My nephew joined the Marines today.

[Vektor]

He turned 21 last weekend.

I just got off the phone with my Mom, who broke the news to me through tears. When Mark was born, I became an aunt for the very first time. I was just a kid, my big sister, Mark's mom, was a young teenage mother - married to a Marine. Our family is true blue Boston-born Liberal Democrat, always has been, always will be. All the men have served in the armed forces with the exception of one brother who was not accepted due to scoliosis. He did apply.

The news that Mark had joined the service with such an inept commander-in-thief at the helm, while we are fighting an unjust war under false pretenses boggles my mind.

I remember Mark as a newborn as if it were only yesterday. He was a sensitive, curly haired toddler with an impish sense of humor. I recall him as five year-old kid learning to ride a bike without training wheels. Whenever my sister scolded him for misbehaving he always ran to me for a hug and she'd get so mad... "No sympathy! He's in trouble!" I could never resist. I love that kid to a fault. He is a fiercely protective and loving older brother and role model to three younger siblings who think the world of him.

Soon, he's off to boot camp.

I asked my mom what had prompted him to do this, at this horrid time. I asked if he supported Bush.


"NO. HELL NO. He can't stand him!" She replied. "I asked him about that."


She went on to say that Mark told her that he hated Bush and what Bush was doing to the country, and he felt that he needed to defend this country, and the men in his VERY DEMOCRATIC family had always been Marines, and had proudly served. He said that he felt his country needed him now it was his duty to serve the country because the "President" was not doing so at all.

I told my Mom I feared he might die in Iraq, and she said she feared that too.

I asked her if she had spoken to him about this, and she said yes, and that his reply was "I'll go wherever the help is needed, and I'll do whatever it takes. They need help in Iraq. They need help in Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi. How can I not volunteer? My country needs me, and not enough people are enlisting. BUSH SUPPORTERS are not enlisting."

I guess he is pretty dead set on doing this. He also told my Mom in parting that he's sick and tired of hearing all these "asshole Republicans" claiming to support the U.S. and the troops but never lifting a finger to do anything to help much less serve in the armed forces.

I'm scared shitless for him, but so damn proud of his staunch, Democratic, patriotic pride.

Mostly scared shitless and numb with shock, though.

[Maat]

1. Words fail me now. Hang in there!

He will be in our family's prayers (of the positive-energy-to-him variety).

Hugs!

[tsuki]

2. I understand, but I wish he hadn't. My thoughts and prayers are with him.

[Vektor]

10. I wish that too, tsuki.

I know he's an adult who can make his own decisions, but I am devastated.

[AnnieBW]

3. Semper Fi...

Is short for "Semper Fidelis" or "Always True" in Latin. That just about sums it up.

Go to your local Best Buy and pick up a DVD of a show called "Space: Above and Beyond". It's a military sci-fi show that came out in 1996. It's pretty much Marines in space. It taught me more about the Corps than I ever learned by working with some of them. The last line in the (unfortunately cancelled) series was "Semper fi, my friend. Semper fi."

[Rainscents]

4. Oh man, I wish he didn't...However, I understand where he is coming

from. I wish good luck and please, keep us post it.

[Javaman]

5. So to quote from the movie "Platoon"...

"What we have here is a crusader".

Why is youth wasted on the young. The poor fella, I wish him luck. He may get a dose of reality soon enough and regret his decision. to late then.

[stanwyck]

6. My son is a Marine, in Iraq

now on his second tour. He's a liberal who voted for Kerry and Cynthia McKinney. He's devoted to his fellow Marines...many are also liberals. They're doing the job they signed up to do. And they're protecting each other. My son's decision to enlist in the Marines baffled his father and myself -- neither of us served in the military and we didn't understand the attraction. But we raised him (and his twin sister) to be independent. And he is.
I'll be thinking of you and your nephew. Your DUer friends will keep him safe. The people here have been amazingly supportive of me and my son. It makes a profound difference.

[Gabi Hayes]

9. how do you fucking KILL people whose country is defending itself

against YOU?

I will never be able to understand that

what else matters?

[Vektor]

13. I don't know Gabi...

I really just don't know.

I know that my nephew is enlisting truly believing that the American soldiers are there to protect the Iraqi citizens from insurgency. He truly believes he is helping. There isn't a cruel bone in the kid's body. He, like countless others, is being duped into believing that they'll receive a hero's welcome. I'm sure of it. I understand your anger. I hate it too.

[Gabi Hayes]

17. I know...it's easy to sit here and pronounce, isn't it?

I just hope he doesn't kill anybody, and comes home without too much physical/emotional damage

[The Jacobin]

22. "I just hope he doesn't kill anybody" ?!?

Uh. Can you read? He joined the Marines. That's what they do.

[Vektor]

25. I hope he never finds himself in that position.

I don't want him to kill anyone either, I don't want him killed either.

What's so freaky to me is he has always been a compassionate, loving person. I seriously cannot fathom him shooting someone. I shudder to picture him in gunfire, taking a life or losing his. I actually cannot even get my head around it.

I hate war.

[txindy]

14. You are definitely in the wrong place

I'd suggest leaving, immediately.

[Gabi Hayes]

20. who are you?

love it or leave it, huh?

wise up

[txindy]

24. Someone is posting about their nephew in their thread

Not in your anti-war thread. Take it elsewhere. Start your own thread. Don't be disrespectful. There's no need for it.

[The Jacobin]

21. Easy

The moment anyone, "defender" or otherwise points a gun at you - kill 'em.

[blue sky at night]

7. son of a gun...

that is one fine young man. His head is on straight and I admire his reasons...if he was a Bu$H supporter I would question his motives, if not his power to reason. May God Bless and keep Him and your Family Safe always. I don't think anyone here argues with serving our country, we ALL should be doing that!

[FreedomAngel82]

8. Aw I'm sorry

What a brave guy. I hope he stays okay. :( I hate Bush for all he's done to this country. :cry: :hug:

[txindy]

11. He's a brave young man with very noble motives

I wish him nothing but the best and hope he finds satisfaction in this new path he's chosen for himself.

:hug:

[Vektor]

15. I actually hope he serves safely, realizes what a mess he's in...

...and gets the hell out!

(I can't help it, I worry about him!)

I know he'll honor the terms of his service. I just want him to make it through.

[obxhead]

12. Sounds like he's committed already. Now

it's time to help him get some personal armor. Hope all goes as well as it can.

[The Jacobin]

16. God Bless Him

:patriot:

In the future, someone will tell the story of how, when things got tough, he said "send me."

[Vektor]

18. Oh my God.

Ok, bawling now.

[karynnj]

19. Even reading this is hard

I can see why you are at the same time so proud and so afraid for him. It would be hard at any time to see someone you love put at risk, no matter how much you trusted the CIC. I can't imagine how hard it is with Bush as the CIC.

It's impressive that he cares so much about his country that he is willing to risk his life to defend it - even though he feels the president is wrong. He sounds like a really special kid.

[Vektor]

27. He's pretty special.

I know he's joining with the noblest of intentions, but that almost makes it more tragic to me for some reason. I want so badly for him to be ok. I wish my sister (his mom) could just tell him "NO!" but you cannot do that with a grown man...he's going to do what he feels he has to.

[GeorgeBushytail]

23. My father was a proud hardcore-liberal Air Force Colonel

He took me to me to my first civil rights march in DC in 62. The last year of his life he gave a talk at a PA Peace Center on Hiroshima Day.

He supported me totally when I decided I would go to jail rather than Vietnam.

His was the only car on our military base sporting a McCarthy peace flower sticker in 68.

He made the Air Force and the world a better place.

My best to your nephew.

[Vektor]

26. Thank you. My dad is also an Air Force veteran.

And a Liberal Dem. :-)