The episode featured training for a mission to infilitrate a hostile encampment. The contestants had to ride in a helicopter, jump in a lake, climb in a boat, pretend to be shot at by enemies, blow up an empty guard tower, shoot human-sized paper targets, wade through mud, move a box of ammunition into a building and blow up a building by push button. Oh...and let's not forget kicking in a door, entering a room and shooting a bunch of humanoid targets in the head.

Nine Nobel Peace Laureates have called on NBC to cancel 'War-o-tainment". StarsEarnStripes.org has been set up to protest the show that is exhibiting war as sport, has a posted a petition and is asking NBC to air an in-depth segment showing the reality of civilan victims of recent U.S. wars. The veterans group SwordsToPlowshares has slammed the show for trivializing war.

And what about General Wesley Clark as the host? The videos are reminders...

In 1991 Clark says he was surpriesed to discover the purpose of war during the Bush era "...the purpose of the military is to start wars and change governments, it's not to deter conflict; we're gonna to have to invade countries, and you know my mind was spinning; they wanted us to destabilize the Middle East . . . . " If he knows and believes this, then why is he helping to supply the bodies for this insatiable war machine?

...Ok, maybe I can understand the testosterone loaded appeal of the physical challenge of the staged "missions", but it comes at too high of a price - the further de-sensitization of Americans who are already mostly oblivious of the wars currently being waged on the other side of the globe. Even if you have a loved one in a war-torn country it is impossible to find adequate coverage in the "nightly mews".  How many of our younger generation are going to want to rise to this potentially fatal and morally crushing challenge?

The celebration of bad behavior has reached meteoric heights since it's arrival on the "Jerry Springer Show". Will the complete annihilation of human decency be the ultimate reality show? What is even scarier, is that many people will consider the objections to this type of programming as over reactive and unwarranted.

If you want to help end war on this planet, this is not a step in the right direction. If you want to win money to help veterans, you would get a bigger prize by testing yourself on "Survivor" and then donating your prize winnings.

Or better yet, let's create programming that encourages people to make advancements in social connections that work towards peace, or creating newer and better green energy alternatives, or....

Contributing Sources:

DavidSwanson.org

StarsEarnStripes.org

WarIsACrime.org

LeeCamp.net