August 20, 2005
Will our veterans of the Iraq conflict end up being treated like Viet Nam Vets?  Only if we allow slanted media to go unchallenged! a column by Nelson Thibodeaux
Firmly implanted into the memories of baby boomers are certain momentous days in our country's history.  Virtually all of us can remember the circumstances when we learned President Kennedy had been shot, and, for some of us, the moment we opened a letter from the United States Selective Service. My letter came in 1968; "Greetings from the United States Selective Service, you are hereby instructed to report to the Federal Post Office in Beaumont, Texas. You will be transported to Houston, Texas where you will receive your pre-induction physical prior to assignment to military service."  As a little side note, for the first time in the history of the United States, the Marine Corps was also filling depleted ranks via a random method as simple as... 1, 2, 3, 4..you are now in the Marine Corps.

Unlike today's all volunteer military, when your number came up in the selective service lottery of life, it was not a request, but an order to report for military duty.  Recent media coverage of aged hippy type-protestors near Crawford, Texas also spur some very unpleasant memories.  Soldiers returning from duty in Viet Nam were not met by local chambers and cheering crowds at the airport. Instead, a uniformed soldier was more likely to be spat on and called baby killers.  Most of these men had not volunteered to fight in an unpopular war, they were called to duty regardless of their personal beliefs in the matter.

Many of us have pledged we will never stand by and allow this type of conduct ever go unchallenged again.  In fact, by the number of magnetic ribbons on automobiles, our numbers are large. Few would disagree that the hateful conduct by the public was spurred on by a media critical of the country's involvement in Viet Nam.

This brings me to the point of this column. On July 2nd,  a parade was held called the Hometown Heroes Parade followed by a ceremony recognizing two brave former CHHS students that had made the ultimate sacrifice in the War of Terror.  Those who attended will tell you there was not a dry eye in the house as the parents of these two soldiers reluctantly agreed to accept the award that designated their sons Colleyville Heroes.  In addition, recent Purple Heart winners were in the crowd, some soldiers were guests of the Salute America's Heroes group that is raising funds to assist returning veterans that have been wounded in the War on Terror.

Colleyville Hometown Heroes Day included a parade of military heroes, capped off by a ceremony sponsored by the City of Colleyville and the Colleyville Lions Club. Local News Only.com covered the event with numerous photos and involvement, while the Colleyville Journal was a sponsor and reported on the ceremony as front page news.

The Colleyville Courier , in stark contrast to the other "locally" owned media source (LNO) and in contrast to the Colleyville Journal, the only other newspaper dedicated to covering the Colleyville area, did not print one word or publish one photograph of the events on that July 2nd weekend.

However, Friday August 19, 2005, the Courier gave front page treatment, with photo, of a Southlake woman (referred to by the Courier's "contributing writer" Debra Edmondson as an "elder stateswoman"), travels to Crawford, Texas to meet protestor Cindy Sheehan.  Sheehan is the California woman who has decided to to use the tragedy of the death of her soldier son, in her effort to become a martyr.  

While the Courier ignored the tribute in Colleyville that honored our military, it printed this statement from Sheehan on the front page, "Too bad they did not pound on Bush before the war like they are pounding on a grieving mother."

These comments would merit the Courier's FRONT PAGE coverage, but two respected Colleyville and Grapevine families, that lost loved ones in the War, didn't get any coverage during a day that honored their sons and strived to provide a precious memory of a community's caring for these families.

There are many diverse opinions about the Iraq war, but the overwhelming majority of us have made a commitment that, regardless of differences, we shall never allow those differences to result in a disrespect or lack of honor for our soldiers.

We have seen this joke of a newspaper attack local people personally with trumped up charges that wouldn't have been printed in a legitimate high school newspaper.  Obviously, as a recipient of some of their "investigative" reporting by Colleyville's Lou Costello reporter directed by the Courier's Editor, the other half of the comedy team, I take anything it does with a tiny grain of salt.

However, I must admit the front page story of a Southlake woman traveling to Crawford  to support a protesting mother, who lost a son in the military that he proudly had volunteered to serve in, versus totally ignoring a patriotic day honoring our military heroes in Colleyville, speaks volumes about which local media source is really in step with the overwhelming majority of local citizens.

Why not cover the Colleyville activity by a local newspaper, instead of something happening in Crawford, Texas?  In the late 1960s,  the hatred for our soldiers was perpetuated by a liberal media embellishing the importance, numbers and impact of anti-war events.  While at the same time, the media ignored activities of people or events when those people or events did not serve its own political bias.

The Colleyville Courier is reminiscent of the 1960s' style of liberal media reporting. While totally and entirely ignoring Colleyville Hometown Heroes day, attended by a large crowd of local citizens, it embellishes one anti-Bush protestor, from Southlake, with color photo and front page coverage.

While I understand most of the papers seldom avoid an immediate trip to "File 13," perhaps citizens should pick up the latest copy, August 19, 2005, of the Colleyville Courier. What an amazing stretch to include one Bush protestor as somehow being worthy of local news.  After you are read the anti-Bush propaganda, perhaps you may want to check out the advertisers that are making it possible to have this message come to your mailbox each week.  Perhaps you should speak to those who are alleged owners of the Courier.  Perhaps you should demand those advertisers and owners require the Courier give equal coverage to patriotic Colleyville citizens as they do one Bush war protestor.

While television and other media covered the Colleyville Hometown Heroes Day, the Courier's Costello, or anyone else on the Courier's behalf, were nowhere in site.  If they would have bothered to cover this LOCAL news event, they would have seen a large crowd of local citizens that have a different tactic supporting our President and the military. Local News Only.com will generously make available to the Courier numerous photos, at no fee, the Courier simply has to agree to provide some equal coverage to those of a different opinion. We all know our friends at the Courier read LNO, so our offer has now been delivered to them and to the public at large!

Perhaps, you should tell those advertisers, that are currently providing the Courier the financial means to print and deliver this bias drivel, you would be much more likely to do business with them if  they made a donation to the Coalition to Salute America's Heroes , a group helping severely wounded and disabled War on Terror veterans rebuild their shattered lives. 

Or they could just continue to purchase advertising and help the local anti-Bush  newsletter spread its propaganda while ignoring coverage from those with a different view.   Of course, its always your choice where you spend your money, maybe the advertisers should be reminded of this fact as well. 

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