THERE IS A STORY ABOUT A TWO-STAR WHO was disqualified for a third star for, allegedly, calling a congressional staffer “sweetheart.”1
I first saw the story on the MS Edge Start page – Microsoft’s answer to Yahoo and the supermarket tabloids.
The Edge piece credited the Fort Carson (CO) Gazette, but the Gazette’s story2 was different that Microsoft’s version.
THE GAZETTE article was more restrained and in the mode of real journalism.
According to the Gazette, The promotion of former Fort Carson boss Maj. Gen. Ryan Gonsalves is on hold as the Pentagon investigates his alleged misconduct with an unidentified congressional staffer.
Microsoft, lead off with copy it picked up from Starts and Stripes3: The U.S. Army yanked Maj. Gen. Ryan Gonsalves‘ nomination to a third star because it determined that he called a female congressional staffer “sweetheart,” according to Stars and Stripes. This violated the Army Command Policy’s rule on “dignity and respect.”
Note there was no formal charges levied against the general; no courts marshal, not even an Article 15.
How many times has a cashier or waitress or any female employee called a male customer by a pet name? “Sweetie,” “Dear,” “Honey,” or the Southern “Darlin’”?
Most male employees have been warned that calling a female over the age of six MONTHS any pet names or even commenting on a female child’s cuteness is forbidden; violate the rule and the employee is cashiered.
‘What a beautiful girl” said to a mother about a daughter is a fireable offense.
When dealing with the government, as Gen. Gonsalves’ sadly learned, all it takes is an allegation.
When it comes to being PC, anyone accused is guilty before all the facts are known or and before there is any legal defense allowed.
The suggestion in the cited articles is, to this scrivener, that the general might have been a bit sarcastic – a definite “no-no” when it comes to a low-level congressional staffer, particular one with designs on showing her colleagues she’s “tough.”
Dignity and respect.
None of the articles' comment on the congressional aide’s behavior prior to the general’s faux pas. Did her behavior cause the general to (allegedly) show the woman less “dignity and respect” than she thought was due her?
The general has been in the Army a long time and, given that he was being considered for a third star, he must have behaved as an officer and gentleman is expected to behave. Why would he then commit such a horribly non-PC act as to (allegedly) disrespect a congressional aide.
I am all for punishing men who abuse women and children – and for punishing women for abusing men and children (yes, Virginia, there ARE such women).
What I do NOT favor is the extreme PCism that seems to have come to the fore over the previous nine years.
Maybe the next time someone calls me by a pet name I’ll sue the person and the person’s employer . . . and maybe see if there is a criminal complaint I can bring.
I, too, can play the PC game.
Sad.
Sources
1. MS Edge: http://tinyurl.com/y8kdvkrg
2. Fort Carson (CO) Gazette: https://tinyurl.com/ybyf774q
3. Stars and Stripes-1: http://tinyurl.com/yd594a9l
4. Stars and Stripes-2: http://tinyurl.com/ycljox4n
PLAGIARISM is the act of appropriating the literary composition of another, or parts or passages of his writings, or the ideas or language of the same, and passing them off as the product of one’s own mind.
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