Sons of Privilege

The book was recommended to me by a native sea islander.I was torn by the reading. Once again we see the prerogatives of wealth and influence, The book describes the nation's declination into a glorified Civil War. Then the horror and loss of conflict. The final chapter describes the tools the Democratic Party used to restore White Supremacy and wrest control from Republicans.An irony, the author commented on how time and a modern military had changed things.Not in my experience. From 1965-71, I was a member of the Army Reserve. In 1969, I became a member of the successor unit in Charleston.We met on Tradd Street on the harbor, in a warehouse that would become today's upscale housing. The members were old and respected Charleston names (Vannoy, Lawrimore, etc,). My first exposure to the Citadel Fraternity. Members were on a first name basis with Senator Hollings. Our meetings were like social events (tennis or golf junkets). People were casual and laid back. No one sweated or got excited. We didn't do anything.Our summer camp, we satellited on the Brooklyn Army Terminal and stayed in a hotel in NYC. Nights and weekends- Hello Dolly on Broadway, shopping at Saks on 5th Ave., pitchers of beer at the sawdust covered floor of Your Father's Mustache.We toured New York harbor on the Commander's vessel.That compared to previous summers camping at Forts Jackson and Stewart.In January I completed my enlistment. I bid them adieu but I did experience the unique atmosphere.

tells the story of some pampered sons of the south who wanted to play soldier and that is all that they did - play