Flashermac Posted April 28, 2007 Report Share Posted April 28, 2007 CHICAGO SUN TIMES April 27, 2007 Student released by Marines after essay One violent, profanity-laced English essay later and Allen Lee's future with the Marine Corps appears to be over. Because of pending criminal charges stemming from his essay, Lee's recruiter told him Friday evening that the Marine Corps has discharged him from his contract, said Sgt. Luis R. Agostini, spokesman for the Marine Corps Recruiting Station Chicago. "Basically he is no longer an applicant to become a Marine," Agostini said. Police Thursday released portions of an essay used to charge a Cary-Grove High School student with disorderly conduct, leaving several experts puzzled at an arrest based on such schoolwork. Asked to write about whatever he wanted in a creative writing class, would-be Marine and honors student Lee, 18, described a violent dream in which he shot people and then "had sex with the dead bodies." But then he immediately dismissed the idea as a mere joke, writing, "not really, but it would be funny if I did." A second disorderly count accuses Lee of alarming first-year teacher Nora Capron by writing that "as a teacher, don't be surprised on [sic] inspiring the first CG shooting," an apparent reference to Cary-Grove High. Lee said Thursday he was "completely shocked" to be arrested Tuesday for his essay, especially because written instructions told kids not to "censor" what they wrote. "In creative writing, you're told to exaggerate," said Lee. "It was supposed to be just junk. "There definitely is violent content, but they're taking it out of context and making it something it isn't." "I have no intention of harming anyone," said Lee, who has been transferred to an alternative school setting. "I miss school." Lee's father, Albert Lee, who emigrated from China 32 years ago, said his son has a clean academic and police record. He, too, insisted his son's essay was not threatening but authorities "drew a conclusion before the investigation. They didn't want to do the investigation." However, the father would not comment on whether he believed authorities acted quickly because his son is of Asian heritage, as was the Virginia Tech campus shooter. Family therapist Michael Gurian, author of The Minds of Boys, said Allen Lee needs at least good counseling, but "If he was arrested solely based on those words, I don't see that as the most helpful course." Bernardine Dohrn, director of Northwestern University's Children and Family Justice Center, laughed when she heard the charge. "You might want to talk to him, talk to his parents, but the criminal justice system seems to be the last thing you'd want," said Dohrn, a former Weatherman leader who lived for years as a fugitive. Mike McInerney, former head of the Cook County Public Defender's Juvenile Court office, said he "wouldn't be happy" if his son wrote such words but "I wouldn't criminalize free expression. ... I don't think it's going to hold up criminally." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted April 28, 2007 Report Share Posted April 28, 2007 The military is one of those strange animals that operates with its own rules. For instance, you could file a lawsuit and easily win if your boss berated you with ethnic epitaths, etc. but (at least in the old days, I heard they stopped) your drill seargent in basic training can. I am a firm believer in free speech but the military has its own rules for who they let in and who they let out. You're openly gay you're out. Not that way in the private sector. At leat not legally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangkoktraveler Posted April 28, 2007 Report Share Posted April 28, 2007 It appears he got arrested (by the police) - disorderly conduct? before the recruiters added their net worth to the allegations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liquidflux Posted April 28, 2007 Report Share Posted April 28, 2007 To me, the authorities are in a no-win situation. If they take action, which they did, then they're accused of being overzealous. If they do nothing, and the kid goes postal somewhere, they get the blame for not getting involved earlier, as the warning signs were clearly there. What can you do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomc12 Posted April 29, 2007 Report Share Posted April 29, 2007 I think the authorities generally acted properly. A disorderly conduct charge is dumb, but this kid needs careful evaluation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekong Posted April 29, 2007 Report Share Posted April 29, 2007 I think the timing of the case may bear some relevance. Of Asian origin and putting down such thoughts for "Creative Writing" coursework, sounds all to familiar, probably a knee jerk reaction to what happened earlier in the month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangkoktraveler Posted April 29, 2007 Report Share Posted April 29, 2007 the one who caused this probelem was the teacher who said "write about whatever he[you] want[ed] in a creative writing class". I think everything has been blown out of proportion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted April 29, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 29, 2007 It reminds me of those douche bag profs who would say before an essay exam, "I don't care what position you take, as long as you defend it." Then to your dismay you realised too late that any position except the prof's own simply was indefensible! p.s. I wonder if the kid is really barmy or simply does have a twisted sense of humour. He could have been testing the limits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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