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Dear owners of Dar Salam Restaurant, and its employees:I did a horrible thing. There was and is no excuse for my actions. You deserve better. I wanted to put down on paper my deepest apologies for my actions on April 21, 2017 in your restaurant. Words will not undo what happened, how I reacted violently and irrationally, seemingly out of nowhere and frightened you and your patrons. I have watched the scene repeatedly and even I am alarmed at my behavior. You should have never felt threatened or afraid of a United States Marine in your midst. You should have felt protected and safe because over twenty years ago I enlisted in the world’s finest military branch and promised to protect the innocent and lay my life down for my country.Ever since I can remember all I wanted to be was a Marine. Growing up in the San Fernando Valley, in a multi-cultural household (my mom a single parent who later married my beloved step-Dad from Nigeria) this goal was hardly considered fashionable or even desirable but the idea of being a part of an elite class of warriors and upholding a Code of Honor appealed to my deep sense of patriotism and pride in my country. I realize on April 21 2017, I not only failed to uphold that Code but I sullied it and in so doing, I hurt you – dear innocent, hardworking people and, my kind of people and that is the worst shame for a Marine, and the Corps itself. It is tempting to want to explain what four combat deployments do to a man. In my first deployment to Iraq I participated in one of the war’s bloodiest battles in Ramadi. We experienced intense combat almost every single day for seven months and lost 34 Marines and suffered over 250 wounded. After that deployment, I started to seek help for my psychological issues stemming from sustained, repeated trauma from combat. Throughout my treatment, I continued to deploy and train Marines for combat. I attained the rank of Sergeant Major (E-9) in 2015 which is the highest rank achievable for an enlisted Marine, and oversaw 880 Marines of all nationalities before the situation at the restaurant occurred. I assure you, my actions were not based on racism, but from trauma. I was a damn good Marine and I did everything in my power to protect and save lives. The truth is I love the Iraqi people, and I would like to believe I saved as many as I could. One day in the middle of a gunfight I saved a little Iraqi girl. In the fire fight, two Marines were killed and two Iraqi soldiers were wounded. Afterwards I personally returned her back to her family. I pray that she is still alive but I doubt it. In another instance, I saved an entire family from their burning house and took them -- under fire -- to another family member’s house. The incident that took place in your restaurant breaks my heart. That is not the man and marine I am. But what took place only underscores that I have been deluding myself.My wife, my daughters, parents and maybe a few close friends, realized this a few years ago, but I could not bring myself to see it. My now-forced-retirement and the embarrassment of my stupidity on an otherwise spotless record, has forced me to take stock of my life. I have pursued with renewed energy an intensive outpatient program, returned to therapy, given up drinking and best of all found peace in God. I hope that you can find peace. My hope is that perhaps one day we can speak in person.Currently I am working as a Caregiver for a World War II Veteran and Korean Conflict Veteran. Trying to pay it forward. Which brings me to this offer: I don’t want any kind of hatred or enmity between us. When I fought as a Marine I thought I was fighting for important things like justice, peace and honor. Now I would like to live as just that, peaceful, an honorable man, father and citizen. I’d like to turn this around and help you in any way I can and bring something good out of this for your business and family. It has come to my attention that certain people are attacking you and the victims on the internet. To them I say this - You do not speak for me. I do not agree with your actions. Please leave Dar Salam Restaurant, its owners and its employees alone.? They have been compassionate and kind toward me. They are good people who did nothing wrong and deserve to be left alone.?Please accept, my most humble apologies, my sincerest prayers for you to overcome this episode and my deepest wishes for your success, D.T Rodriguez ................
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