07 December 2008

Veteran Celebrity J.R. Martinez Kickin' Ass on The View

J.R. Martinez is a former 101st soldier, wounded in Karbala in 2003, and is leading the way in being a veteran celebrity by starring in the daytime soap "All My Children". He had a pretty sharp appearance on The View yesterday as well. Having a small population of veterans means they don't leave the same cultural imprint on mass media. It was different in the period after Vietnam when veterans were responsible for award-winning faves like Platoon, Born on the 4th of July, and Hamburger Hill. The unintended consequence of a smaller number of vets in Hollyweird is having the zeitgeist (who've never served) push abominable trash like War Inc. and Redacted to discuss such a significant event in modern history. Hopefully we'll see more JRs in the future to bridge being a veteran to popular culture and less bozos like Mark Cuban who think they know everything about the Iraq war...but don't know shit.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks a million for noticing our true heroes. Another thing people do not realize about JR is that he was such an inspiration to the wounded heroes that came to Brooke Army Medical Center after being injured and burned in Iraq. I was known as JR's Texas mom at the hospital and watched him motivate not only the patients but staff as well. JR recently was part of a huge birthday celebration in New York for a very good friend Marine Sgt Merlin German who was burned 97% in Iraq and survived for three years and too made a huge impact. He founded a foundation called Merlin's Miracles to help burn children and JR was a good fiend to Merlin and volunteers his time to this foundation. Please ask your audience to google Merlin German and read his amazing story. If all these rich people that get fined for doing stupid things would straighten up and give to charities such as Merlin's just think how many kids could be helped in honor of Merlin who gave his life for our freedom as did JR and now is able to motivate.
I could tell you so many awesome stories about both Merlin and JR your head would spin. Thanks you
N. Judith, JR & Merlin's Texas MOM

Nixon said...

N. Judith,

I recall Merlin, he was very inspirational indeed.