Eric Muller begrudgingly admits he's wrong...

Friends of Historical Accuracy regarding the ethnic Japanese Evacuation of 1942

Here's an email from a Friend of Historical Accuracy to Eric Muller:

Professor:

Let me try to straighten you out on this. Olsen and "Bob" both live on Bainbridge Island. They know each other. But Olsen is not Bob. I didn't know who "Bob" was until recently and had been communicating with him numerous times before I knew that he was the "Bob" of your blog fame. I have also communicated with Olsen and his wife. "Bob" and the Olsens have different e-mail addresses and different home addresses.

"Bob" has legitimate personal reasons for not publicly using his name on blog posts. That's his business. Many others whom you allow to comment on your blog are anonymous and you seem to think nothing of it..

You will note that "Bob's" blog is titled "Friends of Historical Accuracy" and as such it appears to speak for a group of like-minded people. I don't know how many or whom they all are. As for the e-mail you refer to, I am told by "Bob" that it was sent to him by Olsen to put on the blog. If you look at it more closely you will see that it is headed up "Not a Friend of Historical Accuracy" and does not indicate that it was personally addressed to "Bob."

As to your reasons for dumping "Bob" it has been a long time and I do recall that he asked a question about whether or not you had received a grant to write your book, which you denied. I don't remember the details of it such as whether he specifically referred to CLPEF or CCLPEP or something else but seems to me that was insignificant. The fact was you did receive grant money but left the impression that you did not. You frankly admit you did in the introduction to your book. I have no problem with that but some do.

If you will look again at what I said about why you dumped "Bob," you will note that I only mentioned that he gave the reason. If his reason disagrees with your own, that isn't my fault for not knowing it.

In any event, the bottom line is that you are wrong. Olsen is not "Bob" and "Bob" is not Olsen. You haven't done the good detective work you think you have and it would be nice if you admitted it.

Your insistance that I'm giving "Olsen's blog" publicity doesn't hold water because it isn't Olsens blog. However, in view of this e-mail exchange with you, I am willing for you to delete the following portion of my comment if that is all you object to:

"Incidentally, you might take a look at today's initial blog entry on http://friendsofhistoricalaccuracy.blogspot.com/
for a few remarks from someone who admits to being the real "Bob." He has a few things to say about your misidentification and the reason why you barred him from your site."

If you object to posting the rest of my comment, that's up to you.

Muller spins it this way here:

(The name has been changed to "Friend of Historical Accuracy" for privacy.)

"UPDATE: "Bob," it turns out, corresponds with (and, apparently, identifies himself to) Commander "Friend of Historical Accuracy", another frequent commenter on this site.

Through "Friend of Historical Accuracy", "Bob" insists that he is not Captain James Olsen of Bainbridge Island, but is instead a Bainbridge Island resident who is a friend of Captain James Olsen's. Naturally I have no way to confirm that this is true, and given "Bob's" pathological deceptiveness, I wouldn't believe him if he told me himself.

On the other hand, while I disagree with "Friend of Historical Accuracy" about most everything, I don't think him a liar. So I think it best to take back what I wrote earlier today: for now, it looks as though "Bob" is not actually retired Coast Guard captain James Olsen of Bainbridge Island, but is instead a fellow Bainbridge Islander and friend of Olsen's."

You were wrong, Eric. You made an overzelous accusation based on circumstantial evidence without considering the merits.

The old saying is, "A+ students become law professors because they're too socially inept to be good lawyers..."

Whats's worse, you're denial of accepting reparations funds is sleazy.

Regards,

Bob