Free Republic

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (Oct. 13, 2005) -- When Seaman Hipolito V. Avitia, 21, from Albuquerque, N.M., deployed to Iraq for the second time at the beginning of this year, he thought it would be exactly the same as he left it in 2004. But now, after his deployment in the Al Anbar province has gone by, the 2000 graduate of Rio Grande High School has seen not only a different part of Iraq, but a difference in Operation Iraqi Freedom. As a corpsman, or field doctor, for Company F, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, who were south...

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (Oct. 12, 2005) -- When Raphael P. Ramos was growing up in Carolina, Puerto Rico, he had no father figure and no real direction, according to him. The only thing that got him away from the street life was his love of sports, participating in boxing and football as a young teenager and playing on the Ana Roque High School basketball team. After graduating in 2003, Ramos continued to work as a security guard for various local businesses and eventually found the path to his future career as a United States Marine. “I wanted...

If my life does not match up with what God's Word says about my life, the problem is not God's Word. The problem is me. For generations now the church has been systematically molding and shaping scripture to fit the experiences of man. We no longer look to God's Word as our absolute source of truth, but rather we look to our life experiences and put our faith in these, and then make God's Word fit these experiences. Let me give you an example. All through scripture we read of God as a healer of the physically infirmed. He is...

Didn't find this on a quick search. I'd like Pennsylvania voters to post their experiences here.Please indicate where you are, the general atmosphere, time you got to the polls, time you left and anything else of interest.We live west of Greensburg, PA-- a swing area of a swing state. Mostly good people, but a lot of Kool-Aid drinking union and ex-union members.We arrived at 7:30 a.m., weather pleasant, lines longer than I've ever seen them. We emerged at 7:55 a.m. Both camps out in force.

<p>MARION -- In 1999, the Ohio Parole Authority gave "Irish" Johnny Harvey 10 more years before he would be eligible for release. Five relatives have died while he's been behind bars at Marion Correctional Institution and his daughter's growing up without getting to spend any time with her dad.</p>