Body Bags Are Now "Transfer Tubes"

[QC]

In yet another clue that the Bu$h Administration thinks 1984 is an instruction manual, they have devised an especially lovely little bit of Newspeak:

But today's military doesn't even use the words "body bags" — a term in common usage during the Vietnam War, when 58,000 Americans died.

During the 1991 Persian Gulf War, the Pentagon began calling them "human remains pouches" and it now refers to them as "transfer tubes."

My classes start reading 1984 this week, and I will be sure to use this as an example.

Has any administration ever sought to manipulate us so brazenly? Every time we think they've hit rock bottom, they go lower. These people are our real enemies, not fellow Democrats.

Link

[Cat Atomic]

1. Transfer Tube holds one (1) used Soul Receptacle.

It almost sounds fun.

[LeftHander]

13. Beam me up scotty??

Sick.

Next they will call it a Freedom Sack....

[kodi]

2. didn't you get rove's memo on this? next its death without dying.

[Coldgothicwoman]

3. Expired.

Like a magazine subscription. <<All credit to George Carlin for that meme>>

Its sad. Carlin actually does have a great skit about Euphemistic Language. Some of it I disagree with, but on a lot of it he's pretty accurate.

[elperromagico]

6. No, no. "Evidence of Success"

"And in today's news, more Evidence of Success arrived home today in a Transfer Tube."

[scottcsmith]

4. What a disgrace

As a veteran it angers me so much that the Bush Administration is doing everything it can to sweep under the rug the reality that people are dying in a bogus war. God forbid images are broadcast of dead soldiers coming home. Of course Bush knows public support will turn if people start seeing lots of body bags. I participate in many liberal/conservative style newsgroups, and I make it a point to mention the number of casualties from this war. A Conservative response is usually along the lines of "Yes, but 35 people died in car crashes today." Like George Carlin said, "Conservatives want live babies so they can raise them to be dead soldiers."

[Coldgothicwoman]

5. It is sickening.

Another Carlinism. "If you're pre-born, you're okay, if you're preschool, you're fucked!"

[ComerPerro]

9. Hi!

Man, I hate that rationalization. "Yeah, but 35 people died in car crashes today".
So, the war is only bad when over 35 people die per day? Or will they find some other arbitrary stat. Soon, we will hear, "Yes, but I will gladly risk those lives to prevent another 3,000 Americans dying in a terrorist attack." Sorry, asshole, but the only life you should be willing to risk is your own. And since you are here in the states and not in the military, you don't even seem to be concerned enough to risk your own life. So fuck off.

Anyway, welcome to DU!!

:hi:

Sorry, I get caught up in my own rhetoric sometimes. The trend we are seeing now of armchair warriors really pisses me off to no end.

I think I really get upset about this because I am a college student. So I am in the age group to go and be a meat shield for Haliburton. Whenever some asshole College Republican tells me that we should support the war and the president, I tell them to prove it and enlist. Of course, they have too many important things to do, so they just "can't" enlist. But, they would. Sure...

[meow2u3]

11. Conservatives' slogan should read as such:

Don't kill your kids: Let us do it for you--on the battlefield, in prison, or on the streets fending for yourself.

[TastyArmageddon]

7. hahaha

Wow, this sounds like it came from The Onion. I guess I should expect no less from BushCo.

[leetrisck]

8. When the Pentagon orders "transfer tubes", the public

will not notice - they would if Pentagon ordered body bags. Called C-Span about this the other morning after reading it in an article - infuriates me - said I wanted Americans to know their relatives were coming home in flag-drapped aluminum tubes - it's just the idea that everything is so hidden. Also, a new morgue at Dover Air Force Base.

[jonoboy]

10. altered state

[truthspeaker]

12. "Yeah, but 35 people died in car crashes today".

Maybe, but George W. Bush didn't order those 35 people to run in traffic.

[UTUSN]

14. BEATTIE Editorial Cartoon