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Here is my e-mail to this little freak.

Mr. Naughton,

I just finished reading your article "No Yellow Ribbons Here", and let me be the first to tell you what a flaming piece of garbage it was. Your assertion that most of us in the Armed Forces joined for no other reason than economic necessity is completely wrong. I invite you to come down to sunny Yuma Arizona and spend a day with the Marines in my platoon. I guarantee it will open your eyes. The 22 Marines in my platoon come from all over this great country. 6 of us are Hispanic (2 from California, 1 from Arizona, 2 from Texas, and myself from New Mexico) 1 is Navajo from New Mexico, 2 are Black, both from New York, 1 Filipino from Oregon, and the rest are white. We all come from different economic backgrounds, we are evenly divided between rural and urban. Once you talk to these guys you will find they became Marines for all of the same reasons. They wanted a challenge, to belong to something bigger than themselves, and most of us (95%) because we love this country and wanted to give something back to it.

Your article does a great disservice to these young men, these are guys who would not hesitate to give you their last dime if you needed more than they did. These kids sacrifice daily while their contemporaries are out partying and shuffling along through life. They spend long days, weeks, months, and sometimes up to a year away from their families, and they do it with a smile on their faces and rarely complain. You want to know the funny part about all of this, they really don't give a rat's ass what some snot nosed college kid, who has no clue about the world thinks about them. While you sit around stealing someone's right of expression, they are putting their asses on the line so you can verbally bash them. They are very the reason you have the right to say what ever the hell you want without someone knocking on your door at 2am to haul your sniveling ass away. These are the finest people I have ever had the privilege to know. They have more class in their little toe than your sticker stealing ass has in your entire body.

So the next time you snatch someone's yellow ribbon sticker, think about my Marines and remember while you loath them they are protecting your cowardly little ass everyday. It takes allot more guts to do what these Marines do every day than it does to steal some old lady's sticker while no one is looking.

The invitation stands, maybe you can learn something from these guys, I'm sure you can.

GySgt Sean Castillo
USMC

The invitation stands, maybe you can learn something from these guys, I'm sure you can.

You're the man. Ironically, he's too brainwashed into thinking that you're brainwashed to take you up on it. I'd go to his college for a month and listen to every bit of rant that his friends and teachers could come up with, if he'd take you up on your offer.

Serious rant there, Gunny.

Good job.