Widow of Pat Tillman speaks out against Trump's immigration ban

Pat Tillman was a former Arizona Cardinals safety who gave up his football career to serve in the military. He became a symbol of patriotism and heroism after he was killed in action in Afghanistan. The NFL has honored him by creating scholarships funded by the Pat Tillman Foundation, erecting a statue outside of the Arizona Cardinals stadium, and attempting to transform him into the ultimate patriotic hero. However, as highlighted in an opinion piece on MSN.com, this mythologized version of Tillman persists while his actual beliefs and the reality of his death are often overlooked.

Tillman's wife Marie expressed her disappointment with President Donald Trump's immigration ban in 2017. In a powerful Facebook post shared late Saturday, she made it clear that Pat would not have supported Trump's policy and that this is "not what he served for and not what he died for." Marie helped found the Pat Tillman Foundation to honor Pat's legacy after he was killed by friendly fire during an ambush on April 22, 2004 while serving in Afghanistan.

The legacy of Pat Tillman lives on through events such as the annual Race for Veterans hosted by his foundation in San Jose every year since 2005. According to wmicentral.com, proceeds from this event support scholarships for veterans who want to continue their education. This is just one example of how people are continuing to recognize Tillman’s sacrifice beyond just honoring him as a symbol.

While many still view Tillman as an ultimate patriot who sacrificed everything for his country, it is important to remember that he had complex beliefs and opinions about war that do not fit neatly into an all-encompassing narrative about American heroism. As pointed out on MSN.com, “the story behind [Tillman’s] decision-making process — including why someone with so much skepticism about wars signed up again — gets lost” when reduced down to simplistic notions of patriotism.

In fact, Tillman was known for his skepticism of the Iraq War and the government's involvement in it. He reportedly had been reading books by Noam Chomsky, a prominent American linguist and philosopher who is often critical of U.S. foreign policy, before he was deployed to Afghanistan.

It is important to remember that Tillman was not just a symbol of patriotism but also an individual with his own beliefs, values, and opinions about war. As more attention is given to Tillman’s legacy beyond just honoring him as an ultimate patriotic hero or symbol, we can better understand the complexities behind the decisions he made.

While it is understandable why people might want to simplify Tillman’s story into one of ultimate sacrifice for his country, doing so ignores important nuances about who he really was as a person. Instead of idolizing him solely as an icon of patriotism or heroism, we should strive to understand what motivated Tillman’s decision-making process and what lessons we can learn from that moving forward.

In addition to being remembered as a patriot and hero, Pat Tillman should be remembered for his intelligence and complex understanding of political issues related to war. It is likely that if he were alive today he would continue speaking out against policies like Trump’s immigration ban which goes against everything he stood for when serving in Afghanistan.

Despite being gone now for many years Pat Tillman has continued making an impact on countless people's lives through scholarships provided by The Pat Tilman Foundation. His legacy continues thanks in large part due to the efforts put forth by Marie since 2004 when she helped found The Pat Tilman Foundation which has awarded over $18 million in scholarships since then according their website.

Pat Tillman represents something different things depending on who you ask but at its core lies someone who gave up fame & fortune with Arizona Cardinals (NFL) after 9/11 only then join US Army Rangers where sadly died friendly fire combat Afghanistan April 2004. For some, he's a symbol of American patriotism and heroism, for others he is someone who questioned the government's involvement in wars like Iraq.

Whatever your opinion may be about Pat Tillman, it is important to remember that he was more than just a symbol or an icon. His legacy lives on through scholarships awarded by his foundation and events like the annual Race for Veterans held in San Jose every year since 2005. It is only by understanding the complexities behind his decisions that we can truly appreciate what he stood for and learn from his life moving forward.