Beaten Redondo Beach “Marine” served in the Jesse Macbeth Brigade, Tuzla-sniper veteran

By see-dubya  •  May 1, 2008 04:02 PM

Which is a fun way of saying Christopher Bajan was not an actual, you know, United States Marine:

Bajan’s MySpace page includes a photograph of Albert Einstein where Bajan’s face should be. He listed his interests as “pot, pot, pot, pot, pot and pot and surfing and more pot and (women) and fishing for (women) and playing the drums.”

He may have been beaten and robbed, but police are now considering filing charges against him for filing a false police report.

Reporter Larry Altman is angry he trusted this guy and is irritated that he can’t take people’s word about their military service. I see two upsides to this story, though–the first, as Altman notes, is that people were extremely generous in offering to help what they thought was a mistreated hero.

The second is that this is an old-fashioned case of stolen valor. Unlike Jesse Macbeth, Micah Wright, and the like, Bajan wasn’t faking his service in order to undermine the mission or allege war crimes and slander against the troops. At least he recognized who the heroes are, and he tried to pinch a little of their honor instead of trying to diminish it.

No, that’s not a defense of Bajan, who deserves a good turn in the national pillory. It’s just relief that even losers like Bajan still understand where honor is due.

___

Previous story about Bajan’s assault here.

{Post by See-Dubya}

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Comments


  1. #1
    On May 1st, 2008 at 4:05 pm, MNUSMCDavid said:

    I’ve been burned by phony Marines before and I will again…… we value our brothership so much, we never fathom that anyone would LIE about it. ( shaking head) My Bad on this one.

  2. #2
    On May 1st, 2008 at 4:08 pm, flyovercountry said:

    On the upside he probably didn’t have much money to steal. I’m just sayin’.

  3. #3
    On May 1st, 2008 at 4:09 pm, see-dubya said:

    He said he had a hundred bucks, which is pretty good considering his lack of a job and his hobbies.

    Hmmm….

  4. #4
    On May 1st, 2008 at 4:12 pm, On-my-soap-box said:

    On May 1st, 2008 at 4:05 pm, MNUSMCDavid said:

    Don’t take it hard. Seems he was able to fool just about everybody including the cops. HIS bad on this one.

    Semper Fi!

  5. #5
    On May 1st, 2008 at 4:12 pm, Boomer said:

    I guess reporters are going to have to ask for an active duty ID card or at least a DD 214 to validate some ones Military credentials so they don’t get fooled again. Thanks for the follow-up and correction see-dubya!

  6. #6
    On May 1st, 2008 at 4:12 pm, ajmontana said:

    They don’t call it Dope for nothing. What a jackass.

  7. #7
    On May 1st, 2008 at 4:16 pm, Bogtrotter said:

    Next time he is beaten and robbed the perps will, hopefully, do a much better job.

  8. #8
    On May 1st, 2008 at 4:19 pm, cpodug said:

    He just didn’t want to admit he was really mugged by a stray band of Code Pinko harpies.

  9. #9
    On May 1st, 2008 at 4:20 pm, ajmontana said:

    Maybe they beat him up cuz they knew he was lying, gang members are wussies and prolly wouldnt attack a real marine.

  10. #10
    On May 1st, 2008 at 4:24 pm, tre said:

    He should be dropped off at the Marine Base in San Diego, to let the REAL Marine’s beat the crap out of him. Since he’s full of crap, it’ll take a lot of beating.

  11. #11
    On May 1st, 2008 at 4:25 pm, On-my-soap-box said:

    Thought he was smart & flashed the wrong gang hand sign at him and paid the price.

  12. #12
    On May 1st, 2008 at 4:28 pm, terrig said:

    Tre, that is exactly what I was thinking when I read this.
    Michelle, love the photoshop! :)

  13. #13
    On May 1st, 2008 at 4:33 pm, Peejz said:

    see-dubya- I’m guessing that the race of the attackers is still not pertinent? :)

  14. #14
    On May 1st, 2008 at 4:34 pm, Hangfire said:

    So, who’s going to play this twerp in the movie version?

  15. #15
    On May 1st, 2008 at 4:38 pm, wighttrasch said:

    Fake.

    Filth.

  16. #16
    On May 1st, 2008 at 4:41 pm, DesertLover said:

    MNUSMCDavid and tre …

    I think about 30 days in a Marine brig would result in an attitude adjustment that would serve this individual well for the rest of his life …

  17. #17
    On May 1st, 2008 at 4:42 pm, NotaSlickFan said:

    This lazy pile is one very solid reason why we should institute some form of mandatory military service (ala Israel’s IDF) on all high school grads. Far too many creeps like this running around being completely useless to the world they live in. The only pot this little twerp should be close to is the ones he scrubs in the mess hall.

  18. #18
    On May 1st, 2008 at 4:44 pm, Hangfire said:

    We’d use him for man-overboard drills in the submarine fleet.

  19. #19
    On May 1st, 2008 at 4:44 pm, undrseige247 said:

    Even though I think this kid is a turd I still find Marine quotes quite inspirational:

    “So they’ve got us surrounded, good! Now we can fire in any direction, those bastards won’t get away this time!”
    -Chesty Puller, USMC

  20. #20
    On May 1st, 2008 at 4:46 pm, DagneyT said:

    Another moron from the land of fruits and nuts; a proud product of public education!

  21. #21
    On May 1st, 2008 at 4:48 pm, cpodug said:

    … and has it not occurred to you that California is the world’s largest exporter of fruits and nuts?

  22. #22
    On May 1st, 2008 at 4:51 pm, jrlingreenbay said:

    I think more than his military status needs a correction –

    People…they’re not GANG members….

    It was a ‘Crew’…

    Let’s get things right.

  23. #23
    On May 1st, 2008 at 4:52 pm, exitus said:

    This is one of the big differences between us and them…We actually admit when we get it wrong.

    Was the original story ever reported in the NYT or LAT? What a conflict of interest for them…ignore the beating of a marine (for te original story) or mock us for making a big deal of ‘nothing’ (because of the update).

    I hope this makes sense on paper (…), it sure did in my head.

  24. #24
    On May 1st, 2008 at 4:54 pm, jrlingreenbay said:

    Undrseige -

    Lest we forget Ronald Reagan’s quote:

    “Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world.

    But the Marines don’t have that problem.” – Ronald Reagan

  25. #25
    On May 1st, 2008 at 5:07 pm, Gothguy said:

    Nobody despises a poser more then a veteran does.

    I despise him.

  26. #26
    On May 1st, 2008 at 5:12 pm, ajmontana said:

    Hey, easy on California, were not all bad.

  27. #27
    On May 1st, 2008 at 5:13 pm, Salt said:

    I am disappointed that Larry Altman seems more concerned about the fact that he cannot just take people at their word.

    I know many people will say I should have called Camp Pendleton first and checked on him. But why? Why would anyone lie about watching friends die in a war?

    Hmm… Or is it that reporters love emphasizing any report of fatalities in the war that they do not want to bother with any source checking? Or that the story becomes more important than the facts?

    Altman is concerned about insulting future heroes who are honest? Why should they be insulted by a reporter doing his job, especially if they are telling the truth?

    The fact that people still doubt that there is bias in a media that does not bother to verify their sources is amazing. That the media still acts this way in a technical age where their errors can be revealed so quickly emphasizes their arrogance towards the “fake-but-accurate” trend.

    However, I will give him credit for admitting that he was had and reporting on it. I suppose in the aftermath of Rathergate, that is a step in the right direction.

  28. #28
    On May 1st, 2008 at 5:15 pm, AlohaGuy said:

    we never fathom that anyone would LIE about it

    People are envious of the best.
    :)

  29. #29
    On May 1st, 2008 at 5:16 pm, tarpon said:

    Posers need to be exposed for the fraud they are.

  30. #30
    On May 1st, 2008 at 5:29 pm, WestCoastCoconut said:

    Somehow I knew he wasn’t Marine because he got beaten up. Unlike the Marine in Atlanta two years who killed one and wounded another of his would be thieves. This Marine out numbered 4 to one and they had two guns and brass knuckles and kicked butt.

    This loser will serve as an example,

    Yeah you can claim to be a Marine, even wear a Marine uniform but a real Marine’s actions are louder that words.

    Semper Fi

  31. #31
    On May 1st, 2008 at 5:42 pm, MNUSMCDavid said:

    Thanks , folks….. but my anger over this is still nothing to being sucked into the fraud. After ramming my head through a wall for penance, then I’d like a few minutes with this mope alone.

  32. #32
    On May 1st, 2008 at 5:48 pm, zorro said:

    I’ve been burned by phony Marines before and I will again

    Most here (including me) got burned on this one… There’s nothing wrong when your first instinct is to trust rather than doubt.

  33. #33
    On May 1st, 2008 at 5:52 pm, DesertLover said:

    MNUSMCDavid

    Not to worry … the first signal there was something amiss was after a number of us had discussed it earlier in the day and looked at the newspapaer article at the time see-dubya posted it the link to the story in the newspaper in RB had been pulled …

    The Corps will survive and so will you buddy … chin up … don’t let the _____s get to you … they’re not worth it …

    Semper Fi …

  34. #34
    On May 1st, 2008 at 6:00 pm, letget said:

    #31, I have a fair idea what you are going through. Please get a cold compress for the head. My husband, retired vetern, would be as upset as all honorable retired military veterns and now serving would be. ‘These’ people are here in the US now scaming us. In the 60′s and 70′s they went to Canada to scam them. They are without honor.
    L

  35. #35
    On May 1st, 2008 at 6:00 pm, MNUSMCDavid said:

    Oh yeah, the Corps will survive … Eleanor Roosevelt said a neat thing back in 1945 ” The Marines I have seen around the world have the cleanest bodies, the filthiest minds, the highest morale, and the lowest morals of any group of animals I have ever seen. Thank God for the United States Marine Corps.” ..

    This guy paid the price for being a fake, IMHO. I’m just fine….. Heh bet he was surprised when they found out how easy it was to pound him into pogey bait leftovers.

  36. #36
    On May 1st, 2008 at 6:02 pm, RabbidSquirrel said:

    I’ve been burned by phony Marines before and I will again…… we value our brothership so much, we never fathom that anyone would LIE about it. ( shaking head) My Bad on this one.

    You even get idiots, WHILE ON ACTIVE DUTY, who misrepresent prevaricate embellish lie about their service (e.g Special Forces, Flight Crews, Hazardous Duty)

    It used to be funny… kids wearing VietNam or Korean medals when those conflicts ended a generation before they were born. One even had a WWI era medal…

  37. #37
    On May 1st, 2008 at 6:04 pm, Southpaw said:

    Reminds me of the story last winter about a kid from a small town school in Nevada that announced at a ceremony in front of his entire high school with the media present that he had received a scholarship to play football at a major university. Only problem was, it was false. I don’t know what goes on in the minds of these kids (adults as well). Posing as a Marine is not to be taken lightly. Most people would cringe at the thought of getting caught up in something like this and being ridiculed worldwide, and act accordingly.
    Reminds me of the saying: “There, but for the grace of God, go I”.

  38. #38
    On May 1st, 2008 at 6:15 pm, DesertLover said:

    Yippee !!!! …

    Just posted on the Phoenix Newspaper blog …

    So, where are the immigration marchers?
    Sometimes, the biggest news in town is an event that DOESN’T occur.

    For instance, where are the immigration marchers? In 2006, we had 100,000 on the streets of Phoenix. In 2007, there were 15,000.

    Today — zero.

    Zip.

    Nada

    Now … about that fence …

  39. #39
    On May 1st, 2008 at 6:15 pm, DesertLover said:

    OOPS !!! … sorry folks … wrong thread …

  40. #40
    On May 1st, 2008 at 6:19 pm, MNUSMCDavid said:

    Desert, hey it’s still good news… lol

  41. #41
    On May 1st, 2008 at 6:22 pm, mjtyson said:

    This lazy pile is one very solid reason why we should institute some form of mandatory military service (ala Israel’s IDF) on all high school grads. Far too many creeps like this running around being completely useless to the world they live in. The only pot this little twerp should be close to is the ones he scrubs in the mess hall.

    Um, no, NotaSlickFan. Not a good idea. As one who would have to deal with these morons, I don’t want them in my military, thank you very much.

  42. #42
    On May 1st, 2008 at 6:22 pm, DesertLover said:

    OK … just reposted that in the May Day thread with a link to the blog post in the newspaper …

    they even said the march would have saved Sheriff Joe and his deputies some time …

    :lol: … ROFLMAO …

  43. #43
    On May 1st, 2008 at 6:31 pm, Yashmak said:

    Hey, easy on California, were not all bad. – ajmontana

    Indeed. The state is something like 42% conservative. And trust me, it’s harder for those of us who live here and have to tolerate this sort of crap daily, than it is for some of you who live in nicely conservative states.

    But like everything, there are tradeoffs. We have beaches, mountains, rain forests, and deserts, and a year-round (relatively) mild climate, all in one state. It almost makes up for places like San Francisco, Berkeley, and L.A. (all three of which are scorned by virtually the entire rural and agricultural portions of the state).

  44. #44
    On May 1st, 2008 at 7:51 pm, NotaSlickFan said:

    #41 mjtyson The draft worked quite well for many thousands of lazy, worthless (seemingly) youths in the 60′s and 70′s. The courts also did a bang-up business in sending wayward youths into the military vs. jail. Your military is also my military and just like in the past there are culls within the services today notwithstanding the all-volunteer status. The job of dealing with them is no more difficult today than it was in the 60’s/70’s.
    Simply put, my opinion is that some crossover of the draft and the IDF plan could be very good for the US of A.

  45. #45
    On May 1st, 2008 at 8:35 pm, GaMidnightRider said:

    No, that’s not a defense of Bajan, who deserves a good turn in the national pillory. It’s just relief that even losers like Bajan still understand where honor is due.

    No he should be forced to do a tour. I bet any amount of money if he where to do 4 years he would grow up and see what it means to be a man with self-respect and respect for his fellow man.

  46. #46
    On May 1st, 2008 at 8:44 pm, JimC214 said:

    Send him to one day motivation, it would either kill him or cure him.

  47. #47
    On May 1st, 2008 at 9:27 pm, Bob in Myrtle Beach said:

    If this waste of oxygen goes before a Judge, I think the offer of Enlistment in the USMC could be a fitting alternative to jailtime.

    Unfortunately, the USMC does drugscreening, and I doubt this piece of cheese would pass from the start, let alone become a Marine.

    Now, if he would just prove me wrong…

  48. #48
    On May 2nd, 2008 at 2:16 pm, gunslingerpatriot said:

    As sad as it to say this;this “winter soldier” isn’t even good enough to shine the shoes rev. wright.

    GSP

  49. #49
    On May 2nd, 2008 at 8:10 pm, John Ansell said:

    Well I’m sorry I posted that link in the first place. I was just mad as hell at the thought of a Marine getting Jumped by a gang. I hope those lumps he took hurt like hell.

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