University of Virginia Library

Place Blame

All attempts to place blame
seem totally absurd. Lt. Calley, in
admitting to kill one of these
people, is a murderer. It was a
morally indefensible act. But so are
the executions of every innocent
villager and there have been
thousands who have been killed.
The point is that there is no one
person, who, through his
punishment, will bring salvation to
the thousands of others who are
implicated in his action. Likewise,
there is no way to punish all the
people on both sides of the war for
doing what they feel is necessary to
save mankind.

What is more amazingly
disgusting are the open expressions
of affection shown to Lt. Calley as
if he were a national hero. No
matter what position one takes
regarding that war, there is no
justification based on rationality
for praising this man. While I do
not see any gain to be made for
mankind in executing or
permanently imprisoning him. I
cannot imagine how anyone could
praise him. The tragedy which he is
alleged to have caused is a
monumental triumph of depravity
of the human condition. My Lai is
the disaster of the decade — and it
is a disaster for all mankind. No one
can praise the major protagonist
without denying that the tragedy is
his also.