I upbeared this but I'm not actually sure I agree? Surely public accountability for past crimes is a good thing? I have some sketchy shit in my past and I always make sure to at least run it by the heads of the communities I'm part of privately. Though I've never publicly disclosed I guess. But like If I were ever to become a public figure (which I might, if I ever get around to publishing my fiction) I think I would want to publicly disclose somewhere, partially to head off people digging that past up but also partially just because... it feels like the right way to handle things? Like it just feels like if I'm a public figure, people should be aware of my past? Like I'm not bragging, I'm making sure my audience knows who they're engaging with. And I feel like the same should be true of anyone like, publicly making a stand for leftist causes?

Then again, what I did and being a veteran are different because what I did is near universally considered to be bad, but being a veteran is usually considered good. So i guess thats a key difference. But you're phrasing it in terms of "dont publicly admit to being a murderer", not "dont claim things which are bad, but for which most people will admire you".