I am an ex-18E40 (translation... 21 years of military service in the Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) 18E, Special Forces Communications Non-Commissioned Officer). Or as most would probably recognize, an ex-Green Beret. I'm more of a product of the Cold War and preparing for WWIII against the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe; and thank God it never happened!
Well I guess that is more like who I was, as my last year of service was 2015 in the U.S. Army Reserves following 13 years Active Duty and 5 in the National Guard. My units were 3rd and 1st Battalions of 10th Special Forces Group, SOCEUR, 3rd Battalion 19th Special Forces Group, Special Operations Detachment - Pacific, and Special Operations Command South.
Countries I've been deployed to: Germany, Italy, Norway, Belgium, Spain, Austria, Turkey, Iraq, Russia, Bangladesh and Cambodia. I'm probably forgetting one or two, but those are the ones off the top of my head.
I also worked as a contractor for the U.S. Central Command and Special Operations Command South, so as you can see I've been working directly and indirectly for the military, and specifically in Special Operations Forces for most of my adult life.
I throw all that up front because seems to be what most folks want to hear, but to be perfectly it isn't who I am, there is actually a person just like you that I consider "me".
The me that I identify with is just a guy who is passionate about my Christian faith, libertarian politics, and America. Sure, I have lots of "war stories" to tell, but it's not what I am passionate about. What I am passionate about is following Jesus as he instructed us to follow him, fighting for the freedom our forefathers bled and gave their lives to give us, and to say and say loudly any damn thing I want to! I believe in the freedom of speech, and would die fighting for your right to free speech, even if I hated what you had to say.
I am very alarmed at the state of free speech in America in 2019, as we are witnessing the rise of social media mobs attacking any and everyone that they don't want to hear, and the abuse of social media corporate giants who are working to silence political views they don't like, and do so hiding behind the banner of not being restricted from doing so by the 1st Amendment. There is could and should, and Facebook, Twitter and the rest of the social media monopolies don't seem to know or care about their civic duty and responsibility in maintaining neutrality.
Think of it like this...
This past week the KKK held a rally in Dayton Ohio and had 9 supporters show up, and hundreds of counter-protestors show up as well. In my opinion this is the 1st Amendment actually working. Instead of trying to shut them up because many or most would consider what they have to say as offensive, they were allowed to show up, speak their minds, and to hear what those who greatly outnumbered them thought about it. Perfection! A self licking ice cream cone if you will. They didn't need to be shut down, but instead allowed to make their case. I say go for it! Do you think that they walked away thinking that their message was a success, or a sign that more folks disagreed with their message and cause, than wanted to hear it?
I support bakers who refuse to bake wedding cakes for ceremonies that they believe violates their religious principles, and the right of anyone who doesn't like their stand to buy cakes someplace else.
I support the 1st Amendment, and am strongly opposed to any and everyone who feels that shutting down free speech through passing laws to restrict free speech, that the "good cause" is a valid reason to chip away at our Constitutional rights.
I am unapologetically pro-life. I don't support abortion in any shape or form, but respect your right to disagree with me.
I am pro-2nd Amendment, but perhaps not exactly what you might imagine coming from someone with my background...
When the 2nd Amendment was written, it was written when the effective rate of fire from rifles and pistols was about 2 rounds per minute because of the time it took to reload after discharging their firearm. It was inconceivable to them at that time that a firearm could be used to masacre dozens or more, as fast as you could pull a trigger and reload. It is my opinion that they did consider that firearms in the hands of a madman needed to be addressed. In their day and age you might get off one round in a school shooting, and you would undoubtedly get your butt handed to you while you were reloading, by any adult male or female that just watched you shoot a child.
In fact, what they were trying to do with the 2nd Amendment was to ensure that if the newly formed U.S. government decided to act like tyrants, that they could repeat the revolution and give power back to the people. Then, they relied on militias for this act if needed, and the militia was EVERY male of fighting age, and they were to report to LOCAL civil authorities if needed to counter any threat to their local communities (e.g. foreign invasion, Indian attack, etc.). It was a military forces specifically formed to protect local families against any threat to their Constitutionally protected freedom and rights.
Do you think that that mindset exists in 2019?
Me neither, and is why I fully support a Constitutional Convention to address the 2nd Amendment to meet the needs and expectations of 21st century society. It kind of brings me back to the freedom of speech... I support saying it and debating, rather than trying to silence it because you don't like it.
Well if read this far congratulations and thank you for taking the time to get to know the man behind the blog posts you will read in the future.
De Oppresso Liber!