Night Before Christmas 2001

[MajHavoc 0]

The below adaption of the famous Night Before Christmas poem was sent to me by a buddy.

The first time I read this I was 18 years old, a "Grunt" Marine on a tour of duty in Viet Nam (USMC Fox 2/7). It brought a tear to my eye then, as it does now.

During this holiday season, a season of joy and thansgiving, please take a moment to reflect and remember our US Armed Forces... the Men and Women that protect and preserve our way of life. May God bless and protect each one.

Thanx!

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Night Before Christmas 2001

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'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, HE LIVED ALL ALONE,

IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE.

I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,

AND TO SEE JUST WHO IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.

I LOOKED ALL ABOUT, A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,

NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS, NOT EVEN A TREE.

NO STOCKING BY MANTLE, JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,

AND ON THE WALL PICTURES OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

WITH MEDALS AND BADGES, AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,

A SOBERING THOUGHT CAME TO MY MIND.

FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT, SO DARK AND SO DREARY,

THE HOME OF A SOLDIER, NOW I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING, SILENT, ALONE,

CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.

THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE, THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,

NOT HOW I PICTURED A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.

WAS THIS THE HERO OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?

CURLED UP ON A PONCHO, THE FLOOR FOR A BED?

I REALIZED THE FAMILIES THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,

OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

SOON ROUND THE WORLD, THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,

AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,

BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS, LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

I COULDN'T HELP WONDER HOW MANY LAY ALONE,

ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

THE VERY THOUGHT BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,

I DROPPED TO MY KNEES AND STARTED TO CRY.

THE SOLDIER AWAKENED AND 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."

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER AND SOON DRIFTED TO SLEEP,

I COULDN'T CONTROL IT, I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS, SO SILENT AND STILL,

AND WE BOTH SHIVERED FROM THE COLD EVENING'S CHILL.

I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE ON THAT COLD, DARK NIGHT,

THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER, WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,

WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA, IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE."

ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH, AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."

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This poem was written by a Marine stationed in Okinawa Japan.

/0

Carry on!

Maj

[MajHavoc 0]

nt

[GFX707 0]

Well woopee-f**kin-doo

If I hear the word freedom once more ill set their freakin innards free, thats for sure

[Paco1 0]

Quote: from GFX707 on 2:36 am on Dec. 15, 2001

Well woopee-f**kin-doo

Being ex- millitary I wanted to reply with unkind words!

But I realize that your not worth it!

[Rogue2020 0]

I remember having a satanic version of the night before Christmas....it was funny as ####....long lost in the abyss called the internet.........

[Espectro (DayZ) 0]

nt

[Captain Kickass 0]

When I was in the army Cadets I heard another poem of the night before Christmas. But I don't think you'd want to hear it!

[Rogue 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Quote: from Rogue2020 on 7:37 am on Dec. 15, 2001

I remember having a satanic version of the night before Christmas....it was funny as ####....long lost in the abyss called the internet.........

<span id='postcolor'>

Yes, Yes, i am too an agent of Satan, but my duties are largely ceremonial over here.

[GFX707 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Quote: from Paco1 on 2:47 am on Dec. 15, 2001

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Quote: from GFX707 on 2:36 am on Dec. 15, 2001

Well woopee-f**kin-doo

Being  ex- millitary I wanted to reply with unkind words!

But I realize that your not worth it!

<span id='postcolor'>

Well, mister freedom....should it not piss you off ever so slightly that my freedom that you urmmm....fought for, apparently, allows me to call you an ass....? huh....? cuz you're an ass....there....said it again

All this glorious hero s**te is just nonsense. The Army does what they are told by the government, and the US government is just as corrupt as half of the 3rd world nations that they use as scapegoats and an excuse to go get some more money.

If anything you are oppressing people more than you are liberating them, I would say. Which is kinda ironic, but nevermind. Some people just don't deserve 'freedom'. Also I cannot express in words how sick I am of trumpet-blowing like this.

[Rogue2020 0]

I used to be a Satanist but I'm far smarter than that...I finally got it through my head that Satan is just a piece of a religion that is so f**king absurd that I cannot honestly say that this world is real......

[Thehamster 0]

hmm just another pointless thread

[fixOPFsoundsplease 0]

Misc quote:

"You have freedom of speech NOT because of the First Amendment, which is routinely bent and twisted like a hot pretzel, but because the Central government was granted no authority to prevent your speech. According to the Constitution no lame little one-sentence ink splotch protects my speech. I can say whatever I want because the Central government was not granted any authority in the Constitution to stop me. I can own a gun because the Constitution does not give the Central government the authority to prevent me. The same goes for my right to do absolutely ANYTHING. "