Memorial Message 2021

Most of my Facebook, Group friends and Blog readers probably no little about me. Albeit my posts give you a glimpse into my theological and geopolitical predilections. I served in the U.S. Army.  In fact, military service runs in my family. My father served during WWII – he fought campaigns in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, France Omaha Beach landing in Normandy, siege of Bastogne in Belgium. As my father would tell those who cared to listen, “the only contest I ever won was my draft number being the third one drawn for World War II.” He was one of the fortunate ones, who returned commemorating victory, but many of his brothers in arms did not make it home.   

Because of my father’s sacrifices and the values, he instilled in me, I joined the Army out of high school in 1965 and served as an Airborne Infantryman. In 1974 I was Commissioned a Second Lieutenant following graduation from University of Florida’s Army ROTC program. I eventually retired in 1995 following five years as a Division Chief at Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, NC.   

I learned so many lessons in the military which became the foundation of everything I did while on active duty and post active-duty life (retiremenmt). But I would not have had the opportunity to do what I loved most – serving our nation as a soldier for 30 years and later teaching high school Army JROTC – if it were not for the selfless men and women in our military who fought and died for our freedom to do what we love. Sadly, some who gave all, I served with.

The commitment, courage, and sacrifice of those who gave their lives to secure freedom for their fellow citizens should never be taken for granted. For too many, the Memorial Day weekend will signify little more than the beginning of summer, a long weekend, BBQs, and beers. Regretfully, honoring fallen heroes is not commonplace any longer, and unless future generations are taught that their freedom was purchased at a great price, the true meaning of Memorial Day itself may become nothing more than a memory. Lest we forget, we owe this freedom of choice and action to those brave men and women, in uniform who have served this nation and its interests in time of need. We are forever indebted to those who gave their lives that we might be free. As articulated in the immortal words Patrick Henry: “Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”  As a nation, let it be our pledge that we as a people never forget those who gave their last full measure while answering the call of “duty, honor, country” are never forgotten.

 

 

 

  

The Horse is Out of The Barn

The horse has left the barn. This recent cyberattack proves key parts of our infrastructure are exposed and vulnerable. We must put in place measures to protect our sophisticated, technology-dependent infrastructure against threats from cyber-criminals, domestic and international terrorists’ organizations, rouge nation states and geo-political enemies, namely, China, Russia, N. Korea, Iran... Failure to do so, will result in catastrophic consequences throughout the United States. Failure to protect ourselves, our nation, and our infrastructure directly, is not an option. A government commissioned EMP Task Force has on three occasions reported to Congress that in the event of an Electro Magnetic Pulse attack, 90% of the American population would be dead within a year. Another study and subsequent report conducted by the U.S. Air and Space Force's center for professional military education and the Curtis E. LeMay Center for Doctrine Development and Education warns that an electromagnetic pulse weapon attack could wipe out America, ‘democracy, and world order.’ The report, titled, “Electromagnetic Defense Task Force,” and the product of a summit of officials from 40 agencies, should serve as a forceful call for a new focus on preparing for either an enemy EMP attack or a natural hit such as a solar storm. While the EMP Defense Task Force is focused on the devastating impact an EMP strike would have on the military, it appears to support the congressional EMP warning that dark days for America are only a matter of when, not if. And we are not talking about long lines at the gas pumps. The Biden-Harris Administration’s current infrastructure proposal allocates $100 billion to upgrading the grid, with another $35 billion to develop climate solutions, $46 billion in federal buying power to accelerate clean energy efforts, R&D to eliminate racial and gender gaps in science, technology, engineering and math fields through investments in historically Black colleges and universities and minority-serving institutions. Lest I forget to mention, another $600 billion and counting for social style infrastructure programs, like upgrades to affordable housing, Green Housing, $400 billion for home-based care for elderly and disabled, $35 billion for climate change-related R&D, $50 billion for "research infrastructure" at the National Science Foundation, $50 billion for new Commerce Department office "dedicated to monitoring domestic industrial capacity," $213 billion for home sustainability and public housing... There will be little want for social programs, building dedications, investments in historically minority serving institutions ... in the likely event that our electric grids are compromised. That is not to say social programs are not magnanimous gestures, but we don't have the luxury of engaging in noble acts when the United States could be easily destroyed by bad actors seeking to incapacitate our Republic. Do I have your attention? Now is the time to shut the gate.

 

Why Now and Who is to Blame

Why now and who is to blame? Why the violent clashes between Palestinians and the Jewish state? The Left and its lap dog media would have us to believe the initial antagonists were a “Jewish Settler group who took it upon themselves to evict several Palestinian families from a nearby neighborhood." The fact of the matter is the Court upheld a previous ruling it had made in February. So why the protests now?  Regardless of our party affiliation we should know by now that the Palestinians use events, whether current or in the past, as pretexts, when there is political expediency to do so.  They are a “one-trick pony.”  But the Palestinian leadership is comprised primarily of Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist militants associated with Hamas and founded and influenced their kryptonite, Iran. The true genesis of the recent violence is that the Palestinian leadership and clerics incited it with the false claim that Israel had endangered the third holiest site in Islam, Al Aqsa Mosque.  Is this not historically reminiscent of the same type falsehoods that has sparked frequent terror strikes over the years in Israel and other places throughout the world? But I digress, in preparation for such strikes, they stockpile Molotov cocktails, ammunition, small arms, rockets, bricks... in mosques, schools, hospitals...  and then hurl them at targeted source.  This time they timed the assault to coincide with Ramadan. If not Ramadan, then Layat al-qadr (Night of Power) or Eid al-fitr, Haji, Day of Arafat, Eid al-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice) ... Again, I digress, the current, like past Palestinian opposition to Israel is about not one neighborhood or this or that, but the existence of all of Israel.