Who is worse, Bergdahl or Trump, the deserter or the war dodger?

[Slartibartfast]

The confidence game — the con — is an exercise in soft skills. Trust, sympathy, persuasion. The true con artist doesn’t force us to do anything; he makes us complicit in our own undoing. He doesn’t steal. We give. He doesn’t have to threaten us. We supply the story ourselves. We believe because we want to, not because anyone made us. And so we offer up whatever they want — money, reputation, trust, fame, legitimacy, support — and we don’t realize what is happening until it is too late. Our need to believe, to embrace things that explain our world, is as pervasive as it is strong. Given the right cues, we’re willing to go along with just about anything and put our confidence in just about anyone.

When it comes to predicting who will fall, personality generalities tend to go out the window. Instead, one of the factors that emerges is circumstance: it’s not who you are, but where you happen to be at this particular moment in your life.

The simple truth is that most people aren’t out to get you. We are so bad at spotting deception because it’s better for us to be more trusting. Trust, and not adeptness at spotting deception, is the more evolutionarily beneficial path. People are trusting by nature. We have to be. As infants, we need to trust that the big person holding us will take care of our needs and desires until we’re old enough to do it ourselves. And we never quite let go of that expectation.

Konnikova.

 

[Cuddles]

Hmm, growing disillusioned with war and walking away or not doing your patriotic duty and cowardly lying about why.... Tough choice

 

[CaptainObvious]

Hmm, growing disillusioned with war and walking away or not doing your patriotic duty and cowardly lying about why.... Tough choice

Which is why I always respected Muhammad Ali. He said screw you, I'm not fighting the white mans war, ain't no Viet Cong ever done anything to me. That's showing the courage of your convictions. While I may disagree with a person, I do respect those that just stand up and say no, I ain't going and come what may afterward. Coming up with excuses is just bullshit. In the case of Bergdahl I would have respected the man if he just went into his C.O.'s office and said, I'm done fighting, and taken the consequences. What he did was desert his position without telling a soul, and it cost lives looking for him. You just don't do that kind of shit, and everyone in combat knows it. You don't put your brothers in harms way unnecessarily. You just don't. That, and that alone is why I have no respect for the man.

 

[smallStops]

If a man has not had the courage to put his own life at risk for his country, or taken the courage to come clean about why he would not risk his own life, but lies about it; then I believe this type of man should shut up in regards to military people.
Though I am more of pacific methods, military people - from any country - do deserve respect for risking their own lives for others.

 

[newwurldmn]

Which is why I always respected Muhammad Ali. He said screw you, I'm not fighting the white mans war, ain't no Viet Cong ever done anything to me. That's showing the courage of your convictions. While I may disagree with a person, I do respect those that just stand up and say no, I ain't going and come what may afterward.

Why don't you respect Colin Kaperneck and others for their kneeling in support of innocent blacks being shot by police officers? Aren't they showing courage for their convictions?

Serious question. What's the difference?

 

[smallStops]

Is what they are doing getting incompetent police officers into proper retraining or being fired ?

A competent police officer first rule should be to protect and save any person on its national territory - no matter its personal opinions and prejudices about the person.

 

[CaptainObvious]

Why don't you respect Colin Kaperneck and others for their kneeling in support of innocent blacks being shot by police officers? Aren't they showing courage for their convictions?

Serious question. What's the difference?

The difference is, other than Kaperneck, they aren't suffering the consequences of their actions. They are violating league policy, admittedly ambiguous which is the leagues fault. Either enforce policy across the board or change the rule. They might also pick a more just cause to support since the entire foundation of BLM was inspired by urban legend. Hands up don't shoot never happened, yet they, and the players by extension of their support, still act as if it did. Even Eric Holder couldn't find any evidence that it did. There are no truly innocent blacks being shot by police. Have there been a few cases where the shootings could have been handled differently? Yes, but there aren't any cops driving around saying hey look, there's a negro, lets kill him, as the urban myth types are trying to sell us on.

 

[Slartibartfast]

What he did was desert his position without telling a soul, and it cost lives looking for him. You just don't do that kind of shit, and everyone in combat knows it. You don't put your brothers in harms way unnecessarily. You just don't. That, and that alone is why I have no respect for the man.

Just to point out one thing. It appears that nobody died looking for the kid though it was much discussed in 2014. Two injuries, serious in one case but the six deaths was an unfounded rumor, coincidental. Of course somebody could have, that is a given but better to consider his guilt for what actually did happen.

https://www.stripes.com/news/command-sergeant-major-no-troops-died-searching-for-bergdahl-1.402016

 

[newwurldmn]

The difference is, other than Kaperneck, they aren't suffering the consequences of their actions. They are violating league policy, admittedly ambiguous which is the leagues fault. Either enforce policy across the board or change the rule. They might also pick a more just cause to support since the entire foundation of BLM was inspired by urban legend. Hands up don't shoot never happened, yet they, and the players by extension of their support, still act as if it did. Even Eric Holder couldn't find any evidence that it did. There are no truly innocent blacks being shot by police. Have there been a few cases where the shootings could have been handled differently? Yes, but there aren't any cops driving around saying hey look, there's a negro, lets kill him, as the urban myth types are trying to sell us on.

Again, serious questions:

Does one have to suffer negative consequences when standing up for what they believe in?

I don't think any rational person believes that cops are driving around looking to kill negroes. But there are a lot of stories where blacks are shot in seeming benign situations by cops who are a "little too nervous" to give them the (huge) benefit of the doubt.

Why isn't protesting the constant acquittal of the police in these situations not worthy of respect while a showboating boxer who made the claim that his tax bill paid for three bombers as justification for not doing his American duty is?

 

[CaptainObvious]

Yeah, I'd call these serious, and unnecessary. Bottom line, Bergdahl put these guys in a bad spot when he deserted and for a time everyone thought he was missing.

"Although the podcast concluded that no one was killed in the search, it did discuss two men seriously harmed on missions in the first couple of weeks after Bergdahl disappeared. Navy SEAL Jimmy Hatch lost a leg in a gunfight on a mission to find Bergdahl. Army Sgt. 1st Class Mark Allen was shot in the head on a different mission; he lost part of his brain, was paralyzed and rendered mute."