Wannabees and Thievery

As an American veteran of one of the wars here in Việt Nam, I sometimes endure the plague of “wannabees.”  These are people who like to tell war stories about their combat experiences, but in fact, never were in Việt Nam. 

Now I have been introduced to another wannabee.  People claiming to be veterans are thieves – they have stolen an identity that belongs to others.  This new wannabee is also a thief.  He has stolen pictures belonging to someone else, and with that act, has destroyed any credibility for the “re-energizing” he is allegedly doing in Việt Nam.

Recently I recommended a wonderful blog here in Việt Nam called “Streets Kids in Vietnam.”   The Aussie who runs both the blog and the foundation recently discovered one of his own photographs posted on another blog by a person claiming to be doing relgious work in Sài Gòn.  I too found the picture at a blog titled “In the Belly of the Dragon.”   How’s that for a melodramatic name for a blog from Việt Nam, eh?

But wait – it gets worse.  Looking at his blog, scroll down to January 13, click through the photos, and you will find a picture of Assumption Church in District 3. 

No its not – its a picture I took of the Catholic Church in the Gia Hoi area of Huê.  Find it on this blog here.

Such theivery casts doubt on everyting written on the blog.  For instance, he mentions a brief visit to Danang, stating that China Beach is just outside the gate of the airport.  Its not - it a good distance away, and you must cross a major river to get to China Beach.

I noticed he has not posted since March 10.  When (and if) he posts again, I expect an apology to both the author of “Street Kids in Vietnam” and to me, and I expect either the pictures be withdrawn or attributed properly.

Comments

[Tony]

I don't see any entries on the blog you linked to going back to January. I just see entries for March, only two entries in fact, and nothing else. Even in the archives there's nothing until March. Or was there more until today?

[Emma]

Wow! I have long suspected lie/false-blogs, but plagiarist-blog? It's so strange because the original source is so easy to find and check on the internet.

Why do people do these things?

[Buđhist with an attitude]

The priest-thief has deleted all his postings save two and emptied his archives. He must be so ashamed now.

[Tom Murray]

So sad, but when it comes to some so called American Vietnam Veterans it is not that unusual. Until last year, I taught in a Florida, USA high school. I now teach at a university. I frequently brought Vietnam Veterans to my class to speak to my students with much success. I was surprised that when I requested a copy of the DD 214 (official governemnt record of military service) many of the previously eager guests suddenly were no longer available. At times guests with substancial references did slip through without a DD 214. Sadly, it was obvious that one or two of these veterans were fake. It wasn't necessary to tell the kids. After hearing dozens of real veterans the fake one were so, so obviuos.

Unfortunately, in today's western world having combat experience is respected and some dishonest people are willing to fraudulently create their past.

Doug, I guess you could be complimented that people love your photos. To bad this idiot did not see the need to ask your permission to use it.

Tom

[The Hoppy Mailman]

That would burn my ass. It takes all kinds doesn't it?

[layered]

Doug, I am sure you know that the Typepad blog application allows you to view a day's stats of what page views are coming from what sites. I don't look at this everyday, but when I occassionaly do, I am surprised at the number of hits coming from Google Image search. I don't know how Google attaches key words to our photographs, but they do, and thus our photographs on our blogs are out there for public consumption just like our writing is. Although I am concerned about the thievery of the sort you have described, I also know that my images are made very accessible by this technology and I have resigned myself to the probability that some of these images will be used by others for reasons or purposes that I may not approve of. I guess then that what I don't know doesn't hurt me.
-- Mel