[Vision2020] NPR and Memorial Day

[Donovan Arnold]

Nick,
 
Thanks for sharing. I have heard some incredible stories from WWII and even WWI because of my work with people of advanced age. I think many of the people that were around during WWII and WWI that didn't fight, but were in the world at the time, have some interesting stories too, like what the people thought, and the politics of the time. 
 
I find it interesting that the veteran you talked to was irritated by others not pronouncing Iraqi correctly. I think Iraqi is going to be mispronounced because Iran and Iraq have been at the center of US politics since the mid-1970s. Which means anyone under the age of 40 today was required to talk about Iraq before they had the linguistic skills to properly pronounce a complex foreign sounding name. When a child is six or seven years old, and someone asks, "Where is your Dad?" They cannot pronounce Iraq correctly at that age. However, a six or seven year old, and even younger can say "eye" and "rack". So I think growing up with that pronunciation with our friends, it has become an accepted pronunciation even though technically incorrect. 
 
Also keep in mind FOX News correspondents and viewers want to be able to talk about foreign affairs too. So we must also allow them to use the easier pronunciation of Iraq to be inclusive. 
 
Donovan J. Arnold

From: Nicholas Gier <ngier006 at gmail.com>
To: vision2020 <vision2020 at moscow.com> 
Sent: Monday, May 28, 2012 4:02 PM
Subject: [Vision2020] NPR and Memorial Day


Dear Visionaries: 

I've had several "Driveway Moments" with NPR over the weekend.  First, there was the military doctor who talked about working on two hospital ships anchored off Basra.  Day after day they triaged wounded Iraqi militants and civilians.  Some of us rightly speak out when our troops break the rules, but it is important to salute them when they do things right.

The other piece was from a WWII vet who still has nightmares about a young, blond Aryan "angel" (his own words) that he reluctantly shot. The GI asked him to surrender as a POW but he pulled out a pistol instead.  As you might imagine, it was a very moving account.

And this morning it was "Russ," who served in S. Korea and then two tours of Iraq.  (When are people going to pronounce the country correctly?  It is not Eye-raq and just as it is not Eye-talians!)  Russ was using his college money to get a degree in Social Work so that he could do vet mental health.

To these and thousands of others I salute you.  My only regret is that so many were lost in wars that should not have been waged.

Nick
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