Defend Our Marines blog * 18 July 2007
On Tuesday, July 17th, two Marines testified against LCpl Stephen Tatum in his Article 32. The spectacle prompted these thoughts from Blue Star dad, and Defend Our Marines contributor, Don Dinsmore.
Haditha: Marines for the Prosecution
A Marine was trained from the time of cutting the cord with Mom and Dad to be a team player of the strongest kind. They train together, they live together, they learn to die together, if necessary.
But during an investigation, the NCIS starts the processes of degeneration, and the JAG prosecutors
continue the program of tearing down the long trained, scheduled building of our United States protectors.
They use the team against each other. They pull apart what has been put together with the strongest glue in existence.
When they have the team separated, they pit one against the other by promising immunity from prosecution in order to complete their agenda against as many as they can convict. The weak they turn into traitor against the strong whom they intend to incarcerate.
The ones who are charged are well able to handle the tribulation. They are the strong of the strong. They are the Marines who listened and became the Marine’s Marine. They will live their lives, however things work out, as victors.
Will they hurt? Of course. Will they be angry? Maybe, but, they will be able to shave in the morning without the need to divert their eyes from their own image.
They will know, as we, their parents know, that we have exceptional sons that are exceptional individuals, exceptional Marines.
We hope that the Marine Corps will realize what we know, because if they don’t, and don’t exonerate them, we will all suffer as a nation.
And what about those who have testified against their comrades, to whom in combat, they would have given their lives? Here is the sadness beyond comprehension.
For these will suffer the many deaths of a coward. They who were trained as Marines will not be able to justify their actions in any other way than the way they were trained, but now will be relegated to the total contradiction of their life’s goals as Marines. For a few sheckles of immunity from prosecution.
Don Dinsmore
Defend Our Marines
18 July 2007