Pat Tillman, a former player for the Arizona Cardinals, has inspired millions of people because of his decision to leave his high-paying NFL gig to join the military, where he died in his service. Dave Zirin, a writer for TheNation.com, has written a scathing piece about how Tillman’s memory is being distorted and used as propaganda.
Arizona State, where Tillman played college ball, wore uniforms with Tillman’s name on the back, as well as shirts with one of his famous quotes on them Thursday night. The quote read, “Passion makes our life interesting, ignites our soul, fuels our love, carries our friendships, stimulates our intellect and pushes our limits.”
Soldier Who Believes He May Have Killed Tillman Speaks
The legacy lives on. #PT42 #teamadidasASU pic.twitter.com/QpQGUaYRvU
— Sun Devil Athletics (@TheSunDevils) October 26, 2015
Zirin wrote the shirts should have said “This war is so f***ing illegal,” because that’s how he felt about the United States’ involvement in Iraq. Tillman was killed in a friendly fire accident, and Zirin took the U.S. military to task for not informing his family quickly enough, and actively covering up Tillman’s criticism of the war.
“I couldn’t put words in Pat’s mouth, but I can say that the camo being worn in Pat’s name should be designed with burn marks,” Rory Fanning, a man who served alongside Tillman, said. “Then it wouldn’t be shameless propaganda but instead would call attention to the fact that Pat’s uniform and diary were burned by the chain of command before his autopsy as they tried to cover up the true cause of his death.”
Tillman’s mother Mary said that his memory is a “caricature” of what her son really as like. She said the perception “was so off that it was like he died twice…. It was very offensive because people just jumped to conclusions, they never talked to him once, they never read anything about him…. He definitely was not in favor of the war in Iraq.”
Then, she said this.
“That is true and that caused concern for us after he was killed. And when the information looks so suspicious and so contradictory–we were concerned that he could have been killed on purpose.”
Tillman’s bravery is inspiring, but if Zirin’s piece is accurate, what has become of Tillman’s legacy is anything but.
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