Semper Fi?

My mother was a Marine. During the second world war, she joined the new Women's Marine Reserves. She went through boot camp at Camp Lejeune, learned to navigate planes being flown from aircraft factories to domestic bases, and taught navigation to Marines returning from the front in order to put the new planes into action.

She was proud of being a Marine. Of all the men who held the office of superintendent at VMI during her lifetime, the one who drew her warmest praise was George Shell, not only because he was a fine man and widely liked, but also because he was a Marine. I imagine she'd have had the same respect for Anthony Zinni, had she been alive to see him speak here against the war on Iraq in October 2002. It's almost a sure thing she'd be voting for Marine James Webb in the Democratic Senate primary next month.

But today, I'm glad she's not here. She would be deeply angry and ashamed about the Marine murders in Haditha. And anyone who knew my mother would agree: you didn't want to be around when she was angry, much less be on the receiving end.