Kyle was 22 when he signed up for Iraq. He had just dropped out of Cal State Long Beach and after a big fight with his father, he decided to join the Marines; to become a man. To get trained to become organized, motivated and sober. No more tequila shots and beer for Kyle. He wanted to make his dad proud, like his older brother who is becoming a lawyer.
After 9 months of training in S. California, he was shipped out to Iraq to defend freedom and the American way of life. So he thought.
Less than a month into his tour in Baghdad Kyle was caught in a situation which turned his life into a living hell ever since. During a battle with some Iraqi fighters, Kyle had accidentally shot 2 innocent Iraqi kids who couldn’t have been older than 8 or 9. He was cleared of any wrong doing by the U.S. forces. But his conscience was not cleared. Not a least bit.
The boy from Los Angeles who turned 24 today is now in a mental institution. I visited him this morning. He has committed suicide 3 times; once in Iraq and twice since he has been back.
Kyle’s dad was my first boss here in the U.S. He gave me my first job after I graduated from college. I have known this family more than 25 years. They are normal; well I should say they were normal. Nothing is the same in their household. For what?!
I never felt stronger feelings for trial of George Bush for crimes against humanity than I did today.
This is the story of just 1 family. I am sure there are thousands more here in the U.S. and many many more in Iraq.
I am just amazed at how apathetic the whole human race has become. All that matters to us now is the economy and the stock market. Fuck the Iraqi dead. Who cares about the 10,000+ severely wounded U.S. soldiers. Where can I invest my cash until the stock market settles down.
