- Joined
- Feb 2, 2008
- Messages
- 3,059
You know folks - this seems like the forum has been taken over by a couple of seriously misguided partisan alums of VMI and The Citadel who are right now engaged in some kind of a mudslinging tit for tat posting war. Here is the bottom line:
A. You can always find dirt to post and nobody really ever goes back to clean it up with the reality later on. The Reality is both VMI and the Citadel take a very hard line on hazing when they know about it. This will prove to be the case in this law suit as well.
B. Despite what it appears lately- the vast majority of VMI and Citadel alums believe they are kindred spirits in very similar schools and environments. In several locations we have had joint alumni events ( here in New England did one a couple years ago that included Norwich folks too). One of my personal operating principles is: whatever ribbing we give to each other internally- externally we stand united.
C. Trashing each other’s schools doesn’t boost the other- in fact it takes all SMCs down in the public perception. What kind of proud alum would engage in this repeated back and forth ? You hurt both the target and your own school- for those old enough the equivalent of a Davy Crockett missile ( basically a nuclear mortar with a blast and CEP greater than the range- which made it a pretty unpopular weapon system!)
Personally - Here is a plea to all of you- whether you are a fellow VMI alum or a Citadel alum: stop with the alumni bar room trashing of each other. This is a really difficult year for all schools and especially the SMCs whose value proposition is all about the Life experience. Both the Citadel and VMI are juggling safety of Cadets in the barracks with the real need to have them on post. You aren’t helping prospective cadets or the schools by this kind of back and forth trashing . In short - I believe that most alums would say - knock it off.
A. You can always find dirt to post and nobody really ever goes back to clean it up with the reality later on. The Reality is both VMI and the Citadel take a very hard line on hazing when they know about it. This will prove to be the case in this law suit as well.
B. Despite what it appears lately- the vast majority of VMI and Citadel alums believe they are kindred spirits in very similar schools and environments. In several locations we have had joint alumni events ( here in New England did one a couple years ago that included Norwich folks too). One of my personal operating principles is: whatever ribbing we give to each other internally- externally we stand united.
C. Trashing each other’s schools doesn’t boost the other- in fact it takes all SMCs down in the public perception. What kind of proud alum would engage in this repeated back and forth ? You hurt both the target and your own school- for those old enough the equivalent of a Davy Crockett missile ( basically a nuclear mortar with a blast and CEP greater than the range- which made it a pretty unpopular weapon system!)
Personally - Here is a plea to all of you- whether you are a fellow VMI alum or a Citadel alum: stop with the alumni bar room trashing of each other. This is a really difficult year for all schools and especially the SMCs whose value proposition is all about the Life experience. Both the Citadel and VMI are juggling safety of Cadets in the barracks with the real need to have them on post. You aren’t helping prospective cadets or the schools by this kind of back and forth trashing . In short - I believe that most alums would say - knock it off.
