I admit that berate was a bit strong. I guess the last lines of the article is was really got me. And everyone is entitled to an opinion. I just feel that the validity of your opinion should dictate the basis of its following. Civilians can criticize the military all they want but that does not qualify them to decide what makes a good military leader.
An example would be the POTUS. We can state our opinion as to what we would have done in his position on any given issue, but we cannot express our disdain for his Oval Office decor because we have not had the option to decorate it ourselves. I can interview former Presidents and ask their opinion about his choice of style, but it does not make mine any more or less revered.
And you are right Sigaba. This was merely a football game and certainly not combat. So how can Williams correlate Steelman's actions on a football field with what kind of officer he will be?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jersey Dirtbag
Furthermore, consider the following (partially rhetorical) question. To what extent is the average contemporary American civilian justified in condemning the actions of William Calley on 16 March 1968?
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People do condemn Calley and My Lai. Just as most soldiers in the Vietnam War returned to less than welcoming homecomings due to the perceived notions of the war. They were fighting and dying just the same as the current conflict with vastly different public opinion. I believe that civilians who praise or commend these days are praising or commending the uniform and what it means to them. How many have been thanked for their service by an uninformed stranger outside of uniform?