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WTAP News

More than a week after Private Jessica Lynch was rescued in Iraq, money, college scholarships and gifts continue to pour in.

Everything from trips to Hawaii and Hungary, flowers, new cars and money have been offered to the 19-year-old Army supply clerk.

The state has even agreed to foot the bill for a party when she returns home to Palestine, West Virginia. Lynch was rescued April 1 from a hospital in Nasiriyah by U.S. commandos. She's now recuperating from several injuries at a military hospital in Germany.

Wirt County Assessor Debbie Hennen has coordinated several fund-raisers for Lynch and her family since March 23, when news came that her 507th Maintenance Company had been attacked in southern Iraq.

Hennen established a bank account, which now contains more than $4000.

Various fund-raising events, from car washes to pig roasts, have raised another $4900 and a local Wal-Mart has pledged $1000.


Donations may be sent to:
The Jessica Lynch Fund, in care of WesBanco, P.O. Box 548, Elizabeth, WV 26143

[Stardust920]

I think we are resoponding to Jessica in this way because it is a "good thing" to focus on or cling to, it is not that we have forgotten the others but we are celebrating her rescue.

[patrioticqueen]

I see no inequity in attention bestowed upon Jessi - at least no more inequity than what very pretty, young women like Jessi receive even under the most ordinary circumstances.

Judges give pretty women lighter sentences. Pretty women can easily gain clout with senior management in the workplace because older men enjoy their company. Men will confide secrets to pretty women that they would never confide to anybody else (Samson and Delilah). Pretty female patients at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, like Jessi, probably receive better care and more attention, as evidenced by the fact the Post Commander personally paid her a visit today.

As for alleged inequity in that other rescued POWs are not receiving similar favor, ask yourself the following question. Whose biography would most people rather read Jessi’s or theirs? Obviously the answer is Jessi’s as evidenced by the fact authors are clamoring for the rights to her story. By contrast, we cannot even remember the names of the other recently rescued POWs.

“Story” is a key concept, too. While every POW has a story to tell, the distinction between theirs and Jessi’s is that Jessi’s story is worth money because Jessi’s story is filled with wholesome, romantic appeal.

The fact that Jessi’s goal in life is to teach kindergarten adds to her charm because the unspoken message is that Jessi cares more about helping people than she cares about making a lot of money.

Everything about Jessi’s upbringing enhances her story. The fact that her parents had never flown on an airplane adds interest because it is so unusual.

The fact that Jessi had never seen an ocean until joining the Army adds interest to her story because it is so unusual.

The fact that her hometown is so small and closely knit with generations of Lynch’s seen in the national news holding a candlelight vigil adds to the story. It adds interest because most of us cannot imagine what it would be like to live in a small town, where everybody knows each other. It is a curiousity.

Equally important to Jessi’s story is that fact that we hear nothing that would detract from her wholesome image. For example, instead of being a disciplinary problem in high school like so many teenagers, Jessi instead played softball and basketball.

The word “Mayberry” in her Palestine street address adds to the charm because it conjures the image of “Andy of Mayberry” where life was simple and troubles were few.

There is something in it for the military's special forces, too. Jessi's daring rescue is a story that will be cited forever as an inspiration to recruit new Navy Seals, etc.

As for offering Jessi scholarships, institutions of higher education in West Virginia are not taking a loss. To the contrary, whatever college Jessi attends will itself enter the limelight with all the positive attributes any limelight entails, and there are a lot.

As for offering Jessi free vacations, every place of business that Jessi visits in Hawaii will commercially profit from the photo opportunity Jessi’s mere presence will present. A photograph of Jessi being served dinner in a restaurant, for example, will thereafter hang on the wall of the restaurant to attract future patrons by reminding them that Jessi had eaten there.

So while Jessi’s vacation may be free, businesses are not taking a loss. They will instead exploit her presence to gain a commercial limelight for themselves on a national level that they could gain no other way.

In particular, everywhere Jessi goes in Hawaii, she will be followed by reports. Jessi’s mere presence will therefore create photo opportunities that will cause businesses in Hawaii to be seen in magazines and other media across the nation, and at no cost to themselves.

Everybody knows life is unfair, anyway; so the fact Jessi is the recipient of seemingly undue attention should be no surprise. But so long as life is unfair, I am at least glad it is Jessi who is receiving the undue attention, rather than somebody else who is less deserving - the latter being more often the case.

Regards,

George Clark

[ra19870347]

I am very surprised by the bitterness that has been written in this column. None of the MIA's, KIA's or the returned POW's will be forgotten. Each of them, thier families, friends and acquaintances (sp) will forever remember. As will I each Memorial Day, Marine Corps birthday, each newscast. Should, in the future, another war be necessary I will remember the heroes of this war, as well the heroes of Afghanastan, 9/11, Desert Storm, Libya and every other conflict before these.

I am proud of her.

Scott
USMC
1983 - 1991

[JetMaxx]

I honestly don't begrudge anything Jessica recieves. I'm very ashamed all I can afford to offer her is a small WebTV homepage in her honor; something she and her family can visit and know how proud we are of her in Georgia; how much we love and appreciate her; how much we care.

Jessica is special....I feel as if she's my own little sister. I feel as if her family is now part of my family. I've cried and prayed for her since March 23, and grieved as if it were my own sister, my own niece. Every time I think of what she endured, what they did to her, I feel tears welling in my eyes. My neighbor was a tank crew member during Desert Storm...he's 6'3 and 225, a rugged guy. Tonight I stood in his living room, both he and his wife in tears. He has a beautiful young wife, we both have little sisters. Its very personal to us, and to many others...I've recieved the emails to prove it.

[fastaljr]

No matter what country they are from, we will be gratefull to all of the men and women that served, in the gulf. I'm sure that when the troops return to the US / UK / Australia etc they will receive a warm welcome not just from their family and friends, but from the public in general and their nations government, for a job well done, and for being a credit to their respective country's.

For every person like the couple that have posted disparaging views on this thread there are probably a hundered people that support the coalition troops.

[bill]

That's a lot of gifts!

*considers giving a gift*

Now 10,000 and counting....

[akwietlade]

we will not forget any of the POWs we couldnt but it is just that jessica seemed to grab mine adn many others attention

[Prayers_from_wirt]

QUOTE (Guest @ Apr 13 2003, 11:41 AM)

Jessica Lynch was doing her job as a military personnel.  I would like to see what the other POWs and KIA will receive upon their return (POWs that is).  I don't think all this hoopla is necessary for someone who was doing her job. No one seems to  be making such a big deal for the KIAs that actually had families to support.  All of Jessica's family can support themselves so why exactly are we donating money when the military is paying for all her medical bills and will compensate her for her duty just as my grandfather was compensated in WWWII.

I think it's great she's getting all these offers,
but to the unregistered user who was obviously too big of a coward to leave his name,
tell me, is it coming out of your pocket that all these area business here are offering her gifts???? And our local fundraisers, are just that LOCAL FUNDRAISERS! We do it when a family is in crisis, we are neighborly, we are big hearted. We care about our friends and neighbors, evidently more so than you.
We have fundraisers when someone looses a loved one, someone is deathly ill, looses their home from fire or flood,etc!
Isnt' that the AMERICAN way???? Isn't that the human way? To care for others????
People like you must have a small heart
Sorry for venting, but people like this just seem to bring it out of me

[Prayers_from_wirt]

QUOTE (scanner2 @ Apr 9 2003, 11:11 AM)

WTAP News More than a week after Private Jessica Lynch was rescued in Iraq, money, college scholarships and gifts continue to pour in. Everything from trips to Hawaii and Hungary, flowers, new cars and money have been offered to the 19-year-old Army supply clerk. The state has even agreed to foot the bill for a party when she returns home to Palestine, West Virginia. Lynch was rescued April 1 from a hospital in Nasiriyah by U.S. commandos. She's now recuperating from several injuries at a military hospital in Germany. Wirt County Assessor Debbie Hennen has coordinated several fund-raisers for Lynch and her family since March 23, when news came that her 507th Maintenance Company had been attacked in southern Iraq. Hennen established a bank account, which now contains more than $4000. Various fund-raising events, from car washes to pig roasts, have raised another $4900 and a local Wal-Mart has pledged $1000. Donations may be sent to: The Jessica Lynch Fund, in care of WesBanco, P.O. Box 548, Elizabeth, WV 26143

Silver coins with Jessi's name and OFFICIAL army (bagdad) time on them are being auctioned on ebay by a guy from Baltimore and the proceeds are being donated to the lynch family.
But, he is also sending one to me for Jessi, just wanted to mention it.
the hearts of our nation!
match the hearts of Jessi's hometown.
being from Wirt County, I just wanted to say, I Love my country,
and for everyone who has shown their support to Jessi and the troops are GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[phntmstrngr]

For those concerned that all veterans are not getting the kinds of "gifts" they deserve, let your actions reflect your heart's concern. Your gift would speak volumes. There are myriad private not-for-profit organizations that assist veterans, and in some cases the families of veterans, in getting compensation and/or assistance for their service from the government, or as often as not, to provide services our government does not.

These include:
Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)(http://www.vfw.org/),
Disabled American Veterans (DAV)(http://www.dav.org/),
Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA)(http://www.pva.org/).

Phntmstrngr