Saturday, September 15, 2007

Tony backs the troops

This is cool – Sopranos star James Gandolfini has made a documentary, Alive Day, honouring US troops wounded in Iraq. You can watch it online right now, and read an interview with Gandolfini.

Some in the media, and some commenters on a forum discussing the film, have embraced it as anti-war, because it featured the soldiers they claim are 'forgotten' and 'hidden' by the Bush administration (funny, but I've had no trouble finding dozens of articles on wounded vets both online and in British newspapers and magazines). As usual, they see the wounded as helpless victims.

However, the soldiers and Marines interviewed are proud of their service, several are still in uniform, and they don't want anyone feeling sorry for them. And while I don't know where Gandolfini stands in terms of the wisdom or otherwise of invading Iraq, he's made it clear that he's in favour of winning the war. If some at HBO thought they were making an anti-war film, Gandolfini certainly didn't. That's not to say it's pro-war either – it doesn't preach, it just lets the soldiers tell their stories, and it's moving and inspiring.

More background here, including this from Gandolfini on insurgent videos featured in the film:

"You hear them saying prayers after they blow up a jeep. It makes you want to pick up a gun and kill somebody."

Watch the film, and pass it around.

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