The caller identified himself as a veteran and said he wasrepresenting other veterans here in the area. He wanted me tounderstand how upset they were over a political cartoon that wepublished last week.

The cartoon ran on the Opinion page in Tuesday’s edition. It wasof a young boy, looking up to his father, holding a football jerseyin one hand and a military jacket in the other. Both items had thename Tillman printed on them. The child was asking, “Which should Iwear today? My hero’s home uniform, or his away?”

The Tillman reference was to Pat Tillman, the formerprofessional football player who stopped a career with the ArizonaCardinals in 2002 to serve his country. He was killed inAfghanistan a little over a week ago.

I asked the gentleman exactly what offended him about thecartoon, and angrily he said it was an insult to our armed forces.I told him we took the meaning as quite the opposite and as asalute to the courage of Tillman and others. I added that we had nointention of insulting, but rather saluting our armed forces. Thegentleman slammed down the phone.

At the University of Massachusetts, a controversy is raging overan editorial column in the student newspaper by a graduate studentwho criticized Tillman, calling him a “Rambo-like idiot… who gotwhat he deserved.” The column has received the ire of students, thepublic and the condemnation of the university’s president.

The day Tillman was killed was also the day controversy wasraging about the Pentagon’s policy not to allow photos offlag-draped coffins being unloaded from transport airplanes atDover Air Force Base in Delaware.

The circumstances surrounding Tillman’s death seemed toneutralize anti-war criticism and bring the nation back to thereality of the price of freedom.

You see, Pat Tillman gave up a multi-million dollar professionalfootball contract to serve his county. Following the Sept. 11, 2001attack, he felt the obligation to stand up for this country andprotect the freedoms we all enjoy. He quit pro football and signedup as an Army ranger.

Of course, Tillman is not the only soldier who has given up acareer. While maybe not as financially lucrative, every one of oursoldiers have given up something that was just as important. Eachone is a volunteer, and each one believes in the importance ofstanding up for our freedoms. Unfortunately, like Tillman, manyhave made the ultimate sacrifice, and many more will forever bearthe scares.

I can only guess that the real objection the gentleman had toTuesday’s political cartoon was that maybe he felt others who havedied need to receive the same recognition.

I would have to agree, Tillman’s death is no more important thatany other death. What is important is that he is becoming a symbolfor all the others who also have sacrificed careers and leftfamilies in the name of service to our country.

In a country in desperate need of heroes, Tillman and all thoselike him fill that void. As this war against terror rages, therewill be many more Pat Tillmans. Each understands that the price iswhat it takes to insure the rest of us are safe here at home.

It is through symbols such as Corp. Pat Tillman that others aremotivated.

May God bless Tillman and all our armed forces. They are theheroes the young fellow in the cartoon was saluting, as werewe.

Write to Bill Jacobs at P.O. Box 551, Brookhaven, Miss.39602, or send e-mail to bjacobs@dailyleader.com.