Struggling for the Holidays: Vets and PTSD

For many vets, having PTSD means suffering in silence. Misunderstood and minimized, often by their own family and friends, vets and military members suffering from this horrible condition are told to suck it up and work through it. They are told that they are like everyone else and their experiences, their losses, their anxiety and pain are minimized.

The truth is, that men and women suffering from PTSD and combat stress struggle daily, hourly even, with anger, fear, loneliness, anxiety and depression (among other symptoms). It is real. The pain is real, the sense of loss is real, the depression and anxiety is real. Don't believe that just because your loved one is there and around you, that they are not feeling lonely, separated and alienated. This is a common feeling with men and women who suffer PTSD and combat stress. Returning from a deployment means  the loss of a companionship and brotherhood that was formed in an environment that is often difficult to explain and even more difficult to understand.

Triggers abound in a world that was once familiar and has now become a strange and foreign place. Surrounded by loved ones and separated at the same time, the vet often suffers in silence, or is bombarded by questions that are often inappropriate ("what, did you kill someone?"), or even worse, minimized because of fear, ignorance, or just plain stupidity. There is a fear of being judged constantly by others.

We have a responsibility to our vets. To help them and love them. PTSD is a type of living death. PTSD in many ways is the feeling that you have died, yet are continuing to live on in a world that doesn't care or understand you. So how do you help? Listen. Don't talk, listen. If you must talk, choose your words carefully and meaningfully. Often times, vets want to share their experiences, but fear being judged. Listening quietly and non-judgmentally, patiently, goes a long way. Be honest in telling them "hey, I don't pretend to know what you are going through, I may never understand it, but I want to be here for you if you want to vent or talk". reinforce that they will not be abandoned. That you love them, that they have value. There are a million ways to show this and say this without sounding like you are trapped in a chick-flick. Be patient, because opening up takes time. Sometimes a lot of time. Respect the fact that your friend, loved one, who returns is not the same person who left. That person died and a new one returned in their place.

Look, we don't expect you to understand what it is like to see your buddy burn to death, die in an IED explosion, get ambushed, be in a firefight, experience the trauma of a military ER, snipers or whatever. I will tell you this, by standing by a vet, you can gain a better understanding of those things, you can experience an amazing friendship, relationship with one, and know what it means to stick by someone through thick and thin. We live in a society where people are considered disposable, and that is a shame. Our vets have sacrificed everything for us, and we ignore them. They left family friends and all the comforts we enjoy and take for granted, so we can continue to enjoy those things they left behind. Think about it.

Something Wicked This Way Comes

In act 4 of Macbeth, the witches conjure a spell where they tell Hectre it is a "deed without name". The second witch in her spell says "the prick of a thumb, something wicked this way comes, open locks, whoever knocks". I wonder sometimes if someone has cast a spell over our country, over the very people. I wonder if some witch somewhere has pricked her thumb and dropped blood into a black cauldron, proclaiming these very words. That at the proclamation of these words, someone knocked and certain doors opened.

I think of Johnathan Edwards' sermon Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, where he describes sin as a slippery slope, and cannot help but think that we are at the brink as a nation. One foot in the grave and another on a banana peel. The enlightenment was no help to us at all. The French Revolution's cry of "there is no God but man" has so permeated western culture since the revolution began. Can you imagine what the world would be like if every man was his own ultimate authority and everyone did what was right in his/her own eyes? Sadly, I think we are getting a taste of it, and it doesn't taste good. See, we need to be careful what kind of sandwiches we make, because eventually we are going to have to take a bite.

So, that slippery slope thing... We are on it. On the edge of a precipice, dangling by a thread. The women's liberation movement of the 60's has given way to a rampant, hate filled feminism, where some will claim rape if a man even looks at them, and then pine over the fact that no one is interested in them. Add to that the dark side of the civil rights movement, and the inception of groups like the Black Panthers and their current reincarnation in the BLM (Black Lives Matter) movement. A cry of we are equal, yet they disrupt towns and traffic and some are killing cops and some are crying for war with whites. A far cry from the peace movement of Martin Luther King.

Then there is the doctrines of socialism and acceptance. Socialism isn't something for free, or all things shared equally. It is the sharing of all things or else, and someone's gotta pay for that free stuff. And acceptance of everyone and everything? It might be the biggest farce of all. The doctrine of tolerance is a false doctrine from the pit of hell. We, as a people do not have to accept everyone and everything just because someone says so. The truth is, the person that stands for everything, stands for nothing. The truth is, some people aren't worth tolerating (do not answer a fool according to his folly), and some beliefs are downright dangerous to our very way of life (Islam anyone? Socialism?).

Here's the thing... We have opened the doors to these things, believing that they are for our betterment, but in reality it is a peppermint flavored glass of Drano. All that glitters is not gold, and the poison we have been force-fed for the last few decades is taking its toll. Believe me when I say if we do not get rid of it, that something wicked this way will surely come. In fact, I hear it knocking, knocking at our door, waiting for us to invite it in and fully embrace it. Like a seductress, it woos us, it calls to us, it whispers in our ear the sweet words of acceptance, but pull back her veil and you will see the rotting corpse of political and social liberalism. You will smell the death and decay of the rotting body of belief that sits underneath. My friends, we need to stand now, more than ever for what is right, we need to step outside the 3-ring circus of the media and look at what's going on around us. I hope you will stand with me. Our country, as wounded and hurt and sick as it is, is still greater than any other place on earth, but it won't be for long if we remain silent. Time to speak out and take back the country we love.

The Forgotten Pledge: How Broken is America?

"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation UNDER GOD, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

So maybe with the elections right around the corner, and our country going through what appears to be another cultural revolution, I might be beating this poor horse to death. A friend of mine asked me to copy and paste onto my Facebook page the pledge of allegiance. For everyone that thinks it's cool to kneel during the anthem and disrespect the flag, maybe they should remember the pledge. I often wonder how broken we are as a country.

*You* pledge allegiance to the flag. It represents you as an individual and you status as a citizen. The flag which (despite some people's claims) represents freedom and liberty. Those freedoms and liberties that our spelled out for us in the constitution that represent each and every one of us who are born here, who work or have worked to obtain citizenship in this country,

AND the Republic for which it stands. A form of government in which the powers of sovereignty are authorized and entrusted in the people and are executed by the people, either directly, or through representatives chosen by the people, to whom those powers are specially appointed. We are unique in our form of government being a democratic republic. Unlike any nation on earth.

One nation: Not a divided America as many would have us be right now, but united by our common citizenry and purpose. United in vision and purpose for a better life.

Under God. Whether you believe in God or not (and I think you should, but that is beside the point), it points to something larger than ourselves. It recognizes that there is something going on here that is bigger than us as individuals and us as a collective nation. It tells us that we don't have to go it alone, and when things go wrong, there is a higher power ruling over everything, guiding and directing us.

Indivisible: Impenetrable, inseparable, joined, permanent,unbreakable, unified indissoluble. What we should be striving for as a nation.Recognizing that there are those that seek to tear us apart from within and from without.

With liberty and justice for all: meaning that we as Americans and our government are obligated to ensure that we (citizens) are all treated with equity, recognizing that we are all created in God's image, endowed with certain inalienable rights, no matter our race, creed or color. That justice isn't for just the elite, but for all men. This is different from mercy or grace. Justice means that we deal with fairness, honesty and integrity towards everyone and everything we do. Liberty is a grace, it is undeserved, so liberty and justice are in a sense, grace and fairness met.

Think of Lincoln's own words and see if they are applicable today:“America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.”

We have terrorism, ISIS, Data hacks from foreign nations, countries developing nuclear capabilities, yet I can't help thinking that if we don't get our acts together, we are going to be the ones who destroy this country. Not Russia, not ISIS, not Iran or North Korea, or China...Us. We need to get back to basics. What was this country founded on? What made us a great nation? There was a time when we were regarded and the land of milk and honey. It wasn't that long ago. We still have a chance to recover it.

Something to think about.

Racist Roots in American Thinking? The National Anthem

Is the National Anthem a symbol we (all of us as a nation)can rally around, or is it rooted in segregationist racism and hate?

Recently someone challenged me on this. I hadn't heard this mysterious missing 3rd verse, or the controversy that surrounds it and Francis Scott Key, its author. I decided I would spend a few hours researching it (and him) for myself. What I found was interesting...

Let me start with the missing verse that references "hirelings and slaves" that so many are up in arms about: No refuge could save the hireling and slave From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave". But is this really about slaves? I think in order to understand that, you have to read the whole verse in its context and examine what the author was saying, in the language of the day. Why is that important? Because Key was a lawyer. He used very precise language in the writing of our national anthem, and unlike today, words had meaning back then.

"And where is that band who so vauntingly swore,
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion
A home and a Country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wash’d out their foul footstep’s pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave,
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave."

Firstly, Key was speaking not of slaves in general, but of a particular group of slaves, who on promise of freedom would fight alongside the hireling (basically a paid soldier). The verse, while referencing slaves, is speaking to the British military when it opens by saying "where is the band that will save you (the British soldiers) after having made such big boasts about beating the colonials in the war of 1812.

Ironically, Key himself sought to honor both blacks and whites who fought alongside each other and for America. One CNN reported wrote ""The Star-Spangled Banner" celebrates the heroes who defended Fort McHenry in the face of almost certain defeat against the most powerful gunships of the era. America's soldiers included mainly whites, but also free and escaped blacks."

How do we know this? Because as the CNN writer stated "Escaped slave William Williams served in the US infantry at Fort McHenry and was killed by a fragment of a British bomb. Another escaped slave, Charles Ball, writes in his memoirs of being among the American soldiers of the Chesapeake Bay Flotilla who courageously repelled a night attack and saved the city. "The Star-Spangled Banner" thus honors American military heroes, black and white, without regard to race. In this respect, "The Star-Spangled Banner" is not racist.

Secondly, there is this: "But Key owned slaves" you might say... "doesn't that make him racist?" No. not necessarily. You have to understand that life is not just black and white. There are shades of gray all over the place. Can someone hold a slave and not be racist? Sure. For hundreds of years it happened in the Roman empire, Greece, and other places. People were made slaves for all kinds of reasons. Now, I am not saying that there were no racist slave owners. Far from it. What i am saying is that life is often more complicated than we think and we are foolish if we try and read our understanding of things back into history rather than draw the meaning of what was being said out of what we see and read. In theology this is called eisegesis (reading meaning into something, a big no-no) and exegesis (drawing the meaning out of it. Sometimes by understanding the historical context). Back to Key... He owned 7 slaves during his lifetime. He inherited them in fact. Did you know that he freed 4 of them? Yep. He even offered one of his slaves, Clem Johnson a home for life. He defended many black slaves and escaped slaves as well, fighting for their freedom. Most often for free. Let's not forget the American Colonization Society where he used the group to purchase slaves and free them and offer them passage back to Africa (what is now I believe Liberia).

Thirdly, things are not always black and white... Key did have issues with his belief that blacks were a "distinct and inferior race, and that they were "an evil which afflicts a community". This is a quote from one of his publications in 1839. Yet in 1840 he appears to have had a change of heart, and 2 years later he began freeing his slaves. What this tells me is that people change. Men are flawed. All men, be they white, black or whatever. Key is guilty to the extent that he was extremely pragmatic,and who, like many (not all) of America's founders and early leaders, put the social order ahead of human freedom. In the context of his era, however, Francis Scott Key was surprisingly progressive. Key helped establish the Georgetown Lancaster School for freed people of color and even taught there. Over 1,000 black children were students, and most attended tuition-free. What does this tell us? That Key was a complex man. That we cannot paint him with too wide a brush. His words about blacks are sobering, but his defense of them are equally vindicating. Did you know that Key won the freedom of Harry Quando in 1830 and Joseph Crawford in 1834? He took other cases as well. though he lost some.

Finally, what does this tell us? It tells us that men, all men, are to some extent a product of their time. It tells us that maybe, just maybe, he grew and changed. Maybe because of the very words he penned. People change. I remember reading St Augustine where he said something to the effect of "It is better to do the right thing for the wrong reason, than to do the wrong thing for the right reason. " I Suspect that what Augustine is saying is that no matter what reason Key had in writing the national anthem, the principles are good and true that stand behind them: Freedom from tyranny and injustice, the ability to pursue life, liberty and happiness. These are certain inalienable rights, because we are all created equal (regardless of race creed or color). I believe that if you fail to understand or see this, then you have totally missed the point. It is for this reason I stand by my original belief that it is disrespectful to turn your back on the very principles that eventually led to freedoms we all (together) now posses, and to do the opposite in fact segregates, it diminishes us as Americans and leaves us separated and weak as a country.

Remembering the Past, Looking to the Future: 9/11, a 15 Year Retrospective

Today marks the 15 year anniversary of 9/11. No doubt many will reminisce about where they were when the towers fell, what they were doing and the horrible spectacle that glued us to the TV's as it unfolded before our eyes. My military service ended 4 years prior, and I was working as a computer technician at the college here in town. I remember thinking "this is a Muslim terror attack", we'll be back there soon. 2,996 people died because of those attacks. Another 6,831 troops and soldiers have died fighting the war on terror since then. Nearly 10,000 Americans in the last 15 years. An astonishing number that doesn't even include the number of people from other countries that sacrificed their sons, daughters, wives and husbands along with us.

Since then our country has seen a lot of changes. We live in a society where memories fade quickly and we are off to the next sensational news piece. It's a sad state, because as someone once said, those who are ignorant of the past are doomed to repeat its failures. We seem caught in a cycle of selfishness and self service that sees new lows each time we enter it. We cry for safe spaces where we cannot have divergent opinions and beliefs, we cry for justice for criminals who are lifted up as heroes instead of prosecuted, we believe we deserve everything for free instead of working hard to make our dreams come true, and I wonder... Have we lost sight of what the American dream really is? Life, liberty, pursuing happiness through our own hard work and initiative seems to be a bygone idea of a past era for many (if not most),

I think about those who died in the towers and those who died rescuing them. I think about those who died in the flight over PA on flight 93, and the few who fought to overtake the terrorists on that plane. Heroes, tried and true. I think of all the men and women in our military who have sacrificed their lives over the last 15 years, and their families. Nobody survives war. The person that comes back is never the same. The old person is gone. Forever. I wonder how many people understand that. I remember watching somberly as people leaped from the buildings in desperation before they fell to the ground in ash and rubble, and the tears afterwards. I remember the faces of loved ones searching frantically for their friends and family members, praying they were alive. I remember the caskets coming home from the Gulf and Iraq and Afghanistan. I remember them young men and women as they returned home, many intact physically, yet changed forever.

I think about the Islamification of our country and the danger it has placed us in for the sake of political correctness, How the epidemic of radicalization is now sweeping the west because we are afraid as a nation, as a global community, to simply say no. No to terror, no to the ideology that breeds murder and mayhem, and wants us to simply live in an age of terror where attacks are "the new norm".

I for one, do not want to forget. I don't want to forget the loss of life, the pain, the sorrow. I do not want to forget the sacrifice of those on 9/11 and those who fought terror for a decade and a half afterwards, nor do I want to forget their families who have often times suffered in silence, forgotten and dismissed by a selfish society. I would even plead with my friends and family to not forget. By remembering the past, we can avoid making the same mistakes in the future. We can leave a better world for our kids and their kids. We can ensure that those who died did not die unavenged, in vain and forgotten.

The Race to Racism (or does anyone really know what racism is anymore?)

There is much ado in the media today about race relations, racism, the pending race wars, etc... It got me thinking about it and I have a few ideas I'd like to share with you. Let me list them out and then I will expand my ideas a bit an see if they are clear...
1. Why do some riots catch more media attention than others?
2. Trump or Hillary... Which one is really a racist?
3. The media fueled race war in America
4. What really is a racist? What is racist language?

Let me start by saying this: I have not seen one (ONE!) riot which was started fueled or incited in any other way by "conservatives". You do not see conservatives of any color or stripe burning flags, looting buildings, mob beating people in the streets. It simply is not there, and if there is an instance of it, it certainly is not on the scale of the liberal left. It seems impossible today to hold an intelligent nuanced view on something without someone pulling the "race card" on either side. In fact, language has become so loaded that it is almost impossible to speak at all without becoming labeled as a racist. Let me give and example... The word "boy". In the south was historically used to refer to black men in a derogatory way by whites. I get it, it's not a preferred word. I have also heard it used to describe whites in a derogatory way describing "rednecks" or groups of whites that blacks don't particularly care for. I have heard it used in good ways too. To say "these are my boys, they have my back" is just one example. I learned one important thing in counseling classes... Hearing is always in the realm of the listener, and it is not only the person talking who is responsible for what they say, but the person listening to listen with understanding. A lost art for most Americans I think because they presuppose their own ideas into everything. Reading your own meaning into something has become the norm for thinking in this country as opposed to drawing the meaning out of it. Now, let me get to the points I am trying to make...

Why do some riots catch more attention than others? It's an interesting question that I am sure has many different answers. Some of which may not jive with mine. But that's ok. It's my blog and my opinion. Here's what I think. I think... No, I believe, that there is a meta narrative (a fancy word for saying an overall idea or plan that gives meaning to something) that defines the media and what they want us to believe. There is a plan to "re-educate" us according to what they want us to think, know and believe. I think this is the driving force behind it. The Baltimore riots caught a lot of attention, as did Ferguson, but how did the Milwaukee Riots not catch much attention? Let me tell you why: Because there was confusion and doubt in the two former examples. There was a question (at least until the trials) in Ferguson and Baltimore, but in Milwaukee, a black officer shot a black suspect who was running with a stolen handgun, and turned with the gun in his hand towards the officer. It doesn't fit the narrative the media is trying to portray of police brutality and crooked cops. Despite the fact that the suspect's sister has said " Burnin down sh*t ain’t going to help nothin! Y’all burnin’ down sh*t we need in our community. Take that sh*t to the suburbs. Burn that sh*t down! We need our sh*t! We need our weaves. I don’t wear it. But we need it." and the city alderman Khalif Rainey stated "Rectify this immediately because, if you don’t, this vision of downtown, all of that, you one day away. You one day away.". To add insult to injury, BLM leader Deray McKesson said that "I denounce the state violence that led to the protests in the first place". These comments were all edited by the media or swept under the rug because they don't fit the socialist narrative of a corrupt police state. The truth is, there is still discrimination against people of all races. I have experienced it from blacks, hispanics, asians, and even other whites. What is interesting though is that none of that fits what the media is trying to tell you. That they know best what you need as far as information and how to think. They *want* you to think that all cops are corrupt, that all black criminals are innocent (and some are, I am sure), and that other races (particularly whites) have no idea what it is like to be discriminated against. And if you argue against this... Guess what? YOU are racist.

And that brings me to my second point of Trump and Hillary... Which one is racist? Hillary accuses Trump of racism because of his father's housing discrimination policies in the 70's and early 80's, and his father's involvement with the clan (neither of which actually say anything about Trump himself), and Trump accuses Hillary of racism because of her husband's policies on crime in the 90's and the fact that the KKK has donated some 20,000.00 to her campaign. They are positing an either/or for the public in the midst of a media fueled frenzy over racism (that really did not seem to exist in the 80's and 90's), but there is another option. Have you considered this? Trump only sees the color green. He is interested in business and money. It is his life. He doesn't care much for race. He sees America in financial trouble and believes that he is the best for the job. And Hillary? She would accept a gas chamber from a Nazi if she thought it would help her agenda. She doesn't even care for money. Hillary cares about power and will do anything to get it. Pure and simple. Neither is a racist. Yet the media will paint a very different picture where you must decide who is more evil, who has more self interest.

And that brings us to the "race war" in America fueled by the media. I remember before Obama got in office that race was simply not an issue with the majority of people I came in contact with. Whether you were white, red, blue, or green, it didn't matter. We all happened to be in the same boat, working to make life happen in a less painful way. Obama brought race to the forefront (I believe in a very careless way), and the media has taken it and run with it. There is a victimization mentality that permeates our culture as a whole, where we are looking at some way that whatever happens makes us a victim. Not everyone, mind you, but many if not most believe this, if not in words, then in deed. The news would have us think that whites are openly oppressing blacks, and spanish and everyone else. That all blacks are rioting and looting, and it is someone else's fault besides their own. But here is what I have seen. I have seen people. The responsible ones were not at the BLM rallies, they were on their way to work. They weren't looting, they were living and loving. There are plenty of whites out there with BLM and rioters causing havoc. Not much of it is reported though. it's not what they want you to believe.

So what really is a racist? Some of you might say it is anyone who hates or discriminates. You'd be close. Here is the dictionary definition (remember those things? We used to use them to make sure we were using words correctly): prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior.

Well, that certainly eliminates a large percentage of people world wide, unless you belong to a white supremacist group, Black Panthers, etc... I honestly believe most people don't think in terms of "I need to discriminate because my race is superior". Maybe a better term is bigotry? Let's go with that... " intolerance toward those who hold different opinions from oneself.". That includes a much broader spectrum of people. In fact, I would say that includes most of us. Let me put it this way... If I say "I support the deportation of all illegals because it is in violation of our laws", some of you will undoubtedly call me a racist or say I am a bigot. But who is wearing the bigot shoe? Read again what I wrote. Because I believe something is in violation of law I am now a bigot and intolerantly labeled as such? Or is the person who intolerantly labels me a bigot because the refuse to accept a different opinion than themselves? I would say it is the latter, and not the former. Is it possible to agree that we all feel for the hispanics in those countries that endure poverty and hardship and still maintain that they need to come here LEGALLY? I believe it is, but sadly... Because of the current state of our country, we cannot hold an intelligent conversation on anything. We get angry and talk over each other, we silence our opposition by labeling them racist or bigots. We are not as much interested in having genuine conversation as we are in furthering our agenda, our own beliefs. Maybe it is fear that we will be marginalized if we don't yell and aren't heard, or that we will be ostracized if we disagree.

Personally, I could give a crap what someone thinks about me. In recent years I have learned to move beyond that. At work, I don't care who I work with as long as we can communicate effectively and you do your job. Outside of work, If I offer to hang out with you, it is not because of your race, but because I find you a person of value, regardless of who or what you are. It means I like you. I had a pastor friend once say that the Bible only recognizes one race, the human race, and we are all in the same boat. It stuck with me. The Marine Corps had a similar philosophy--We are all Green. Maybe we should take a step back from social issues and stop branding each other and look at the individual person. Maybe we should stop listening to the liberal media that fuels fear and hate and sensationalism and live life as Americans who need to be striving to make America great. Or we could keep our heads up our butts and point fingers at each other and say "bigot, racist, discriminator"! Maybe we should look at the 3 fingers pointing at us when we are pointing at someone else and ask ourselves what is wrong with us first and what are we presenting to those who see us...

For Everything There is a Season: A Note About Our Service Members and Vets

Did you know there was a time in my life I wanted to be a counselor? I counseled various types of people on a whole spectrum of matters from faith to marriage and recovering from adultery, vets and military, youth and old. It was a rewarding and demanding job. I left it to pursue other things for a variety of reasons, and there are times I regret it. The rewards are amazing when you can help repair a marriage or a parental relationship, or help someone in their personal life recover from a devastating event in their life. I told myself there are tons of qualified counselors out there helping folks, who needs another one? Just one more guy out there doing his thing when there are so many others out there. But over the last year or two, I have felt the heart strings pulling. There is something I cannot get out of my mind...

Did you know that recent statistics show that there are as many as 42, 725 homeless vets on any given night in this country? That's 42,725 too many. As many as 30% of vets contemplate suicide on a fairly regular basis, 25% suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and 222 vets commit suicide each day. That's about one every 65 minutes. That means there is probably a vet taking his life right now. I am grieved beyond measure at these statistics. I am a vet. I know what it is like to come back from war. Your family has changed, you have changed, the culture has changed... The comradeship you felt in the war zone is gone. The adrenaline rush, the excitement, the focus on the mission, the long long hours of working 7 days a week are all gone.

Many vets come home to adultery or divorce papers, financial hardships, and even the strong relationships are put to the test, because let's face it.... War changes people. And then there is society. A young Marine once said "America is not at war, the Marines are, America is at the mall". Sadly this is true. our society, while not in the same anti-war/troop mentality as the Vietnam era, still has the same problem: They are short sighted and selfish. Spouses of military members suffer too. They endure raising the kids, endless nights of loneliness, worry about their loved ones, finances, all on their own. And around them America goes on. They trifle over Kanye and Kim, over the next Teen Mom, and the next celebrity break up, and the young men and women fighting for their lives and ours are forgotten. A distant thought in a war that has become irrelevant to them. If they aren't at the mall, they are certainly out to lunch!

Did you know that there is a time for everything? The writer of Ecclesiastes tells us there is. There is a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time for love and a time for hate, a time for war and a time for peace, but many of our brothers and sisters can't do this. Let me tell you a something: It is easier to flip on the switch to go to war than it is to turn it off. It is anti-climactic to come home from such intensity and adrenaline and live in a mundane country doing mundane things with an ordinary family. It leaves the service member and their families with unrealistic expectations, strained relationships, they miss their jobs, they are angry because they have lost buddies, because they feel they have not done enough (which is NOT true), they chase depression and many fight addiction. Is it any wonder so many want to go back?

We need to do some serious thinking. The vet population that is homeless is 2x that of any other people group. How do we reach them? How do we let them know that they are honored and loved? That they are heroes for risking all in a selfish, self serving society that leaves them unsung and unwanted? PTSD is not about how much "action" someone sees, it is about how the brain processes events that they are involved in and are exposed to. I would expect most of you do not know what it is like to be in combat, to lose a buddy or see him seriously wounded, to suffer trauma in that magnitude of stress.  That is good. That is what those who fought for you endured (and are still enduring) so you did not have to.

This brings me back to the beginning. How do we help our heroes (and they will often be the first to tell you they aren't heroes)? How can we help them settle back in and adjust to home? It's not an easy question, is it? A hand shake and a thank you goes a long way, but it isn't enough. Many of us vets lay awake in the wee hours of the night, and our brains just don't turn off. It's not like switching off a day at the office. A smell, a sight, a word can trigger a memory, SNAP!, like that! Like i said, I wanted to be a counselor. I guess in some ways I still am, but of a different sort now. My back porch is always open for a drink or a smoke with those who want to talk and process. And it has me thinking again... How can we do this the right way? I have and idea... Peer counseling, friendship counseling, whatever you want to call it. What our vets don't need is a clinical environment that makes them feel more alienated, more separated from the culture around them. They don't need one more thing to make them feel like it was better in the sandbox, in the jungle, in the South Pacific, in the Chosin Reservoir.

What they need are friends. Guess what? That's you, that's me, that's your kid or parent. Go ahead and shake their hand and tell them thank you. Trust me... It means the world, but do something else too. Befriend them, learn to shut up and listen much before offering a word of advice. In fact, a simple acknowledgement is better than a word of advice because processing is, well, a process. Be there for them. It's OK if you don't know the answer, and if you do... Sit on it and think a bit before offering it. Think not only about WHAT you are going to say, but HOW you are going to say it. You don't need to be a vet to help a vet, but you do need to empathize. Take them out for a drink, have a cig or cigar, have a glass of iced-tea or a slice of pizza, it doesn't take much to start. Look, I know this doesn't cover everything, but it's a start. We have to start somewhere. I don't want to lose another brother or sister because we did nothing.

There's Something Happening Here, What it is Ain't Exactly Clear...

Remember that song by Buffalo Springfield? For What It's Worth is the name of the song. It was an anti-war song protesting Vietnam. It's a very well done song that describes the tension felt in our country in 1967. Oddly enough, it seems to describe where we are today as well. There seems to be a new civil rights movement in our country, one that doesn't regard the law, has no respect for society, is rooted in hate for growth and progress as a result of hard work. There is a growing youth culture of "I deserve" and "I need", with no understanding of what a "real" need is in comparison to a "felt" need. The difference being something I need to survive as opposed to something that brings me comfort and fulfills my desires.

Sadly, it's combined with an ignorance of history, and sadly those who are ignorant of history are doomed to repeat it over and over again. Maybe this goes back to the enlightenment, the French Revolution, when the protesters there claimed "There is no God but Man". It seems that when you place yourself as the highest standard, there is rarely ever a high bar to reach for. It was a movement that bred egalitarianism, a belief that everyone deserves equal status, opportunity, and outcome. While all men are created equal, it does not necessarily mean everyone deserves an equal outcome. Some are more gifted in certain areas and they excel. Some excel because they work hard. Those people deserve a quality reward for their work. Those who don't do not. It is as simple as that. Yet our culture is inundated with the idea that they need the same standard of living as those who buckle down and work. The same idea that took root in the 60's. It is a subtle socialism masked as equality for all men. Like John Lennon's Imagine, it envisions a world that sounds like Utopia but can never be.

Think about Buffalo Springfield's words:

"There's something happening here

But what it is ain't exactly clear

There's a man with a gun over there

Telling me I got to beware

There's battle lines being drawn
Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
Young people speaking' their minds
Getting so much resistance from behind

What a field day for the heat
A thousand people in the street
Singing songs and carrying signs
Mostly saying, "hooray for our side"

Doesn't this sound like our country right now? There's a lot of police on edge, lots of people on edge, battle lines being drawn, thousands of people protesting in the streets carrying signs and singing and chanting... About what? Here's the truth... If Obama had really done what he promised regarding race relations, we wouldn't be moving backwards, we would be moving forward. There would not be so much open hate towards whites or Hispanics or any other group out there. IF Obama had done what he said, we would all be holding hands singing Kumbaya. If Obama had enforced the law on our borders and made a way for those in need (truly in need) to come here **legally** then we would not be where we are today. My mother is an immigrant. A LEGAL one. She applied, worked and earned her citizenship and is the most patriotic person I know. She is as American as any natural born... Maybe more so. There certainly is something happening here, but it may be clearer than we might first think. But maybe that's the problem today. Not a lot of people take the time to stop and think. Think about the repercussions of what they say, what they do, how they act. Maybe if they thought a little more, they would understand what the other person is saying instead of just shooting off at the mouth in an effort to prove their point or try to rewrite history like they were doing a few months back by tearing down statues and burning flags.

Ignorance is running rampant in this country, and it's rooted in ignorance of history. For instance... Has anyone considered that the party of the KKK is the democratic party? That Lincoln was a Republican? That the majority of segregationists were democrats? There is a lot of pressure put on whites by the BLM and its supporters for reparations to be made (for what, I am not exactly sure since none of us or our parents or their parents ever owned slaves, and none of my family were even here until the early 1900's). Did anyone stop to consider that around 620,000 mostly white soldiers died freeing slaves because they did not agree with the democrats? How about "you're welcome". Listen, I know it's hard... Everyone who emigrated here had it hard. Remember how many Chinese died building the TCR or CPR? Or Italians? Or Irish? How about the Jews? Should I being half Italian pay reparations to the world for Rome enslaving a large part of them? Is it me? Am I the only one that sees this as a ridiculous notion? A hundred and fifty plus years have past. Jim Crowe is gone. Women can vote. Are there still problems? Yep. Know what the first step to solving any problem is? Look at yourself first. Examine yourself (or your movement), and begin making your changes there. Then look outward. Might gain some real traction on some real things. You might even realize that most people are just people and our priorities aren't rooted in a dead 150 year old issue, but in the here and now... How we are caring for our families, how we are going to make it to next payday, how our kids are doing. You know those important things in life that take priority. Maybe our country needs a kick in its pants to readjust our screwed up priorities.

Bro, Do You Even Freedom?

Seriously. It's Independence Day. It's a day of barbecues, family time and fireworks. It's a great time for us to socialize, party and have fun. But it's also a time to reflect on the cost of the freedom that is provided to us so we can even do these things. I wonder though how many people actually do that?

Do you even freedom?Who understands the sacrifice given in 1775, Who understands the sacrifice given in 1865, 1945, 1969, 1991, 2003, 2012, TODAY? There are men and women serving all over the world right now to provide us freedom that we don't even realize. Some of you may disagree with me politically, religiously, and ideologically. That's ok. that was a freedom fought for too. The freedom to agree and the freedom to be different. Heck, you have the freedom to be stupid if you want. And the truth is, for those who fought for it, freedom has a flavor that the protected will never know. Do you understand that some gave all for what you are enjoying tonight? That there are some who are shut in, crippled by the noise of fireworks that you are enjoying because of the memories it brings back? Seriously... I know some of you understand. The rest of you? Take a moment. Remember those who gave for you, those who are giving for you now. Be grateful in your celebration tonight and remember... Some of us are still giving.

We The People

So you say you want a revolution? Well... looks like it's here. I wonder how many of us expected what we saw this week or really even comprehend the depths of what's happening... The people... the working class people, have spoken. Brexit was first. Britain exited the EU, they are sick and tired of career politicians serving themselves, cow towing to the politically correct who have opened their borders and put them at risk and have begun taking back their country. Who would have thought that revolution would have started in the country that we revolted from so many years ago? And here it is...

We the people are sick of political correctness, feminist lies, leftist communist agendas from the non working classes. We the people are taking back the country we have worked so hard to craft. We are sick of the lies, sick of the misinformation, sick of the manipulation sick of working hard and being broke so the lazy can live off our backs. Sick of the constant stream of garbage coming from the let accusing anyone with a dissenting opinion of racism and bigotry. England tossed up the first big "shag off" to the world, and I believe we are going to see it again in November... America is tired of Hillary, Bernie is burned. We don't want career politicians making decisions not in our best interest, but doing what's best for their careers. We don't want lifetime members of any establishment, because the establishment is what is wrong with this government.

Our first step back towards freedom begins in just a few short months. We are not the world. We are America. Period. We are a sovereign constitutional republic, we have borders and want to keep them. We want our identity. We want a Nation-state. We don't want a global economy or world banking. We want a strong, independent America free of the terror of Islam, free from being indebted to the world. This week a new shot was fired that was heard around the world. Britain took a stand contra mundum... against the world. Are you ready for it? I for one am sick of the anti-american liberal left dictating the terms of how we live our lives in a supposedly free society. I am ready to slay the serpent of socialism with the sword of democracy and freedom. It's time for "we, the people" to take our country back. Hope you are ready to cast your ballot.

Sex, Lies, and Audiotape: The Islamification of America

It is no surprise to me that the government keeps secrets. A government has to. It is the only way a government can function. A government of the people, by the people, and for the people, however needs to maintain a certain amount of transparency in order for it to remain a "people's government". The recent shooting in Florida is a perfect example of this. Why does the government feel the need to redact something as honest and factual as a 911 transcript? Instead of being able to hear or read what actually was said, we instead have a running commentary fed to us through the media of "hate crimes" directed at the homosexual community, a closet homosexual who may or may not have had relations with another man and went on a shooting spree because he hates what he feared he might be, or that his lover confessed to having aids and he sought revenge on a whole community. It is the governments shifting focus off of the obvious to push an agenda that has nothing to do with the reality of the situation, much like Hillary's account of angered protesters in Benghazi attacking the embassy over a movie instead of what really happened.

Whatever happened to Occam's Razor? That little philosophical premise that it is usually the simplest answer that is the real answer. This man called and pledged allegiance to Islam and Isis. He stated his reason... Jihad. He premeditated this over the course of weeks... Instead, like a bad 80's movie, we are fed propaganda as if we are Neanderthal sheep banging our heads into a wall because we are too stupid and ignorant of the truth. The truth is this... It wasn't sexually motivated to shoot up a gay nightclub in Florida, it was ideologically motivated. Islam presents an ideology of oppression, fear and hate, despite the veneer or peace draped over it. It purports to be merciful in its teachings yet has a very different definition of love and mercy from what we understand in western culture, particularly if you are from a Judaeo-Christian background. Mercy is killing the infidel so they don't perpetuate their sin and corrupt true believers, love is slavish submission to a merciless deity and the attack wasn't because they were gay, it was because it was convenient.

Have we forgotten the bombing in June of 2001 in Tel Aviv where a terrorist blew himself up outside the Dolphinarium Discotheque killing 21 teenagers? Was it because he secretly was a teenager and was trying to repress his feelings? No. It was because he pledged allegiance to the cause of Islam and carried it out to its logical conclusion. So why edit a 911 transcript? Surely it is not to "protect" the citizens, unless they are wanting to protect us from the truth that Islam is a large part of the current administration's push for acceptability. Or maybe it is because there is something bigger going on here. Maybe there is a deep rooted love for Islam by our POTUS, and a shared ideology that at its heart finds America disgusting to him, because at its core, it stands against the very principles Islam is founded on. I believe the truth is that the tapes and transcripts were scrubbed, because it does not fit the White House narrative that Islam is a cult of death that preys on every other religion and ideology that is not its own. Islamic terror attacks are redefined as mass shootings because if they were called what they really are, Islamic terror attacks, people would cry for justice and we might...just might... have to respond in kind to stamp this evil from the world. Then we would find that maybe the previous administration wasn't so wrong after all... Wouldn't that be a kick in the teeth.

There is truth to the saying that those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it. In a near prophetic tone, Winston Churchill wrote in his book The River War, in 1899, that "Individual Moslems may show splendid qualities. Thousands become the brave and loyal soldiers of the Queen: all know how to die: but the influence of the religion paralyzes the social development of those who follow it. No stronger retrograde force exists in the world. Far from being moribund, Mohammedanism is a militant and proselytising faith. It has already spread throughout Central Africa, raising fearless warriors at every step; and were it not that Christianity is sheltered in the strong arms of science—the science against which it had vainly struggled—the civilisation of modern Europe might fall, as fell the civilisation of ancient Rome. " . How true is this today? We know many fine Muslims individuals. they appear kind and giving, yet the social retardation of Islam cannot be overlooked. They early developments in science and philosophy and math have ceased. Long past are the days of Averroes and Aceda. Sharia defines the religion in all aspects of its ideology and stifles growth. It oppresses women, it entitles men, it generates fear in those who do not subscribe to it and understand its goals. Carl Jung, the founder of modern Psycho-analytical philosophy made this interesting link between Nazism and Islam: "We do not know whether Hitler is going to found a new Islam. He is already on the way; he is like Muhammad. The emotion in Germany is Islamic; warlike and Islamic. They are all drunk with a wild god". Is it a coincidence that as our country embraces the ideology of socialism that Islam becomes less offensive to us? Is it any wonder that as we throw away intolerance for what we believe is wrong and simply accept all things as different "choices" that we are no longer as a nation to say Islam is wrong?

 If you think I am exaggerating, consider Hitler's own words on this "You see, it's been our misfortune to have the wrong religion. Why didn't we have the religion of the Japanese, who regard sacrifice for the Fatherland as the highest good? The Mohammedan religion [Islam] too would have been more compatible to us than Christianity. Why did it have to be Christianity with its meekness and flabbiness?". It seems to me that we don't need government controlled narratives to shape our political views. We don't need their false narratives of sex their, lies of how quaint and loving Islam is, the propaganda machine that edits facts to fit their version of what they want us to believe so they look like some benevolent father protecting his mentally impaired children. Blind acceptance is what brought the Nazi party into existence and it is what is expected of us by the left today. Don't question, just accept. Don't research, just believe. It reminds me of the Christian who does not have a faith based on facts, but is a "spiritual" Christian who does not question, does not research, merely accepts. It is a cult like mentality that brainwashes masses and dumbs our future generations. Think of Teddy Roosevelt's words on Islam as I close here, and let me know if you think they have a ring of truth to them today... "There are such "social values" today in Europe, America and Australia only because during those thousand years, the Christians of Europe possessed the warlike power to do what the Christians of Asia and Africa had failed to do — that is, to beat back the Moslem invader."

Stolen Valor: Chris Kyle Edition

Stolen valor is all the rage these days. Since there have been armies, there have been those claiming to have served, those who have claimed more glory than deserved or to have served in campaigns that they were never at. To many this may not seem like a big deal. Who cares if someone tells a white lie to bolster their reputation? Is it really hurting anyone? For those of us who have served, it is a big deal. It is a matter of honor, integrity and brotherhood.

Some of you may scold me for this, others may agree... Specially with memorial day just around the corner. To bring up a fallen brother who distinguished himself and holds the admiration and respect of millions. But before you come over to kick my dog and burn my truck, bear with me. Chris Kyle was a hero. No doubt about it. He saved numerous lives of Marines, Sailors and Soldiers. It is a debt that we forever owe him, but he lied. He exaggerated his awards. In his book American Sniper, he ends it by saying “I would end my career as a SEAL with two Silver Stars and five Bronze, all for valor,”, but his recently released records show that this is not the case. Instead, he actually earned only one silver star and 3 bronze. That's nothing to sneeze at. Kyle was a legitimate hero with what he actually earned. Why embellish your already impressive record and run the risk of tarnishing your memory forever? Only Kyle knows why. Perhaps it was the editor's decision to embellish and he simply went along with it. Perhaps he was suffering from a bad case of survivor's guilt and in some warped way wanted to show that he did all he could. Perhaps he was simply chasing the money. No one will ever know.

What we do know is that Stolen Valor is a disgrace to those of us who have served both in peacetime and war. It is a violation of the unwritten code of honor that exists among those of us that served. It stands as an affront to us because many of us lost buddies in the theater of war, and they gave their all for us. They had our backs and gave the ultimate sacrifice.Heroism, to me, is rooted in love. It is the greatest act of love. It follows the biblical principle of Jesus' own words in John 15 that " Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends". As we approach Memorial Day and remember those who have given their all, who have laid down their lives selflessly for their friends, I would ask you to take a moment and ponder the significance of that. What a person gives up besides his or her life for someone else... Their spouse, their children, growing old with friends and family, thanksgivings and Christmases. Everything in life we take for granted was given so that we could enjoy these things... So their buddies would be safe. One man lays his life down so many might live. My friend Ray stated it well... I am my brother's keeper... That is the unwritten code those who were and are in the military live (and die) by. 

So when someone comes along and steals valor by claiming they are something they are not, it doesn't sit well with us. It shouldn't. Why? because it flies in the face of selflessness. It reeks of selfishness, glory seeking, and greed. Our brothers, sisters, moms, dads cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents and friends may all have been one of these selfless few who have given all, and it should offend us that someone is attempting to steal the honor these fallen have earned. It brings shame upon them to claim something that isn't rightfully theirs. Like an illicit lover who takes away a spouse from a marriage. They are liars and cheats, they are the lowest of the low.

And this is what confuses me. We live in a society where a man surgically becomes a woman and is given an award for bravery and our society applauds him, while our "new generation of activists" denigrate and all but abandon those who truly make a difference. Make no doubt about it. I am saddened by Kyle's false claims, but it does not change the fact he was a real hero. He served honorably, and distinguished himself honorably. I hope we remember him for his deeds done well, and not his failures. It is the same hope I have for my friends and family as I pass on as well.

The Well of Enchantment: Confessions of a Former Socialist

It's no secret that if you knew me several years ago, you would have know that I would have identified myself as a "conservative socialist", or a "nationalist socialist". I was never a supporter of ObamaCare, but I believed social medicine is better than the currently flawed system we are now living under. And with good reason too. I believe firmly that pharmaceutical companies price gouge, medical care is disgustingly expensive, I want children to have good meals and education, I believe continued education after high school is important for all trades, and a whole host of other things. But my views changed in the past few years. Here's why:

1) Practicality... Someone has to pay for all these things. It is no secret that our Government cannot balance a checkbook, and these things can't be supported. There is an attitude in our government of "we have checks in the checkbook, so we must have money in the account", and "oh we're broke? Let's print more money and increase taxes from the working class so those that don't work can have the same". The practicality of this is simply naive. The truth is, if you take more and more money from the working class, they will soon be in the same poverty bracket as the poor. Instead of more spending, how about reducing the amount of government involvement in most other areas and give power back to the states (remember the original configuration of American government?). More on this later....

2) Responsibility. There was a time when the people assumed responsibility for themselves. You see all kinds of videos online now... I saw one the other day where this guy walked up to this lady and punched her in the face, knocking her out cold. She was simply sitting there watching he kids play in the park with other moms and this thug hit her out of the blue. No one said or did anything, no one leaned over and tried to help. No one took responsibility. Like the kid in Texas who killed those people drunk driving. Affluenza is what his lawyer argued. Too privileged to take responsibility. And here we are in America, a society that is willing to abdicate responsibility on every level, from basic parenting to helping those in need. No one is their brother's keeper. Except the government. Let the government do it, they say. create more programs and dump more money into it. That way we don't really have to get involved. There was a time in this country when communities banded together. During WWII there were community freedom gardens to help those in need. Churches used to actually do real diaconal ministries. Help was more than cutting a check or driving someone to the food bank. And this is my point. If we took personal responsibility, the government would not be needed to provide such things. There is no such thing as socialism in the Bible. There is, however, community. Where those who had, gave. from their own personal stores... All types of stuff I'd imagine, not just money. James 1 talks about true religion... Visiting the widows and the orphans. The idea James is trying to convey is to help those in need, those who have suffered loss. It's not talking about those who live off the system, the professional dole collectors. Those are the ones that need to be looking for jobs, not living off the working while sitting on their asses playing Xbox and making welfare babies. This is why Paul said in 2 Thessalonians that if anyone is not willing to work, they should not eat. It is the flip side of James' statement of what true religion is in caring for the poor... The truly poor.

3) Equity. our constitution states that "all men are created equal", and that means we all have the right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness". What it doesn't mean, I discovered after applying a little common sense, is that being created equal simply gives us all the same base from which to start. We are free to pursue life, liberty and happiness to our own gain, but not another's detriment. Equity does not give us all the right to have the same things. The person who does not work, does not eat. Equity doesn't mean that the professional welfare collector deserves internet, a smart phone, healthcare, or even housing. It means that they are free to get a job and work. It means that they have the option of going to a Mickey D's and working a shift for whatever they are worth and possibly working another job or two to make it. That is the pursuit of happiness. Not the recipient of privilege, but the pursuit. They need to get off their butts and chase it. It sounds counter productive, I know... Who would think that working your butt off for 50-60 hours a week provides these things, but it's true. There is liberty in taking responsibility for yourself and family, working for what you get, and happiness in knowing that you earned it. What you have then becomes valuable, because no one handed it over to you. Affluenza goes out the window because you realize that what you earned becomes valuable, because you invested in it. You aren't living off mom or dad, the government, or someone else because you realize that real happiness come with what you invest in, not in what you take from someone else. This leads me to my final point on why Socialism is a failed system and why I am no longer a part of it.

4) Selfishness. Socialism says take and divide what those who have among those who don't. It sounds good in it's concept, but it is inherently flawed, I believe for one reason. It is rooted in selfishness. It is self serving. In *EVERY* case where socialism has been tried, it has failed because those who have and are in control don't live like those who don't. They don't want to live like the person who does not work for their earnings, and they don't want to give what they earned to someone who hasn't invested what they have. On the flip side is the person who has nothing. He wants what the other person has, because socialism teaches them that they "deserve" what the one who has it has acquired. In the Old Testament it was called coveting. Thinking you deserve something you really don't. Like free healthcare, TV, phones, housing. Socialism teaches that if he has it, I deserve it, regardless of how that person worked to get it. It needs to be mine because we are all equal. Well, that is not what our constitution teaches. It teaches us that we begin with equal standing as human beings, and what we get from there is a direct result of what we earn. Oh wait... is that a free market economy? Is that something that requires us to engage our brains so that we have to think and innovate in ways that really and truly make us marketable? Yep. This is why socialism fails at it's core. It fails to take any of this into account. Why should a kid not work his way through college? What is wrong with that? It shows he is responsible, dedicated and hard working. Doesn't that make them marketable? Why should someone work for conveniences like TV, internet, etc...? Doesn't that show ambition?

At the end of the day, with all of this said, only one more thing could be added... Socialism kills creativity, it kills ambition, it kills the will to succeed and be your own man or woman. It stifles the very heart of the American spirit and stands in opposition to all that our country was founded on. There is no Magical well of enchantment to dip into and drink deeply of. a well which magically makes you successful and prosperous and gets you things... Unless that well is called hard work. The sweat of your brow.