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The Mythology of Private Lynch
Okay, we’re beating a dead horse, here. But, like all good myths that somehow become American history, this one, too, demands reexamination. And, like all pieces of American history that survive the times, most of it is true, but, certainly, some is conjectured by those who document it. What is most definitely true is that Private Jessica Lynch is fast becoming a household name. Also true is that Americans, of all persuasions, sympathized with the young Palestine, Virginia woman when we saw her innocent face splashed across our screens. We were alarmed and angry that the enemy would abduct the woman, and do whatever it is they do to brave, young soldiers. An afterthought for most of us, were the nine soldiers, Lynch’s colleagues, killed in that same ambush. The problem in this piece of history that has grown into a saga of great proportions; is that only a small part of it might be true, and it’s already being documented for the history books. Not only is it likely that Lynch’s plight may not have been as terrible as reported, but even more alarming is the possibility that the televised rescue might have very well been orchestrated…by our military leaders. Nothing personal against Miss Lynch, but our sympathy might have been grossly misplaced. The families of the nine fellow soldiers - who didn’t live, or receive special attention from doctors, deserved more from us, from the media, and certainly from the military. A testament, however to Miss Lynch’s integrity, was the televised admission that she is, at most, an involuntary American hero. Even with this admission, the publicity wheels are still churning to make the young soldier much more than she admits. She will become a media and Hollywood star whether she likes it or not. Never mind that her credentials are basically that she was in the right place at the right time. While she does deserve accolades for coming forth with the truth, the question remains, whether her delayed truth is worthy of a purple heart, or a bronze star. There are some Americans, however, that actually find this new information on Lynch’s rescue, unsettling, at best. First, is the realization that our military leaders went to such lengths, staging a Hollywood-style rescue to garner good will for a war that made more enemies than allies. And, lastly, that the American media is so unquestioning, when it suits them. And, even had the whole story been true; what qualified this human interest story, to be elevated to ongoing breaking news - overshadowing the real news of men and women dying in Iraq. True, we’re cultivating old news, and beating a dead horse on this one. But, now that this new reality is out, shouldn’t we be just a little outraged…that America, and our allies have been bamboozled, waggled, and duped? Not just you and me, watching from the sidelines; but Shoshanna, and her family; the families of Private Lynch’s nine dead colleagues, and all the rest of the soldiers, and families of victims who receive scant attention for risking and giving their lives for this war. America, sometimes, prefers rose-colored reality. It certainly makes getting through our days a lot easier. Perhaps that is the answer to why so many Americans continue to support the myth of Private Lynch’s rescue, and argue that the girl was abducted, and hurt; and, even though she doesn’t remember any abuses…you just never know. Where is our patriotism, they ask, that we should question the military, their tactics, and the reality of a young girl’s rescue from the enemy? Most Americans, even those of us who refuse the rose-colored reality, hold no ill feelings toward Miss Lynch. The craw in our throats, however, is that it is now pretty evident that the heroic rescue never took place. No brave American soldiers pitted their life and safety against the enemy to save Jessica Lynch’s life. In fact, we now know that the media’s footage looked so much like a page from a Schwarzenegger movie, because it probably was. What gives this new story most credibility is that it wasn’t our enemies, but our allies, who aired the other truth, “War Stories,” on Britain’s public television network. For some of us, it’s virtually impossible to mention Private Lynch without thinking of Army Specialist Shoshana Johnson. In dissecting the two abductions, we find that the only real difference between Shoshana and Jessica are a few pounds, a darker tan, and the texture of the hair. The difference, however, in their service to this country, are real. Shoshana, held by her abductors for 22 days, suffered serious injuries at the hands of the enemies, received no special treatment, and no doting nurse sang to her at night. The greatest difference between these two women’s lives, today, - thanks to the Pentagon, the American press &133;and, now the NY publishing houses and Hollywood; is that Private Lynch is a media star, and a hero of mythological proportions, while Army Specialist Shoshana Johnson’s fame has come and gone, as she gets by on an 80% disability benefit. No one blames Jessica for this mess. We can’t even blame the media for trying to shine a bright light on a dismal picture of war; or Hollywood for &133; doing what they do best, defining, for us, what is good about America. But, the third and final craw in, at least, black America’s throat, is the taint of racism, here. Oh, were it a world, in which we could easily dismiss cries of racism as just that. How comforting to believe that had Jessica been a pretty, young black girl from Palestine, Virginia; Hollywood, the publishing world and the talk shows would still have come a courting. It is a brave soldier’s story, after all&133; right? The problem, the craw in many a throat&133;is that racism never stops, never lets up &133;not even amidst a horrible war, on the other side of the world, where our young are risking their lives for peace and freedom. The American media, Hollywood, and yes&133; the Pentagon, knew a commercial thing when they saw it. While it’s unfair to blame Jessica for America’s shameful antics, America’s shameful antics are certainly a slap in the face of our young soldiers who have fought and died in this war, without the propaganda machine to magnify their contributions. Americans deserve better. Janis F. Kearney is a Chicago writer, former journalist and diarist to President Bill Clinton. A Harvard W.E.B. Du Bois Fellow, she is currently completing William Jefferson Clinton from Hope to Harlem; and a personal memoir, Cotton Field of Dreams. Kearney Communications 5138 S. Kenwood Ave.#2 Chicago, IL 60615 (773) 493-2007 --ph (773) 493-5747 --fax janisfk@aol.com |
