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Home Front: Politix
USMC Letter To College Editor: Soldiers Face Real 'die-In' Daily In Iraq
2005-04-10
It's a shame that I'm here in Iraq with the Marines right now and not back at Ohio University completing my senior year and joining in blissful ignorance with the enlightened, war-seasoned protesters who participated in the recent "die-in" at College Gate. It would appear that all the action is back home, but why don't we make sure? That's right, this is an open invitation for you to cut your hair, take a shower, get in shape and come on over! If Michael Moore can shave and lose enough weight to fit into a pair of camouflage utilities, then he can come too!

Make sure you all say your goodbyes to your loved ones though, because you won't be seeing them for at least the next nine months. You need to get here quick because I don't want you to miss a thing. You missed last month's discovery of a basement full of suicide vests from the former regime (I'm sure Saddam's henchmen just wore them because they were trendy though). You weren't here for the opening of a brand new school we built either. You might also notice women exercising their new freedom of walking to the market unaccompanied by their husbands.

There is a man here, we just call him al-Zarqawi, but we think he'd be delighted to sit down and give you some advice on how you can further disrespect the victims of Sept. 11 and the 1,600 of America's bravest who have laid down their lives for a safer world. Of course he'll still call you "infidel" but since you already agree that there is no real evil in the world, I see no reason for you to be afraid. Besides, didn't you say that radical Islam is a religion of peace and tolerance?

I'm warning you though -it's not going to be all fun and games over here. You might have bad dreams for the next several nights after you zip up the body bag over a friend's disfigured face. I know you think that nothing, even a world free of terror for one's children, is worth dying for, but bear with me here. We're going to live in conditions you've never dreamt about. You should get here soon though, because the temperatures are going to be over 130 degrees very soon and we will be carrying full combat loads (we're still going to work though). When it's all over, I promise you can go back to your coffee houses and preach about social justice and peace while you continue to live outside of reality.

If you decide to decline my offer, then at least you should sleep well tonight knowing that men wearing black facemasks and carrying AK-47s yelling "Allahu Akbar" over here are proud of you and are forever indebted to you for advancing their cause of terror. While you ponder this, I'll get back to the real "die-in" over here. I don't mind.

-Marc Fencil, a senior majoring in political science, criminology and Spanish, is currently serving in Iraq. Send him an e-mail at marc.fencil@ohiou.edu

Semper Fi, Marc. I'll sleep well and thankfully knowing you're there killing them before they can kill me.
Posted by:Mrs. Davis

#5  Google is your friend!
LCpl Marc Fencil is assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Infantry Regiment. Here's a link to some of his photos and writing. Apparently he's in Public Relations.
Posted by: Old Patriot   2005-04-10 10:18:01 PM  

#4  Too bad I didn't read the comments first because I sent a nice email to him. Anyone from the area can check up on a Marc Fencil? Can't be to many in the are that are Marines. Is there a local Marine unit?
Posted by: Cyber Sarge   2005-04-10 4:19:16 PM  

#3  Genuine or hoax, the sentiment is real enough. Outstanding!
Posted by: Dar   2005-04-10 1:50:17 PM  

#2  I went through the paper from the top and it looks genuine, so the college apears to have shut down the mail box. Too much favorable mail, perhaps.
Posted by: Mrs. Davis   2005-04-10 11:34:59 AM  

#1  Looks like they've shut off his mailbox or it's a hoax.
Posted by: Mrs. Davis   2005-04-10 11:28:24 AM  

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