Satirical site's mocking of iconic Iwo Jima photo irks Marines, vets. Satire or Dishonor?

SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 09:47:36 -0400

As of Friday, the image — modeled after popular Internet memes — had more than 1,800 shares on the social media network, 7,500 likes and hundreds of comments.

But where many found a quick laugh, others saw disrespect. The most typical criticism accused the folks behind the image of mocking the bravery and sacrifice of the troops who fought, bled and died on Iwo Jima.

http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/2015/06/05/website-mocks-iwo-jima-photo/28542175/

Satirical site's mocking of iconic Iwo Jima photo irks Marines, vets

A satirical website mocked the iconic photograph of the American flag rising up atop Mount Suribachi this week and not everyone found it amusing.

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 8 at 2015 9:50 AM

SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 09:50:22 -0400

Completely disrespectful! But that's my POV SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 8 at 2015 9:55 AM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 09:55:29 -0400

*points*

"Oh look, an idiot."

*walks away*

Response by LTC Stephen C. made Jun 8 at 2015 10:02 AM

LTC Stephen C. — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 10:02:59 -0400

SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S., I'm sure there are some that may think it's satire. However, to make fun of one the most iconic photos/statues/memorials in the country is bad judgement in my opinion. All the services, not just the USMC, should be disappointed in this poor attempt at satire.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Jun 8 at 2015 10:09 AM

CAPT Kevin B. — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 10:09:30 -0400

We military types see the world through a different lens. Our buddies we couldn't save burns a perspective into our hearts that others can't see or understand. So our memorials have more meaning. We tend to feel that satire related to a profound memorial is a half step away from desecration. That line is very blurry.

That said, I'm not put off by the picture above; it's just poor taste. There's a lot of it going around. I will say I have learned to laugh and look for humor in most everything. That was part of my recovery process. I also feel entitled to take friendly jabs at my fellow military and welcome them back. That one wouldn't be in my library.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Jun 8 at 2015 10:42 AM

PO1 John Miller — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 10:42:44 -0400

I actually hadn't heard of this until just now, surprisingly.

Response by CDR Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 8 at 2015 10:50 AM

CDR Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 10:50:35 -0400

I find this completely disrespectful. You want to know how many people it took to raise that flag? 70,000...that's how many. And of those, 6,821 made the ultimate sacrifice in order to make it happen. You don't get more sacred than that!

But, some people just don't get it, and likely never will. If you ask me, they're just a bunch of spoiled ass-wipes who've always had everything handed to them.

Response by SCPO David Lockwood made Jun 8 at 2015 11:05 AM

SCPO David Lockwood — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 11:05:20 -0400

Obviously they have never raised a flag when it was windy out!

Response by Cpl Jeff N. made Jun 8 at 2015 11:15 AM

Cpl Jeff N. — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 11:15:07 -0400

This likely comes from members of generation soft. Three of those men died in the battle, one other was wounded, only two made it off without a physical wound.

People that make comments like that couldn't have made it through boot camp, infantry training, the landing, the patrol up the hill or raising the flag. It would take a dozen of them to carry the skivvy drawers of one of the flag raisers.

Response by WO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 8 at 2015 11:21 AM

WO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 11:21:03 -0400

Here is the thing about comedy, not all of it is funny. Some jokes don't work. Also, some jokes work and just aren't your taste. Is this in bad taste? Probably. But I think sharing it to complain about it only further propagates it.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 8 at 2015 12:25 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 12:25:37 -0400

I don't know about everyone else, but there was a time when this would get me a little angry. Now I lay my head on my pillow each night (or most nights, deployments you know) and I don't give anything that looks anti-military a second thought. You know why, because for the past 239 years there have been people like us who would die for the people who hate us.

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 8 at 2015 12:30 PM

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 12:30:08 -0400

Every joke has a target audience. Some humor plays with your threshold between funny and offensive. This joke obviously wasn't targeted at us. The thing about a joke is that it is rarely ever "respectful."

While I don't find this image particularly funny, I know there are those who would. Should I judge them for that? No. Instead, I should respect the fact that they are exercising a freedom that that flag promotes. Everyone has their sense of humor. Morbidity, Racism, Religious, Satire, Dry. All has its place in comedy. Look at Jeff Dunham and compare him to Daniel Tosh. Some hate one and love the other.

Response by CPT Quentin von Éfáns-Taráfdar made Jun 8 at 2015 12:33 PM

CPT Quentin von Éfáns-Taráfdar — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 12:33:18 -0400

I am neither a Marine nor Navy Corpsman but I find this extremely offensive. It was obviously done by the intellectually challanged. They do not realize the thousands who have died not merely to raise this flag but what it represents. Do they realize that had the been living in one of those dictatorships that we have fought and had made such a satarical site against an icon of that dictatorship they would already be in jail?

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jun 8 at 2015 3:50 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 15:50:38 -0400

It is in poor taste as the picture symbolizes the spirit of winning.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 23 at 2015 3:32 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 23 Jun 2015 15:32:02 -0400

I would punch the artist or artists in the face and then see if they could raise the flag. This just goes along with the flag disrespect that we are seeing.

Response by CPT Quentin von Éfáns-Taráfdar made Jan 14 at 2016 3:27 AM

CPT Quentin von Éfáns-Taráfdar — Thu, 14 Jan 2016 03:27:09 -0500

I have a friend who is a Marine Colonel with whom I exchange barbs about our respective armed services. He sent me a photo of this monument that started a good natured exhange about how many Marines does it take to raise a flag pole. I told him that I didn't know but that the Marines always needed a Navy Corpsmen to show them where to stick it. He thought my response was funny. The difference being that we were both combat veterans, friends and would have never disparaged the fallen. The men who fought in that war witnessed carnage on scale that had never been scene before or since.

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made Jan 22 at 2016 6:19 PM

LTC Paul Labrador — Fri, 22 Jan 2016 18:19:33 -0500

I'd retort that people who think it only takes two guys have never raised a flag pole in a stiff wind before...... ;o)

Response by PO3 David Fries made Jan 22 at 2016 7:21 PM

PO3 David Fries — Fri, 22 Jan 2016 19:21:54 -0500

So is 2016 going to be another year where everybody is offended by everything? People need to stop getting their collective panties in a wad and move on. If you don't like something, ignore it and move on!

Response by SGT Philip Roncari made Jan 29 at 2016 1:23 PM

SGT Philip Roncari — Fri, 29 Jan 2016 13:23:36 -0500

Unfortunately these are among the same people who work out to Jane Fonda videos