Was rape really the case for Wheatstraw

When I was in the Navy, I ran across a lot of wild females, none of whom I would even think of bringing home (or a dog fight for that matter). I came across many guys of the same nature also. They were all my best teachers because, from watching them, I learned what not to do and how not to act.
There was one brother I remember that everyone called “Wheatstraw.” He was one of those brothers that everybody knew and liked, not necessarily because he was a nice guy who always did the right thing. He was just cool with everybody, and when it was time to hang he did whatever was cool to do.
There was also a very promiscuous young lady (there were actually hundreds of them) on the ship that everybody knew as well. Whenever the club doors were open, you could find her there. Before the night was over, somebody would be sexing her.
One night at the club, Wheatstraw and this girl met. They talked, had some drinks, danced for a minute, and left. Two nights later, the girl was back in the club dancing and drinking. Wheatstraw, however, was in custody for allegedly raping the young lady that one night. Everybody was in shock, but the details in the story didn’t add up.
Wheatstraw was not the “knight in shining armor” type, and he partied just as hard as the next brother. He didn’t seem like a malicious guy, though. He definitely didn’t have to take anything from a female on that ship, especially that one. No man had to.
A lot of girls did their thing (as did a lot of guys); that was no secret. This girl, however, had a reputation for doing things to the extreme. She wasn’t hard to find and after the rape, it was even less of a task to track her down.
There was an investigation and then a trial. Everyone, male and female, officer and enlisted, was convinced that the girl was lying and that Wheatstraw was innocent. At that point though, the girl had to stick to her story or be dealt with severely.
Wheatstraw was found guilty and sentenced to seven years in the Brigg (a military prison). The young lady was eventually transferred off the ship and sent to another duty station.
Put yourself in Wheatstraw’s shoes for a minute. You decide to join the Navy to see the world, get paid, earn college benefits and make your family proud by bettering yourself. You get to your duty station and become a totally different person, more wild and careless like the people you meet once you get there.
You get caught up in the club life and make some stupid choices. Next thing you know, your name is disgraced and for seven long years of your young life, you must live face-to-face with the consequences of a dumb decision.
The people you wanted to make proud and the kids who looked up to you as a hero now have to live with the shame that their child, friend, role model is now labeled as a sex offender.
There were only two people in the room that night: Wheatstraw and the girl. Only they know what really happened.
If he really violated this young woman sexually, he deserved his punishment.
Regardless of how a woman carries herself and presents herself to a man, a real man will know better than to take advantage of a female in that way and will be strong enough and in control enough to handle himself better.
If the rape didn’t really happen, though, and the girl was lying, then she’ll have to forever live with the fact that she is solely responsible for destroying the life of a brother.
I don’t know how anyone would be able to live with themselves after doing something like that, but it would haunt me and keep me sleepless.
No matter what success I would achieve later on in my life and no matter what changes I would go through or good things that would come my way, if I never came forth with the truth and cleared the name of the person that I lied on, something would always gnaw at my soul and I would never ever truly be happy.
Besides that, I would be doing a big injustice to actual rape victims by lying about my situation. My life would feel cursed.