Excerpt: "Military training is not to be compared, subtly or otherwise, with athletic competition by showing commercials throughout the Olympics. Preparing for war is neither amusing nor entertaining."

NBC's new show 'Stars Earn Stripes' is drawing fire from the anti-war community. (photo: NBC)

Nobel Peace Prize Laureates to NBC: Cancel 'Stars Earn Stripes'

By Desmond Tutu, Mairead Maguire, Shirin Ebadi, et al., Guardian UK

14 August 12

As Nobel Peace Prize laureates, we call on NBC to cancel this reality TV show that likens military combat to Olympic athletics.

uring the Olympics, touted as a time for comity and peace among nations, millions [in North America] first learned that NBC would be premiering a new "reality" TV show. The commercials announcing "Stars Earn Stripes" were shown, seemingly endlessly, throughout the athletic competition, noting that its premier would be Monday 13 August, following the end of the Olympic Games.

That might seem innocuous since spectacular, high-budget sporting events of all types are regular venues for airing new products, televisions shows and movies. But "Stars Earn Stripes" is not just another reality show. Hosted by retired four-star General Wesley Clark, the program pairs minor celebrities with US military personnel and puts them through simulated military training, including some live-fire drills and helicopter drops. The official NBC website for the show touts "the fast-paced competition" as "pay[ing] homage to the men and women who serve in the US armed forces and our first-responder services".

It is our belief that this program pays homage to no one anywhere and continues and expands on an inglorious tradition of glorifying war and armed violence. Military training is not to be compared, subtly or otherwise, with athletic competition by showing commercials throughout the Olympics. Preparing for war is neither amusing nor entertaining.

Real war is down-in-the-dirt deadly. People - military and civilians - die in ways that are anything but entertaining. Communities and societies are ripped apart in armed conflict and the aftermath can be as deadly, as the war itself as simmering animosities are unleashed in horrific spirals of violence. War, whether relatively shortlived or going on for decades as in too many parts of the world, leaves deep scars that can take generations to overcome - if ever.

Trying to somehow sanitize war by likening it to an athletic competition further calls into question the morality and ethics of linking the military anywhere with the entertainment industry in barely veiled efforts to make war and its multitudinous costs more palatable to the public.

The long history of collaboration between militaries and civilian media and entertainment - and not just in the United States - appears to be getting murkier and in many ways more threatening to efforts to resolve our common problems through nonviolent means. Active-duty soldiers already perform in Hollywood movies, "embedded" media ride with soldier in combat situations, and now NBC is working with the military to attempt to turn deadly military training into a sanitized "reality" TV show that reveals absolutely nothing of the reality of being a soldier in war or the consequences of war. What is next?

As people who have seen too many faces of armed conflict and violence and who have worked for decades to try to stop the seemingly unending march toward the increased militarization of societies and the desensitization of people to the realities and consequences of war, we add our voices and our support to those protesting "Stars Earn Stripes". We, too, call upon NBC stop airing this program that pays homage to no one, and is a massive disservice to those who live and die in armed conflict and suffer its consequences long after the guns of war fall silent.

Sincerely,

Jody Williams, Nobel Peace Prize, 1997
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, 1984
Mairead Maguire, 1977
Dr Shirin Ebadi, 2003
President José Ramos-Horta, 1996
Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, 1980
President Oscar Arias Sanchez, 1987
Rigoberta Menchú Tum, 1992
Betty Williams, 1977

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-22 # universlman 2012-08-14 15:57

Violent TV shows, movies and images are part of every American child's upbringing. It seems strange to single out one show, but perhaps an alternative approach has to start somewhere.

We cherish several odd ideas in the way we bring up our kids. Perhaps it is so they can survive as adults in our relatively violent society.

+4 # hd70642 2012-08-15 00:08

We cherish several odd ideas in the way we bring up our kids. Perhaps it is so they can survive as adults in our relatively violent society.
Wars should be fought as self defence not corpotate errands crusades and snipe hunts like Iraq . Perhaps if they paid greater attention to economic mess instead being a slave to repubilcan't ideas like cateeringn to the military industrial complex and dis guard the following ideas al together out sourcing privatization deregulation continual undeserved breaks for the wealthy and thinking more enemies than problems that can solved exist .Wars should only be only self defence not corporate errands

+14 # hd70642 2012-08-15 02:34

Aside from the perils of combat war is filthy noplace in a combat zone to use the rest room or bathe or change your clothes and the quality of food and water most pets would run away from and just think the body lice soldiers over the years have picked up . Funny how earn your stripes undoubletly failed to mention that detail

+32 # lisamoskow 2012-08-14 18:57

Thank you!

War is not some kind of fashion show....

+5 # MidwestTom 2012-08-14 19:50

Was our Nobel Peace Prize winning President too busy planning our coming war with ran to make this list?

+33 # PABLO DIABLO 2012-08-14 20:05

THANK YOU for your stand. Not only have our soldiers died in war, but now an equal number have died by suicide. I find NO entertainment value in either, only extreme sadness.

+27 # DPM 2012-08-14 20:23

One more step towards actual gladiatorial combat to the death for the mass media. American "drones" will love it!

+2 # hd70642 2012-08-14 23:58

Again the virulent influence of corporate media on this culture and that is not to mention the corporate control on academia . REALLY IF WAR IS so fun and glorieast how come the wealthy avoid as much as they do an honest days work . Their idea of a work ethic of benefiting off other peoples toil now they want to return to the days where people threw their lives away so they can get rich off other people's death with out any body asking too many unpatriotic questions. I am no pascifist but lives should never be sqandered on corporate errands to make the world safe for wall street . Only when this nation has no choice but get in there to win

+12 # Jyl 2012-08-15 01:56

Well indeed. When soldiers return with only half their bodies remaining, with suicidal intent, or with PTSD, no longer able to cope with family life or society in general, they are suddenly treated as second class citizens, rather than as heroes. Many remain homeless and ever banished to the fringe of society, for lack of care. Yes, for certain, war makes a man a man, then often creates a reject. Let's celebrate the occasion by bragging about and flaunting these facts. As well, isn't it the Hospitalized Veterans' Charity that hasn't had much, if anything, to do with veterans at all, but has supported opulent living by its self-serving administrators? All the "celebrities" associated with it are desperate to distance themselves, including the Bushes. With a bit of luck, the "stars" involved in NBC's latest ridiculous idea towards a ratings grab will choose to do the same.

+15 # cjequine 2012-08-15 02:10

I can't believe Wesley Clark would let his name be associated with trash like this.

+22 # tedrey 2012-08-15 04:32

Another point to be emphasized. By continual showing of this monstrosity DURING THE OLYMPICS, which are supposed to symbolize the desire for peace between the nations, the image of America has been set back immeasurably in the eyes of the world.

+20 # Glen 2012-08-15 05:05

I signed a petition to NBC to put a stop to this program without ever seeing it. The theme was enough to convince any sane person to protest.

tedrey says it nicely: "the image of America has been set back immeasurably in the eyes of the world." You can bet, though, there will be kids who are allowed to watch it.

+14 # panhead49 2012-08-15 06:41

Concur cjequine - I am stunned he would touch this extremely horrible, terrible absolutely no good idea in any fashion. Sad day, I used to admire Wes Clark. Glen, where is this petition of which you post, I'd like to sign it also. For the record, I am a vet. As are both sons, as are all ancestors back to at least the Revolutionary War. War is a lot of things but a game show surely is NOT one of them. Shame on you NBC and Wes Clark. And shame on anyone that watches this bullshit!!!

+1 # Glen 2012-08-15 09:39

It is Roots Action. It's a .org site. I receive newletters regularly from them. Perhaps I can post the actual email from them.

+3 # Glen 2012-08-15 09:43

--The RootsAction team

P.S. RootsAction is an independent online force endorsed by Jim Hightower, Barbara Ehrenreich, Cornel West, Daniel Ellsberg, Glenn Greenwald, Naomi Klein, Bill Fletcher Jr., Laura Flanders, former U.S. Senator James Abourezk, Coleen Rowley, and many others.

-Background:
Nine Nobel Peace Laureates Call on NBC to Cancel "Stars Earn Stripes"

NBC's "Stars Earn Stripes" -- produced by the TV “genius” behind Donald Trump’s “Apprentice” and “Sarah Palin’s Alaska.” (Husband Todd Palin is a “Stars Earn Stripes” co-star.)

Democracy Now! Confronts Wesley Clark Over His Bombing Of Civilians -- During the 1999 bombing of Yugoslavia commanded by Gen. Wesley Clark, civilians and a TV station were bombed, while cluster bombs and depleted uranium were used. (Had Clark done these things for another nation, NBC would probably favor his prosecution and certainly not employ him.)

New York Times: Behind TV Analysts, Pentagon’s Hidden Hand
Glenn Greenwald: The Pulizer-Winning Investigation That Dare Not Be Uttered on TV -- NBC news programs have repeatedly used retired generals, pretending independence but getting their pro-war talking points from the Pentagon.

+8 # Jyl 2012-08-15 07:03

I concur, as well, Panhead. Look at Colin Powell, another prime example of money over mind.

+4 # balconesfalk 2012-08-15 08:06

The infernal, ubiquitous shoot "n" smash video games are blatant training for war that starts younger and younger. This atrocity of entertainment television is another reason to not even touch the remote control's "ON" button. The entertainment industry, aka show business, is the worst of whores. They have no scruples--if it might sell they will produce it. I can't wait to sign the petition that was mentioned. Shame on you, NBC!

+2 # ilenewells 2012-08-15 10:36

I realize you are saying the entertainment industry is full of people whoa re willing to sell themselves, but they are willingly doing that to make a quick buck with the least amount of cost, regardless of what kind of crap they put out. However, I would say they are more like pimps and pushers... many women are forced into selling themselves - sex trafficking is horrendous - and are actually victims.

+2 # ilenewells 2012-08-15 10:28

Notice that the cleavage of two of the women are showing, and all three have their hair long and flowing. They should have shorn those locks on day one. This is sexualizing women as combatants...no wonder so many sexual assaults in the military.

0 # balconesfalk 2012-08-15 10:58

I came up with an even better idea: I'd bet that truth tv would draw an even bigger audience. I can just see it now: "CSI Iraq," or CSI Afghanistan. There could even be a third setting, CSI Syria.

+1 # balconesfalk 2012-08-15 11:03

I even have an even better idea: Give the disabled veterans a chance to present the other side, the truth of war: I'd bet that truth tv would draw an even bigger audience. I can just see it now: "CSI Iraq," or CSI Afghanistan. There could even be a third setting, CSI Syria.

+4 # panhead49 2012-08-15 12:28

Thank you very much Glen for the additional information.

+2 # Glen 2012-08-15 15:21

You are welcome. We should share various sources such as this.

+1 # Capn Canard 2012-08-16 11:18

I will not watch this piece of garbage. I saw the ads and nearly lost my lunch, it is such disgusting jingoistic crap. A horrible embarrassment for all Americans.

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