Musical Marines

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." George Orwell

These are difficult days, even by Marine standards. Those serving overseas dodge explosives and ambushes, all the while knowing every action is subject to immediate global second guessing. Every rumor of a false step hits the international media, widely reported on the front pages. If the story doesn’t hold up, too bad. The correction's buried in the back, in 6-pt type. No wonder the whole world now loathes the U.S. military. Acts of heroism go unnoticed, supporting statements get short shrift, and anti-Western groups like the Council on American Islamic Relations get to set the agenda for discussion.

CAIR's latest excuse to be offended is video of a song one Marine performed off duty to entertain his buddies. From CAIR’s release and the resulting media coverage, you'd think these guys were fresh from Haditha (still under investigation, by the way), gloating about war crimes. But wait: the song ACTUALLY describes a Marine lured into an ambush by a girl, whose father and brother are so eager to kill an American they shoot their own relative to get at him. At that point, the Marine dispatches the two jihadists.

At CAIR’s cue, the Corps condemned the video. Certainly, the language is rough and the subject matter is not family fare at all. But consider: it’s a parody written by and for Americans performing a difficult job most of their countrymen will never understand, much less truly appreciate. It reflects their everyday reality, and if THAT is offensive, maybe Americans should ponder THAT. Sherman said it best: war is hell. A little perspective goes a long way. As a comment on another blog put it: “We sing naughty songs on video. They saw off heads on video. End of discussion.”

The Corps has a well-deserved reputation for bravery, so it’s sad to see a knee-jerk reaction to an organization that’s basically a fifth column operating openly in the West. The Corps’ statement could have sympathized with the troops in the field. Instead, their condemnation lends credibility to CAIR's undeserved self-righteous attitude. After patrolling war zones every day defending freedom of speech, it's too bad Marines can never be allowed to have any themselves.

Sadly, the many news organizations covering this latest tempest in a teapot won't aim half as much scrutiny at the organization that started it….CAIR. If there’s an offensive group of Americans needing investigation, it’s them.