Friday, October 28, 2005

What The NY Times Left Out About Cpl. Jeffrey B. Starr.

Michelle Malkin-Belligerent has an item about the NYT selectively editing the e-mail of a dead soldier to omit his sense of mission and dedication.

Here's an excerpt from the Times' passage about Cpl. Starr:

Another member of the 1/5, Cpl. Jeffrey B. Starr, rejected a $24,000 bonus to re-enlist. Corporal Starr believed strongly in the war, his father said, but was tired of the harsh life and nearness of death in Iraq. So he enrolled at Everett Community College near his parents' home in Snohomish, Wash., planning to study psychology after his enlistment ended in August.

But he died in a firefight in Ramadi on April 30 during his third tour in Iraq. He was 22.

Sifting through Corporal Starr's laptop computer after his death, his father found a letter to be delivered to the marine's girlfriend. ''I kind of predicted this,'' Corporal Starr wrote of his own death. ''A third time just seemed like I'm pushing my chances.''

Last night, I received a letter from Corporal Starr's uncle, Timothy Lickness. He wanted you to know the rest of the story--and the parts of Corporal Starr's letter that the Times failed to include:

Yesterday's New York Times on-line edition carried the story of the 2000 Iraq US military death[s]. It grabbed my attention as the picture they used with the headline was that of my nephew, Cpl Jeffrey B. Starr, USMC.

Unfortunately they did not tell Jeffrey's story. Jeffrey believed in what he was doing. He [was] willing put his life on the line for this cause. Just before he left for his third tour of duty in Iraq I asked him what he thought about going back the third time. He said: "If we (Americans) don't do this (free the Iraqi people from tyranny) who will? No one else can."

Several months after Jeffrey was killed his laptop computer was returned to his parents who found a letter in it that was addressed to his girlfriend and was intended to be found only if he did not return alive. It is a most poignant letter and filled with personal feelings he had for his girlfriend. But of importance to the rest of us was his expression of how he felt about putting his life at risk for this cause. He said it with grace and maturity.

He wrote: "Obviously if you are reading this then I have died in Iraq. I kind of predicted this, that is why I'm writing this in November. A third time just seemed like I'm pushing my chances. I don't regret going, everybody dies but few get to do it for something as important as freedom. It may seem confusing why we are in Iraq, it's not to me. I'm here helping these people, so that they can live the way we live. Not have to worry about tyrants or vicious dictators. To do what they want with their lives. To me that is why I died. Others have died for my freedom, now this is my mark."

What Jeffrey said is important. Americans need to understand that most of those who are or have been there understand what's going on. It would honor Jeffrey's memory if you would publish the rest of his story.


When is the Times going to change it's motto to "All the news that fits our agenda."?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Merry Fitzmas!

It is 1:34pm, EST. The Vice President's right-hand man has been indicted and has resigned well over an hour ago.

It is now 1:36pm. Here is a list of my favorite conservative blogs who have not reported this huge event yet:

- Instapundit.com (last post at 12:20pm)

- Little Green Footballs (last story posted at 9:11am)

- Powerline (last post at 8:44am)

- Andrew Sullivan (last post 12:26pm)

- Michelle Malkin (last post 10:49am)

- Dirkworld (last post 12:50pm, cribbed from Malkin)

- Rush Limbaugh website: nothing

- Sean Hannity website: nothing

- Bill O'Reilly website: nothing

- Hugh Hewitt website: nothing

The only site with courage to report the bad news is redstate.org

I guess you're all waiting for your marching orders from the RNC.

Dirk Belligerent said...

I notice you left The Corner out of your round-up - probably because they've been all over it since last night - and gawd forbid that people wait until 2 pm (5 minutes from now) to hear Fitz's presser. Unlike you moonbats, there are people who wait for FACTS first.

Besides, this has got to be sad for you and Al Franken: No one gets executed for perjury; no treason charges against Rove. Heck, it's shaping up to be a Martha Stewart crime - where the charges are based about lying about something that wasn't a charged crime. Wow. Call the firing squad!!!

Also, unlike you (it appears), some of us have to work for a living and haven't patrolled the VRWC sites in a while. Besides, this is off-topic and further dumbass comments from you will be deleted. When I post something about it, feel free to bring your pathetic spin attempts to the proper forum.

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