Disturbing story

Dear Mr. Weinstein:

This happened in the fall of 2007 while I worked at a local convenience store/gas station on thrid shift:

A young man came in after celebrating his 18th birthday, with his “camo uniform” (not an official US Army provided one – just a t-shirt with camo pants) on, saying “now I’m legal to go kill some camel jockeys”! I asked him what he meant, as I suspected what his answer would be, but I got more than I bargained for.

He said that now that he was 18, he could finally be fully accepted into the military and that his papers were all ready to be signed and he’d be off to boot camp very soon. We talked for awhile and I asked his name, and we said good-bye and off he went, wobbly-legged from the drinking he had done to celebrate his birthday (although 21 is the legal age in my state).

A couple of months later, the same you man came in, again at about 2 AM after doing some drinking (still, not legally) and had his official US Army uniform on this time. His hair had been cut to a burr but I still recognized him and we struck up a conversation again. He was alone this time and had more time to talk. He told me he had finished boot camp and was waiting his assignment in either Iraq or Afghanistan. He said he couldn’t wait to put his new training to work, that he was an expert marksman now – he even said he was a better shot in real life than in the video games he played, equating the video killing to the “real” killing he would be doing shortly. The he said something that has haunted me to this day, especially in the light of how long these wars have gone on, and with the amount of young people we are sending over there.

He said, “I’m gonna kill those bastards and send them to Jesus”! He went on to say that he felt the people he would be killing were “Godless savages” and that if they didn’t believe in Jesus, maybe he could convince them with his weapon! He was hell-bent on “War for God”, and after talking to him (I am a “saved Christian” myself, to put this in perspective) I felt very chilled by the whole experience. I talked with him a little while longer, but tried to find out how this seed had been planted in this young man’s head as he was headed off to war. I realize that when a person is getting rady to go into battle that they seek their God’s approval by confiding in parents and clergy, so that they have no fear in the face of the enemy, and they feel ready to sacrifice their life knowing they will be forgiven by their Maker. He said he had been raised a God-fearing Christian (as was I , I assured him) and that it was “his job now to go kill as many non-believing towel-heads” as he could. I asked if this was the way a lot of his buddies felt, and he assured me that they had been urged on by their superiors who also felt justified by killing “towel heads” and “Godless Muslims”. I had to get back to work and told him I wished him well and that I hope he came back intact, and to come see me the next time he was back in town.

It just made me sick to think that the Army (with the apparent help of the parents and clergy) would push these types of thoughts into our young men and women’s heads! I felt as if I was talking to a “jihadist”, only one of the Christian persuasion! I have even avoided church services since then, for not knowing if the person I sit beside might be some type of extremeist in sheep’s clothing, and whom I wish to have no affiliation with whatsoever. I know this could easily be counted as an “antecdotal” extreme fictional account, and I wish it was. But this is how some of our young people are being sent over to do their jobs, and I don’t condone killing in ANY matter, but I surely don’t condone “Killing in the name of God or Jesus” – that is a perversion of Christianity.

Thank You for listening, as this is the first time I have even talked about this. Yours just seemed to be the best outlet to tell it for the fist time. I would like to request that my real name and email address be withheld from public disclosure on your website.

Sincerely
(name withheld)

..am so very grateful for you sharing this, (Kentucky Resident’s name withheld)….your name will never be released………..reading what you wrote gave me goosebumps……you just rocked my world, brother….thank you from the bottom of my heart!!…….always, Mikey Weinstein….Pres. and Founder, MRFF

Thanks Mikey – I’ve held back from even speaking about this to personal friends and family who’ve served in the military since it happened. I wouldn’t want to besmirch their sacrifices by even bringing this up to them. But yes – it is very disturbing and I feel has far-reaching consequences to the military if it is left unchecked. Thanks for all your efforts – hopefully those in power will take notice that this won’t be supported by a majority of Americans.

(name withheld)