Canadian Broadcast Corporation program targets ‘Stars Earn Stripes”

Commentary by Kerry Patton

On Monday, Q with Jian Ghomeshi, one of Canadian Broadcast Corporation Radio’s hottest programs, aired a live segment that suggested bias against the American TV program Stars Earn Stripes.

Unfortunately, I felt the program didn’t just attack Stars Earn Stripes.

I felt the attack was directed at an entire nation’s culture and our historical embracement of our veterans.

Robert “Bob” Thompson was the first guest on the CBC who vehemently opposed the Stars Earn Stripes reality television show.

Thompson has zero military background. Perhaps the intent was for Thompson to serve as a guest to discuss the reality show’s structure, audience, ratings, etc. due to his background working as Director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University.

Mr. Thompson did not stick with his presumed role as television critic. He was quick to address the reality show as propaganda that glorifies war. However, his articulation was extremely poor considering he referred to something General Wesley Clark, host of Stars Earn Stripes, had noted on day one of the show—“The show is about paying homage to our men and women who serve.”

The reality television show does not glorify war, and it’s apparent no matter how many times people explain that, the anti-military/anti-service member movement will not listen. As a combat disabled veteran, I know of no service member who would glorify war—simply put, there is nothing glorious about war. Veterans know that better than anyone.

One thing Mr. Thompson failed to understand is the fact that nothing on this show resembles anything like his “upbringings playing war behind his house in the woods with his brother.” The military drills performed are not fun. They are grueling—physically and psychologically demanding—resembling many tasks our special operators routinely perform in battle.

If Mr. Thompson would like to participate in what he defines as a “military dude ranch,”  I would be more than happy to put him through some battle drills. These drills are nothing like the drills one might perform behind the closed doors of Syracuse University—for instance, Thompson could try a mock SERE [Survival, Evasion, Resistance,Escape] school.

At one point, Ghomeshi identified persons who protest the show because of the glorification of war. Bishop Desmund Tutu was named as was Jodi Williams, an anti-landmine advocate and anti-war protester. Others included the name of an Iranian human rights activist and celebrity Sharon Osbourne.

Let’s be clear though. Sharon Osbourne did not protest the show due to a portrayed "glorification of war" as people like Bishop Tutu had. She protested the show because her son, Jack, was incapable of passing the rigorous physical requirement to be on the show due to his current health issues battling MS. 

Even though Jack Osborne was later offered a non-physical part on Stars Earn Stripes, he declined. His mother supported her son like any good mother would. To say she protested the show for any other reason is pure misinformation in my opinion.

Propaganda was the theme of Jian Ghomeshi’s radio interview. In fact, the live segment also brought on David Sirota. For those who may not be familiar with Mr. Sirota, you only need to know one thing about him—he served as a press aid and spokesperson for Bernie Sanders, the independent at-large U.S. representative from Vermont who describes himself as a "democratic socialist."

Sirota claims that the Pentagon funded Stars Earn Stripes and films like Act of Valor. Sorry Dave, Relativity acquired the military movie, Act of Valor, which was independently financed by the Bandito brothers for $12 million—they spent another $30 million promoting it — a large percentage of that paid for four Super Bowl spots.

Mr. Sirota had an issue about Stars Earn Stripes and that issue was the mere fact that the show “makes our military look good.” Well, here is another educational bit for Mr. Sirota—the U.S. military is not good, it is great—truly, the US military is the best in the world that has done more good for humankind than any other nation or international organization.

Two anti-military buffoons were live guests on Q with Jian Ghomeshi. But one person was not live and that was me.

 I was taped for a mere few seconds,  simply providing a “sound bite” as one who actually appreciates Stars Earn Stripes. The CBC would likely never allow someone like myself to be interviewed live because they know I would eat these two demented anti-military propagandists for lunch with facts.

I did not know my sound bite would be used for a radio show that used two live interviewees and a total protest of Stars Earn Stripes.

Any persons reading this may assume that by this writing I am a bit ticked off at the CBC—I am. But more importantly, I am ticked off at the fact that public funding is used to promote a very anti-military agenda.

I support our troops and will do everything and anything to ensure they continually receive the support and respect they deserve. Most importantly, I will be first to step up to the plate to take on any anti-military imbecile like David Sirota and or Robert Thompson if given the chance.

But forget my contribution on the show for a second.

When initially contacted for the interview, I was quick to reach out to a good friend and super-patriot Dale Comstock. Dale served in the US Army’s most elite unit—Delta Force—and was one of the operators on Stars Earn Stripes.

Dale agreed to be interviewed, so I informed the CBC, knowing the show would be aired in the near future. They delayed getting back to me about having Dale on the show for obvious reasons. They could never have someone live on the show like me or Dale Comstock because we would counter every position the CBC and their guests have—simply put, we would ensure their own propaganda was refuted.

The CBC currently makes audio of the interview available online.

An e-mail was sent to the producer of Q with Jian Ghomeshi for comment. However, no comment was returned. Silence among those who work at the CBC is deafening. They, like NPR, have an agenda.

Public funding for propaganda socially conditions the masses. Remember what happened in Nazi Germany before and during World War II—nationally funded media socially conditioned an entire nation into evil genocide-committing monsters—and the West doesn’t need that.

~~Kerry Patton, a combat disabled veteran, is the author of Sociocultural Intelligence: The New Discipline of Intelligence Studies and the children's book American Patriotism. You can follow him on Facebook or at http://www.kerry-patton.com/.