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Army Spec. Shoshana Johnson, the African American woman who was held prisoner of war in the U.S. invasion of Iraq, was looking forward to a quiet discharge from the Army in a few days. Battle scarred and weary, she has said not a word as her fellow POW comrade in arms Jessica Lynch cashes in with book and movie deals and a celebrity status in the media.

But it is the Army that is forcing Johnson to break her peace. A few days ago, military brass informed her that she would receive a 30 percent disability benefit for her injuries. Lynch, who is White, was discharged in August and will receive an 80 percent disability benefit.

The difference amounts to $600 or $700 a month in payments, and that is causing Johnson and her family to speak out. They are so troubled by what they see as a "double standard," that they have enlisted Rev. Jesse Jackson to help make their case to the news media.

Jackson, who plans to plead Johnson's cause with the White House, the Pentagon and members of Congress, says the payment smacks a double standard and racism. "Here's a case of two women, same [unit], same war; everything about their service commitment and their risk is equal. . . . Yet there's an enormous contrast between how the military has handled these two cases," Jackson told The Washington Post.

Johnson's father, Claude Johnson, himself an Army veteran, says that while neither he nor his family begrudge Lynch her celebrity or disability payments, he believes that his daughter should get her due, and it is more than a 30 percent disability benefit.

For its part, the Army, in denying charges of double standard, said Friday that claims are awarded to soldiers according to their injuries.

Johnson, 30, the mother of a 3-year-old daughter, was held captive for 22 days, when her unit stumbled into an ambush in southern Iraq >last March. Eleven soldiers were killed, and six, including Lynch and Johnson, were taken prisoners. Johnson was shot in both legs and is still traumatized by her war experience. In addition to walking with a limp, she suffers from bouts of depression.

That is a damn shame. : the military has clearly show a double standard. She deserves to speak out and she deserves her due like any other soldier.

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Thank you MBR..........i was just talking to my mother about it this morning. I brought to her attention all the fame, glory and MONEY madame Lynch is getting.......but at the same time I wondered whatever happened to the other POWs. Ms. Johnson needs the disability benefits just as much as Ms. Lynch......the US government is using this young lady for their own selfish reason and she herself commented on it (although I aint buying her "I'm just an ordinary country gal" story.)

I really hope and pray that this so-called "war on terror" ends SOON.

Thanks for bringing that up. I was angered by these events; I didnt even watch that movie last night; which I think was only a money making gamble........

They clearly showed Double standard; Even Jessica Lynch spoke out against this, saying that they twisted and turned the events to suit their needs and the movie had wrong events!!! She even stated that she doesn't remember being raped......
She got that kind of publicity because of her status and she was white.......

Unbelievable!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Welcome to America.

We discussed this particular issue on this forum a couple of months ago. It still puts a very bad taste in my mouth. I recently caught a documentary about Ali. It spent quite a bit of time on his refusal to enlist in the Army. Made me feel strong as he, in the sixties, challenged the very issue that is in the forefront today. The US government uses the bodies of blacks for their own purpose then discard it without forethought. Racial predujice still exists and it is more pronounced today than ever. Can't talk about this anymore. I was having a good day. You all try and have one.

Please try and have a good day! But I believe that no matter what a black person do in this country, I SWEAR, they FIRST look at the negative events in their lives and hold that against them! I'm not surprised how this whole Jessica Lynch phenonmenon is going down! And for the Ali documentary, I think it's the same one I was watching because I couldn't understand how they would focus on the fact that he refused to enlist in the Army instead of the other positive factors of his life and his contribution to the history of Boxing in America! As much as this country TRYS to acknowledge what blacks has done for them inspite of being enslaved and being treated as the 2nd class citizen, they would never see their faults!

Let's not be so quick to pull out the race card...my guess is that Spec. Johnson is getting the same treatment as the other 'anonymous' POW's...it's bugged that Lynch is getting all the love, fame, money etc. but let's face facts...of all the POW's hers was the most intriguing story.

I'm not trying to justify it, just seeing things for what they are...sure we care about all the POW's, but from the networks' perspective, which makes for the most compelling storyline? That she's white from small-town America certainly helps though, no doubt.

It's also wrong that she gets 80% disability while Johnson only gets 30, but there are processes in place for appealing this award.

Watching the story on local news just now; her situation is starting to get plenty of publicity. Shoshana btw is from Panama. We should keep a collective eye on this situation to see if some equitable solution is reached or a proper explanation is given to her and her family. We can't unequivocably say it's racism, but with the facts presented as is, it reeks of something unfair at best.

Ok, I doh want to seem shallow or unsympathetic here, but could someone please tell me what the hell did Lynch do to make her so famous? She really hasn't done $hit as far as I know, other then be dotish enough to be captured by the opposition. So how on earth does this justify her being labeled a war "hero"? Why is she getting so much publicity? Is the government running out of propoganda material? What is the deal? Was Jessica Lynch the only injusred soldier in this entire ordeal? Give me a break, this has to be one of the dumbest things I've ever seen to be honest, but if I'm missing something here, please tell me.

I know my opinion will not be popular, but here it goes. Since disability is the issue, we have to look at the amount of physical damage to both Pvt Lynch and Spec Johnson. As I understand, the amount of disability a person is entitled to depends on the amount of physical damage a person sustains. You have to determine if the person is physically able to maintain a job in the future based on the amount of bodily damage sustained. If Spec Johnson's injuries were such that in the future she will not have a problem holding down a job (physically), it make sense. Just a thought.

All the hating on Lynch ent necessary. No need tuh blame she fuh something de Army/Media doing:

Diane Sawyer Interviews Jessica Lynch