# Forgiveness of Robert Jenkins, a US deserter **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 20, 2004, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgiveness-of-robert-jenkins-a-us-deserter/246161 "2004-05-20T11:59:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgiveness-of-robert-jenkins-a-us-deserter/246161/41 "2004-05-26T02:25:50Z")
Lt. Calley didn’t get a pardon. He got an early release. He still had a dishonorable discharge, not even to mention that he was still William Calley, the butcher of My Lai. I wouldn’t say that he had it particularly easy. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgiveness-of-robert-jenkins-a-us-deserter/246161/42 "2004-05-26T08:03:55Z")
[QUOTE=Airman Doors, USAF] Lt. Calley didn’t get a pardon. He got an early release. He still had a dishonorable discharge, not even to mention that he was still William Calley, the butcher of My Lai. I wouldn’t say that he had it particularly easy.[/QUOT I am not sure I follow you. Are you saying that if a person commits horrible crimes against humanity then having to live with himself is punishment enough? ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgiveness-of-robert-jenkins-a-us-deserter/246161/43 "2004-05-26T22:17:54Z")
No, I’m saying that there is a different. Calley got early release. Nixon got a pardon. There’s a vast, wide gulf between the two. ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgiveness-of-robert-jenkins-a-us-deserter/246161/44 "2004-05-26T22:45:16Z")
> [@Airman Doors](#): > > Lt. Calley didn’t get a pardon. He got an early release. He still had a dishonorable discharge, not even to mention that he was still William Calley, the butcher of My Lai. > > I wouldn’t say that he had it particularly easy. I’m surprised you’d say that, considering that you’re a self described Law and Order type. I think his punishment amounted to a slap on the wrist considering the gravity of his offense. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2004, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgiveness-of-robert-jenkins-a-us-deserter/246161/45 "2004-05-26T22:51:03Z")
> [@Airman Doors](#): > > No, I’m saying that there is a different. Calley got early release. Nixon got a pardon. There’s a vast, wide gulf between the two. I take your point about the difference between early release and a pardon, although I am not sure what Nixon has to do with it. If he did in fact murder 33 people I would think that getting early release is having it fairly easy. You seem to imply that having to be William Calley, the butcher of My LAi, makes that not so. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgiveness-of-robert-jenkins-a-us-deserter/246161.md?page=2)