Yes…Let’s Do The Math For Those Confused War-Mongers!
Out of curiosity, I went on to read the message sent to my personal e-mail. It read: “These are some rather eye-opening facts: since the start of the war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan, the sacrifice has been enormous. In the time period from the invasion of Iraq in March 2003 thorugh now, we have lost over 3000 military personnel to enemy action and accidents. As tragic as the loss of any member of the US armed forces is, consider the following statistics: Here are annual fatalities of military members while actively serving in the armed forces from 1980 thorugh 2006:…”
First point: the total of military personnel fatalities is over 3700 at this point, rising every single day. This incorrect figure right from the start didn’t give too much credence to what I would go on to read, but any way, I decided to read on…
The author of the message goes on to carefully list, year by year, the total number of military deaths which occurred throughout the various past 26 years. The author includes statistics which reflect, he thinks, a startling revelation - that fewer deaths have occurred during the current administration than did during the administrations, of most notably in his opinion, the Carter and Clinton administrations.
The author goes on to proclaim in victorious terms, “If you are confused when you look at these figures, so was I. Do these figures mean that the loss from the last two latest conflicts in the middle east are less than the loss of military personnel during Mr. Clinton’s presidency when America wasn’t even involved in a war? And, I was even more confused whenI read that in 1980 during the reign of President (Nobel Peace Prize) Jimmy Carter, there were 2392 Us military fatalities! These figures indicate that many of our media and policiticians will pick and choose. They present only those facts which support their agenda-driven reporting. Our mainstream print and tv media and many politicians like to slant; that these brave men and women who are losing their lives in Iraq are mostly minorities. Wrong again…Just one more media lie. the latest census show the following distribution by race:
European descet (white)…….69.12%
Hispanic………………………….12.5%
Black………………………………12.3%
Asian………………………………3.7%
Native American………………..1.0%
Other……………………………….2.6%
The author sums up his thesis: “…You do the math! These figures don’t lie. but media-liars figure…and they sway the public opinion! Now ask yourself these two questions: Why does the mainstream media print and tv media never print statistics like these? and Why do we have to find out this information on the web?”
And now - My turn to respond! :
Yes, it is true - statistics can be used, exploited and manipulated to express one’s particular slanted political agenda. Certainly this message is such a case in point. Not only that, it is just plain creepy. Who, but a Republican ,would go to such great lengths to make the argument which supports killing?
And so what is the point here? Is this comparitive study of total annual deaths an attempt to justify the numbers of deaths that have occurred in the current occupation in Iraq? The pro-war people use these kinds of figures to rationalize, how somehow it is not a startling tragic figure that nearly 4000 military members have been killed during this current and ongoing bloodbath in Iraq. The pro-Bush people use terms such as “collateral damages,” when referring to deaths, injuries, and dismembered arms and legs. This cold antiseptic right wing way of viewing the serious subject of death is an attempt to hide many of the true statistics, as follows:
(1) The total deaths of American men and women (now exceeding 3700 fatalities) and tragically building each and every day, while recruitment efforts are becoming an all time act of desperation.
(2) The wounded and injured thousands of military personnel, which includes those who have lost arms, legs, faces and other body parts. One in three of soldiers in the current occupation suffers from PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder).
(3) The deaths of 800,000 plus Iraq citizens, many of whom have included innocent non-military women and children. (Take note: Republicans never consider these deaths as significant. Why not?)
(4) The deaths and seriously injured private citizens hired and contracted by the US government to help rebuild the Iraq infrastructure. To date, these figures number in the several thousands. Republicans never include these statistics, which are certainly a large portion of the total fatalities.
(5) The numbers of those killed and wounded by mercenary organizations such as Blackwater. Only a few weeks ago, 17 innocent Iraq citizens were killed.
Interesting how the author of the e-mail goes to such great lengths to compare and contrast deaths incurred during previous administrations, and yet he falls prey to the very culprit he indicates as being “slanted” and a matter of “picking and choosing” statistics which support slanted and agenda driven points of view. He admits to being “confused.” And confused, he most certainly is, for he is attempting here, it appears, to be making an argument that is pro-war, pro-death….Creepy, just creepy.
On the subject of race, Republicans (except for Abraham Lincoln, perhaps) have historically lacked in sympathizing with those who have been discriminated against. For the most part, the right wingers have remained cold on the topic of civil rights, even denying that there is such a thing as racism amongst our institutional, cultural, social, corporate, poltical, educational and certainly military ranks. It comes as no surprise that this right wing self proclaimed mathematician delights in listing (in almost ss storm trooper fashion) the exact percentages of fatalities, sorted in strict analytical fashion - “distribution by race.” Creepy, creepy…
While the author of the e-mail urges the reader to “Do the Math!” any fifth grader who is learning simple percentages would tell you - of course there are fewer fatalities of minorities! Since these populations are fewer amongst the entire American population, likewise, this will be illustrated in proportion when counting total deaths in each group.
In doing this math, why does the author not include statistics which indicate the socio-economic level of those individuals killed in Iraq? The question “some politicians” are raising is not so much about race, as it is income level. How many of those military men and women who died for this cause came from middle-class, lower middle class and poverty stricken homes and families?
As long as we’re DOING THE MATH, here are some mathmatical queries:
- How many of George Bush’s daughters have served in the military for this very noble cause? (Zero)
- How many Americans are totally against the current Iraq War? Answer: 75% against….
- How many weapons of mass destruction were found in Iraq? Answer: Zero…
- How many innocent Iraqi citizens have been killed? Answer: over 700,000 people killed
- How many innocent Iraqi and other mid-eastern soldiers have been apprehended and then tortured?
- How many phone calls and private e-mails of American citizens have been monitored illegally by the US government?
- How many lies have been told to the American citizenry in order to sell the Iraqi war?
Yes…Let’s Please do the math…These Republicans are confused….!!!
(1)
