Users of Facebook or other social media platforms will routinely post up messages about supporting American troops who have paid the ultimate sacrifice while serving their country. Users will also offer their show of support for active military men and women, regardless of whether they are serving overseas.
Social media has certainly provided an outlet for active military members, their families and loved ones and their supporters. But some postings about so called recent events can be inaccurate and misleading.
The Facebook Message That's Gone Viral
Take the example of a Facebook message that has been circulating for over a year. The familiar message reads:
“R.I.P. to the 31 US troops who were killed in Afghanistan yesterday. I bet no one cares enough to repost this to show some respect. This is the real reason for flags at half staff! I have only seen this posted one time; if it was a celebrity it would be plastered all over Facebook. What a shame! I reposted out of respect to the fallen heroes. God Bless Our Troops."
Two Foreign Tech Companies Respond to the Controversy
PC Sanity, a tech company based in Brisbane, Australia offered up this explanation on a Facebook page and makes suggestions about the alleged event that occurred “yesterday”:
Messages are circulating Facebook claiming that 31 US troops were killed "yesterday" in Afghanistan. The messages are likely referring to the incident that took place in August 2011. Because Facebook messages that go viral can continue for months. The assertion that the tragedy occurred yesterday is causing much confusion amongst Facebook users who are led to believe another loss of 31 troops has occurred.
Passing on inaccurate and confusing messsages is no way to commemorate fallen heroes and Facebook users are not advised to continue reposting this message.
PC Sanity also refers to a similar posting that appeared earlier this year on April 24th from a website known as www.thatsnonsense.com and is listed under Facebook Scams and Facebook Rumours. Their notice reiterates that the outdated message is not an effective way to remember and commemorate those fallen U.S. troops and advises Facebook users not to repost the message. Thatsnonsense.com is a company based in the UK and there isn't much other narrative via the internet that discusses the 2011 tragedy and the Facebook controversy on American-based websites, military or otherwise.
The Moral Aspect of Posting Messages on Facebook
While many Facebook users have reposted this message with honorable intentions, the event did not occur “yesterday” unless “yesterday” refers to August 6, 2011. On that tragic day, a military Chinook helicopter crashed after being hit by a Taliban rocket and killed everyone on board, including 25 special operations personnel, most of them from the elite Navy SEALs, five United States Army National Guard and a Army reserve crewman. The number of American troops killed in the attack is considered to be the worst single day of loss of life for the U.S. coalition in Afghanistan since the war began nearly 11 years ago. Seven Afghan commandos and a civilian interpreter were also among the casualties.
Sadly, another military helicopter carrying U.S. troops crashed just last week, resulting in the deaths of seven U.S. soldiers and three Afghan allies. Because the American military forces are not expected to withdraw from Afghanistan until the end of 2014, an unknown number of American service men and women will die, whether it be from a Black Hawk helicopter crash, an IED or some other act of war. And it’s not inconceivable that some American troops will remain in Afghanistan after the war is “officially” over.
It is a honorable gesture to recognize the sacrifices that American troops make every day as a member of the United States military. But it is also honorable to understand the facts behind a message about the American military that goes viral. It's difficult to come to an agreement whether the viral message is an appropriate way to honor American troops who perished in war. Despite the inaccuracy that is was "yesterday", the fact that Facebook users choose to spread this to their friends is in their minds the right thing to do.
But chances are that loved ones of those who died in that crash in August 2011 might see that message and be reminded that the tragedy was just “yesterday.” It might just be something they wish would go no longer be posted via social media or something they appreciate because other Facebook members have chosen to keep the tragedy in their memories.
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