Billy Graham on My Lai

One of the great pleasures of doing research is finding unexpected treasures. My work revising my chapter on soldiers reporting atrocities in the media, most of whom cited My Lai coverage as a motivating factor provided something unexpected - A New York Times Op-Ed on My Lai and forgiveness by Rev. Billy Graham. I'm no fan of his, but I thought his tone in his Holy Week remarks also suitable for Thanksgiving Week and the coming Advent season. Graham argued that as objectivity returned to the country in turmoil over the controversial guilty verdict for Lt. William Calley, the nation might find the law too rigid, and that mercy should lessen the sentence. Beyond that, he hoped that the tragedy of My Lai might lead Americans to re-evaluate their lives, make an effort to live more peaceful compassionate lives, and seek forgiveness for their sins against others.