A Sincere Request From One Marine to My Fellow Humans
My request.......
I wrote this story about 4 a.m. yesterday.
It is nearing dawn, and I have yet to sleep. I have been busy on the phone talking to my fellow Marines about a particularly brave former soldier, Abdul-Rahman, formerly known as Peter Kassig. I know that this hub may be offensive to others, but for my own heart, I have to write it.
Abdul-Rahman, was previously an Army soldier who deployed to the Middle East, but had this overwhelming urge to help the individuals he met, he didn't care if they were the enemy or just a bystander. He just wanted to help people. After Kassig had got out of the Army, he set up his own business to go to the Middle East and continue in help in a medical fashion. He didn't car who was on which side, he wanted to protect the human body. Even leaders of Al Qaeda asked ISIS not to murder him because he had helped him in his time of need.
I have heard people call Abdul-Rahman horrible names that should make themselves ashamed as Americans. For the record, our military do medically help the enemy, it is in our Geneva Convention, and we can be charged with war crimes if we fail to render their aid. He continued this mission on his own time, and on his dime.
I have heard people say the Abdul-Rahman, just became a Muslim in order to protect his neck. ISIS kills other Muslims; they would have no problem just adding one more. Also, there are almost equal amount of Christians and Muslims in this world. ISIS is just a small sect, and, they don't encompass the truly peaceful nature of Muslims. I have met more Muslims in my year in Iraq, then most people do in a lifetime. Some are tools; some are sweet and gentle, and some just want to go to work, and come home and be with their family; just like Americans.
I am a Christian, but I believe that there are many ways to God. I know my mom is likely feeling chest pains just with me just typing that. Give Abdul-Rahman Kassig the credit he deserves to follow a religion that he believed in without people belittling his faith. He was not a stupid man and had spent a long time in the Middle East, around Isis, and as a hostage. He knew he was going to do die. He knew that they were not going to give him any special favors because he converted to Muslim. Honestly, it may have caused him more trouble since ISIS might have tried to make him prove his allegiance to Allah.
The point of this thesis is that I hope you do not watch his beheading. He was a former service member. I won't lie; I watched the two initial first beheadings online a few months ago. It was nothing surprising, and sadly I wasn't shocked at all. In some commands, they show us these videos to de-sensitize us if we have to in real-life watch a person being beheaded, so we won't lose our cool. We don't lose our cool, because you can't think rationally, and that makes your chances of escaping basically zilch.
However, for some reason, this time it was different. He was my brother-at-arm. I recognize myself in him, and it makes this video almost provocative, and I don't mean that in a sexual way. I beg people not to watch his video, please. This man was a human, he was someone's son, best-friend, schoolmate, boyfriend, soldier, medic, and much, much more. Don't demean his life, by watching his death, please.
Rest in peace, my fellow soldier-at-arm.
Thank you for all your well-wishes. I didn't know Kaasig personally, but knew those who did. Marines and soldiers don't normally fraternize, but that doesn't change the sense of brotherhood I have with him. We were both deployed to Iraq, we both signed the dotted line to protect and defend our country. Even though I don't know him personally, please don't watch the video. This is a murder of an innocent man. If I went back, would people watch my beheading too?