Politics: Tear-Stained Eye

Read TomPaine.com's account of a U.S. Marine who honestly believed in the ideals of peace, and spoke out about his opposition to our latest war. In late June, this un-named soldier was killed in Iraq. Chris Strohm and Ingrid Drake tell the story well. The final paragraph of the piece, excerpted from a letter the Marine left with his will, should be a wake-up call for all of us:

"That I have died means I have failed to achieve the one thing in life I truly longed to give the world -- peace," the letter reads. "The plight of human suffering consumed me and I dedicated much to trying to find the ideas that might lead humankind toward alleviating it for all. It was a quest which was inextricably intertwined with my quest for freedom. If you know anything about me you know that. Understand it and come to understand how the suffering of others tormented my soul. Then seek to honor my memory by trying to achieve what I could not."