Mother of Pat Tillman has criticised the decision to give Prince Harry the memorial award at ESPY

[PrincessMee]

Mary Tillman says " There are recipients far more fitting. He publicly disrespected his family , ran away from service to his country. He is unworthy of this award"

She feels there are recipients far more fitting.

I think she speaks for many.

Out of MailOnline's Los Angeles office in the US, by Caroline Graham. 1.6k comments, including quite a few from veterans.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13584099/Prince-Harry-award-honour-war-hero.html

I do think she is right.

There will be many who work tirelessly who could and should be recognised. Not just those involved with Invictus either.

I’m not sure Harry is worthy enough. He certainly isn’t honourable enough.

Invictus wasn't even his idea. He gets a lot of credit for it - it's probably the best thing he's ever done - but one of his team had the idea to copy the American Warrior Games.

She should have been consulted. The honourable thing for Harry to do would be to decline the award but I doubt that would cross his mind.

I initially thought that at least it has some kind of connection with his actual work with veterans, unlike that ludicrous " Legends of Aviation" thing, but it appears Pat Tillmans mother is very unhappy. It seems clear that she has no time for Harry, but she makes a fair point when she says

'There are recipients that are far more fitting. There are individuals working in the veteran community that are doing tremendous things to assist veterans.'

‘These individuals do not have the money, resources, connections or privilege that Prince Harry has. I feel that those types of individuals should be recognised.’

ETA Marcus Rashford won it in 2021 for his work around food for children in Covid. I suppose he's also a public figure but a footballer (even one playing for Man U) is hardly the same as a Prince in terms of resources.

She's not wrong. I remember Pat Tillman. H isn't fit to lick his boots.

Oh, another thread/excuse to slag H & M off 🙄 I'm out of here. Enjoy your bitch fest 👋

I agree, these awards are far more meaningful if they are given to those that work quietly and with no expectation of being recognised , proper unsung heroes.

A couple of years ago I would have argued that awarding an honour to the Invictus athletes themselves would have been fitting, but that in itself might be problematic these days as the delegation selected could end up being a team picked out by multi-national mega-wealthy sponsors to reflect their interests in and ties with states like Nigeria, Israel and Colombia. In other words, a political hot mess reflecting interest in exploitable access to natural resources, not Pat Tillman's memory.

It's appalling that he accepted the award. He should be hanging his head in shame.

And yet you are the only one to mention Meghan.

Those of us who are serving or are veterans have been extremely disappointed in Harry’s conduct. His revelations regarding his service were distasteful and damaging.

If you haven’t served, then that may explain why you don’t understand that there are more worthy and deserving recipients.

He certainly isn’t honourable enough

I do not know whether this award is appropriate or not. What I do know is that people have double standards. Who amongst us, born into a pre-ordained life that we do not want might not opt out?

This often happens in farming families and causes problems - but the offspring have a right to pursue a different path in life. They are not see as dishonourable.

There are obviously accretions to the royal family's situation particularly in the form of the press intrusion and security issues, and playing all this out in the public eye.

Everyone has the right to choose their path in life - he is not refusing to "serve" - he is making sound decisions about his life and on behalf of his family.

I for one would be opting out of this dysfunctional family at the earliest opportunity!

I don't think shame is in his vocabulary.

But that’s the point though. Pat Tillman was an exceptional man who did exceptional things. And so his award should go to someone else who is exceptional.

Harry is not exceptional. If I woke up tomorrow to discover that I was a royal then I would probably do similar. I am also not exceptional. I am very ordinary.

But there are people out there who do do amazing things. Exceptional things. And one of them should receive the Pat Tillman award.

It isn’t about Harry being dishonourable. It is about him not being as honourable, as exceptional, as Pat Tillman was.

I don’t believe I said that I thought leaving the Royal Family was dishonourable.

I believe we were discussing an award in honour of Pat Tillman, not whether his decision to leave the UK or his family was the right decision.

Read @Mumofteenandtween’s post.

They’ve nailed it.

Pat Mcafee and other US sports legends/commentators are not impressed. They're asking all sorts of awkward questions now about Harry, his residency & nationality and the use of titles in the US, his military service, his privilege, the financials of Invictus, the decision-making of the awards committee, its lack of consultation with Pat Tillman's family, and more.

As a media event that is playing out in the US, this is fascinating.

Thanks for this, OP. What a dreadful thing for that woman, Mary Tillman, to know that an award named in honour of her son goes to such a person as Prince Harry. Her distress needs to be heard. Imagine thinking that man has any kind of similarities to Tillman.
Listen to the mother, and don't accept the award.

Mrs Tillman explains her disappointment about the award being given to such a "divisive and controversial" figure as Prince Harry. She goes on to note his wealth and privilege. Not what the award should be about.

You're not actually IN this thread, unless it's to derail

There’s also a petition about it on Change

www.change.org/p/request-espn-to-rethink-awarding-the-pat-tillman-award-to-prince-harry

Thank you 👍

How much longer before the Invictus committee decided he has to go?

Harry is the subject of the thread. Meghan has not been mentioned. It does help to read the OP.
I don't think that Prince Harry is a fitting recipient of this award. I am listening to the mother of Pat Tillman. Maybe you should, too.
There is no "slagging off" (sic) on here.