Thank you, Steve. I had not read your 2023 article until just now. You make us stare evil in the face, and acknowledge “we have met the enemy, and he is us.” I have often realized these past years of Trump, and especially these days, that our triumphant cry(me included!) about the Germans and Hitler, “that could never happen here,” was a delusion. It can and is happening here. Cruelty and even violence and even death in service to???
Looking at our nation’s history, from the joyful extermination of Native Americans, to slavery, to lynchings to Emmett Till, to My Lai, shows I was so naive and so wrong. Humanity is capable of unspeakable depravity. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9.
I am a Vietnam veteran who served in Vietnam at that time and belong to the American Legion. There was a lot of discussion how His terrible actions caused A LOT of backlashes against us who served Honorably. Another dark event.
I agree, his sentence should not have been commuted because he never took responsibility for his actions. The only thing he did that benefited our country was to remain out of sight after his release from prison. He will not be missed by our nation or remembered for his service to our country.
I remember when the massacre finally hit the news. They kept repeating they had intel the villagers were harboring Viet Cong. According to witnesses who reported it, the soldiers landed and started shooting, without finding out if there were any enemy. I'm sure this was not a single incident. I cried while I read this, as I did when I watched it on television. There is no end to man's inhumanity to man. It is indeed America's shame.
There is more than enough shame to go around; several Governors, State legislatures, and 4-of-5 of the American public either disagreed with the Calley verdict or wanted leniency.
“Lieutenant Calley, in three days of testimony, expressed no remorse and insisted he had only followed orders by Captain Medina to kill all the villagers, quoting him as saying that everyone in the village was “the enemy.”” <NYT>
Now we hear the same rationale for killing many more civilians in Gaza. At least the government knew it was wrong back then. So far, no signs that anyone in the Israeli government thinks this type of behavior is anything but laudable. Evil has a way of resurfacing in a worst format than before.
Thanks Steve, I was three when Mai Lai occurred, but I didn’t know Calley was given a commuted sentence by Nixon, and spent only three days in jail, and the rest of his three year jail sentence in home confinement.
History may not repeat itself, but it certainly feels that way. Our 21st century version of LT. Calley exists, and he was pardoned by Trump: Navy LT. Gallagher; against the will and advice of his Joint Chiefs and Gallagher’s senior commanders.
At least our military no longer tries to conceal the crimes of our soldiers, and tries to hold them to account. Yet, so many still get away with murder.
How about all the architects, torturers and those complicit in our torture programs in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantanamo Bay? The only people held to account were the lower level MP’s and guards at Abu Ghraib, who didn’t even do any of the torturing.
That said, under Bush, the crime wasn’t the torturing itself; it was the evidence (pictures) of the crimes that got people sent to jail. Only the usual scapegoats, who turn out to be nothing more than patsies, were sent away, while the masterminds got promotions. General Geoffrey Miller, who was in charge of Guantanamo Bay, and ran the detention facilities in Iraq, including Abu Ghraib prison, Camp Cropper, and Camp Bucca, was such a man.
Furthermore, complicating the issue is the fact that we now use military contractors who aren’t held to the same standards as our men and women in uniform, nor can they be charged under our military justice system; allowing so many more atrocities by Americans to go unpunished.
I realize war is hell, and there isn’t a nice way to kill a person. However, when we have different standards of justice for different people in uniform (military and civilian), it makes seeking justice almost an impossible task….:)
Everyone needs to read this. There is the potential for darkness in all of us. It is part of the human condition. Society and its guardrails are what keeps many of us humans in check. In many ways this is what is on the ballot in November.
I do agree with you on your statement of “this” being on the ballot. For me Human guardrails are what required our Federal Agencies as Constitutional outgrowths under “budget.” Federal Administrative laws, rules, and guidelines are a direct result of desperately trying to tame “man’s inhumanity to man.” The Republican candidate for president is disavowing being a “purchase” of The Heritage Foundation et.al. and pretending Agenda 47 isn’t part of the plan to render our Constitution void under the rule of SCOTUS.
Steve, it appears the video and link don’t work. YouTube says the account has been terminated.
We must never forget what humans are capable of doing. We are still suffering the moral injuries of Vietnam that we inflicted upon ourselves. We have yet to come to terms with this tragedy. Thank you for reminding us.
Steve, I have a serious question. If people generally considered to be among the great moral leaders of the past 50 years--people like Jimmy Carter and Colin Powell, among many others--screamed from the rooftops defending vicious murderers like this, how do we set what is right and moral in our country? In other words, doesn't corruption around events like this support the position of the populists about Deep State that there is no truth?
Colín Powell?! Jeez o Pete is there no honorable politician left? This makes me sick to my stomach…the need to get rid of the boys club in all levels of government has never been so obvious. All cowards every single one except for Hugh and his band of men.
Thank you for sharing this a second time, Steve. When each new day is a firehose of stimulation, we need repetition of important events in our history to stay awake and see clearly. You said, "our great nation that must face its hours of shame with as much passion that we celebrate our glory." I agree. This is key to the mindset we need to be not just the best hegemon in history by comparison, but truly great. If freedom and planetary stability are going to continue, the world needs a truly great hegemon.
Thank you, Steve. I had not read your 2023 article until just now. You make us stare evil in the face, and acknowledge “we have met the enemy, and he is us.” I have often realized these past years of Trump, and especially these days, that our triumphant cry(me included!) about the Germans and Hitler, “that could never happen here,” was a delusion. It can and is happening here. Cruelty and even violence and even death in service to???
Looking at our nation’s history, from the joyful extermination of Native Americans, to slavery, to lynchings to Emmett Till, to My Lai, shows I was so naive and so wrong. Humanity is capable of unspeakable depravity. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9.
Thank you for reminding us of that again today.
I am a Vietnam veteran who served in Vietnam at that time and belong to the American Legion. There was a lot of discussion how His terrible actions caused A LOT of backlashes against us who served Honorably. Another dark event.
Welcome home Larry
I agree, his sentence should not have been commuted because he never took responsibility for his actions. The only thing he did that benefited our country was to remain out of sight after his release from prison. He will not be missed by our nation or remembered for his service to our country.
I remember when the massacre finally hit the news. They kept repeating they had intel the villagers were harboring Viet Cong. According to witnesses who reported it, the soldiers landed and started shooting, without finding out if there were any enemy. I'm sure this was not a single incident. I cried while I read this, as I did when I watched it on television. There is no end to man's inhumanity to man. It is indeed America's shame.
So sorry Steve but I can not read this one. It is just too painful, I remember it well and it was a dark day for our military.
And then Captain Colin Powell gave Calley a pass. Think about that for a moment. Yet, how many other atrocities have gone unnoticed?
There is more than enough shame to go around; several Governors, State legislatures, and 4-of-5 of the American public either disagreed with the Calley verdict or wanted leniency.
“Lieutenant Calley, in three days of testimony, expressed no remorse and insisted he had only followed orders by Captain Medina to kill all the villagers, quoting him as saying that everyone in the village was “the enemy.”” <NYT>
Now we hear the same rationale for killing many more civilians in Gaza. At least the government knew it was wrong back then. So far, no signs that anyone in the Israeli government thinks this type of behavior is anything but laudable. Evil has a way of resurfacing in a worst format than before.
Thanks Steve, I was three when Mai Lai occurred, but I didn’t know Calley was given a commuted sentence by Nixon, and spent only three days in jail, and the rest of his three year jail sentence in home confinement.
History may not repeat itself, but it certainly feels that way. Our 21st century version of LT. Calley exists, and he was pardoned by Trump: Navy LT. Gallagher; against the will and advice of his Joint Chiefs and Gallagher’s senior commanders.
At least our military no longer tries to conceal the crimes of our soldiers, and tries to hold them to account. Yet, so many still get away with murder.
How about all the architects, torturers and those complicit in our torture programs in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantanamo Bay? The only people held to account were the lower level MP’s and guards at Abu Ghraib, who didn’t even do any of the torturing.
That said, under Bush, the crime wasn’t the torturing itself; it was the evidence (pictures) of the crimes that got people sent to jail. Only the usual scapegoats, who turn out to be nothing more than patsies, were sent away, while the masterminds got promotions. General Geoffrey Miller, who was in charge of Guantanamo Bay, and ran the detention facilities in Iraq, including Abu Ghraib prison, Camp Cropper, and Camp Bucca, was such a man.
Furthermore, complicating the issue is the fact that we now use military contractors who aren’t held to the same standards as our men and women in uniform, nor can they be charged under our military justice system; allowing so many more atrocities by Americans to go unpunished.
I realize war is hell, and there isn’t a nice way to kill a person. However, when we have different standards of justice for different people in uniform (military and civilian), it makes seeking justice almost an impossible task….:)
Everyone needs to read this. There is the potential for darkness in all of us. It is part of the human condition. Society and its guardrails are what keeps many of us humans in check. In many ways this is what is on the ballot in November.
I do agree with you on your statement of “this” being on the ballot. For me Human guardrails are what required our Federal Agencies as Constitutional outgrowths under “budget.” Federal Administrative laws, rules, and guidelines are a direct result of desperately trying to tame “man’s inhumanity to man.” The Republican candidate for president is disavowing being a “purchase” of The Heritage Foundation et.al. and pretending Agenda 47 isn’t part of the plan to render our Constitution void under the rule of SCOTUS.
Amen on all.
Steve, it appears the video and link don’t work. YouTube says the account has been terminated.
We must never forget what humans are capable of doing. We are still suffering the moral injuries of Vietnam that we inflicted upon ourselves. We have yet to come to terms with this tragedy. Thank you for reminding us.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkFa2lSNAGc
Thank you Michael, this link worked. Heartbreaking.
Steve, I have a serious question. If people generally considered to be among the great moral leaders of the past 50 years--people like Jimmy Carter and Colin Powell, among many others--screamed from the rooftops defending vicious murderers like this, how do we set what is right and moral in our country? In other words, doesn't corruption around events like this support the position of the populists about Deep State that there is no truth?
Sorry that I couldn’t watch the video. Not sorry he died.
Colín Powell?! Jeez o Pete is there no honorable politician left? This makes me sick to my stomach…the need to get rid of the boys club in all levels of government has never been so obvious. All cowards every single one except for Hugh and his band of men.
I remember My Lai as if it were yesterday. The man was a monster.
Thank you for sharing this a second time, Steve. When each new day is a firehose of stimulation, we need repetition of important events in our history to stay awake and see clearly. You said, "our great nation that must face its hours of shame with as much passion that we celebrate our glory." I agree. This is key to the mindset we need to be not just the best hegemon in history by comparison, but truly great. If freedom and planetary stability are going to continue, the world needs a truly great hegemon.
Here is a link to at least part of that interview with Hugh Thompson in 2008.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkFa2lSNAGc