LaBelle’s victim reinstated at West Point
Cadet Richard King from the West Point class of 2011, but was suspended last Spring when he was beaten by Patti LaBelle’s body guards has been reinstated according to a press release from West Point;
Thanks to Rick for the link.
Category: Breaking News
So I take it that West Point found that he wasn’t at fault in the incident with the bodyguards? Or are they just trying to save face?
Interesting note that he was already under administrative review before the Patti LaBelle deal. Glad he’s getting a second chance.
Many have said he’s a fuckup, on the previous thread; so maybe this will be his chance to get squared away?
So there were other issues which led to his suspension. Still, I hope that 1–he’s used this to educate himself about his drinking habits (i.e., excessive), and 2–still takes LaBelle and her thugs to the cleaners.
Today’s quiz question: would you want him leading YOUR son on a combat patrol?
I’ll take him over Dan Choi.
I’d take Peter Pan over the Choi Boi.
I guess I’ll agree with DaveB, but still, the fact that he was already under suspended separation due to previous administrative issues makes me wonder. I’m not sure how it works, but I assume he was already under a microscope.
I also wonder if the media itself didn’t influence the Academy to reinstate him.
West Point is considered one of the best schools in the country, and when you’re in the same elite level as the Yales and Stanfords, I’m sure these sorts of administrative issues aren’t considered lightly.
Every year, there are a handful of cadets who do not graduate on time and become December Grads. it happens. Drive on.
Jeez. Tough crowd. If the cadet had used any racial epithets, the Army would have probably 86ed his butt in a NY second. If he had provoked the attack, ditto. As for the unspecified muck regarding previous issues, there are enough politically correct, Perrier-sipping, choir boys in the Army. One who steps in crap now and then is okay with me.
They don’t hire racehorses for their pleasant personalities. Give the young man a firm hand — and a second chance to make good.
Tough crowd?
Well, I believe there are things called Army values (not that I know anything about them since I was never in the Army).
Or do those things mean nothing these days, as in ‘political correctness’ run amok?
Political correctness run riot, Tman.
Tman: There are no “Army values” in the sense that they are unique to the Army or to West Point. Duty, honor, integrity, and love of country, among others, are valued by all services. It’s when these core values are diluted, trumped, or replaced by fleeting and picayune considerations that the trouble begins. And the trouble has begun.
I see your point 2-17AirCav, but do we know exactly what these administrative issues were that caused him to be on suspended separation in the first place?
I doubt these things were taken lightly. Yet some here would automatically assume that it was ‘PC run amok,’ when they don’t even know what he was on suspended separation for in the first place!
I won’t be so presumptuous as to make light of or overlook the Academy’s investigation of this cadet prior to the Labelle incident, without knowing what he was being scrutinized for.
If in fact someone can let me know the exact reason why he was under suspended separation for in the first place, then I can decide if it’s “PC run amok” or not.
As defined by the stupid little card I was issued to tell me that I was supposed to have these values (that I already possesed) the Army Values are Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage.
I would tell you that Loyality is supposed to be a two way street as well as Respect.
Since none of us know the full details of what really went down or the complete record of this cadet it wouldn’t exactly be really fair to comment on his worthiness to be an officer in the United States Army, but that’s just my opinion.
If anyone cares to peruse the separated suspension provisions in the West Point Honor Code Committee Procedures, here’s a URL to that doc:
http://www.west-point.org/publications/honorsys/chap3.html
The Goat that graduates at the very bottom of the class…..is still called Sir.
He’s still a work in progress until he commissions (and well after, honestly). Judgement reserved.
People graduate late for a number of reasons. I think all of you are rushing to judgment on the guy.
My first impression of the news was “bullshit” and after reading Patti LaBelle’s claims of what he did, and seeing the video… looks like bullshit to me.
FWIW I attended West Point Prep with King and had classes with him. I remember him being a really nice guy. (I had two years of college already and didn’t want to spend four years as “the old guy” at West Point).
-SSG C
For a school that likes to brag about how great of an academic school it is, it should probably ensure it does its research. The newest Forbes rankings came out before the date of the release of this document…and USMA is 4th, not 1st.