The High Ground has a Gutter

This is an e-mail I wrote in response to Bob from Eden Priarie who, this morning, tried to dismiss the torture issue by focusing on a small element of a military story I only brought up to make a minor point. This is what John Fugelsang and Jon Stewart mean when they talk about the left leaning media having zero room for error.

Enjoy!

Bob in Eden Prairie,

I don't think there is a need to follow through on reporting this incident from my military days over 25 years ago.  It wasn't forced rectal feeding or constant beating and water boarding.  It was one punch, in 1988.  If you decide to follow through on this, for the record, you are not speaking for me, or acting on my behalf.  Do not imply you are speaking for me in any capacity.

But to tell the truth, you have a point.  The "non-punching by drill sergeants" rules, although new, were in place at the time.  If you want to follow through on this, you are welcome to, and I won't deny the incident took place.  Whether the military would spend a second on it or not remains to be seen. 

You're clinging to a flimsy patch on your high ground when you say I should have, at 20, as a private in Basic Training, sternly walked up to the nearest officer and filed a report on that Drill Sergeant for his misguided attempt to make a point that the US Army doesn't torture.  Technically, you're following the letter of the law, but you clearly don't understand the dynamics of the military.  It's like the newest 2nd Lt. putting a 25 year Master Sergeant into attention.  Technically they can do it, but they don't do it.  Doesn't mean they can't, but no one in the military will back them up if they do.  I'll let you tackle that problem next.

It is not fair to label you a hypocrite before hand, so I apologize, but let's make sure you understand the choice you have to make.  

If you decide you want to follow through with this, e-mail me back and let me know.  I will forward you the name of the Drill Sergeant from 1988 for you to pursue.  At that point, you have only two options.  The first would be to follow through in a misguided attempt to prove you're a better person than I am.  Go to the Army and report the incident and work to get the Staff Sergeant prosecuted for his actions.  If you're successful, you may be able to strip a decorated NCO of their retirement benefits.  Since you insist you are proudly taking the moral high ground, I'll promise to keep the listeners up to date on your personal efforts to strip a retired NCO of their benefits, all in an effort to prove me wrong.  Afterwards, if you are successful, we'll have a get-together, where I will invite the VFW, Marine Corps League, Wounded Warriors, and all other veterans for you to high-five, and I'll let you explain to them why you did what you did.  You shouldn't be afraid of doing that.

If I do send you this name, and you don't do anything, well, you'd then be a massive hypocrite for suggesting I was a bad guy for having knowledge of an incident and not reporting it, and then in turn not reporting it yourself when you the opportunity to do so.  

If you decide you do not want the name, and in turn do not want to file a report, I will take it as your agreeing with my point of view on this matter.  These are your three choices right now, that's it.  Your call, your decision.  I am sure you'll try to wiggle into some other option, but really these are your only three choices.

I am going to post this e-mail to the public, using only "Bob" (for the time being).  Let me know what your decision is.

Thanks for listening!

Matt McNeil

Morning Host - The Morning Grind

AM 950