My "epiphany through betrayal" came when I was a Midshipman 1st Class at the US Merchant Marine Academy. There's an Honor System there that goes, "A Midshipman will not lie, cheat, or steal". It's a little different from the other Service Academies. It doesn't have the addendum "...or tolerate those who do." It's not punitive for 'others', not yourself. It's motto is also "Acta non Verba" (Deeds not Words).
Needless to say, I was a Platoon Commander of 3rd Platoon of 5th Company of the 3rd Battalion and we mustered for lunch every day and marched into the mess hall. As we were the first platoon of the last Battalion, we often entered the mess hall, well, next to last. On this particular Friday, it was a beautiful early May day, trees in bloom, we decided to "bolt"... run across the grass into the mess hall first. My guys were all whispering "Bolt, bolt..." and I thought, "what the 'h..." and so we went. We broke ranks and ran to the mess hall, arriving first... ran into the room and were the first to our seats for lunch. Several other Companies proceeded to "follow our lead" and bolt as well. I think only 1st and 2nd Companies remained in ranks and came in in regular marching order. It was not an "unprecedented" act, as many of these 'traditional' bolts had been performed in the past.
I expected to get punished. "Conduct Unbecoming an Officer" was the likely "go to" offense, 50 demerits, six weeks restriction. A minimum punishment would have been 16 Demerits and a weeks restriction to Academy grounds. But regardless, I expected to be punished.
There was also a procedure for assigning demerits in the Handbook of Regulations that each Midshipman kept in his room. It took a week for the procedure to "work its' way out" and you to be punished... and I had plans for the coming Sunday, my future wife's bridal shower. I figured I'd serve my punishment over the course of the last few weeks before graduation at the Academy. I accepted it.
What happened was the Commandant ordered my entire platoon restricted to grounds for the weekend, meaning I couldn't attend my future wife's shower. And it wasn't just me being punished, it was my whole platoon. So I got mad, made an appointment, and met with the Commandant of Midshipmen. In the meeting, I told him that his orders were unlawful and against established regulations, that a group punishment wasn't permitted and had to follow the due processes stated in the Regs Book.
He laughed. He told me that the punishment would stand. And THAT weekend we spent restricted to Academy grounds mustering every few hours for roll calls.
I was perplexed. How could that happen? How could he violate the Rules and Regulations and punish us w/o "due process". (To me) it was just like the scene with Col. Jessup in "A Few Good Men"... but w/o the "happy ending". It was the first time I really understood... the rules and laws don't matter. Those in charge will "do whatever they want". The randomness of Super Ego... not the order of an Ego Ideal is the default mode for all organizations.
FJ that is astounding that you write this. Really I had that same epiphany when I was in law school studying to become a paralegal. The laws are there to guide and rule, but the judge has the ultimate say of what will go on in a courtroom and what is allowed and not allowed. To mete out the law or not, most times not. It gave me pause to wonder what I was doing and when asked to go on to become an attorney I did not as I saw the law only working for the few - WHITE RICH PEOPLE. Not even rich blacks had the privilege whites did. It was pretty disgusting to me. The law does not really work for the average person and we see the cost.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry that happened to you FJ, truly.
Was probably the best thing for me, to learn this lessons of life before going out into the world and having the ideological blinders still on.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite ancient texts, and probably one of the first of the Greeks EVER (circa 8th century BC), was Hesiod's "Works and Days". I think it applies to what you said, above. Let me quote the first 43 lines... but my favorite part starts at line [25]:
[1] Muses of Pieria who give glory through song, come hither, tell of Zeus your father and chant his praise. Through him mortal men are famed or unfamed, sung or unsung alike, as great Zeus wills. For easily he makes strong, and easily he brings the strong man low; easily he humbles the proud and raises the obscure, and easily he straightens the crooked and blasts the proud, -- Zeus who thunders aloft and has his dwelling most high. Attend thou with eye and ear, and make judgements straight with righteousness. And I, Perses, would tell of true things.
THE TWO STRIFES
[11] So, after all, there was not one kind of Strife alone, but all over the earth there are two. As for the one, a man would praise her when he came to understand her; but the other is blameworthy: and they are wholly different in nature. For one fosters evil war and battle, being cruel: her no man loves; but perforce, through the will of the deathless gods, men pay harsh Strife her honour due. But the other is the elder daughter of dark Night, and the son of Cronos who sits above and dwells in the aether, set her in the roots of the earth: and she is far kinder to men. She stirs up even the shiftless to toil; for a man grows eager to work when he considers his neighbour, a rich man who hastens to plough and plant and put his house in good order; and neighbour vies with is neighbour as he hurries after wealth. This Strife is wholesome for men. And potter is angry with potter, and craftsman with craftsman, and beggar is jealous of beggar, and minstrel of minstrel.
[25] Perses, lay up these things in your heart, and do not let that Strife who delights in mischief hold your heart back from work, while you peep and peer and listen to the wrangles of the court-house. Little concern has he with quarrels and courts who has not a year's victuals laid up betimes, even that which the earth bears, Demeter's grain. When you have got plenty of that, you can raise disputes and strive to get another's goods. But you shall have no second chance to deal so again: nay, let us settle our dispute here with true judgement divided our inheritance, but you seized the greater share and carried it off, greatly swelling the glory of our bribe-swallowing lords who love to judge such a cause as this. Fools! They know not how much more the half is than the whole, nor what great advantage there is in mallow and asphodel [poor man's fare].