Ian Robinson
Nonhacking homo college puke.
Posted on 11/21/2004 7:35:58 AM PST by Clive
You're a kid, probably a year or two, or even three, shy of your 25th birthday.
Not a rich kid. Probably not even an upper-middle-class kid ... after all, you don't find a lot of those outside the officer corps in combat naval infantry units.
You're probably not that bright; certainly not as bright as the highly educated college types lining up to condemn you.
Maybe you finished high school. Maybe you didn't.
The average IQ of an enlisted man in the United States Marine Corps is under 90.
It hasn't stopped you from mastering the tools of your trade. You can break down a complex automatic rifle and reassemble it blindfolded. You take care of your rifle with a professional passion that is nearly fetishistic because if you take care of your rifle -- the voice of a Parris Island drill instructor echoes in your head when you think this -- your rifle will take care of you.
You're in fantastic physical condition ... the combat load you carry on your back is 40-lb. more than the average American infantryman in the Second World War.
For whatever reason, you decided to give your life to something greater than yourself. To your country. To the Marines.
When you did that, you were indoctrinated. They broke you in boot camp and then rebuilt you. You were told you were the meanest, toughest S.O.B. who ever lived.
You know the names of obscure battles where Marines shed blood in the service of their nation.
You know the words of the Marine Hymn.
You know about the halls of Montezuma and the shores of Tripoli. You know about Tarawa, where the landing craft hung up on the coral reef and the Marines went into the lip-high water and waded 1,000 yards through Japanese fire to the beach ... and won.
You know about Khe Sahn where Marines were surrounded by North Vietnamese regulars under a hellish rain of artillery fire week after week ... and prevailed.
You can look at the bewildering array of coloured ribbons on another marine's chest and know whether he's a warrior or a guy who spent his career fighting red tape.
You were told that your job was to go to the dangerous places of the planet and fight and possibly die for your country without asking why. But after you were in for a while, certainly after the first time angry men with guns tried to kill you and you tried to kill them, you figured that nobody's willing to fight and die for their country.
They're willing to fight and die for the guy standing beside them.
The day before it happened, you got shot in the face. The wound wasn't as bad as it sounds. You were back with your unit the next day. You didn't take the opportunity to slack off, to leave your comrades in the lurch.
The same day you got it, a guy in your unit -- maybe a friend, maybe just some guy -- tried to tend to the body of one of your enemies.
The guy was dead ... but he was still lethal.
Your buddy touched him and the booby trap went off and killed him.
He probably should have known better. Beaten soldiers have been booby trapping their dead for a long time. The Germans were artists at it. So too the Viet Cong.
No reason crazed Islamofascists wouldn't be either. These people booby trap live women and send them off to die. Stands to reason they wouldn't be squeamish about booby trapping their dead and dying.
Earlier this week you went into the mosque in Fallujah from which Marines had taken fire before. There were five insurgents there. Not moving. And you were afraid.
Another Marine yelled that one of them was faking. That he was alive.
Maybe you could still feel the bullet that tore through part of your face the day before. Maybe the thought of the other Marine killed by a dead man rocketed through your brain. Maybe your hands acted of their own accord.
Maybe.
You pulled the trigger.
We don't know your name yet. We don't know anything about you.
I do know one thing.
I don't blame you. I don't blame you at all.
-
John McCain defending the marine now on Meet The Press.
The average IQ of an enlisted man in the United States Marine Corps is under 90.
And where, pray tell, did the author get that figure?
Highly doubtful. With an IQ that low they wouldn't even be able to load a clip. This leftist twit probably made this up out of no where like they do with almost all their "statistics."
I don't know if I should thank the writer or seek him out to kick his butt.
I think they should give this Marine the highest award within the Corps, then have the Commandant of The Marine Corps appear on TV..."and if anyone has a problem with this.."( turns around, drops dress blue trousers) "you can KISS MY DEVIL DOG AMERICAN MARINE ASS!"
i don't like that article - it's condecending bs. the Marines are not brainwashed killing machines,, and they are not stupid.. nor highschool drop outs.. nor are they victims,
it's bs
BULLSHIT.
I would like to send a contengent of "average" Marines to take this puke reporter/columnist out to lunch. After he was thoroughly impressed with how very wrong he is about the average intelligence, average economic status, and such I'd like to see them. . . . . . . . but you know Marines wouldn't do that because they aren't animals, they are Marines. I can assure you this pot smoking, hack writer in Canada isn't worthy to shine the boots of any Marine even the two he might find with an IQ of 90.
I don't know what to make of this guy. Does he just hate all Americans or what? I went to the site and clicked on the "next article" link at the bottom and find him calling liberals "whining maggots".
You're probably not that bright; certainly not as bright as the highly educated college types lining up to condemn you. Maybe you finished high school. Maybe you didn't. The average IQ of an enlisted man in the United States Marine Corps is under 90
This is both absurd and offensive. My experience is with the Army, not the Marine Corps, but if anything the Marine Corps can be even more selective in their recruiting. The idea that our military is unintelligent is patently absurd. What our men and women in uniform accomplish...such as crushing Saddam's military in days, twice, and routing thousands of dug in terrorists in Fallujah with less than 50 casualties etc is the work of intelligent hard working dedicated patriots. And for the record, a 90 IQ is only slightly below average.
I hope this columnist meets a Marine in a back alley and says this crap to his face some day. Just because I would enjoy seeing this communist suck up having to go through his country's crappy socialized health care system.
I agree. They are heroes!
Damning with faint praise.
Can we send Ron Artest over to this writer's house for some one-on-one??
I've known a number of Marines in my time, and I'd guess that the average IQ of the ones I knew was 105 or better. I've know a number of Marines with superior intelligence. I'm not talking about officers either, I'm talking your average Marine.
Leftwing bullshit... Average IQ crap - This writer is the maron.
From the Halls of Montezuma
To the shores of Tripoli
We fight our country's battles
In the air, on land and sea
First to fight for right and freedom
And to keep our honor clean;
We are proud to claim the title
Of United States Marines.
Our flag's unfurled to every breeze
From dawn to setting sun;
We have fought in every clime and place
Where we could take a gun.
In the snow of far-off Northern lands
And in sunny tropic scenes;
You will find us always on the job --
The United States Marines.
Here's health to you and to our Corps
Which we are proud to serve;
In many a strife we've fought for life
And never lost our nerve.
If the Army and the Navy
Ever look on Heaven's scenes,
They will find the streets are guarded
By United States Marines.
I used some comments here, added my own and wrote a letter to his editor.
I do not like the tone of his article at all.
I don't blame that Marine either, but for some reason, I don't think he'd appreciate Mr. Robinson's support at all!
That petition is still reeling in signatures at an amazing rate.
A liberal again saying that conservatives and marines are stupid.
“The average IQ of an enlisted man in the United States Marine Corps is under 90.”
Somehow I doubt this average of under 90 IQ score. To attain an average of 90, marines would have to score in the range from115 to 65, and I just don’t think any of the military services since “McNamara’s One Hundred Thousand” have accepted any enlistees with a 65-70 IQ.
Hope someone's paying attention.
http://www.petitiononline.com/as123/petition.html
The average IQ of an enlisted man in the United States Marine Corps is under 90.
Bullshit, bullshit, bullshit. This article deserves a retraction and an apology. The writer has confused Marines with newspaper columnists.
"The average IQ of an enlisted man in the United States Marine Corps is under 90."
I don't buy this.
While I agree with te defense and the sentiment in the article, I think the author engages in some very negative stereotypes concerning our military.
While there are examples of what he says and you can manipulate the data to say exactly what he says, I know our troops have more on the ball than what he lays out.
It's almost as if he is saying the Marine took the action because he was too dumb to do otherwise
OK, I didn't read the other replies before posting, so I tried to soften my words. I see it was unnecessary.
This article is crap, and the only good statement is "I don't blame him"
I don't blame him because he saw an active threat and he was SMART enough to recognize and deal with it effectively.
I'll take that over the constant waffling of the intellectual turds like the one that wrote this
My hubbie was (is, lol) a Marine, and let me tell you, he's not lacking in the IQ department, despite the fact he was "just" a sergant. I don't think this person knows a single Marine, or he wouldn't have made such bone-headed remarks! My husband is one of the smartest people I know.
This is sooo insulting to the Marines...he'd better hope he doesn't run into one in a dark alley somewhere, or he'd be getting the education of a lifetime from one of these "not too bright" individuals!
Force Recon! That was my hubbie and his dad...you're right, messing with them is a very, very bad idea. lol
Somebody needs to ask this twerp, "Do you feel lucky, punk? Well, do you?"
LOL
Go navy! (and semper fi!)
Most of the marines are of higher intellect than this pannywaste gives them crecit for. And they are smarter than this (censored).
I think it's pretty obvious that the author has nothing but Hollywood hype to rely on for his facts. It's a shame that so many people really believe the crap they see on TV.
Click below to see a long list of Famous Marines,
ALL of whose intelligence far exceeds the author of this piece:
http://www.stevenshiles.com/Famous_Marines.html
Some famous Marines:
Robert Bork - Judge
James Baker- Statesman; former Sec of State
Charles Bolden- Astronaut
Pappy Boyington of Black Sheep fame
John Phillips Sousa- Composer
and on and on.
There is a long list of famous and super-intellegent Marines:
http://www.stevenshiles.com/Famous_Marines.html
IQ does not equal intelligence. IQ measurements heavily favor what has been learned from books and results can be heavily skewed by one's method of learning and life experience. Measurement of common sense is usually ignored. IQ tests can not measure one's capacity to learn, although they attempt to do that. IMO, the heavy use of IQ and other such tests have contributed to the 'dumbing down' of America. Pseudo intellectuals (teachers and professors) interpret low scores as meaning that the students are just too dumb to learn complex subjects, when the real problem lies with their inability to effectively teach and their own arrogance.
Many leftist elitists have high IQs, but can't 'tie their own shoes' - so to speak. Others, such as entertainers and artists, even though they may know they only have average overall IQs, believe that their 'body of work' entitles them to belong in the 'intellectual class. Their ego and arrogance prevent them from understanding that they are sorely lacking in common sense, derived mostly by living on the 'real' world and struggling with the common problems of everyday life.
IQ Test: Where Does It Come From and What Does It Measure?
JMHO
Please sign the petition for the Marine, if you have not already done so. It's now up to:
116,527 Total Signatures
Petition Online
Nonhacking homo college puke.
My feelings exactly. Although the last part seems to 'not blame' the kid, he is inferring that in view of his apparent stupidity and brainwashing, we should not blame the kid - not because his action was justified-.but because he is an innocent product of the great war machine!
Here's the link:
The US military basically requires that a recruit have graduated from highschool as a mimimum. There is a strict limit placed on the number of high school dropouts that will be accepted, which limit is far less than the number of dropouts with a GED who want to enlist, let alone those who don't have a GED.
The reason is that drop-outs, including drop-outs with GED diplomas, are less likely to complete basic training than those who have completed high school.
That necessarily implies that accepted recruits have at least average intelligence as a minimum and that means that the average intelligence of a recruit who has passed basic training is above the average of the general population.
So I think that the author is mistaken in this assertion.
But overall there is a valid point to be made. Learned legal scholars, politicians, journalists, academics, intellectuals all, at least in their own minds, will spend hours to second-guess a decision that an ordinary soldier had about a second to make.
And let us not forget that the downside risk of their learned deliberations does not include the potential death of themselves or any of their learned colleagues.
That is, I think, the point that the author was, perhaps badly, attempting to make.
Forgive Ian. He's probably Canadian. (Which explains a great deal)
This article was a good find -- thanks for the post. It's hard to understand the author's point of view. He makes some good points about the split-second decision that the Marine had to make. But he also seemed to be saying, "soldiers and Marines come from the dumb and downtrodden parts of society, so let's not be too hard on them." I've got to disagree with that. I suspect the average person in the U.S. military has a higher IQ than the average newspaper columnist.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
You know, I should have thought of that...I guess my "low IQ" prevented me from making the connection.
LOL
BTW: My dh scored 170 (no kidding) on his IQ test...maybe 'ol Ian can put that in his pipe and smoke it, instead of weed. Might do something to improve HIS IQ score.
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