IMMUNITY
There was a fellow on our Navy ship, a two-year seaman apprentice which meant that he didn’t meet some standard for full enlistment. This shipmate was, as they say in LA, “a bit limited.” It may have been autism for, at any moment, in any situation, in any context, he would say whatever the voices in his head suggested.
Bigotry determined most of his utterances, whether alone,
in the presence of white shipmates, a mixed crowd, or a crowd of African American
shipmates, known as “brothers” in those days. Odd thing was: he never suffered
for his utterances. No matter what bigotry emerged from him, shipmates ignored
him. It was like he lived in a separate universe, one free of ordinary judgement.
For nearly two years, he lived free from serious punishment that would have resulted in severe repercussions if done by any other person. These were tense times, racially, in the military following the murder of Martin Luther King Jr. Racial epithets did not enjoy a great deal of tolerance.
But with this shipmate, even his supervisors would say, "It's only [him]."
The closest person I have seen to him since is Donald Trump.
That is why I predict he will emerge as “the victor” in the
upcoming debate.
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