Vietnam War Deserter Arrested

[Top_Cat]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl.../National/home

What the...?

A Federal warrant was issued in 1968 and remained active to date (not a huge surprise) but he NOW faces a court martial for a war which is universally condemned? I mean geez, if the US is serious about prosecuting everyone who did the exact same thing, man the federal courts are going to be busy.........

[Dasa]

Erm...

[Craig]

It would seem pointless now that he is 56.

However I don't have any sympathy for him deserting as he clearly decided to enlist in the marines and it was a war so what did he expect it to be, a massive party where everybody gets drunk?

[FaaipDeOiad]

It would seem pointless now that he is 56.

However I don't have any sympathy for him deserting as he clearly decided to enlist in the marines and it was a war so what did he expect it to be, a massive party where everybody gets drunk?

What if he did?

You really think that every person who enlisted during the Vietnam war realised what it would be like? Maybe they lived a sheltered life, maybe they were pressured into enlisting, maybe they felt like they didn't have anything else to do, or maybe they thought war would be glorious and exciting and it turned out to be horrific.

This guy enlisted in the marines because his brother was drafted, and it was obviously a mistake. Thousands of people dodged the draft, and thousands deserted. The Vietnam war was injust and destructive, and it's a horrible situation to be in to have a family member taken away and forced into war like that. Deciding not to go was perfectly reasonable, and if you can't have sympathy for him being locked up for a perfectly reasonable decision he made when he was just a teenager, you're seriously messed up.

[Top_Cat]

However I don't have any sympathy for him deserting as he clearly decided to enlist in the marines and it was a war so what did he expect it to be, a massive party where everybody gets drunk?

No, considering his brother got drafted, he probably figured it was a matter of time before he did too. Being a volunteer back in those days gave you benefits and SOME say in where you were posted. Going to Vietnam was obviously not part of the plan........ Lot of people just 'got in first' like that. Doesn't mean they wanted to go to war.

[Top_Cat]

This guy enlisted in the marines because his brother was drafted, and it was obviously a mistake. Thousands of people dodged the draft, and thousands deserted. The Vietnam war was injust and destructive, and it's a horrible situation to be in to have a family member taken away and forced into war like that. Deciding not to go was perfectly reasonable, and if you can't have sympathy for him being locked up for a perfectly reasonable decision he made when he was just a teenager, you're seriously messed up.

Well that's the key point, really; if he hadn't volunteered and decided to call himself a 'conscientious objector' instead, he'd have been court-martialled and maybe locked up for a short period if he was unlucky. Now, with a federal warrant, he'll be locked up whilst they decide what to do with him before trial which could take even longer for refusing to fight in an unjust war.