Taking on a Marine

January 1st, 2005

Since Cain, (or even before that, perhaps) the human race has become accustomed to the idea that one day we all, shall we say, become un-living.

This concept is really the reason that I smoke, drink and eat whatever I damn well feel like. I?m gonna die anyway, so screw it, I?m gonna live until then.

It?s also the reason I don?t have such a harry about the video games my 13-year-old brother plays. He can tell anyone about any explosive made since WWII. That?s actually kind of impressive and makes one think that he?s really into the military thing ? he is ? he likes blowing up virtual people. Happily, it?ll never go beyond the realm of cathodes. I hope.

Since the day he could talk, my fair-haired brother has been telling the world that he would like to become a Marine.

Since the day he could listen, I?ve told him that if he ever does that, I?m going to kick his ass as soon as he comes back from boot-camp. This of course gives him a good laugh every time, but what he doesn?t know about his eccentric sister is, she serious. Dead serious.

I for the most part, have every respect for any individual who signs up to become a member of our U.S. armed forces. I nearly did so myself after graduating high school.

The reason I didn?t is not too complex. The recruiter lied to me. I was initially told that I could join the

Air Force as a journalist. I took the ASVAB and qualified. My next step was to take the physical and swear- in oath. The problem occurred on the way back to the car after my ASVAB results. My recruiter told me that I had to have a college degree before I could be a military journalist. This helped to quickly my mind ? had he waited till I had sworn in to tell me, I most likely wouldn?t be writing this today.

Two years after that, I was still very much enthralled with the military and nearly married a sailor.

The majority of the relationship was hand-written letters, phone-calls, e-mails, and instant messages.

When he came home on leave, I was there at the airport saying hello. Each time he left, I was at the airport saying goodbye.

As distant as this ?relationship? was, however, I had plenty of opportunity to learn more about how the military system works. As it turned out, my ex?s father was a former Navy Seal.

Immense military pride within the family, and I admit, when my former love was in his dress blues, I was proud to be standing next to him.

But what lurked behind every message, every hello and every kiss goodbye was the fact he was on the job 24-7 and one day, something could happen and he might not come home again, except in a body bag.

During that time, I learned all about the gut-wrenching horror to find out that a loved one?s fleet, battalion ? whatever ? is going in for combat.

Yes guys and gals, I know how it feels to sit in front of CNN with a carton of smokes, Ben&Jerry?s and the phone (to call his dad with questions), ready.

But what I don?t know about the military family/fianc? experience is ? how it feels when a loved one gets killed in action. And I don?t want to know. Ever.

Hence the reason my baby brother will get a bruised ass from his terrifying older sister if he ever joins the military. Or so I keep saying. I can?t really tell him to do or not to do anything. (Unfortunately, he?s too much like me.)

But what I can do, is show him that being in the real armed forces is nothing like what his video games makes it look like.

What I can do, is show him news stories, like the one that Tami Silicio lost her job over (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2001909527_coffin22m.html). This photographer took pictures of a few dead soldier?s caskets. Because it was against the law (incidentally, this law was made by the previous Bush Administration in 1991 during the First Gulf War), this person was fired. But my real question is, why are those pictures against the law?

The reason that the current administration gives us is that pictures like that show disrespect toward the families of the soldiers involved.

The reason that I perceive is that the administration does not want us to know the real truth behind the war. Since the beginning of this mess we have in Iraq in 1991, the Bushies have given us a bloodless war, until last year when Al-Jazeera decided to show the world a few pictures of some dead U.S. and British soldiers.

So, the next question is, why would they do that? Especially when we all know damn well that people die in war?

Sadly the answer is, that no, not everybody knows that. Not everybody really feels the effects of the war that is still happening on the other side of the world, and our government, which is up for re-election and the continuation of our dying soldiers doesn?t want you to know that.

They don?t want you to know that YES we are fucking dying over there.

And we will continue to do so, to my dismay.

In the meantime, my baby brother continues to play his video games.

At the same time, I sit alone at night trying to figure out how to kick a trained Marine?s ass.

It isn?t going to be easy.

But! Thanks to a few pissed-off Iraqi-media specialists and a jobless photographer, I can at least try to change his mind.

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