Thank you Steve Schmidt. Your witness to what WE, America, did that day in Vietnam is crucial to our survival as a nation whose good works will matter.
The hearings taught me that the most heinous fiend can be dressed up, prepared to avoid answering any questions for 7 minutes per Senator, and with the fawning praise of a morally collapsed political party, be confirmed for any purpose a great nation relies on and will suffer for failing.
Did the "Good Germans" fight back against Adolf Hitler? That is how we will act now, I think--like the Germans all did. "We thought our neighbor was having a barbeque when we smelled the meat burning". How will we react when that happens? The same way, I think.
It is interesting how the Germans garner so much attention (Trump, by the way, is half German), when Stalin executed 20 million of his own. We watched as toddlers were ripped away from their parents during Trump 1. Then, placed in cages by Stephen Miller (a Jew, by the way). Russia is "repatriating" Ukrainian children. Those facts seem to underscore your point.
It doesn't look like we will fight back against trump; in fact, I don't think we will fight at all and we will just allow ourselves to be led to the ovens..
The billionaire fascists have us in their unbreakable grip.
Not Mr. Steve Schmidt or anyone else has the influence over us to make us fight.
That's just my opinion, but others I know feel the same way.
Fear is a powerful motivator. We are about to find out just how powerful it is. If Trump is not restrained he will employ violence, the infliction of great physical pain on those who dare defy him. If we can not organize to fight against him and protect ourselves from him once he is entrenched, resistance will fall apart.
Mike Johnson reportedly just removed the Chair of the House Intelligence Committee, a man with bipartisan respect. I shudder to think what's coming. My Lai is a timely reminder of what loathsome animals we can be. And sadly, justice is elusive - at best.
Footnote to My Lai: Colin Powell was a Captain, U.S. Army at the time. He "filed" the report. Hegseth is a danger not solely because of his lack of experience. He is a dysfunctional alcoholic. He said that "if appointed", he would "stop" drinking. Having grown up in an alcoholic dysfunctional household, I know how that works. The bigger question for me: WHY the push for someone so disqualified? I suspect the reasons are dark and pernicious.
Whether appointed or not, Hegseth should stop drinking. The fact he makes his sobriety contingent on an outside occurrence speaks volumes, (that, and his mom tearing him to shreds). I dread the day he's appointed. Lots of pain coming our way.
I am a believer in redemption and know people who defeated the demon called alcohol. But this man seems seriously unqualified. But he will be approved and we have to hope that things work out. We don’t have anything else.
We do have something else: Prevent him from being appointed. Like you, I doubt that will be the outcome. Which leads to, "Will Hegseth turn the Military against the people at Trump's command?"
Trump is not a serious man, looks for kindred spirits to gather around him. He won't pay any attention to anyone else anyway. Have you heard, he knows more than the generals, the medical experts, fill in the blank. What could go wrong?
The past ten years have been a tragedy of our own making. What does it say about a country that keeps in place a voting system — the Electoral College — which had a sole purpose to account for slaves? It says we’re stupid and ignorant. Look how differently election results would have been.
When Mitch McConnell tells you he loves the Electoral College, what does that tell you? For one thing, it tells you our next Secretary of Defense will be Pete Hegseth.
Thank you for this Steve. Difficult to read by must be remembered and put in front of the American people. This time in our history is utterly gut wrenching, terrifying. The GOP has lost it's collective mind.....
Hugh Thompson Jr. should have a statue erected in his honor and placed at a prominent Washington D.C. site. He is a man who understood that living up to the virtues his country purports to value is more important than supporting criminal behavior by your fellow citizens, even if in the midst of war. The fact that such a large majority of Americans supported Calley is disturbing. When a nation in engaged in a war, just or unjust, most men overlook the virtues their country violates in the name of patriotism.
This is going on to this day, as many refuse to recognize that the Bush II war on Iraq, operation "shock and awe," constituted one enormous My Lai and Bush II is no better than Calley. He killed wantonly and and with no purpose.
I remember all of this and it’s why we fought the Democratic Party over their support for the Vietnam war. It’s why we were ostracized by our own parents for saying that this war was going to deeply scar the Americans who were sent there to kill civilians. it is shocking that not even Jimmy Carter stood up for this heroic soldier, thank you for reminding us
Get in touch with Joni Ernst’s office. I have contacted her office as well as my senators. She needs support to reassess. She needs reminding of right and wrong. She needs to hear or hear again Hugh Thompson’s courage. Like the soldiers that turned away but did nothing, she knows better. She knows this man isn’t right about much of anything and he’s certainly not right to be minster of defense.
As a Canadian university student during the Viet Nam war, I have memories of the My Lai massacre from that time - which omitted many of the significant details which your deeply humane & thoughtful visit of atonement reveals. Particularly, the unflinching determination of Hugh Thompson, Glenn Andreotta, & Lawrence Colburn to defend the defenceless. There are always good people, but they are often out-numbered & out-gunned. Which makes them all the more valuable ...
Thank you Steve. I enjoy and share your writing daily, because you are able to express the anger and sorrow that I feel as I watch this great political and social experiment in democracy wither away under the evil of one man and the cowardice and greed for power of so many enablers. But today is different—I was moved to tears by the memories, the suffering and moral vacuum demonstrated that day upon those innocents. And my blood was set to boil to think we have Hegsteth coming to power to represent this nation, and control this military. A man whose “claim to fame” is to defend and support our war criminals. Shame shame shame on all who would vote to be complicit in Donald Trumps debasing of what the Founders envisioned and was built, albeit imperfectly, over 250 years.
The American voters have chosen men whose motto's are: Fake News, Hoaxes and now we have Anonymous Smears. If these men are indeed victims (which, of course, they are not) what does it say about them personally...that Oh Sooo Many of their counterparts - as they claim - make up vicious news stories and smears about them? "Angels" so to speak, with so many ex-friends and colleagues making up all kinds of shit? I, for one, have never had this happen to me...
Thank you for this. I was well aware of the history and Major Thompson, but it is a well done reminder. My first ROTC professor at UCLA was Major Barry Town who commanded a company of the security force for the investigation. His views were nothing like Colin Powell’s report. He went into detail about the mass murder and war crimes committed by Calley’s men. While I was the last Federal Army Chaplain at Fort Indiantown Gap, PA in 1998 just months before going to the Navy, My Lai entered my life again when I presided over the funeral of Colonel Oran Henderson who commanded the brigade Calley’s unit belonged, and watch the operation from the air. He was deeply involved in the cover up, and eventually was tried and acquitted during the longest courts martial in U.S. military history.
I am very afraid of the direction we are heading. It will bring dishonor to the military and our country, but we must resist.
Your headline to this article says it all, Steve. It must be especially horrifying for folks like yourself, in "the know" regarding military background, to see a candidate like Hegseth offered up as Trump's choice for Secretary of Defense. It's bad enough that Trump will slither back into office on Monday, but the thought that there will be NO safeguards against his demented meanderings of the mind is incredibly frightening to me. After all, look how Hitler destroyed his own country, not to mention what happened to the rest of Europe, also including, of course, millions of dead from allies like the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand and more. Since Trump is today's Hitler, God only knows what will become of us.
Thank you Steve, for posting Hugh Thompson Jr's humble declaration of indefatigable, humane, sanity and conscience in the face of indescribable, indefensible, war crime horrors. That this episode was for so long deeply denied and it's perpetrators essentially protected from responsibility, but may be, in the end, the greatest shame for all Americans to bear; I certainly see and feel it, as we all should, now. I massively applaud your efforts to bring your light, vision, caring, repair, redemption, remembering and mentoring to all of these examples of human war tragedies; perhaps only real and lasting awareness of our propensity to commit unthinkable murderous behavior and suffering when we consider our fellow humans to be our "enemies" will someday result in true desire for and progress in our pursuit of Peace on Earth.
Thank you Steve Schmidt. Your witness to what WE, America, did that day in Vietnam is crucial to our survival as a nation whose good works will matter.
The hearings taught me that the most heinous fiend can be dressed up, prepared to avoid answering any questions for 7 minutes per Senator, and with the fawning praise of a morally collapsed political party, be confirmed for any purpose a great nation relies on and will suffer for failing.
The evil that once lurked in the shadows now stands naked before us, staring us down in defiance and daring us to challenge and to fight.
Did the "Good Germans" fight back against Adolf Hitler? That is how we will act now, I think--like the Germans all did. "We thought our neighbor was having a barbeque when we smelled the meat burning". How will we react when that happens? The same way, I think.
It is interesting how the Germans garner so much attention (Trump, by the way, is half German), when Stalin executed 20 million of his own. We watched as toddlers were ripped away from their parents during Trump 1. Then, placed in cages by Stephen Miller (a Jew, by the way). Russia is "repatriating" Ukrainian children. Those facts seem to underscore your point.
It doesn't look like we will fight back against trump; in fact, I don't think we will fight at all and we will just allow ourselves to be led to the ovens..
The billionaire fascists have us in their unbreakable grip.
Not Mr. Steve Schmidt or anyone else has the influence over us to make us fight.
That's just my opinion, but others I know feel the same way.
Do You?
Fear is a powerful motivator. We are about to find out just how powerful it is. If Trump is not restrained he will employ violence, the infliction of great physical pain on those who dare defy him. If we can not organize to fight against him and protect ourselves from him once he is entrenched, resistance will fall apart.
Remember, "Can't we shoot them in the legs"?
Remember he is putting people who will do his bidding in place.
Mike Johnson reportedly just removed the Chair of the House Intelligence Committee, a man with bipartisan respect. I shudder to think what's coming. My Lai is a timely reminder of what loathsome animals we can be. And sadly, justice is elusive - at best.
Footnote to My Lai: Colin Powell was a Captain, U.S. Army at the time. He "filed" the report. Hegseth is a danger not solely because of his lack of experience. He is a dysfunctional alcoholic. He said that "if appointed", he would "stop" drinking. Having grown up in an alcoholic dysfunctional household, I know how that works. The bigger question for me: WHY the push for someone so disqualified? I suspect the reasons are dark and pernicious.
Whether appointed or not, Hegseth should stop drinking. The fact he makes his sobriety contingent on an outside occurrence speaks volumes, (that, and his mom tearing him to shreds). I dread the day he's appointed. Lots of pain coming our way.
Wondering how he got his mother to recant her previously strong admonition. With fear of retribution from her son perhaps?
I wouldn't put that past him.
A payoff is also possible. (see also Melania biopic)
I am a believer in redemption and know people who defeated the demon called alcohol. But this man seems seriously unqualified. But he will be approved and we have to hope that things work out. We don’t have anything else.
We do have something else: Prevent him from being appointed. Like you, I doubt that will be the outcome. Which leads to, "Will Hegseth turn the Military against the people at Trump's command?"
Trump is not a serious man, looks for kindred spirits to gather around him. He won't pay any attention to anyone else anyway. Have you heard, he knows more than the generals, the medical experts, fill in the blank. What could go wrong?
The past ten years have been a tragedy of our own making. What does it say about a country that keeps in place a voting system — the Electoral College — which had a sole purpose to account for slaves? It says we’re stupid and ignorant. Look how differently election results would have been.
When Mitch McConnell tells you he loves the Electoral College, what does that tell you? For one thing, it tells you our next Secretary of Defense will be Pete Hegseth.
Thank you for this Steve. Difficult to read by must be remembered and put in front of the American people. This time in our history is utterly gut wrenching, terrifying. The GOP has lost it's collective mind.....
Hugh Thompson Jr. should have a statue erected in his honor and placed at a prominent Washington D.C. site. He is a man who understood that living up to the virtues his country purports to value is more important than supporting criminal behavior by your fellow citizens, even if in the midst of war. The fact that such a large majority of Americans supported Calley is disturbing. When a nation in engaged in a war, just or unjust, most men overlook the virtues their country violates in the name of patriotism.
This is going on to this day, as many refuse to recognize that the Bush II war on Iraq, operation "shock and awe," constituted one enormous My Lai and Bush II is no better than Calley. He killed wantonly and and with no purpose.
I honor, beyond words, what Hugh Thompson did.
I remember all of this and it’s why we fought the Democratic Party over their support for the Vietnam war. It’s why we were ostracized by our own parents for saying that this war was going to deeply scar the Americans who were sent there to kill civilians. it is shocking that not even Jimmy Carter stood up for this heroic soldier, thank you for reminding us
Get in touch with Joni Ernst’s office. I have contacted her office as well as my senators. She needs support to reassess. She needs reminding of right and wrong. She needs to hear or hear again Hugh Thompson’s courage. Like the soldiers that turned away but did nothing, she knows better. She knows this man isn’t right about much of anything and he’s certainly not right to be minster of defense.
Tommy Tuberville is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Stupidity is a National Security Threat, and you’re looking at him. We’re doomed.
As a Canadian university student during the Viet Nam war, I have memories of the My Lai massacre from that time - which omitted many of the significant details which your deeply humane & thoughtful visit of atonement reveals. Particularly, the unflinching determination of Hugh Thompson, Glenn Andreotta, & Lawrence Colburn to defend the defenceless. There are always good people, but they are often out-numbered & out-gunned. Which makes them all the more valuable ...
We have to remember…because history is about to repeat itself on American soil.
Thank you Steve. I enjoy and share your writing daily, because you are able to express the anger and sorrow that I feel as I watch this great political and social experiment in democracy wither away under the evil of one man and the cowardice and greed for power of so many enablers. But today is different—I was moved to tears by the memories, the suffering and moral vacuum demonstrated that day upon those innocents. And my blood was set to boil to think we have Hegsteth coming to power to represent this nation, and control this military. A man whose “claim to fame” is to defend and support our war criminals. Shame shame shame on all who would vote to be complicit in Donald Trumps debasing of what the Founders envisioned and was built, albeit imperfectly, over 250 years.
The American voters have chosen men whose motto's are: Fake News, Hoaxes and now we have Anonymous Smears. If these men are indeed victims (which, of course, they are not) what does it say about them personally...that Oh Sooo Many of their counterparts - as they claim - make up vicious news stories and smears about them? "Angels" so to speak, with so many ex-friends and colleagues making up all kinds of shit? I, for one, have never had this happen to me...
Steve,
Thank you for this. I was well aware of the history and Major Thompson, but it is a well done reminder. My first ROTC professor at UCLA was Major Barry Town who commanded a company of the security force for the investigation. His views were nothing like Colin Powell’s report. He went into detail about the mass murder and war crimes committed by Calley’s men. While I was the last Federal Army Chaplain at Fort Indiantown Gap, PA in 1998 just months before going to the Navy, My Lai entered my life again when I presided over the funeral of Colonel Oran Henderson who commanded the brigade Calley’s unit belonged, and watch the operation from the air. He was deeply involved in the cover up, and eventually was tried and acquitted during the longest courts martial in U.S. military history.
I am very afraid of the direction we are heading. It will bring dishonor to the military and our country, but we must resist.
Be safe and watch your six.
Steve Dundas
Your headline to this article says it all, Steve. It must be especially horrifying for folks like yourself, in "the know" regarding military background, to see a candidate like Hegseth offered up as Trump's choice for Secretary of Defense. It's bad enough that Trump will slither back into office on Monday, but the thought that there will be NO safeguards against his demented meanderings of the mind is incredibly frightening to me. After all, look how Hitler destroyed his own country, not to mention what happened to the rest of Europe, also including, of course, millions of dead from allies like the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand and more. Since Trump is today's Hitler, God only knows what will become of us.
Thank you Steve, for posting Hugh Thompson Jr's humble declaration of indefatigable, humane, sanity and conscience in the face of indescribable, indefensible, war crime horrors. That this episode was for so long deeply denied and it's perpetrators essentially protected from responsibility, but may be, in the end, the greatest shame for all Americans to bear; I certainly see and feel it, as we all should, now. I massively applaud your efforts to bring your light, vision, caring, repair, redemption, remembering and mentoring to all of these examples of human war tragedies; perhaps only real and lasting awareness of our propensity to commit unthinkable murderous behavior and suffering when we consider our fellow humans to be our "enemies" will someday result in true desire for and progress in our pursuit of Peace on Earth.