(Vanity)Two Anniversaries: One Tragic, One Triumphant

me | 10/22/2005 | me

[birbear]

Two things happened on Oct. 23, 1983.

Most of you probably recognize that date as the day that 241 Marines were killed in the Marine Barracks bombing in Beirut, Lebanon. That pretty much is the start date for the US involvement in the War on Terrorism. Up until then, we were by-standers in the Middle East confilct, assisting where we could, but our blood wasn't spilled.

The Marine Barracks Bombing changed everything.

I was 12 years old then. I really had only been cognizant of the world outside of me for a few years. I don't think I could have placed Lebanon on a map, and I sure as heck didn't know why 241 Marines were there in the first place.

I learned a lot that weekend.

I had a history teacher, Mr. Hovey, who pontificated at length in his classes about the virtue of America's greatness. He showed us the great WWII movies each week, to show us a santized version of what he saw during his action in Korea and Vietnam. He praised the U.S. military, especially the Marines. Mr. Hovey, himself, was a drill instructor, and even though he had grown a bit of a paunch during his years as a teacher, he still kept his hair "high and tight", and conducted his classes with military precission.

I was staying over at a friend's house the weekend of Oct. 22nd and 23rd. Ken was a good friend, we had known each other for a couple of years by then. His family seemed somewhat unorthodox to me -- the parents didn't allow TV, no video games, no computers. The family was actually a little on the poor side, what money they did have was used to send their kids to the private school we went to. Ken would turn everyday household items into toys to play with -- I remember in his imagination, a pair of toenail clippers was a starship, exploring the realms of the planet Bed. It was good fun.

Ken's family were church goers, so that Sunday morning I went with them to church. I wasn't all that keen to go, but when in Rome, do as the Romans. When we first arrived, I saw Mr. Hovey standing with a bunch of other men, and he was visibly shaken. I would later find out that his oldest son was a Marine stationed somewhere in the Mid East, and at that time, Mr. Hovey didn't know if his son was a casualty of the explosion.

It shook me. This man who was as fierce as a tiger had tears coming down his cheek. That floored me. In my house, we didn't show emotion. We certainly didn't show it in public.

I forget what the church service was about, but in sunday school we learned a little about the end times. And it was some powerful stuff.

Later, back at Ken's families house, the family was gathered and talking about what was learned at Chruch that day. And the subject focused around the end time events, and how sinners would be cast in the lake of fire. Well that didn't sound like a good place to be, to me, so I asked how I could avoid that.

And they told me how to become saved. And I did. On Oct. 23, 1983 I was born again into the family of the Lord Jesus Christ. I accepted him as my personal savior.


So now it's 23 years later, and I've never looked back.

I understand more now, as to why those 241 Marines died. I understand why Mr. Hovey was one of the most corageous men I have ever met. (He was overwhelmed when he learned the story about when I became saved.) I understand why Middle Eastern events are important to me. It's taken years to learn, but I understand.

So I offer a toast to the memories of the fallen, and another toast to my spiritual birthday. May I learn and understand both more in the many years to follow.

[birbear]

Peace to all of you.

[cmsgop]

Nice Story

[birbear]

Thanks!

[HelloooClareece]

What an eloquently written piece. Happy birthday to you.

[birbear]

many thanks.

[jveritas]

I was 12 old years old also back in 1983 when the Marines barracks were bombed by a suicide terrorist, and I was living in Lebanon back then. I remember the images of the bombing scene vividly; it was very sad and shocking. We, the Lebanese Christians, were very demoralized by this event because we knew that this was a triumph to Syria, and the muslim terrorists. It was the bombing of the Marines barracks in Beirut where the islamic terrorists have begun to use their most potent weapon of terror "Suicide terrorist attacks".

[misty4jc]

Wow. You're a great writer. I could see clearly everything you were describing. One Tragic, One Triumphant...perfect! Happy Spiritual Birthday! :o)

[Vineyard]

Sorry birbear ... I think that the Global War on Terror had its opening shots during the early '70's, when there were airplane hijackings by Islamofascist (the PLA). The next big event was when the Israeli athelete were murdered during the 1972 Olympics. No blood spilled, no major confrontation with America ... but some opening salvos of the horrors to come.

But the first BIG effort was under peanut farmer Jimmy Carter's watch ... when he sold out the Shah of Iran and ensured that the Ayatollah Khomeni came to power. The Ayatollah repaid Carter with the 400+ day hostage crisis at the American embassy in 1979, and Carter did nothing. That, if nothing else, convinced the Islamofascists that we might be easy marks. Unlike the Beirut bombing that killed the Marines - the hostage taking was on American Territory and was a clear violation of international law, and should have been met as an Act of War. We should have told the Iranians that they had 48 hours, or we would start bombing. But Carter did nothing ... and America was taken as an easy mark since then. No blood shed at this occassion, but American territory was defiled, and there were no negative consequences for those that stormed the embassy and the country that allowed the actions.

We probably should have done something in Lebanon ... but the country was fallen and disfunctional ... who to strike out against effectively?

But otherwise ... I would be pleased and honored to drink two toasts with you! Best regards!

Mike

[conservative cat]

We were stationed with my dad in Mainz, Germany, and the survivors were treated at the Air Force hospital in Wiesbaden. There are two things I will never forget. One, in my 4th grade class we wrote letters to all the Marines in Wiesbaden to try to keep their spirits up (I remember one of the boys writing a semi-dirty joke and was appalled at the time. Now, having known a few Marines, I am sure it probably was funny to them.) The second thing was that our family friend was then a forensic photographer for the Army CID and was in charge of photographing all the body parts that were found to help with identification. It is pretty sobering for a 4th grader to know that some people were only able to identify their loved one by a tatoo on an arm.

[counterpunch]

And they told me how to become saved. And I did.

I think that's pretty creepy. No one has the right to indoctrinate someone else's 12 year old child into their religious cult. There are all kinds of stories like this, but with a slight twist, on homosexual messageboards.

[A message]

The Ayatollah repaid Carter with the 400+ day hostage crisis at the American embassy in 1979, and Carter did nothing

Yes, The Islamo facists have been at war with us directly since '79.

Took us 22 years and a tragedy on our home soil to get our leadership to fight back.

And yet we have one of the two main political parties that still doesn't want to protect and defend their homeland.