The Political Freakshow

I’m doing this series for one reason. To introduce you, the American people, to the individuals that sacrifice so much for all of us.

Retired Army Gen. Wesley Clark introducing NBC’s new reality/gameshow series “Stars Earn Stripes,” which has prompted an open letter from Archbishop Desmond Tutu and several other Nobel laureates complaining that the show glorifies war and violence. NBC responded: “This show is not a glorification of war, but a glorification of service.” (h/t @PoliticoClick)

You’re going to introduce us to our servicemen and women by showing Nick Lachey and Todd Palin learn how to fire an assault riffle? Why don’t you introduce the American people to the individuals who sacrifice so much by highlighting any of the following realities?:

The suicide rate for active duty soldiers has risen to nearly one a day this year. [source]
A veteran commits suicide every 80 minutes. [source]
“Drug or alcohol use frequently accompanies mental health problems and was involved in 30 percent of the Army’s suicide deaths from 2003 to 2009 and in more than 45 percent of non-fatal suicide attempts from 2005 to 2009.” [source]
One in seven homeless persons has served in the military and veterans are 50% more likely to end up homeless. [source, source]
Homeless veterans are 11% more likely to die on the streets than their non-veteran counterparts. [source]
The unemployment rate for veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan is more than 4 percentage points higher than the national average. [source]
At least 1 in 5 veterans who served in Iraq and/or Afghanistan has PTSD. [source]
At least 50% of veterans seeking treatment for PTSD and other mental health issues related to combat commit domestic violence. Male veterans with PTSD are 2 to 3 times more likely than veterans without PTSD to engage in intimate partner violence and the majority of these veterans commit at least one act of domestic violence. [source]
Nearly 400,000 veterans who served in Iraq and/or Afghanistan sustained a serious brain injury. [source]