With more than half a century across my brow I can honestly say that I am seldom surprised by man's inhumanity against other men; disappointed, disillusioned, disgusted and dismayed yes, but seldom surprised. I would like to thank Amazon.com and a couple of delusional and habitual liars who have found a way to force this old cynic to question how I could've ever been so naive to think there would be an effort to ensure the Amazon book reviews maintain some level of accuracy and integrity. I guess this is a prime example of how the assumption of innocence is the liar’s most useful tool.
Instead I have observed first hand how the so-called book reviews have been the spearhead of a vile and vicious campaign to attack the credibility and veracity of the decorated veteran and award winning author, Paul R. Petersen. It began with a review in which the reviewer admitted that they had not read the book, but they were sure that Mr. Petersen had plagiarized her ex-husband because he had told her so.When my rebuttal was published requesting any specific examples and reminding her of my opinion of her husbands integrity based upon first hand knowledge, then her review suddenly disappeared.
Then the story suddenly morphed and changed like a Harry Potter potion. One fanatic I'll call the Mimicking Moron or (MM) for short (who by the way has had at least two reviews under the same name at the same time despite Amazon.com's insistence that their policy that you can only write one per customer) deleted their original disjointed rambling they called a review and they posted a "new" one. The Mimicking Moron (MM) claims to be Military Historian, U.S. Army Combat Studies Institute, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
The "new" review claimed Mr. Petersen "plagiarized half a dozen passages from an article written several years ago in a Civil War magazine." Despite the fact that no documentation to substantiate the claim was included, others immediately started repeating the disinformation spread the Mimicking Moron (MM) and writing negative reviews and responses to every positive review that was published. When you read them it is very clear that they didn't read the book, otherwise they wouldn't say something so stupid as claiming the book "real in depth research unsullied by sectional bias." Reviews written by people who actually read it counter by saying "He (Petersen) uses newspaper articles from Kansas papers of the day plus accounts from letters written by citizens of Lawrence to show them confessing to their guilt," and "Mr. Petersen provides 24 full pages of notes, citing his sources and 12 pages of books and articles in the book's selected bibliography. This is more than any other published author or historian has provided with a contrary perspective of Quantrill's raid on the hate filled hornets nest known as Lawrence."
Thank goodness that one individual who I'll call Real Man or (RM), had the time and tenacity to respond to the "more than four-score" (80) worth of responses posted by the character assassins. This brave and determined truth seeker endured and responded to the personal attacks levied at them because they had only one goal in mind, to allow these fanatical fools being false witness enough rope so they could hang themselves. Fortunately the Mimicking Moron eventually let slip the that the passages that were plagiarized could be found: "on pages 27, 30-31 of Volume 6, issue issue number 1 of North & South 2002 magazine were quoted without proper citation on page 59 of "Quantrill in Lawrence." So the trap was sprung because little did the Mimicking Moron (MM) realize but in the digital world it is easy to find copies of published information.
I invite each and every reader of this article as well as Amazon.com to review the passages in question, if you do you will find that the claims made by the Mimicking Moron (MM) have no basis in reality. Because the cruelest lies are often told in silence. Amazon.com should be ashamed for their part in this sorted tail. It is clear that they made no effort to try and verify the false accusations, in fact they approved and posted a review by someone who openly admitted they had not read the book. How is that fair to the customer let alone the author? The few individuals who support of a more even handed account of event that unfolded along the Kansas-Missouri boarder are a hearty lot, we are accustomed to being called " confederate apologists mentally deranged people who sit around in their parents' basement everyday, wearing Confederate flag boxers, collecting unemployment checks, and defending the honor of the lost cause."
No matter how self righteously they proclaim the moral and ethical superiority of the North's victory because it "ended the scourge of slavery," the pro-Unionists can only do so by conveniently ignoring that this so-called moral victory was achieved via some of the most violently immoral and blatantly illegal methods available at the time. They fail to acknowledge the economic and social issues which are always among the root causes of any War. Moreover they are not content with merely committing sin by omission, no instead they insist on portraying Quantrill and his Missouri Minute Men the cause they fought for as among the most vile and deplorable in history. When in reality look at the exploits of the three major Kansans: The icon of the absolutist movement John Brown of Kansas was hung for treason, Crazy James Lane who illegally held the positions of General and United States Senator simultaneously killed himself shortly after the War ended, and Colonel Charles Jennison was convicted by an Army court of numerous crimes. In contrast Quantrill was murdered by a hired assassin after the war ended.
It is a crying shame that those who try to write an more even handed account of the war along the Kansas-Missouri border are subjected to worse treatment than those who write histories from the perspective of the the Axis's powers. If you read the rants of the self loathing Jayhawk lovers they are indicative of fools who have pulled a cork one two many times or taken one two many pills, they attack those who disagree with them on a personal level, and they proclaim themselves as experts without providing any supporting documentation, and when all else fail they LIE LIKE RUGS. Amazon.com you should be ashamed that you lack of action
helped impugn the reputation of a decorated veteran and award winning author, while you were trying to sell his book at the same time.
Everyone who purports to be a supporter of Lost Cause needs to stop accepting the Yankee company line and get a copy of this book and read it. Anyone who purports to be a defender of free speech and personal rights needs to write Amazon.com and let them know their policies need to be changed immediately. Benjamin Franklin once said: "As we must account for every idle word, so must we account for every idle silence." Please help make those who think they can maliciously attack individuals via the internet accountable for their actions.
Mr. Petersen I apologize that you are subjected to personal attacks presented under he guise of a book reports, but please don't give up the fight. The fact that the disturbed individuals are attacking you so relentlessly only proves that you are making a difference. I doubt that Amazon will publish this but it will be published in other forums.
Patrick R. Marquis
No Quarter Given,
None Expected!
Via Charlie
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