My best friend and I both ended up individually refusing the draft during the American war against Viet Nam. During the ride into downtown L.A. to go before a judge on charges, my friend was asked by his two FBI 'chaperones' if he thought he was going to 'end the war' by his refusal. My friend, who has always been quick on his feet, had the perfect response: Simply "YES, FOR ME !"
Back then, we needed hundreds of thousands more with that response and we could have pretty much ended it for all, but there were too many too afraid of the worst-case scenario of a couple of years in a minimum-security fed. prison, and were willing to instead sell their souls for a paycheck, a gun and some jerk-off telling them who to kill. I will never understand it.
Nuremberg states following orders is not a defense. Hugh Thompson defied those orders. Like I said many more should have been court martialed but that doesn’t mean Cslley was innocent. A lot of time civilians are the consequence, not the target. My Lai was egregious. Like Wounded zKner or Sand Creek, or Fallujah, or Abu Ghraib. Because a lot of Vietnamese were being killed, doesn’t make it okay,
Nuremberg Trials went after the top Nazi leaders in charge, not the soldiers on the ground. I have not walked in their moccasins, so I am unable to judge soldiers terrified for themselves and the lives of the soldiers they are responsible for during guerrilla warfare by Viet Cong soldiers/civilians alike. I hated the Vietnam War for as long as I can remember, but I also thought it was wrong to call soldiers "babykillers" when they came home.
What makes him a scapegoat if he actually, knowingly ordered the murder of innocent men, women, and children. Hugh Thompson, in my opinion, was a hero. He landed his helicopter in the middle of the massacre to try and stop it. There were very few heroes at My Lai. Maybe more, and higher ranked officers, should have been court-martialed, but so should have he. Wasn't Calley pardoned? I will look it up.
Lt Calley was ordered by his commanding officer, Captain Medina. And yes he was pardoned by President Nixon. Imho there were the higher ups and the scapegoated. There was a lot of fear by the soldiers (rightly so) of ambushes by Viet Cong and civilians, even the children. These young Americans were drafted, they should have gone up the chain of command instead of those dealing with the realities on the ground. As many as 2 million Vietnamese civilians on both sides were murdered during the Vietnam War. Lt. Calley was made as an "example" by the USA Govt. to wash their hands of My Lai after the public outcry.
Ain't no vietnamese ever called me a nigga
We actually talked about Ali, and this comment he made.
My best friend and I both ended up individually refusing the draft during the American war against Viet Nam. During the ride into downtown L.A. to go before a judge on charges, my friend was asked by his two FBI 'chaperones' if he thought he was going to 'end the war' by his refusal. My friend, who has always been quick on his feet, had the perfect response: Simply "YES, FOR ME !"
Back then, we needed hundreds of thousands more with that response and we could have pretty much ended it for all, but there were too many too afraid of the worst-case scenario of a couple of years in a minimum-security fed. prison, and were willing to instead sell their souls for a paycheck, a gun and some jerk-off telling them who to kill. I will never understand it.
thank you!
Or actually in my case it would be the word Paddy which is the equivalent
Nuremberg states following orders is not a defense. Hugh Thompson defied those orders. Like I said many more should have been court martialed but that doesn’t mean Cslley was innocent. A lot of time civilians are the consequence, not the target. My Lai was egregious. Like Wounded zKner or Sand Creek, or Fallujah, or Abu Ghraib. Because a lot of Vietnamese were being killed, doesn’t make it okay,
Nuremberg Trials went after the top Nazi leaders in charge, not the soldiers on the ground. I have not walked in their moccasins, so I am unable to judge soldiers terrified for themselves and the lives of the soldiers they are responsible for during guerrilla warfare by Viet Cong soldiers/civilians alike. I hated the Vietnam War for as long as I can remember, but I also thought it was wrong to call soldiers "babykillers" when they came home.
I grew up knowing Lt. Calley was from S Florida (like me at the time). Maybe because he was a "hometown boy" but my feelings about him are unambiguous... NOT GUILTY. But the Army wanted a scapegoat for a war of choice. https://www.pulitzer.org/article/i-sent-them-good-boy-and-they-made-him-murderer
What makes him a scapegoat if he actually, knowingly ordered the murder of innocent men, women, and children. Hugh Thompson, in my opinion, was a hero. He landed his helicopter in the middle of the massacre to try and stop it. There were very few heroes at My Lai. Maybe more, and higher ranked officers, should have been court-martialed, but so should have he. Wasn't Calley pardoned? I will look it up.
Lt Calley was ordered by his commanding officer, Captain Medina. And yes he was pardoned by President Nixon. Imho there were the higher ups and the scapegoated. There was a lot of fear by the soldiers (rightly so) of ambushes by Viet Cong and civilians, even the children. These young Americans were drafted, they should have gone up the chain of command instead of those dealing with the realities on the ground. As many as 2 million Vietnamese civilians on both sides were murdered during the Vietnam War. Lt. Calley was made as an "example" by the USA Govt. to wash their hands of My Lai after the public outcry.