New York Times Cuts Patriotism from Marine's Letter

New York Times Cuts Patriotism from Marine's Letter

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The New York Times cut patriotic comments from a letter written by a U.S. Marine before he was killed in Iraq.

The family of Cpl. Jeffrey Starr slammed the Times for selectively excerpting the letter he wrote to his girlfriend, intending for her to read it in the event of his death.

A November 2 Times story about soldiers killed while serving multiple tours of duty mentioned 22-year-old Starr, who was serving his third tour of duty when he died, and included this excerpt from his letter:

"I kind of predicted this ... A third time just seemed like I’m pushing my chances.”

In fact, the letter read in its entirety (emphasis added):

"I kind of predicted this, that is why I’m writing this in November. A third time just seemed like I’m pushing my chances. I don’t regret going, everybody dies but few get to do it for something as important as freedom. It may seem confusing why we are in Iraq, it’s not to me. I’m here helping these people, so that they can live the way we live. Not have to worry about tyrants or vicious dictators. To do what they want with their lives. To me that is why I died. Others have died for my freedom, now this is my mark.”

Starr’s mother Shellie told the New York Post that the "part of the letter about freedom and dying for it was much more important for him than what they wrote from the letter.”

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