CULTURECLASH CLASH(Be (Express Yourself) CULTURE a Better Human)
A Vet’s View
Bars and Stripes By Juan Gonzales
I am not on a parade ground or part of a big ceremony wearing my dress blues or even Class A uniform. I am in a Texas Prison wearing offender whites. The country I fought for and defended, even offered up my life for, has decided that in the interest of public safety, I am better off living in a cage. Does this make me hate my country or regret my service? No, it doesn’t. I am a proud American and would make the decision to serve it all over again if I could, flying bullets, explosions, chemical exposures and all. The whole bit. My name is Juan Lobo Gonzales and I am and always will be a proud U.S. Marine.
Inmate Gonzales at Veteran Ceremony
I am not alone in the way I feel. In the Estelle Unit in Huntsville, Texas, I have a tight knit group of brothers who feel the exact same way. Marines, sailors, soldiers, airmen, and even a couple of Coasties too. In this environment full of gangs and racial hate groups, our veterans group stands out. We have Vietnam as well as Gulf vets standing together as brothers here. Young and old connected by the oath we all took to defend our nation and even giving our lives for it if needed. We all have pride in what we were and are a part of. Veterans groups in prison are not new. There are more of us in here than most would think. VIG’s (Veterans Incarcerated Groups) are in many units across this state. They are
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Photo courtesy of the author. Medal image courtesy of ING Images.
“Forward… March!” My detail steps off in unison and we march to our designated positions, performing sharp turns and obliques perfectly in sync. I carry my Marine Corps Colors with pride and even feel my eyes water just a bit as I present to the National Anthem playing in the background. Marines do not cry, but our eyes do get shiny at certain moments. For me, this is one of those moments. My heart is filled with patriotism for my country, Esprit De Corps for my Marine Corps, and love for my brothers.
