[August 22, 2023] Several years ago, I wrote an article that got a lot of attention in U.S. military circles. I told the story of three U.S. Air Force sergeants arrested in South Korea for beating a Korean citizen. And, there were witnesses. I want your opinion on whether the sergeants were right or wrong. It matters because they were facing jail time for their actions. Were they right or wrong?
It may seem counterintuitive, but you can be wrong when you’re right. This situation is true even when standing up for the highest moral values. You must be aware of this and consciously take note of possible negative consequences of your actions. We need to remember that “right” and “wrong” is influenced by one’s culture. Yes, morality no longer fits into the box we created. My emphasis today will be on doing the right thing and yet being wrong at the same time. This is not as simple as doing the right thing and hurting someone’s feelings (which is not wrong in the true sense of things). Here is a short story to illustrate my point.
Several years ago, while I was in South Korea, three U.S. Air Force sergeants were arrested by the Korean National Police (KNP) for “assaulting” a South Korean man. This is a serious charge and includes jail time if convicted. It would also mean the end of their military careers. But were the sergeants wrong? In the eyes of the KNP, the assault on a citizen of their country was an open and shut case. They had violated several laws and were jailed briefly. To the KNP, the sergeants were wrong and had violated South Korean law.
What was the back story? The three sergeants were walking in downtown Seoul, looking for a place to eat. Each had been in South Korea for over six months, so they knew the culture and how to respect the people and laws properly. While walking in front of a restaurant, they saw a man beating a woman. They jumped to her defense, pulling the man off her and preventing a savage beating. They were right to assist her. The problem? It was the woman’s husband, and he was allowed to beat her if he so wished under the law. Of course, they didn’t know it was her husband; they only knew they had to protect her. There were witnesses, so the KNP was called to arrest them.
The three Air Force sergeants were wrong, despite being right. Military and civilian leaders who are aware of such contradictions must communicate this to their folks as part of a formal education campaign.
This is not a simple matter of being right or wrong. You can be wrong when you’re right. Were these Air Force sergeants right or wrong?
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Excellent article about something I never gave much thought.
Excellent job. According to morality the servicemen were right. We growing up in America are taught to respect women. They have rights too. The culture vs the laws are on the platform. Pray fully the servicemen were released by the Korean authorities. Here in the New York city area when a former marine man was arrested for applying a restraining choke hold on a deranged man on the subway. The man died. We need to appreciate the morality laws in USA.
Crazy but spot-on ideas.
Well, if you want to see this in action with a recent example, just look to the Maui wildfire that killed over 100 people and there are over 1,000 still missing. This is a terrible tragedy. The island’s head emergency guy claimed he did right by not sounding the alert system because “people would run INTO THE FIRE.” He thinks he was right and obviously wrong. I know, this is not a great example, but close.
Oakie, I think this is not an example because it is a case of incompetence.
… a Democrat, that is a feature, not a bug. I’m surprised he resigned. Normally if he’d hung in there, Biden would have promoted him.
Right.
Regardless whether this example fits or not, it is worthy of a deep discussion. Unfortunately, much of the data is not coming out of Hawaii, and pres (small p) Joe Biden just went to Maui after two vacations (read that as two vacations) before going there. He is a blubbering idiot. If you don’t believe me, then watch the videos where he was talking about his first wife being killed by a drunk driver (a lie). She was the one that was drunk. Biden’s Crime Family will be studied forever on how NOT to deal with corruption at the highest level. CHeers!
Gil, if you are in the UK, stay there or the CIA and FBI will be after you for telling the truth about Biden.
Gen. Satterfield, if my memory is correct, you will be coming up soon on your 10 year anniversary of your blog in September. Let me be the first to congratulate you on a decade of successful writing.
CONGRATS, Gen. Satterfield.
“What was the back story? The three sergeants were walking in downtown Seoul, looking for a place to eat. Each had been in South Korea for over six months, so they knew the culture and how to respect the people and laws properly. While walking in front of a restaurant, they saw a man beating a woman. They jumped to her defense, pulling the man off her and preventing a savage beating. They were right to assist her. The problem? It was the woman’s husband, and he was allowed to beat her if he so wished under the law. Of course, they didn’t know it was her husband; they only knew they had to protect her. There were witnesses, so the KNP was called to arrest them.” This is a great example, thank you, Gen. Satterfield.
Gen. Satterfield. As always, you are getting my brain to work overtime. Took a bit for me to figure out where you were coming from and thanks for doing so. The example is spot on and very clear how things can go terribly wrong, especially when you are in the right. Once my daughter was ticketed for crossing a crosswalk against the light. She said she was in the ‘right’ to the cop. Yeah, he said, “dead right.” Nothing like being right and also being dead. She never learned her lesson and is still a narcissist to this day.
Go figure. Typical kid. 👀👀👀👀👀
Excellent. Made me think!
Sounds like me in grade school. I was always the one being punished even when I was right. Or, did I just imagine I was right?
Yeah, what’s up with that? Well said Ron C. I think all of us kids, always thought we were in the right and if you were a boy, then you were also willing to fight for it and to prove you were in the right. I lost and won many fights but I don’t think the fights determined my right or wrong in any case. Today, the Gen Zers think they are always right but are afraid to fight …. ha ha ha ha
Simple lesson, learned the hard way. ❤
Yes. And if you want to get a real education on how to live a good life and be RiGHT, then read Gen. Satterfield’s book, “55 Rules for a Good Life” and u will never regret getting a copy. Oh, leave a comment on Amazon too. The link is above.
Sounds like ignorance,,, read that as Democrat Party VP Kamala Harris. The dumb of the dumb. I’m a patriot, always. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸