This is what is so offensive?

[WriterDom]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srbLyuMgDe8

Get a fucking grip, people.

 

[ecstaticsub]

It is behavior unbecoming an officer and totally inappropriate to be shown to an entire ship.

 

[Sir_Winston54]

Not to mention that he was the XO, second in command of a *huge* freakin' ship with somewhere in the neighborhood of 3,000 crew. For him to create, produce and publish to those crew something of this nature is extremely deleterious to the command structure, and to the necessary strict adherence to the chain of command.

As a former Navy enlisted man and son of a career Army officer, I can certainly tell you that had he been my XO and produced and published something of this nature, he would have lost all my respect and damaged the respect that I had for the CO and the other officers on board.

 

[Betticus]

I didn't think it was any kind of a big deal.. just some military people blowing off some steam and having a laugh. I don't think the press should be reporting stuff like this, much less blowing it completely out of the water. The outcome from this is simply that life in the military will be a little more fucked up.

 

[WriterDom]

I'd appreciate a XO who would at least attempt humor on a long deployment. If you find it offensive, you'd really hate being on a ship. Apparently this had been going on since at least 2006.

Now I'm not saying he shouldn't be disciplined at all. I'd write him up first of all for really bad humor. And then for using the "F" word. Fag, not fuck.

It seems to me that someone was holding on to this for years until, well, I don't know, maybe until weeks after DADT was repealed?

But like AA says there are thousands in line to take his place so life goes on.

 

[JMohegan]

He might have made a good frat president. If he could get elected, that is.

Which is doubtful, considering that his humor skills are rather lame.

 

[Sir_Winston54]

I didn't think it was any kind of a big deal.. just some military people blowing off some steam and having a laugh. I don't think the press should be reporting stuff like this, much less blowing it completely out of the water. The outcome from this is simply that life in the military will be a little more fucked up.

Odds are someone with a grudge against the XO (now the CO, but being removed because of this) was the leak to the press. Once it was leaked and published, it was going to blow up... which is one of the reasons Capt. Honors should have known better than to *make* videos like this. One of the hallmarks of a good officer is to be able to foresee logical outcomes of his/her actions; Honors blew it.

I'd appreciate a XO who would at least attempt humor on a long deployment. If you find it offensive, you'd really hate being on a ship. Apparently this had been going on since at least 2006.

Humor, yes. *This* type of humor, no. See my comment above about foreseeing outcomes.

Now I'm not saying he shouldn't be disciplined at all. I'd write him up first of all for really bad humor. And then for using the "F" word. Fag, not fuck.

Had the videos been leaked to the chain of command rather than the civilian press, it's quite possible, even probable, that he would have quietly been removed from his command at a reasonably normal interval, and let know that he would *not* be getting promoted, which would have led to either his resignation/retirement or forced retirement, and the world in general would never have known anything about it. (For those who don't know, officers "sit" before a promotion board periodically. When they are "passed over" {not selected for promotion} a certain number of times, they have the choice to retire or *be* retired.)

Navy officials said Honors will not be kicked out of the service, though it is possible later on, pending results of a longer investigation, that he could be asked to leave the Navy. It's also possible he'll be reassigned without any possibility of promotion, effectively ending his career. In that scenario it is likely he would decide to retire. Source
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However, when this hit the civilian press and the internet, his ship was sunk, so to speak.

It seems to me that someone was holding on to this for years until, well, I don't know, maybe until weeks after DADT was repealed?

But like AA says there are thousands in line to take his place so life goes on.

As I said above, it's likely that someone with a grudge against Capt. Honors got hold of the video(s) and determined that the best way to fulfill that grudge would be to leak them and ruin his career. Mission accomplished.

 

[Stella_Omega]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srbLyuMgDe8

Get a fucking grip, people.

Aside from the contents of the vid, which I can't yet listen to because I'm at work--

It occurs to me that we HAVE a grip-- at last. For hundreds of years, our grasp on our lives and our dignity has been slippery at best. But now-- we're gripping very tightly. Which means that we are dislodging some other people's grasps from our property, so to speak. To them of course, it must feel like theft. We've stolen a punch line.

It's an interesting thought.

 

[WriterDom]

Apparently what you see is an edited clip of his weekly show. Like an all star clip of crazy ass Rev. Wright in the pulpit. This had to be the talk of ship. I find it hard that the commanding officer wasn't aware of what was going on. But I guess I'm just skeptical. I find it hard to believe that Obama sat in that church for 20 years and didn't know Wright was batshit crazy as well.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Apparently what you see is an edited clip of his weekly show. Like an all star clip of crazy ass Rev. Wright in the pulpit. This had to be the talk of ship. I find it hard that the commanding officer wasn't aware of what was going on. But I guess I'm just skeptical. I find it hard to believe that Obama sat in that church for 20 years and didn't know Wright was batshit crazy as well.

Maybe he did and maybe he didn't. But one thing we know for sure is that Wright's batshit hadn't been put on camera for the public.

You want to do something dodgy? Don't record it. We all know this; Don't put the proof on paper. You write an insane threatening email and you send it-- you've just provided evidence for the prosecution.

Remember the various Republicans who were brought down by the racist jokes they sent out? None of them got in trouble the first time they talked about fried chicken and watermelon-- it was after they sent out emails and such, and they lost control of who did and who didn't see their ugly side.

This is why we all post here under pseudonym.

 

[WriterDom]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbIKRZVS8Wc

This one is worse. He might go to Gitmo for it. Oh yeah, it closed.

 

[JMohegan]

Christ, that guy's boring.

WD, I don't get why you're so worked up about this. If the Navy brass find his behavior too puerile and/or offensive for a guy in a leadership position, so what?

 

[YourCaptor]

I don't get it...

 

[Sidney_1]

I don't get it...

What don't you understand? As long as he's on that ship, he's a leader. He represents who we are as a people with his every action. He doesn't have the luxury of acting like an idiot, and representing the U.S. in that way. I'd like to think America is about freedom and tolerance, and not discriminating or ostracizing (or killing) someone because of their sexual predilections.

 

[rktktvi]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srbLyuMgDe8

Get a fucking grip, people.

Just echoing some of the other sentiments below.. it's about leadership. There is a line of authority that needs to be upheld in any chain of command, particularly in one where people may be asked to sacrifice their lives. You can be a "good guy." You can have a sense of humor with the troops. You can't do this.

It might be okay for a platoon leader. You're chummy and cutting it up with 7 or 8 people. Much past that, forget about it. If you're okay with the commander of 3000 doing this, would it be okay if a Senator did it? Can you imagine McCain trying it? Or heck, Bernie Sanders?

 

[richard_daily]

The only thing offensive about that video is that it passes for comedy.

 

[WriterDom]

Just echoing some of the other sentiments below.. it's about leadership. There is a line of authority that needs to be upheld in any chain of command, particularly in one where people may be asked to sacrifice their lives. You can be a "good guy." You can have a sense of humor with the troops. You can't do this.

It might be okay for a platoon leader. You're chummy and cutting it up with 7 or 8 people. Much past that, forget about it. If you're okay with the commander of 3000 doing this, would it be okay if a Senator did it? Can you imagine McCain trying it? Or heck, Bernie Sanders?

Like the senate majority leader saying the Iraq War was lost? No, I wasn't ok with that. Or the Vice President giving the Taliban a date certain when we'd be leaving Afghanistan come "Hell or High Water."

Actually anything Joe Biden says I don't take very seriously and I doubt if the Taliban, the French, the Milwaukee Brewers baseball team, or any intelligent life elsewhere in the Universe who might be listening in, take him seriously either.

I blame the Captain as much as anyone. Actually there are closer to 6000 people on a carrier with the air wing and without the air wing all you have is the world's largest floating parking lot, or the world's most uncomfortable cruise liner. Now he was having movie night every week in I assume the forward mess to standing room only and broadcasting on the ship's one and only television station. How could the Captain not know about it and not put a stop to it right away? Might have saved his career.

Now Wikipedia, which I realize is nothing more than a rumor mill at times says he was warned to stop by higher ups. Well there is only the Captain and at times the task group admiral on board. I'd like to know the rest of the story because two of his old Skippers have stars on their collar now. Did the skippers pat him on the back and say that's some funny shit Owen but tone it down a bit, or was he given a direct order to stop which he ignored for two years?

So by all means look into it further.

 

[where]

the dude really needs to keep his day job because he's about as funny as cold porridge.

 

[JMohegan]

Get a fucking grip, people.

Admiral Harvey doesn't sound gripless to me.


“The responsibility of the Commanding Officer for his or her command is absolute. While Capt. Honors’ performance as commanding officer of USS Enterprise has been without incident, his profound lack of good judgment and professionalism while previously serving as executive officer on Enterprise calls into question his character and completely undermines his credibility to continue to serve effectively in command.

The foundation of our success in the Navy lies in our ability to gain and hold the trust of our Sailors, including through personal example. This responsibility is so important that it is written into Navy Regulations. When confidence and trust are lost in those who lead, we fail. After personally reviewing the videos created while serving as executive officer, I have lost confidence in Capt. Honors’ ability to lead effectively, and he is being held accountable for poor judgment and the inappropriate actions demonstrated in the videos that were created while he served as executive officer on Enterprise.

It is fact that as naval officers we are held to a higher standard. Those in command must exemplify the Navy’s core values of honor, courage and commitment which we expect our Sailors to follow. Our leaders must be above reproach and our Sailors deserve nothing less.”

 

[WriterDom]

Admiral Harvey doesn't sound gripless to me.


“The responsibility of the Commanding Officer for his or her command is absolute.

Yes, and Honors wasn't the Commanding Officer during his two year movie run. Two Captains were in charge of that ship and Owens during that time and why aren't they relieved of duty? If their responsibility is absolute?

You got the movie guy and that's all that matters, right? YouTube justice was served. Case closed. Lets move along to happier things. Like Nancy becoming the minority leader of the House! Feather in the cap to women everywhere I say!

 

[JMohegan]

Yes, and Honors wasn't the Commanding Officer during his two year movie run. Two Captains were in charge of that ship and Owens during that time and why aren't they relieved of duty? If their responsibility is absolute?

You got the movie guy and that's all that matters, right? YouTube justice was served. Case closed. Lets move along to happier things. Like Nancy becoming the minority leader of the House! Feather in the cap to women everywhere I say!

Here's what I find ironic, WD. If I criticized an admiral in a different context, you'd be all over my ass claiming that I hate everything military. Again.

But here I am, respectfully deferring to the clearly expressed statement of Admiral Harvey, and here you are, criticizing Navy brass for exercising their authority as they see fit.

See how this works?

 

[SimonBrooke]

This is why we all post here under pseudonym.

Well, naturally. Of course we do.

Oh, wait....

 

[WriterDom]

Here's what I find ironic, WD. If I criticized an admiral in a different context, you'd be all over my ass claiming that I hate everything military. Again.

But here I am, respectfully deferring to the clearly expressed statement of Admiral Harvey, and here you are, criticizing Navy brass for exercising their authority as they see fit.

See how this works?

I'm not criticizing you or the admiral you quoted. Nor am I upset that Captain Top Gun Instructor got canned. My point is simply that this went on for years under two different COs who took no action, moved on, and got promoted. I smell a cover up. And a fall guy to hush things up.

Here I am respectfully asking that the entire case be investigated and let the chips fall where they may. Is that so bad?

 

[Stella_Omega]

Here I am respectfully asking that the entire case be investigated and let the chips fall where they may. Is that so bad?

Oh! Is that what you're asking!

I thought you wanted us to "get a grip, people."

 

[midwestyankee]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srbLyuMgDe8

Get a fucking grip, people.

Does not equal the following:

I'm not criticizing you or the admiral you quoted. Nor am I upset that Captain Top Gun Instructor got canned. My point is simply that this went on for years under two different COs who took no action, moved on, and got promoted. I smell a cover up. And a fall guy to hush things up.

Here I am respectfully asking that the entire case be investigated and let the chips fall where they may. Is that so bad?

So which is it, WD? Either you're dismissive of the notion that the XO's actions were worthy of criticism or you're a fair-minded serious person who only wants the facts to be brought to light. You can't have it both ways.