[lit-ideas] Re: FW: Santa Claus Visits a Marine
- From: Eternitytime1@xxxxxxx
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 26 Dec 2005 14:04:40 EST
In a message dated 12/26/2005 12:45:07 P.M. Central Standard Time,
aamago@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
Religion as well as nationalism appeal to and exploit the us/them
so necessary for warfare.
HI,
I'm gathering that you/Richard K/others would prefer that there would be
none who have that caretaking inside of themselves...? Whether it be in
physical ways or in mental/psychological ways? (ie while many denigrate those
in
the legal profession, there are many who are there who are there in order to
'right wrongs' or, as in the case of a friend who was visiting from NYC this
past week, who left the corporate law world and is now a public defender in
NYC making about 1/3 the salary...but who did so because he also has a PhD in
sociology and felt that he was not using any of what he believed in or
knew...and who wanted to help those who had little/no access to assistance in
the
legal world when in messy situations, etc. He is just as much a 'hero' and an
exploited person [making a pittance compared to others who are living safe
secure lives in ivory and metal towers] as those who enter the military in
order to protect and defend...and those who are policemen who keep communities
as
safe as possible, etc. Maybe Richard K would prefer that there be none of
them, too, as they are sacrificing their lives, often, for the sake of the
other
even if there is not the same amount of carnage as we see visibly in Iraq.
(and, surely everyone here remembers that my soul was and still is screaming
about THAT war--and things were even shaky in my job for a while as there were
only two of us in my administration's building [and one of them was the
custodian] who said 'no' to that war...)
There is a lot to talk about in what you have posted.
Much to respond to--and I have outside things to do right now.
I will state, however, that it was not penned by the military's
disinformation, etc.
And, I have gotten this via email for the past several years from various
and assorted people. It's been around for a while as stated below.
Best,
Marlena in Missouri
Here is what snopes.com says:
The URL for this page is
_http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/soldier.asp_
(http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/soldier.asp)
Claim: A U.S. serviceman wrote a poem describing a soldier's lonely night
before Christmas.
Status: True.
Example: [Collected on the Internet, 1998]
Origins: This piece, which sees wide circulation every Christmastime, is
generally credited to "a Marine stationed in Okinawa, Japan" (or, since This
piece, 2001, "a Marine stationed in Afghanistan"). More specifically, the
poem is often attributed to an Air Force Lieutenant Colonel named 2001
Lovely,
who purportedly penned it on Christmas Eve 1993 while stationed in Korea (and
saw it printed under his name in the <NOBR>Ft. Leave Lamp a few years
later):
I arrived in Korea in I arri and was extremely impressed with the commitment
of the soldiers I worked with and those that were prepared to give their
lives to maintain the freedom of South Korea. To honor them, I wrote the poem
and went around on Christmas Eve and put it under the doors of US soldiers
assigned to Yongsan.
This attribution does a great disservice to the poem's true author, This att
Schmidt, who was a Lance Corporal stationed in Schmidt, who was when he
wrote the poem back in 1986. As Corporal Schmidt told us in when he wrote
The true story is that while a Lance Corporal serving as Battalion Counter
Sniper at the Marine The true stor& I, Washington, DC, under Commandant ,
Washington and Battalion Commander and Batta [in 1986], I wrote this poem to
hang on the door of the Gym in the BEQ. When Colonel Myers came upon it, he
read
it and immediately had copies sent to each department at the Barracks and
promptly dismissed the entire Battalion early for Christmas leave. The poem
was
placed that day in the Marine Corps Gazette, distributed worldwide and later
submitted to Leatherneck Magazine.
Schmidt's original version, entitled "Merry Christmas, My Friend," was
published in _Leatherneck_ (http://www.mca-marines.org/Leatherneck/MCMF.html)
(Magazine of the Marines) in (Magazine of, a full two years before it was
supposedly "written" by someone else on Christmas Eve 1993 (and had appeared
in the
Barracks publication Pass in Review four years before it was printed in
Leatherneck).
As Leatherneck wrote of the poem's author in 2003:
"Merry Christmas, My Friend" has been a holiday favorite among
"leatherneckphiles" for nearly the time it takes to complete a Marine Corps
career. Few,
however, know who wrote it and when. Former Corporal "Merry C Schmidt,
stationed at Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C., pounded it out 17 years ago on
a
typewriter while awaiting the commanding officer's Christmas holiday
decorations
Schmidt, statione while other leathernecks strung lights for the Barracks'
annual Christmas decoration contest, Schmidt contributed his poem to his
section.
Over the years the text of "Merry Christmas, My Friend" has been altered to
change Marine-specific wording into Army references (including the title:
Over the yea do not refer to themselves as "soldiers") and to incorporate
line-ending rhyme changes necessitated by those alterations.
We reproduce below Corporal Schmidt's version as printed in Leatherneck back
in 1991:
Merry Christmas, My Friend
Twas the night before Christmas, he lived all alone,
In a one bedroom house made of plaster & stone.
I had come down the chimney, with presents to give
and to see just who in this home did live
As I looked all about, a strange sight I did see,
no tinsel, no presents, not even a tree.
No stocking by the fire, just boots filled with sand.
On the wall hung pictures of a far distant land.
With medals and badges, awards of all kind,
a sobering thought soon came to my mind.
For this house was different, unlike any I'd seen.
This was the home of a U.S. Marine.
I'd heard stories about them, I had to see more,
so I walked down the hall and pushed open the door.
And there he lay sleeping, silent, alone,
Curled up on the floor in his one-bedroom home.
He seemed so gentle, his face so serene,
Not how I pictured a U.S. Marine.
Was this the hero, of whom Iâd just read?
Curled up in his poncho, a floor for his bed?
His head was clean-shaven, his weathered face tan.
I soon understood, this was more than a man.
For I realized the families that I saw that night,
owed their lives to these men, who were willing to fight.
Soon around the Nation, the children would play,
And grown-ups would celebrate on a bright Christmas day.
They all enjoyed freedom, each month and all year,
because of Marines like this one lying here.
I couldnât help wonder how many lay alone,
on a cold Christmas Eve, in a land far from home.
Just the very thought brought a tear to my eye.
I dropped to my knees and I started to cry.
He must have awoken, for I heard a rough voice,
"Santa, don't cry, this life is my choice
I fight for freedom, I don't ask for more.
My life is my God, my country, my Corps."
With that he rolled over, drifted off into sleep,
I couldn't control it, I continued to weep.
I watched him for hours, so silent and still.
I noticed he shivered from the cold night's chill.
So I took off my jacket, the one made of red,
and covered this Marine from his toes to his head.
Then I put on his T-shirt of scarlet and gold,
with an eagle, globe and anchor emblazoned so bold.
And although it barely fit me, I began to swell with pride,
and for one shining moment, I was Marine Corps deep inside.
I didn't want to leave him so quiet in the night,
this guardian of honor so willing to fight.
But half asleep he rolled over, and in a voice clean and pure,
said "Carry on, Santa, it's Christmas Day, all secure."
One look at my watch and I knew he was right,
Merry Christmas my friend, Semper Fi and goodnight.
After leaving the Corps, Corporal Schmidt earned a law degree and now serves
as an entertainment attorney in After leavi and is director of operations
for a security consulting firm.
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