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Aug-01-2009 00:24printcomments

Nick Horner, Just One Victimized Vet

Prosecutors want to kill a three-tour combat veteran who was prescribed dangerous drugs by the same government that trained him to kill.

Salem-News.com
Photo courtesy: helphorner.com

(CALGARY, Alberta) - I’ve been a reader and rereader of John D. MacDonald since the late 1960s when a friend introduced me to his books. He published prolifically in the crime and suspense field—more than 70 books, including the 21-volume Travis McGee series. I’ve read every book at least twice and some half-dozen or more times.

Five years ago I reread Darker Than Amber, number six in the TM series, and something “new” appeared. The lesson is that we are constantly changing and the person who reread this a few years ago, was not the same person who had read the book six or eight times previously. The passage was always there, but it had just never entered my consciousness in previous readings.

In the book, a criminal gang works in man/woman pairs. The young women strike up relationships with older, lonely men who have money (but not too much money). The men are enticed to bring as much as possible with them on a cruise so she can “run away” with him. Her male accomplice then kills the man, takes the money and dumps the body overboard. They had already done this, fifty or sixty times.

McGee and his friend Meyer are talking about how these people can do such a thing and still live with themselves. Meyer says “we can find a more appropriate answer in a book written by a woman who name escapes me at the moment. It is called, I believe, The I and the Not-I”. Obviously, MacDonald had read the book and was using the psychological theories in it to explain how some characters in his book could do otherwise inexplicable things.

Meyer explains that the author “develops the concept that a frightening number of people in the world are unaware of the actual living reality of human beings around them. It is the complete absence of empathy in action. They believe themselves to be real, of course, yet they merely lack the imagination to see that other persons are also real in the same way and on the same terms.”

I looked up the book and found it was written by Jungian analyst M. Esther Harding. The parallel to American society at large in her exposition is not encouraging. What made me pick up her ideas now, is the story of veteran Nick Horner (A Combat Soldier on Death Row? - Tim King Salem-News.com) and other stories like the water contamination at Camp Lejeune and many others over recent months showing government/military insensitivity to the needs of veterans and their families, and the families of survivors.

Meanwhile, back to the point of Harding’s book

The I and the Not-I describes American and Canadian culture today. In their worship of individualism, people have become disconnected from their fellow citizens. Religion is a contributing factor, says George Bryjack, sociologist at the University of San Diego:

Over the past 40 years there has been a shift in religious orientation on the part of many, emphasizing a ‘one-to-one’ relation with God and redemption as a personal journey. This spiritual orientation separates people from concerns about, and participation in, the larger society.”

There is, says Harding, a social unconsciousness which is established early in life. “The principles on which children are educated and on which our social morality is founded are largely concerned with actions, while scant attention is given to the underlying feeling. As a result, natural instincts are not changed but only repressed.” The result is “an individual who is not aware of the ‘other’ as also a sentient being [who] will behave towards him in an unfeeling way [which] may be the cause of cruelty and callousness in a person who may nonetheless have a very kind heart.”

In war, the first thing that the leadership does is instill in the troops a dehumanization of the enemy. In WWI, the Germans were Huns and the Bosch, in WWII they were Jerrys. In Vietnam the enemy were gooks and slopeheads. In the first Gulf War, they were ragheads and camel jockeys. The enemy must fall into the realm of not-I.

It’s the callousness of society at large that engages me in this essay and, in particular, what has happened to Nick Horner. He is not the only vet who has been abandoned by his country. This clearly could not happen without the acquiescence of the military establishment, which could not happen without the acquiescence of the political establishment which could not happen without the silent sanction of American citizens at large.

I met a man online about ten years ago through a music group and we stayed in touch after the group faded away. I’ll give his name as Don, because our communications were private. He lives in Texas and is a stereotypical right wing evangelist. But he came across as a nice person and we did have some interesting exchanges, until…

One day I sent him the link to an article by George Bryjack and, just looking at the title and seeing who the author was he wrote: “Professor of sociology. Yep, social(ist)/liberal.” He said he had no time to read it.

We started talking about the military after I sent him this quote from Bryjack:

“At a time when most prosperous nations have a system of compulsory military service, the United States maintains voluntary armed forces. Fighting and dying on the battlefield have become the plight of lower—and middle-class males, while sons of the wealthy stay home and enjoy the economic benefits of their privileged positions.”

His response to that was:

Well I will say anyone born poor, who stays poor, is lazy or stupid. If they're stupid, well then they are doomed. If they are lazy then there's hope. My grandmother was born in a farm house with dirt floors in western Arkansas. She left home at fourteen heading for the ‘big city’ of Tulsa, Oklahoma. She never looked back. Everything she ever attained she did on her own and she left poor behind. She even paid off her house. My aunt and uncle paid off their house. This bs about being poor is just that, bs. In this country there is no excuse for staying poor unless you fit that one single category. STUPID, it's incurable and those are the few who need to be taken care of. As for the battlefield class, that's a lottery. Those who go in do it to get a 'free' education but roll the dice that they might get shot at. They fit in the category of those who are willing to help themselves and that's fine.”

I tried do engage him on the question of why some people needed to risk their lives to get an education, while others did not, but he never responded. That was my last communication with him. He is clearly a man with zero empathy for people who are not like him.

In a fractured and polarized American society it’s easy to see “others” as unworthy of attention. Vets in emotional and psychological trouble, too often fit into this category of not-I.

I read a story in the NYT recently about homeless vets. According to V.A. estimates, the overall number of homeless veterans has declined in recent years, from about 250,000 who lacked shelter at some point in 2006 to perhaps 200,000 last year. But the share of women is climbing, and while they account for 4 percent of all homeless veterans, they make up 9 percent of those under 45.

National Disgrace

A homeless veteran is a societal crime in progress!

I cannot emphasize this strongly enough.

If you walk by a homeless vet, it is your duty as a citizen to render aid. If you are not in a position to give significant support to this person, then it is your responsibility to band together with other citizens to give him or her as much support as he or she needs.

Too often, vets come back with their bodies and minds shattered. They’ve risked everything for their country—which means you. You owe them. Don’t walk by and pretend to yourself he is someone else’s problem or obligation.

Nick Horner is a man who should not have gone to Iraq for a third deployment. The reason these men have to go for second and third tours is because too many others are shirking their responsibility.

If you can afford $1 trillion for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq (the government has done this on your behalf—which includes the current allowance) then you can “afford” another few billion to support the million or so returning vets. This would include, in retrospect, those who went to Vietnam, as well.

Next month Dr. Pedro José Greer, Jr., chief of gastroenterology at Mercy Hospital and founder of Camillus Health Concern will be given the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Dr. Greer, who has long advocated for the poor and homeless, said "It's very humbling. We have a responsibility in society to take care of all people, particularly those who have less. Those who have been lucky enough to have opportunities have to give back.''

America’s vets should be near the top of that list.

(Note: I am a Canadian and we have nothing like the military culture of America. But I have empathy for society’s rejects, seeing them as hurt and broken people. They deserve and have earned better than the reject pile to where American society has sent them.)

===============================================

Daniel Johnson was born near the midpoint of the twentieth century in Calgary, Alberta. In his teens he knew he was going to be a writer, which explains why he was one of only a handful of boys in his high school typing class—a skill he knew was going to be necessary. He defines himself as a social reformer, not a left winger, the latter being an ideological label which, he says, is why he is not an ideologue, although a lot of his views could be described as left-wing. He understands that who he is, is largely defined by where he came from. The focus for Daniel’s writing came in 1972. After a trip to Europe he moved to Vancouver, British Columbia. Alberta, and Calgary in particular, was extremely conservative Bible Belt country, more like Houston than any other Canadian city (a direct influence of the oil industry). Two successive Premiers of the province, from 1935 to 1971, had been Baptist evangelicals with their own weekly Sunday radio program—Back to the Bible Hour, while in office. In Alberta everything was distorted by religion.

Although he had published a few pieces (unpaid) in the local daily, the Calgary Herald, it was not until 1975 that he could actually make a living from journalism when, from 1975 to 1981 he was reporter, photographer, then editor of the weekly Airdrie Echo. For more than ten years after that he worked with Peter C. Newman (1979-1993), Canada’s top business writer (notably a series of books, The Canadian Establishment). Through this period Daniel also did some national radio and TV broadcasting with the CBC. You can write to Daniel at: Salem-News@gravityshadow.com




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August 2, 2009 4:20 pm (Pacific time)

To All-- After the Vietnam War was over, my father, a World War II vet who had been a big supporter of our involvement in Vietnam, told me he was glad that I did not have to go and fight there. When I asked him why he replied that if you were going to go and fight a war, the nation needs to take everybody, and not just the poor. For those of you too young to remember in Vietnam, middle and upper class men could get college deferments, while the poor were drafted. We might be better off to have compulsory military service for all physically fit men like in Switzerland, or for men and women like in the Israel. If the sons and daughters of the well-to-do were to be at risk as well those of the poor, perhaps, just perhaps, we would show a little more discretion in our aggressive foreign policy. As I remember it, other than Senator McCain and the guy from Virginia, few members of Congress have children serving in the military.


Jim Davis, Veterans-For-Change August 2, 2009 1:06 pm (Pacific time)

This man should not be on trial for his life, he should be placed where he can be cared for and treated for his PTSD, and respected for his service to our Country! Personally I feel the draft is needed to come back and absolutely NO exceptions to the rule, whether you have wealth or power should not matter one damn bit! Serve and do your duty, and if you’re not happy, you’re more than welcome to flea to the country of your choice! Multiple tours to Iraq would not be happening if it hadn’t been for President’s Clinton and Bush trying to save a buck and closing down military bases left and right and cutting back on troops! I also blame the military for not having sent each soldier to counseling after his/her return to see if they were combat ready again or not. Many of these situations could have been easily avoided had this been done, or even allowed at minimum a years time to pass before re-deploying a soldier back into a war zone. Yes these men and women chose to serve our country, but it had nothing to do with educational benefits. It was a matter of pride and respect for our country, a matter of duty and honor! Our veterans and active duty military should be honored and respected for doing the job so many American’s can’t or won’t do.


Anonymous August 1, 2009 6:01 pm (Pacific time)

Vic: On walking on by, my point is that these are men and women who have risked their lives for the country--yours and theirs. Even if they go off to fight the wrong fight, it's still your country that is sending them. But I think we can fundamentally agree that the whole thing is a mess, with commercial interests influenceing politics mixed in with patriotism etc. I think the American people need a second War of Independence. I think the first one has run its course. Just my opinion.


Daniel Johnson August 1, 2009 5:50 pm (Pacific time)

Overall, I agree with you Vic. Part of the point I was making is that a voluntary military is not a fair way to go. Then Nick would never have been sent on a second deployment, let alone a third. The Subway people were victims as well--all of them, including Nick, of a gun-crazy, militaristic society. And Iraq? Who's going to be the last man or woman to die for George W. Bush's ego?


Vic August 1, 2009 5:26 pm (Pacific time)

"If you walk by a homeless vet, it is your duty as a citizen to render aid"...OK Daniel..not meaning to pick on you, but....WTF? If I walk past a homeless elementary school teacher the situation is different? How about a homeless plumber or machinist? How about a homeless family? And I do not "owe" anyone anything for their career choices or bad judgement. Not once has my town or state been invaded and the military saved us..not one time. My town and state and country has given up a lot though, in order to maintain the most expensive, most intrusive military in the history of the world. Schools, infrastructures and services have all suffered so that we can be the "Boss of Everyone". And the ironic thing is, no one wants to invade us, and if they did, theyd play hell. They would pay dearly for every square inch. But we have been invaded and conquered..just not from the outside.

Editor: Vic, your view is awfully narrow on this one.  I wonder how you feel about inner city kids who join gangs?  They do really bad things, but I'll be damned if they chose to be born into poverty and frequent situations involving broken homes and neighborhood pressures that lead to gang membership.  So you would just roll them up with Nick and other people who evolve from a culture that is different?  Just leave them there bloody and dying?  Just dismiss them from humanity because they made a choice different from yours?  Daniel is just trying to illustrate the dillema our government is creating for veterans, and you need to remember that since veterans typically lead the anti-war movements, at least once they get going, they are an integral part of the system.   They are your brothers too man.      


Vic August 1, 2009 4:38 pm (Pacific time)

"Nick Horner is a man who should not have gone to Iraq for a third deployment. The reason these men have to go for second and third tours is because too many others are shirking their responsibility" ....Responsibilty to whom or what? How about a responsibility to themselves and their families? These wars have already been proven to be fraudulent attempts at securing oil and the right of way for pipelines, as is the case in Afghnistan. Then there is the lucrative opium/heroin trade that the Taliban almost shut down...do US soldiers have a "responsibility" to fight and die for this crap? I would say that as human beings, we have a responsibility to DO THE RIGHT THING, regardless of laws or appearances. I would also say that the poor 19 year old kid blown away at his minimum wage job for no reason at all is a much bigger victim than his killer is. Nobody seems to give a damn about him tho...he wasnt in the military. I wonder what his hopes and dreams were? Did he have a girlfriend? What were HIS interests? I've never even seen a picture of him...but on S-N alone, I've seen several of Horner. Sad..sad and pathetic across the board. So if this pizza kid had mental problems from say...a brain injury, and blew away Nick Horner, would all of you be on here jumping to the kids defense? Would there be websites for his defense and if he got the death penalty, would everyone be upset? I think not...Id bet money on it. Double standards suck.

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