it still should be required viewing for every American adult. (*Apparently, if you go to the link I've provided, you should be able to watch the special online.)
I've always said that HBO should be included with basic cable if not for the simple fact that most of the TV viewing public is unable to witness the glory of The Flight of the Conchords or to see Bill Maher's show, which happens to be one of the few remaining outlets for genuine political discourse.
While Gandolfini's special was neither mindless entertainment nor thought-provoking political conversation...it was truly a moving piece of journalism that needs to be viewed and discussed by all of us.
The special did a great job of relaying the experience of combat in Iraq without coming across as preachy, patronizing, or condemning. It simply allowed the soldiers to recount their "alive days" (the day they suffered a serious injury yet managed to survive, thus receiving a new lease on life) in simple, straightforward words. Of course, they also told of the long and difficult recoveries they each face and the monumental changes brought to their lives (one female soldier, for example, lost an arm and now worries if she'll ever find love, have a baby--and most important, whether she'd be able to pick up and hold that baby).
Truly depressing stuff, but, of course, that in itself is no reason to avoid this subject matter. On a night when it was possible to lose yourself in the banality of the MTV Awards or the excitement of the NFL's opening weekend, it's also important to remember that there are thousands of young men and women making major sacrifices for us--their fellow countrymen.
Of course, if you know me at all, you know that I'm opposed to the Iraq War. I feel it was the wrong path to take in avenging the culprits of the 9/11 attacks. Still, this special clearly brings home the level of sacrifice these soldiers are asked to make (whether for a just cause or not)...and it also underscores the importance they feel that this war must have a true purpose (that they can't allow themselves to believe that they lost limbs, brain functions, or simply peace of mind, for a misguided war). I wish I could say I believe that, too, but I simply don't.
The special also brings attention to the fact that we focus on the number of dead soldiers (currently, that figure is more than 3,700), while overlooking the large number of seriously wounded (currently at more than 27,000). Of course, this doesn't even begin to address the number of dead Iraqi civilians (which most estimates place in the tens of thousands) and the number of displaced Iraqi civilians (estimated at more than 2 million).
I think it's quite important on a day when Gen. Petraeus is scheduled to tell us we should stay the course with the surge that we also bear in mind the toll this war is taking on our own soldiers--and the Iraqi civilians.
Moerover, it's also important to realize that making it home from the war alive is often just the beginning of the battle for many of our wounded soldiers.