Reddit Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/interestingasfuck/comments/pkdc1w/this_is_the_grave_of_technical_sergeant_leonard/

Obviously, there are weird feelings about this, and I don't really want to dunk too hard on an individual who was a victim of America's response to the AIDS crisis and treatment of homosexuality in general... but come on.

I really cannot tell what the takeaway is supposed to be from this memorial.

I am not meaning to undermine homophobia. I am only pointing out that the guy was willing to inflict misery and death onto others, but when the machine turned its gaze on him he was quick to point out the oppression and cruelty.

  • RedArmor [he/him]
    ·
    3 years ago

    I’ll argue that a lot of men who went to Vietnam willingly (I’ve talked to a few at the VA) we’re signing up to “fight communism and give the Vietnamese democracy and freedom.” The propaganda at the time would have been insane at the height of the Cold War, and the counterculture popping off at the time would have been something else to struggle with. Not defending his service, but it is always more complicated than assuming “they wanted to kill people for amerikkka”.

    Also, if you willingly signed up you got more of a choice of job than if you were drafted, but if he did kill 2 comrades then I’m not sure why he picked a combat job or whatever.