Posted on 11/21/2004 7:35:58 AM PST by Clive
You're a kid, probably a year or two, or even three, shy of your 25th birthday.
Not a rich kid. Probably not even an upper-middle-class kid ... after all, you don't find a lot of those outside the officer corps in combat naval infantry units.
You're probably not that bright; certainly not as bright as the highly educated college types lining up to condemn you.
Maybe you finished high school. Maybe you didn't.
The average IQ of an enlisted man in the United States Marine Corps is under 90.
It hasn't stopped you from mastering the tools of your trade. You can break down a complex automatic rifle and reassemble it blindfolded. You take care of your rifle with a professional passion that is nearly fetishistic because if you take care of your rifle -- the voice of a Parris Island drill instructor echoes in your head when you think this -- your rifle will take care of you.
You're in fantastic physical condition ... the combat load you carry on your back is 40-lb. more than the average American infantryman in the Second World War.
For whatever reason, you decided to give your life to something greater than yourself. To your country. To the Marines.
When you did that, you were indoctrinated. They broke you in boot camp and then rebuilt you. You were told you were the meanest, toughest S.O.B. who ever lived.
You know the names of obscure battles where Marines shed blood in the service of their nation.
You know the words of the Marine Hymn.
You know about the halls of Montezuma and the shores of Tripoli. You know about Tarawa, where the landing craft hung up on the coral reef and the Marines went into the lip-high water and waded 1,000 yards through Japanese fire to the beach ... and won.
You know about Khe Sahn where Marines were surrounded by North Vietnamese regulars under a hellish rain of artillery fire week after week ... and prevailed.
You can look at the bewildering array of coloured ribbons on another marine's chest and know whether he's a warrior or a guy who spent his career fighting red tape.
You were told that your job was to go to the dangerous places of the planet and fight and possibly die for your country without asking why. But after you were in for a while, certainly after the first time angry men with guns tried to kill you and you tried to kill them, you figured that nobody's willing to fight and die for their country.
They're willing to fight and die for the guy standing beside them.
The day before it happened, you got shot in the face. The wound wasn't as bad as it sounds. You were back with your unit the next day. You didn't take the opportunity to slack off, to leave your comrades in the lurch.
The same day you got it, a guy in your unit -- maybe a friend, maybe just some guy -- tried to tend to the body of one of your enemies.
The guy was dead ... but he was still lethal.
Your buddy touched him and the booby trap went off and killed him.
He probably should have known better. Beaten soldiers have been booby trapping their dead for a long time. The Germans were artists at it. So too the Viet Cong.
No reason crazed Islamofascists wouldn't be either. These people booby trap live women and send them off to die. Stands to reason they wouldn't be squeamish about booby trapping their dead and dying.
Earlier this week you went into the mosque in Fallujah from which Marines had taken fire before. There were five insurgents there. Not moving. And you were afraid.
Another Marine yelled that one of them was faking. That he was alive.
Maybe you could still feel the bullet that tore through part of your face the day before. Maybe the thought of the other Marine killed by a dead man rocketed through your brain. Maybe your hands acted of their own accord.
Maybe.
You pulled the trigger.
We don't know your name yet. We don't know anything about you.
I do know one thing.
I don't blame you. I don't blame you at all.
-
John McCain defending the marine now on Meet The Press.
The average IQ of an enlisted man in the United States Marine Corps is under 90.
And where, pray tell, did the author get that figure?
Highly doubtful. With an IQ that low they wouldn't even be able to load a clip. This leftist twit probably made this up out of no where like they do with almost all their "statistics."
I don't know if I should thank the writer or seek him out to kick his butt.
I think they should give this Marine the highest award within the Corps, then have the Commandant of The Marine Corps appear on TV..."and if anyone has a problem with this.."( turns around, drops dress blue trousers) "you can KISS MY DEVIL DOG AMERICAN MARINE ASS!"
i don't like that article - it's condecending bs. the Marines are not brainwashed killing machines,, and they are not stupid.. nor highschool drop outs.. nor are they victims,
it's bs
BULLSHIT.
I would like to send a contengent of "average" Marines to take this puke reporter/columnist out to lunch. After he was thoroughly impressed with how very wrong he is about the average intelligence, average economic status, and such I'd like to see them. . . . . . . . but you know Marines wouldn't do that because they aren't animals, they are Marines. I can assure you this pot smoking, hack writer in Canada isn't worthy to shine the boots of any Marine even the two he might find with an IQ of 90.
I don't know what to make of this guy. Does he just hate all Americans or what? I went to the site and clicked on the "next article" link at the bottom and find him calling liberals "whining maggots".
You're probably not that bright; certainly not as bright as the highly educated college types lining up to condemn you. Maybe you finished high school. Maybe you didn't. The average IQ of an enlisted man in the United States Marine Corps is under 90
This is both absurd and offensive. My experience is with the Army, not the Marine Corps, but if anything the Marine Corps can be even more selective in their recruiting. The idea that our military is unintelligent is patently absurd. What our men and women in uniform accomplish...such as crushing Saddam's military in days, twice, and routing thousands of dug in terrorists in Fallujah with less than 50 casualties etc is the work of intelligent hard working dedicated patriots. And for the record, a 90 IQ is only slightly below average.
I hope this columnist meets a Marine in a back alley and says this crap to his face some day. Just because I would enjoy seeing this communist suck up having to go through his country's crappy socialized health care system.
I agree. They are heroes!
Damning with faint praise.
Can we send Ron Artest over to this writer's house for some one-on-one??
I've known a number of Marines in my time, and I'd guess that the average IQ of the ones I knew was 105 or better. I've know a number of Marines with superior intelligence. I'm not talking about officers either, I'm talking your average Marine.
Leftwing bullshit... Average IQ crap - This writer is the maron.
From the Halls of Montezuma
To the shores of Tripoli
We fight our country's battles
In the air, on land and sea
First to fight for right and freedom
And to keep our honor clean;
We are proud to claim the title
Of United States Marines.
Our flag's unfurled to every breeze
From dawn to setting sun;
We have fought in every clime and place
Where we could take a gun.
In the snow of far-off Northern lands
And in sunny tropic scenes;
You will find us always on the job --
The United States Marines.
Here's health to you and to our Corps
Which we are proud to serve;
In many a strife we've fought for life
And never lost our nerve.
If the Army and the Navy
Ever look on Heaven's scenes,
They will find the streets are guarded
By United States Marines.
I used some comments here, added my own and wrote a letter to his editor.
I do not like the tone of his article at all.
I don't blame that Marine either, but for some reason, I don't think he'd appreciate Mr. Robinson's support at all!
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