When Shawnie Comes Marching Home...
Read this.
03/18/08 Daily News Editorial
Shawn Sage has a Marine's determination.
Although the Simi Valley foster teen's dreams of entering the Corps early were dashed when an anti-war judge blocked him from early enlistment, Sage hasn't given up on his plans to serve his country.
He's counting the days until his eighteenth birthday - June 7. "The very next day," he says, "I'm going to the recruiting office and sign."
That Commissioner Marilyn Mackel's decision deprived him of a possible $10,000 bonus doesn't concern Sage. He's as eager as ever. "I can't wait," he says.
And if his commitment to the Corps weren't testament enough to his willingness to serve, Sage's past few weeks in the limelight have made him all the readier. He's already done battle against both political correctness and the media.
"I feel just a little bit overwhelmed," Sage confesses. "Now I know why Britney Spears is crazy. I never thought (my story) would get this big." He's sure shown he's got the heart. And if he can handle the paparazzi, he can handle anything.
Wha?
Who wrote this?
Did they really just say, "if he can handle the paparazzi, he can handle anything."?
Have the paparazzi been shooting BULLETS at Britney Spears?
I mean, we all knew Paris Hilton had a hole in her head, but it wasn't the result of photog armed with a Nikon and a Glock.
Perhaps we should consider sending the paparazzi over to Falluja, instead of this kid who probably just got his driver's license last year.
(More after the jump....)
We're talking about a young man who, at the age of 17, wants to be a sniper for the Marines TODAY and, apparently, the DN thinks he'll do "just fine" because he can handle photographers and reporters.
Remember that....
Photographers and reporters = IED and bullets whizzing past your skull in a 130 degree war zone...
Of course, it makes all the sense in the world to me that a kid who has been in the L.A. County foster care system for the last 15 years would choose upon his 18th birthday to immediately become a ward of the federal government as a Marine.
It's a simple and quite natural leap from one f'd up government program to another.
And it's interesting that he's willing to fight for something he has never truly experienced; freedom.
Shawn, when you turn 18 buddy, go stand outside that court, raise your fists in the air and shout "I'm free, goddammit!" until you fall to your knees with the realization that indeed, sir, on that day you are free of the government making decisions for you and on that day indeed, sir, you are a man free to make your own choices.
Why that choice would include signing up for the Marines the next morning is beyond me.
Wouldn't a free man take at least 24 hours to seriously consider how much that freedom is worth before giving it away for a three year stint, a rifle and ten thousand bucks?
Hell, as it turns out, they're not even gonna give you the ten thousand bucks...
All I'm saying Shawn, is be free first.
Experience freedom first.
Later on, you'll have a much better idea of what you're really fighting for.
03/18/08 Daily News Editorial
Shawn Sage has a Marine's determination.
Although the Simi Valley foster teen's dreams of entering the Corps early were dashed when an anti-war judge blocked him from early enlistment, Sage hasn't given up on his plans to serve his country.
He's counting the days until his eighteenth birthday - June 7. "The very next day," he says, "I'm going to the recruiting office and sign."
That Commissioner Marilyn Mackel's decision deprived him of a possible $10,000 bonus doesn't concern Sage. He's as eager as ever. "I can't wait," he says.
And if his commitment to the Corps weren't testament enough to his willingness to serve, Sage's past few weeks in the limelight have made him all the readier. He's already done battle against both political correctness and the media.
"I feel just a little bit overwhelmed," Sage confesses. "Now I know why Britney Spears is crazy. I never thought (my story) would get this big." He's sure shown he's got the heart. And if he can handle the paparazzi, he can handle anything.
Wha?
Who wrote this?
Did they really just say, "if he can handle the paparazzi, he can handle anything."?
Have the paparazzi been shooting BULLETS at Britney Spears?
I mean, we all knew Paris Hilton had a hole in her head, but it wasn't the result of photog armed with a Nikon and a Glock.
Perhaps we should consider sending the paparazzi over to Falluja, instead of this kid who probably just got his driver's license last year.
(More after the jump....)
We're talking about a young man who, at the age of 17, wants to be a sniper for the Marines TODAY and, apparently, the DN thinks he'll do "just fine" because he can handle photographers and reporters.
Remember that....
Photographers and reporters = IED and bullets whizzing past your skull in a 130 degree war zone...
Of course, it makes all the sense in the world to me that a kid who has been in the L.A. County foster care system for the last 15 years would choose upon his 18th birthday to immediately become a ward of the federal government as a Marine.
It's a simple and quite natural leap from one f'd up government program to another.
And it's interesting that he's willing to fight for something he has never truly experienced; freedom.
Shawn, when you turn 18 buddy, go stand outside that court, raise your fists in the air and shout "I'm free, goddammit!" until you fall to your knees with the realization that indeed, sir, on that day you are free of the government making decisions for you and on that day indeed, sir, you are a man free to make your own choices.
Why that choice would include signing up for the Marines the next morning is beyond me.
Wouldn't a free man take at least 24 hours to seriously consider how much that freedom is worth before giving it away for a three year stint, a rifle and ten thousand bucks?
Hell, as it turns out, they're not even gonna give you the ten thousand bucks...
All I'm saying Shawn, is be free first.
Experience freedom first.
Later on, you'll have a much better idea of what you're really fighting for.
Labels: daily news, jack hoff, Marines, Semper Fi, Shawn Sage
Posted by Anonymous @ 3/18/2008 07:19:00 PM
21 Comments:
Freedom!!!
What did he do that the Judge stopped him from joining and getting a 10K benefit? Seem like he was white, non hispanic, without police record?
http://www.dailynews.com/
In the search box, type in Shawn Sage
DAMN-IT, I told you people, NO links, don't you people read !!!!
He was underage. The judge has been in charge of him since he was 7 years old. She would have been derelict in her duty to send him off to the front lines to die as a Marine for an extra $10,000.
People who don't this are crazy. Yes, maybe his parents could have allowed him to do that, but unfortunately, they dumped him for drugs and jail and that left it up to the system and the judge to care for him.
She did the right thing.
Here’s where we answer our readers’ questions. Please don’t blame us if our suggestions don’t work for you; you’re the one taking advice from a donkey.
Mr. Jack Hoff I do not know you nor do I disrespect you so I would ask of you a favor.
Would you please ask Mr. Michael Higby to either identify or remove the poster "PetraFried in the City"?
Mr. Higby should be ashamed of himself for placing this malcontent on his blog.
Yes do that Jack Hoff. Because this blog has become a sanctuary city for the woman that Janis Hahn called a terrorist.
shhh, lets watch how hoff answers.
I too demand to know who Petrafried is. Tell us please.
The answer lies within yourself.
1. petrafried
When you are extremely intoxicated on marijuana. That thirty minute period right after you get done smoking marijuana cigarettes, and your brain has to re-adjust to reality.
Wow! That marijuana cigarette really got me "petrafried!"
I can't drive right now, I'm too "petrafried;" maybe in 45 minutes.
"Petrafried" describes the Hahn/Alarcon/Rosendahl/Cardenas approach to policy-making.
GTSN
HFKE
Ok folks, I am going to use my BatComputer and solve the PetraFried mystery.
http://www.petrafried.com/
the other Christian parody band
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petra
Petra (from πέτρα "petra", rock in Greek; Arabic: البتراء, Al-Butrā) is an archaeological site in Arabah, Aqaba Governorate, Jordan, lying on the slope of Mount Hor[1] in a basin among the mountains which form the eastern flank of Arabah (Wadi Araba), the large valley running from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba. It is renowned for its rock-cut architecture.
http://www.petrafoods.com/
Petra Foods is one of the world’s major manufacturers of cocoa ingredients and a major player in branded chocolate confectionery products in Indonesia and other countries in Asia, with market leadership in Indonesia.
http://www.petranemcova.org/
Petra Němcová (IPA: [ˈnjɛmtsovaː], pronounced NYEMtzovah; born June 24, 1979 in Karviná, Czechoslovakia, now Czech Republic) is a fashion model and; founder and president of Happy Hearts Fund. In December 2004, she was injured in Thailand by a tsunami resulting from the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake; her then-fiancé, Simon Atlee, was killed in the tsunami.
...and THIS is why I don't like posting my stuff at night....
Hey, you Mayor Sam Mental Patients, please comment over at
imanofftopicfool.blogspot.com. This material is too difficult for you.
Being a marine is a calling. The more she tells him no , the more he wants to join.
Jack Hoff have you ever been in a place where they were shooting bullets at you? I have.Big bombs too. I found after my war , which of course was a lot different than this one, it takes more mental courage to speak out like this young man. And yes, having the paparazzi following you around all of the time is an emotional rollercoaster , ask Britney Spears. She went coo-coo.
I agree that this young man has courage and would make a fine Marine. It takes this type of mental fortitude to be in the corps. Seriously , for me I think it would be easier to be on the line than having to face public opinion. A lot of people can't handle it.It takes guts.
But he won't really know how he feels about killing until he does it. It is not a good feeling.
Dgarz, thanks for the thoughtful response.
I've just started volunteering my time to work with formerly homeless and drug-addicted vets.
I do know of and appreciate your years of work in this field.
I agree with you that this kid will make a fine Marine. My dad was one, but he sucked at it.
However, my real question is, "Will this kid make a fine citizen after being an 18 year-old Marine sniper in Iraq?"
Jack:
The issue is not whether he will be a good marine--he will, or the corps will run him out.
The issue is the way in which that commissioner used her personal anti-military feelings to deny this good kid what he wants.
If she had said she was concerned about him dying, and wanted him to wait until he was 18, we wouldn't be having this discussion.
It's not enough for liberals now to oppose Bush's policy in Iraq. They now have to demean the military as well.
When the City of Berkeley wanted to stop the USMC recruitment center, one councilman called the Marines "Bush's hired killers."
The NBC News military analyst called young men who volunteered to serve in the armed forces "mercenaries."
Peel back the "Support the Troops" rhetoric of some liberals and you'll find the same people who spat on soldiers and burned US flags during the Vietnam era.
10:39p, Thanks for the thoughtful response. I do appreciate it.
For the sake of argument, allow me to take you to task on a couple comments and let's see what you come back with;
1) Does the Corps really "run out" its own, or does it "protect its own" (i.e., friendly fire incidents, prisoner abuse, guys on the ground taking the fall for higher ups)?;
2) Is there any middle ground of discussion/action to be had in this 3-week-now-5-year-war, or should we stick to quoting councilmembers from Berkeley vs. Neo-cons from D.C.?;
3) Since you now have the floor, what's your best program for Iraq?
All (on-topic) comments welcomed!
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