Spc Micheal Phillips
No, that’s not a typo. Apparently that’s actually how his parents spelled his first name when naming him. They’re the ones who misspelled “Michael”, not me. Yes, it’s A before E, which you don’t see in the English language much (less so in the American version), which must have made them think the name Michael was misspelled in the Bible, despite it being Hebrew obviously.
But that’s well beside the point here. Who is this guy?
Let me show you two lists. Both of these lists contain the names of every fallen American soldier under the age of 21 from the Iraq war. Why? Because they were brave and responsible enough to sacrifice their lives defending our country and our freedom (regardless of how any of us personally feels about the war itself) but, because they’re under 21, they’re just helpless children who can’t think for themselves when it comes to drinking a glass of wine or playing poker in Las Vegas or, hell, even signing for some FedEx packages! And not even just ones that contain porn or alcohol; any that the sender specifies needs an adult signature regardless of contents. DHL does it too, and probably also UPS, don’t know. But I digress.
First, here’s NYRA’s list.
Now, here’s SnipeMe’s list.
Actually, the two lists aren’t completely identical, and over time, they will be less similar. The NYRA list will no longer be updated while the SnipeMe list will continue to be. Even right now, there is a difference of one name. The NYRA list is missing the name Spc. Micheal Phillips.
Horrendous! What an oversight! Let me tell you something.
I, Board Member and Secretary of the National Youth Rights Association, would like to specifically announce Spc. Micheal Phillips as a previously living but now dead reason for the drinking age to be lowered to 18. This young man was out there defending our nation, but had he lived and come home, our society would look down their noses at him because he’s an “undesirable” because he’s under 21. Our society doesn’t like “those” types, those who haven’t turned 21 yet, and, although more than happy to send Micheal Phillips out to die in Iraq, would never have them placed as equals to those older. Micheal Phillips sacrificed his life, yet MADD founder Candy Lightner would rather spew out bullshit saying the soldiers aren’t adults because their brains aren’t developed enough. Yes, yes, send Micheal Phillips out to war to die but God forbid he be treated as an equal back home. Don’t even try to act like these 21 laws are for protection. Micheal Phillips wasn’t very protected here.
That’s what these lists are about, or at least what SnipeMe’s is about currently. Micheal Phillips is one of those nearly 700 fallen under-21 soldiers, and he IS one of those nearly 700 reasons for lowering the drinking age and other 21 age limits.
I, Board Member and Secretary of the National Youth Rights Association, hereby recognize Micheal Phillips as one of those many fallen under-21 soldiers. Now lower the damn drinking age! Do it for poor sacrificed Micheal Phillips!
And, finally, if this entry offends anybody in the least, go to hell. It will never be taken down. The names will never be censored. Anyone who’d alter a name from those lists because some family member of the deceased thinks they’re being all big and bad by crying about their dead loved one and thinking this entitles them to being listened to is a disgusting coward. I, Board Member and Secretary of the National Youth Rights Association, am no coward. Feel free to threaten me with whatever you want, but it’s my website and my decision, and I’m deciding you can go screw yourself. Have a nice day! 
This has been Day 92 of the 100 Days of Summer, Round 8. 
I am a little confused.
Why is the NYRA list no longer going to be updated? And, why isn’t Micheal’s name on there?
Comment by Jesse L. Hunter — August 24, 2008 @ 12:09 am
Go to the SnipeMe main page. It’ll explain everything.
Comment by Katrina — August 24, 2008 @ 2:05 am
The NYRA list used to not exist, it was just automatically copied from SnipeMe on page load. NYRA copied the current version of the list so they could censor it, so it won’t be autoupdated anymore.
Comment by maxh — August 25, 2008 @ 5:02 pm
I obviously know that, genius.
Comment by Katrina — August 25, 2008 @ 7:14 pm
Yes, but apparently Jesse didn’t. Presumably by the time I posted he’d checked SnipeMe, but the next person mightn’t have.
Comment by maxh — August 26, 2008 @ 4:25 pm
Sorry, but he didn’t fight for our freedom. He was killed in a pointless war. Not everyone who dies in combat is a martyr to freedom.
Comment by Junulo — August 27, 2008 @ 3:15 pm
Didn’t Kat cover that one? Let me explain it to you without requiring you to actually think:
*After the Iraq War’s being pointless became known, people stopped signing up for the military (mostly)
*Therefore, many people who die and serve in Iraq joined thinking they would only go to war to protect America
*Therefore he was “brave and responsible enough to sacrifice their lives defending our country and our freedom” JUST LIKE KAT SAID. He knew he could quite possibly be killed, he just thought it would be something important, not getting payback on Saddam “Tried to kill Junior’s ‘daddy’” Huessain.
Comment by maxh — August 27, 2008 @ 4:32 pm
I, Board Member of the National Youth Rights Association, hereby declare that you, Katrina, are freakin’ awesome.
Comment by Adamantaimai — August 28, 2008 @ 1:35 am
We spelled his name that way on purpose. We had a lot of Michaels in our lives but he was not named for anyone them and it is the Old Irish spelling.
We asked only that we be given the respect of asking that our sons name be used. Not once did anyone think to do that in all of the contact between us and the NYRA.
Comment by Mother of Micheal — September 7, 2008 @ 1:08 pm
One more little thing… If you had shown any respect at all I would have been able to get you a visit with a congressman. You see fact is we support the 18 drinking age. But when the youth of our nation act as immature and nasty as you have I almost understand why your elders would think you are not responsible enough. You need to learn to be more diplomatic. When you react so emotionally you step on the toes of those who could help your cause more than you realized.
Comment by Mother of Micheal — September 7, 2008 @ 1:39 pm
Ah, hello. Welcome to the Fortress!
First of all, thank you for that little bit about the name. I’ll make a note of it.
Also like to mention anything I’m saying right now is not as a NYRA member but as myself, as this website is my own and not affiliated with the organization.
Anyway, I’m a little confused about what you’re saying though. Stefan is the one you corresponded with, and he was extremely kind and respectful to you and was willing to take the name down like you asked. In fact, right now, Micheal’s name is not on the list BECAUSE he and Alex wanted to respect your wishes. NYRA has done far more to please you than they had to, but they still did it out of respect for you. No other organization would have given you the time of day. Therefore, I really don’t understand why there is still an issue here. If you’re offended at my comments here on this website, then your issue is with me, and not with an organization that treated you very well in spite of you having made a very disrespectful threat to them to begin with.
That said, I really genuinely feel very sorry for you having lost your son. I’ve never even understood how people can function after a loss like that. A friend of my family has lost three of her seven children. I certainly realize you’re going through a very difficult time in all this and I really do wish you all the best. If you want to believe I’m being mean and disrespectful to you, well, I’m sorry you feel that way, but I truly am not. I’m merely sticking up for my organization and my friends when someone came in making threats and demands.
Comment by Katrina — September 7, 2008 @ 10:24 pm
You speak of how society looks down at those under 21 and makes them feel undesirable. Do you realize by your actions you made my son nothing more than a dead soldier and an age? Stefan got that. That is why he took the step of removing my son’s name.
Comment by Mother of Micheal — September 8, 2008 @ 11:15 am
Hmmm… The only reason Micheal might seem like just “a dead soldier and an age” to me is because that is really all I know about him. If you’d like, maybe you could tell me a bit more about him? Help me and everyone else here to understand more about the young man behind the name being strewn about here?
Comment by Katrina — September 8, 2008 @ 5:24 pm
I offered via email several weeks back. You chose to blog about the supposed misspelling of his name instead of learning anything about the man he was. You still have my email.
Comment by Mother of Micheal — September 8, 2008 @ 8:09 pm
It wasn’t “instead”. Don’t worry too much about my name comments and all. Just part of my usual ornery sarcasm. I do that.
But, seriously, I would like to hear what you have to say about him. I can’t get to the email right now since my account is having issues, but feel free to post something about him here.
Comment by Katrina — September 8, 2008 @ 8:56 pm
I would love to hear about him. All I know about him is a name and an age, but learning more would be awesome. He’s a hero, as far as I’m concerned, and deserves recognition for his sacrifice. I’d like to hear all about him.
Comment by Galen — September 13, 2008 @ 2:26 pm