I recently finished the first draft of a story about Vietnam in which I wanted to deal with the waste and fraud that went on there over the huge amount of supplies and equipment sent there. As it is always good to have an unbiased view, I asked for volunteers to read and comment for me. I found one individual who gave me some truly outstanding feedback. Great advice for things I was too close to see.
In return, he gave me a piece of his writing to review and comment on. It dealt with prisoners in a military penal facility. I could not help myself. There was one error after another and I had to point them out giving the right information.
I then received a bio in which he indicated he and I are the same age. And then, he proceeding to tear me apart, ranting that I had no right to be so critical of his work, saying how it was performed and received many kudos.
And then, he included his bio. He'd enlisted in the military and, according to him, after six months left his duty station without permission – going AWOL. He then immersed himself an a scholastic community, studying liberal arts and getting degrees and honors along with them.
According to him, there came a time when he turned himself in to military authorities and spent six months in confinement until he was “released from service.†This took place in California where I guess he now lives. He felt I was being far too negative and terminated our collaboration. Too bad for me as he gave some great advice.
So, why am I writing this?
I learned – or strengthened – a lesson on dealing with leftists. They are great to work with – until you question them. When you do, they explode, get righteous, and stalk off to pout with their colleagues about how ignorant and uncaring conservatives are.
A review of this shows me some things.
This take place during the Vietnam conflict.
The person says he enlisted and ended up serving in Hawaii as a military policeman. I find myself questioning this as he claims he only served a short time and that ignores a minimum of 8 weeks basic followed by whatever time it took to complete school for his specialty – an MP according to his story. He's in Hawaii and simply gets on a plane and flies back to the states. Anything to do with the intense anti-war sentiment off the time?
One of my comments was that I felt only getting six months in the brig or stockade and then being kicked out of the army seemed unfair. I knew lots and lots of soldiers who served far longer than someone who deserted in a time of war.
I did not even question his timing. It seems to me this was as the war was winding down and politicians didn't want to continue it. I seem to remember an offer of amnesty to anyone turning themselves in to be followed by an administrative – or less than honorable – discharge.
The act of a leftist coward taking the easy way out instead of standing up to the truth of his actions?
And this is an individual who spent years teaching our youth liberal arts. I don't even have to guess to know who he is going to vote for in November.
The lesson I learned. These people can indeed be able to provide positive and helpful advice – as long as you don't jerk their chains.
Kinda sad, isn't it?
