Big Al Kroboth..A-6 B/N by Pat Conroy

[Mumbles]

An Honest Confession by an American Coward Pat Conroy
Author: Pat Conroy
Source: This essay is from his book, My Losing Season.
Date: November 7, 2006


An Honest Confession by an American Coward by Pat Conroy

http://www.democracy-project.com/archives/002937.html

 

[Fog]

Well, Pat Conroy is more of a man than I had given him credit for. The theme of trying to justify his personal stance on Viet Nam runs through most of his later novels, particularly Prince of Tides & Beach Music. I look forward to his next book.

 

[A4sForever]

From the article:... "I come to a conclusion about my actions as a young man .... I wish I'd led a platoon of Marines in Vietnam ..."

One thing I've noticed over the past 35-40 years is how many "anti-war protesters" come to a similar conclusion ... and they always come late.

I don't have too much time or patience for those who come to the "party" late ... those who "get religion" when it's far, far too late for them to have to stand up and do anything about it -- you know, to put themselves at risk for a higher calling than themselves. Talk radio is full of 'em, Hollywood is full of 'em, politics is full of 'em, mainstream America is full of 'em ...

Too many mea culpas, too many "I wish, I wish", too many postmortems. When it's your time; it's your time.

Don't talk about what you SHOULD have done with the luxury of decades of separation from the events ...

Be "on time".

Man up and fly the mission when called ... when it's "your time".

 

[NozeMan]

I appreciate the fact that this anti-war demonstrator understands the rights he has, and appreciates those who provide those rights.

It's tough to shake off some of the things he suggested in the Vietnam era.

 

[Hozer]

Sorry, not buying "it" or the book for that matter, unless the proceeds go to the Fisher House or something similar...

 

[Mumbles]

^By no means was my posting an endorsement of his book... and Fischer House is a great organization.

 

[Flash]

Never had a high opinion of him, still don't. A better man for writing that, but still........ I believe that is from a graduation speech he gave at the Citadel a few years ago, I have seen it before.

Thanks for posting though Mumbles, still a good story.

 

[CWJones411]

Good share. No sympathy for Conroy though. It's easy to act like a patriot when it's "in". It seems like he's trying to redeem himself and prove he has some kind of moral courage. All he has the honesty to admit that he's a coward.

 

[scoolbubba]

i'm not familiar with this author... from the article it sounds like he played at/graduated from the citadel in the 60s. Hardly the bastion of liberal thought that it might be, it confuses me that this guy would choose the protest lifestyle while so many of whatever they call brother rats down there went off to fight and serve. Can anyone clue me in or am i hopelessly lost on this one?

 

[Flash]

i'm not familiar with this author... from the article it sounds like he played at/graduated from the citadel in the 60s. Hardly the bastion of liberal thought that it might be, it confuses me that this guy would choose the protest lifestyle while so many of whatever they call brother rats down there went off to fight and serve. Can anyone clue me in or am i hopelessly lost on this one?

He is a 1967 (I believe) grad of the Citadel, played basketball there. He wrote several novels like The Great Santini, The Lords of Discipline and The Prince of Tides. Ironically he is one of our most famous graduates, as well as being one of the most disliked when I was there in the 90's.

It seems that he has always been a bit 'different' than most, especially his fellow Citadel grads. To play amateur psychologist, his father was the mold for the Great Santini and I think he went to the Citadel because of his father, and rejected military life because of him too. You get the impression from his books about the Citadel that he thought of himself a little bit better than many of his classmates. A folly of his youth I suppose, and in his own little way correct when you look at his publishing success.

And he is not a 'brother rat', that is a VMI thing. He would just be a fellow Citadel grad.

 

[Harrier Dude]

I was under the impression that he was persona non grata at the Citadel. Is that just exaggeration or myth and urban legend? Any truth to "they took his ring back" after he wrote The Lords of Discipline?

I like his books, FWIW.

 

[scoolbubba]

.

And he is not a 'brother rat', that is a VMI or VPI thing. He would just be a fellow Citadel grad.

Fixed it for you. Thanks for the clue bomb. might have to read a few of his books.

 

[AllAmerican75]

I was under the impression that he was persona non grata at the Citadel. Is that just exaggeration or myth and urban legend? Any truth to "they took his ring back" after he wrote The Lords of Discipline?

I like his books, FWIW.

I don't know if they took his ring back, but I know he was/still is disliked, though has been trying to redeem himself now that he's "seen the light" as it were. The head of our Math Department is a '69 Citadel alum and has told me that he was not well liked while a cadet, nor was Lords Of Discipline well received, even though his real life experiences served as a model for many of the stories in the book.

 

[Flash]

I was under the impression that he was persona non grata at the Citadel. Is that just exaggeration or myth and urban legend? Any truth to "they took his ring back" after he wrote The Lords of Discipline?

I like his books, FWIW.

He was not liked there for many years, but he was 'welcomed back' in 2000 when he gave a speech (I think the graduation one) at school and all was forgiven supposedly. But he was never officially 'persona non grata' and they did not take away his ring. Supposedly they can take away your ring, but I have never heard of that happening after graduation and Conroy never really did anything to get it taken away (lie, cheat or steal), the books were fiction.

As for whether or not he is still disliked, I guess you would get a different opinions from different cadets and alumni, from all years. I don't like him, he made some pretty inaccurate and just plain stupid comments about the school when I was there, when women were trying to get in. And he always struck me as very self-interested, his angle always seemed to be 'What is in it for me?'. But I am just one grad with an opinion, a strong one at that. I guess it goes with the territory of graduating from a school like that, the fierce pride and all.

Even with all of that, I still recommend The Lords of Discipline to friends. After all, I lived it!

VPI, yeah....sure. Those uniforms are just for show, right?

 

[jt71582]

VPI, yeah....sure. Those uniforms are just for show, right?

Ouch!