Slush Pile: Trust

2009 Slush Pile

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Trust

2009 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance

http://www.ketv.com/news/21930534/detail.html for the official story. I am in the military, but do not have any direct insight to this specific event. Upon hearing about it though, I researched the idea and was surprised by what I found. There are a few variations to this "game" called "Trust." Apparently it is played across all branches of the military, though it seems more so in the marines than any other. There have been reports of at least several deaths and serious injuries.

It seems most of the stories I've read involve somebody "mock" racking a sidearm by pulling it back most, but not all, of the way back. Done "correctly" there "shouldn't" be a bullet in the chamber. The person with the gun than points it at the other's head and asks "Do you trust me?" If they say no, than there is an obvious breakdown of trust between the two. However, most times the person will answer yes. The person with the gun will then pull the trigger. Most of the time, nothing will happen but a click indicating they've done it correctly and won/boosted each others trust. However, occasionally the person with the gun will incorrectly "mock rack" and put a bullet in the chamber without realising it. In this event, the game ends with the other person either dead or seriously injured.

The other variation is to play the game after the gun is cleared and cleaned. Once the gun is cleared/cleaned, it is pointed at someone else and they ask "Do you trust me?" If the gun was cleaned/cleared properly, nothing will happen. If it wasn't cleaned/cleared properly, there may be a bullit in the chamber which could get fired.

Reproduction: Shootee is killed in this case, removed from gene pool

Excellence: Would YOU "Trust" someone who is pointing a gun at you, for any reason? Besides the fact that this goes against core gun safety that is ingrained into all military service members.

1. Treat every weapon as if it were loaded 2. Never point a weapon at anything you do not intend to shoot

Self-Selection: I have a gun pointed at your head. "Do you trust me?" "Yes." BANG!

Maturity: Both "players" in this case are over 21, and in the military. Both have been taught gun safety.

Veracity: Though some of the stories I read could be made up, this one is fact.

Although there is a note that killing bystanders is automatically ruled out of Darwin Awards, this event isn't really about a bystander, but about an active participant in the event.

Submitted on 12/15/2009

Submitted by: Anonymous
Reference: KETV.com 11 Dec 2009

>> Moderator Scores <<

James said:
Neutral: Bystanders Hurt
I too am in the military (Nat'l Guard) and I like to think I can trust my shipmates (I was also a Naval Officer!) WITHOUT either myself or them having to prove anything to anyone. This is pretty scary, but also pretty stupid. The problem is that one could have easily "peer pressured the other into participating, so I will have to err on the side of "bystanders hurt". I will let this float, however, to see what my fellow mods think! Thanks!

Bruce said:
Definitely Toss: Too Common
Thanks, but I chalk this up to just another case of idiots doing dumb things with guns, which is way too common. We get LOTS of stories of people playing russian roulette or simply trying to "prove" a gun is unloaded by holding it up to their head and pulling the trigger, not to mention dozens of stories of people just being careless around guns. I see this as being very similar to russian roulette and not unique enough to justify accepting.

Candi said:
Definitely Toss: Bystanders Hurt
What Bruce and James said.

Darwin said:
Definitely Toss: Bystanders Hurt
Nope, this is a peer-pressure situation, and because the military necessarily indoctrinates/brainwashes its subjects to trust authority and one another, it's simply not a case of self-inflicted stupidity. If it were my friend Billy, or the cute guy I've been flirting with, who pulled this stunt...and I said OK... well, just maybe. But not in the case of a military cadre, where the bonding among men might presumably require an affirmative answer.

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2009 Slush Pile

Trust

2009 Reader Submission Pending Acceptance

2009 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance