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Iraq – The Surge – A Patrol

by Captain JMD, call sign Echo Zulu 21, US Army (Veteran)

Memories of my time in service and specifically certain experiences in relation to deploying are still very vivid. I don’t want to be dramatic, but considering how disconnected so many Americans are with current sacrifices that are our Military is still enduring, with a war going on “behind the scenes” and most of America disengaged , I think it’s important to highlight reality.

American Lives are being lost. I remember early October 2006. We were within 2 weeks from deploying, replacing the 4^th Infantry Division (ID) out of Fort Hood, TX. The radio was already on in my Chevy Cavalier and I was driving to Physical Training (PT) on a Monday morning. Rolling to a stop in front of one of what seemed like 10,000 cleaners, the voice on the radio spoke of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) that took the lives of three 4^th ID Soldiers, in the Area of Operations (AO) my unit was being assigned. It wasn’t supposed to be that bad. There was a Burger King, Pizza Hut and Post Exchange (PX) there. After Wednesday, I exclusively listened to my iPod Shuffle, because it was now clearly a trend and I knew I was going to be driving right through the neighborhoods where these heroes’ families lived. Also, I was scared.

My Platoon. I was assigned the Support Platoon 3 weeks prior to wheels up, meaning I was getting to know an entirely new Platoon Sergeant, NCO group and unit of Soldiers with jobs I was not familiar with. I was branched Ordnance out of Army R.O.T.C. and primarily had focused on maintenance and ammunition through doctrinal training. My first Platoon on Active Duty was a 120 Soldier maintenance unit. We were largely responsible for the fueling and transportation of our Heavy Battalion: Tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicles. We supplied oil, gasoline, and ammunition; and when down range the ultimate comfort …Porta Shitters. (By the way, ever seen one of those bad boys over flow on the back of a US Army transportation vehicle on a patrol, with the toilet paper that randomly popped off the holder, so it’s streaming down the street dangling in between every vehicle in the patrol? If you haven’t, I will give you a heads up: Battalion Commanders do not like that; however, local Iraqis will figure out a way to maximize its value and you will hate your life when you get back on the Forward Operating Base (FOB) and have to pressure wash your vehicles to remove the Iraqi Police (IP) or Iraqi Army (IA) shit.

The Plan. Contact picked up and sustained quickly after we arrived just north of Baghdad and leadership developed a plan to take action. Part of that plan was to try and maximize assets and leaders. I was asked to train and lead my platoon to take on the route clearance mission, which would allow our tasked Engineer unit to be free for other important missions. Honestly, over tasked is likely irrelevant, because we were all “doing more with less” and that was something that, for me, has translated into a transferrable skill in the civilian workforce as well.

IEDs Suck. IEDs were the number one killer of US Troops during the time I was deployed and it was literally increasing daily. If you took small arms fire, it was like a weight lifted off of your shoulders, because you would identify the target, return fire, destroy the target and you’re done with it. If you found an IED, a hoax IED, or got hit with one, there’s about a million different scenarios that could unfold. I’ll start with one of many long days on a route clearance patrol.

Prayer. At 0300 my watch alarm goes off. Doesn’t matter, because I was wide awake. Grab my shaving stuff, head to the bathroom, shave, and head back to the room. Put my uniform on, bless myself with St. Jude’s oil, and head out to the motor pool. Unlock our makeshift office, check my Operations Order and walk over to headquarters. Get the Intelligence brief, say F-my life and head back to the motor pool. My Soldiers are checking the vehicles, but not much left to be done, because we got everything ready the night before. There is an extremely important local meeting, the local tribal meeting, that my Commander and other VIPs are participating in and it’s in Tarmiyiah, which as my man Echo Charlie would say, “is hotter than the devils hell”. Regardless of that, we’re going to clear the ENTIRE route, which encompasses 95% of the AO. Also, I’ve not taken a patrol up the eastern side of our AO yet, on Route Cobras, which is a 10 mile stretch of choke points connecting Route Coyotes, which connects to MSR Tampa (picture Iraqi I-95), and goes to south to Camp Taji.

8 MPH. It’s still dark, we’re rolling out with 1 Husky (big ass mine detector), 1 Buffalo (a Transformer with a robotic arm made exclusively to be blown off by IEDs) and 3 Humvees with .50 cals. Steely eyed EZ21 (me) is in command of this elite unit, saying Hail Mary’s in between every possible time I had to actually communicate to someone and we’re topping out at 8mph.

Iraqi Stare-down. So the sun comes up, people start coming out and we’re not finding much. We’re moving north on Cobras and as we approach 0900 in the morning, getting closer to Tarmiyah, we notice a change in the civilians. No smiles, people waving us off, people coming closer and closer to the patrol. At some point shortly thereafter, I hear the leadership head up to Tarmiyah and they are following us, since we’re clearing their route…but it’s taking longer than anticipated. At some point about 75% of the way to Tarmiyah, the leadership’s patrol catches up and they pass us to head to their destination about 5 kilometers northwest of us. Then the call comes in from Demon 6, my commander:

Comms. “EZ 21 this is Demon 6: we’ve got command wire on the south side of Coyotes at grid (IED indicator)”…basically, west side of Tarmiyah…the leaderships egress route-potentially. There’s two ways in and out of Tarmiyah: Cobras and Coyotes.

So Demon 6 has a platoon dismounted and they’ve established security and they’ve been there for roughly 2 hours by the time we get there. Coyotes is a slightly elevated road, with tall reeds that come up level with the roof of a Humvee in most locations. There’s limited visibility for the vehicle and the road is built up a bit, almost like on a platform in some spots.

IED Halt. I dismount and link up with Demon 6 and we take a knee behind the vehicle opposite of the command wire. He told me that the command wire was tangled up in the reeds and there was also some loose gravel about 20 meters west on Coyotes from where we were. On top of that, we had a few Apaches come on site, and when they did, 2 people on a bike sped off (probably the enemy positioned to trigger the IED). Several indicators of a potential IED attack. All the while, the leadership meeting is over, the route is certainly NOT cleared and everyone in Tarmiyah knows who’s in that meeting.

So, we send the Buffalo up, the wire gets cut, it digs up a propane tank…no idea what’s inside of it. “2-1, what do you want to do?” I advise to call Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), and get rid of it. The site has been secure for close to 3 hours at this point and EOD was aware. They come up, do a controlled detonation and pack up shop. Time to head home, finish the route clearance and be done with this mission…but we are far from home at an 8 mph clip.

Demon Company heads back to their patrol base in Tarmiyah to help secure the Command’s patrol and we continue on with clearing Coyotes, westbound, to then hit MSR Tampa and then head south to Camp Taji. EOD hits me up on the radio, asks to pass on our left side, I say sure and we slow to about 1-2mph and drift slowly to the right side of the road, giving them the lane to our left. Then the earth explodes like a volcano. It literally looked like a volcano, zero exaggeration!

IED explosion. I saw the flames and road break apart and then simultaneously SPC Whiskey, my driver, slammed the breaks and my head turned and faced him. I saw his face slam on the steering wheel, we stopped and my Kevlar hit the dashboard. As my head came back up, I faced out of the windshield and the explosion was still there. Instantly, I thought the EOD vehicle that just passed us was gone. Over the radio I can hear my gunner and dismount, PFC Sierra and PFC Alpha, so I know we’re up and also hear the two vehicles behind me, because they had no idea where we were since the explosion debris engulfed us. I start calling the EOD call sign, as well as the route clearance Buffalo and Husky team and they report back as all good. As soon as that happens, I start hearing our .50’s going off, trying to immobilize a van speeding off north through the reeds.

Meanwhile, I’m on the radio reporting the IED attack, being hit up by Command who’s trying to come down Coyotes to get back to the FOB, because Route Cobras was now a “black route,” meaning No Go terrain. Cobras is “black”, because our other route clearance team found an IED on it.

IED Tactics. Two deep buried 155mm Artillery Rounds went off directly in front of my Humvee and directly behind the EOD vehicle. Battle damage assessment (BDA) conducted by the EOD team determined that the first IED that was called in was a hoax, set up to learn our tactics and drills with the plan to hit us on the way back home. Additionally, had they not buried those rounds so deep, it would have been a different outcome for both of our vehicles and crew. The blast site and burial of the 155mm rounds caused the explosion to go straight up in a controlled manner. I credit St. Jude’s oil and nonstop Hail Mary’s.

It’s an Army thing. The Command team passed my patrol on MSR Tampa heading south back to the FOB. The gunner in my rear vehicle was not wearing his combat gloves at this point and leadership noticed. I then proceeded to take the biggest ass chewing of my Military career, after all of that, but I was talking to another unit on another frequency, so I did not hear it. I sure found out when I got back to headquarters to submit my patrol debrief.

Lived another day. My Company Commander thought I was KIA, which she told me when I got back, because…well who knows. The rest of the Battalion staff was laughing hysterically, because of the epic ass chewing tirade the Battalion Commander went on, all while thinking he was talking to me, but in reality it was my Private dismount troop talking to him, because I was on another frequency.

Good first month. That was about 30 days into what ended up being a 15 month deployment. I’m proud to say that I still have family and friends that continue to serve and bear the sacrifices that are undoubtedly getting more and more difficult, and more distant to the American public.

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GothamCiti

“Save the Franchise”

Tumbling, stumbling and falling into the abyss circa 2010, Master Alderson was wondering, searching, and praying for an answer. Endowed with US Marine focus, he kept circling back to the mission, “save the franchise.” Hamstrung with few financial resources after being undermined by the villain Madoff, he co-opted a man willing to take on the challenge of leading an upstart group of underdogs that were committed to playing the game the right way and battling for victory each day. Chieftain Collins, experienced in being underestimated, did not hesitate at the challenge in a city of doubt. He took the challenge and ran with it ignoring his crosstown rivals.

… and then Boom! Five years into the experiment; after turmoil, sweat, tears and hard work, it happened under Captain America’s (#5 David Wright) leadership, the Super Heros emerged. One-by-one they began to make their mark. From the shadows, emerged the Dark Knight (#33 Matt Harvey) to rest control of Gotham. Fighting a glorious battle, the Dark Knight had a wing clipped in 2013 and returned to the bat cave to recover. But he would not be denied upon his return.

His battery mate, Wolverine (#45 Zach Wheeler) picked up the slack and continued the fight in Gotham and delivered smoke and high heat to the enemy. Although the Wolverine was a mutant and engineered to not suffer human injuries, he was infected with a virus in 2014 and suffered a similar injury to the Dark Knight.

The Silver Surfer (#48 Jacob deGrom) emerged to carry on the fight, and fight he did. Regularly underestimated entering Gotham’s rotation he emerged in 2014 as the NL Rookie of the Year, and in 2015 he used his “faster than light” super power to mow down the AL All-Stars in 10 pitches in a single inning, an All-Star game record.

Enter stage right from the dugout, Thor (#34, Noah Syndergaard), “if you have a problem with me pitching inside, meet me 60 feet and 6 inches away” led the NY Mets with his big hammer, warrior spirit and willingness to challenge royalty at every turn. While the villain Moustakas fired F-bombs from his safe fortress in the dugout, and hid behind umpires, Thor picked up his hammer and went to work mowing the royalty down, to include the little kitten Moustakas.

… And prepared for battle at a moments notice, Iron Man (#32 Steven Matz), part of Gotham’s Queens Vengeance Force, used his brilliant intellect and sophisticated pitches to silence the enemy at the plate, especially from a flank attack on the left.

… and then, when the battle endured late into the night, enter The Hulk (#40, Bartolo Colon) to wage his brand of war with brute strength, craftiness and an appetite to defeat all enemies at all costs! Willing to take on all challenges and park his ego for his superhero teammates, he set the tone with the spirit of an ageless, hungry warrior.

In the year 2015, the Gotham Greats took the fight to the privileged royalties after being under-estimated all year. Their work is far from over after needing to re-group after a fierce five game battle. Outplaying their opponent for the first six innings of each game, they failed to protect their advantage late in innings. The Gotham Greats have reset, refocused and are already preparing for battle in the 2016 campaign. They are wiser, more experienced and filled with an indomitable spirit to conquer and vanquish their opponents beginning with their arch rivals, a pesky fly known as the Nats!

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Exodus

The modern day Exodus has been well under way in the Middle East for the last six years of the Obama Administration. This time instead of Israelis fleeing Egypt, Christians are fleeing Iraq, Syria and neighboring countries. The exodus has been supercharged since the Obama Administration withdrew US Forces from Iraq in 2011, against the recommendations of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. This single decision set in motion the formation of the brutal terrorist organization ISIS, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, organized from extremist Islamic terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda Iraq (AQI) among others. ISIS is one big dung pile in the heart of the Middle East attracting low-life maggots from across the world to terrorize the innocent, brutalize Christians and pillage civilian populations that don’t conform to their brand of Islam.

In 2010, US Vice President Joe Biden, said this, “I am very optimistic about — about Iraq. I mean, this could be one of the great achievements of this administration. You’re going to see 90,000 American troops come marching home by the end of the summer. You’re going to see a stable government in Iraq that is actually moving toward a representative government,” said Biden. It is a gross understatement to say VP Biden got this wrong. US troops withdrew creating a vacuum for Iranian influence and cooperation with the Shia al-Maliki government to dominate Iraq’s politics, which alienated the Sunni’s leading to the resurgence of terrorism and ISIS.

Between President Obama’s flippant comment about ISIS being the JV team; and his failure to honor his own words three and half years ago telling President Assad of Syria, that using chemical weapons would be crossing a red line, and then doing nothing as Assad gassed his own people, the president opened all the doors on the barn of ignorance, weakness and hollowness. The US has lost credibility with our friends and enemies alike resulting in tremendous loss of innocent life and the current quagmire of what is left if the heart of the middle east.

In Iraq today it is estimated that there are less than five hundred thousand Christians remaining from an Iraqi population of 1.5 million Christians ten years ago. In Syria, six hundred thousand have fled or been killed out of an estimated population of 1.1 million Christians. Al Qaeda, ISIS, terrorist maggots are not on the run, they have re-grouped, reorganized and grown in size and number, and they have carved out their own country, the so called “Caliphate,” out of Iraq and Syria. All this while the world’s greatest power has sat on the sidelines for five, six years allowing this cesspool of terrorists to grow in number while our president gave speeches denying the seriousness of the threat and the resurgence of terrorist numbers. Paris and San Bernardino were the final straws of disgust with the American public demanding action from this president as over 70% of the American public disagrees with a “leading from behind” approach to foreign policy which has now been defined as The Obama Doctrine, “do nothing, at any cost.”

Americans may be war weary but when we withdraw from being the world’s conscious, bad things happen and in this case, a Christian Exodus of the living runs over the graves of the hundreds of thousands who have been persecuted. This is not us, this is not our country, we are not cowards. We stand up and fight for innocents, and we win! I remind all of us, there are reasons to fight!

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SmokingMan

With X-Files returning and a sighting of Smoking Man in a recent episode, we are left wondering who he is? What does he represent? Who does he really work for? Is he hiding aliens or is he orchestrating a government conspiracy to control Americans in order to establish a one world government and eliminate our freedoms. If America falls, they all fall. He knows it. Does he respect the US constitution or does he lead through executive fiats and orders? Who is Smoking Man?

Some believe he is a progressive democratic as he believes in a central authority controlling the lives of the ordinary unwashed masses. Uber-regulation supercharged with alien technology and DNA, the master keys to controlling the human race and eliminating the pesky libertarians and patriots. Amazon drone delivery units, street cameras on every corner and GPS enabled cell phones, convenience items for the public or orchestrated control by the Smoking Man to track us, all of us? Insights from the Smoking Man in his own words:

“Men can never be free, because they’re weak, corrupt, worthless… and restless. The people believe in authority. They’ve grown tired of waiting for miracle or mystery. Science is their religion – no greater explanation exists for them! They must never believe any differently if the project is to go forward.”

The “project,” what is the project? Mulder and Scully have been searching this answer for decades. Some believe the project is the American Affordable Care Act (ACA). Get the masses signed up, collect all their personal information and family history, secure their DNA and begin “the selection” and tagging process. Build the data base, empower control through the IRS and have the masses re-register every year through enrollment with significant fees and co-payments to secure the necessary funding. Supposedly this scheme was developed by the Smoking Man and the One World Syndicate, implemented by a willing democratic progressive movement.

This theory, although highly plausible has yet to be proven. The 53^rd Regiment would like your thoughts, your opinions on this matter. Please help us analyze what the Smoking Man and his cohorts are up to. Post up with your comments.

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Shameful

by CDR (R), USN

American Sailors being held at gun point by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRG) on their knees and with their hands behind their heads. Captain James Lawrence’s dying words during the War of 1812 – “Don’t give up the ship” – have been lost in America’s failed foreign policy and our decline on the world stage. Our mighty fighting force is no longer respected, not because we lack capability but because our nation’s leaders lack the backbone to stand and if necessary fight. We no longer fight on principal nor stand our ground on the battlefield or on the vessels flying our nation’s colors. Our nation’s leaders thank our adversary for the safe treatment of our fighting force instead of being outraged and demanding the global community hold Iran accountable for their actions of capturing our sailors instead of rendering aid, and humiliating them by parading their pictures on public media, clearly a violation of the Geneva Convention and of course a complete propaganda play. They succeeded. We failed.

Although I think there should be accountability for the officer’s actions as it led to giving up the two Riverine Command Boats (RCB’s), the much larger problem is that we are perceived as a weak and capitulating nation. We are not respected. We are no longer feared. Our leaders try to appease our adversaries; they should take a few minutes to see how that worked out with the rise of Nazi Germany. They should read a history book. They should apply common sense. They should google Iran – 1979. They should figure out that peace is achieved through strength, not weakness. The US SEVENTH FLEET motto sums it up the best – A Ready Power for Peace.

We need to change the direction of our country to ensure the USA remains a superpower and doesn’t collapse like the former Soviet Union. One only needs to refer to the words of our national anthem to determine how we do this. We Americans are free people, we are brave people; but we need to use our wits and our intellect to ensure we elect the right leaders that will keep our nation strong. At the end of the day, the accountability rests with populace empowered to put in place our democratically elected leaders.

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NationalFailureLeague?

Is the NFL too Big to Fail?

By The Badger

The Super Bowl is right around the corner. The game is the pinnacle of its sport. It’s not just about a football championship game it’s also about marketing, advertising and sponsorships. Frankly, it’s about big business. Ticket prices are steep, CEO’s mingle with Hollywood celebrities and the parties both before and after the game would make the Great Gatsby envious.

To own an NFL franchise is a capitalist’s dream. While there are certainly great risks to go along with the incredible asking price of a franchise today, the overall financial rewards are significant and have helped some of the current owners become billionaires. Many of the owners as well as the NFL execs in NY are truly great business leaders who have combined an excellent overall marketing strategy with a terrific product resulting in unprecedented appreciation in the value of their teams. Think Apple stock price appreciation over the last 10 years and you will start to get the picture on how the value of an NFL franchise has grown the last decade. I repeat, to own an NFL franchise is a capitalist’s dream.

But is the NFL really a business based on capitalism? Does company (or in this case team) revenue sharing across all competitors sound like capitalism? That’s how the TV contracts work in the NFL. When a company (again in this context team) wants to relocate to improve their economic situation how many capitalistic industries require a majority approval vote across all the competitors to approve the move? Other than perhaps one of the other professional sports leagues I can’t think of any. While I love the teamwork of football and of the NFL, the more I think about it I come back to the thought that there are elements of a monopoly here. Sure, there are 32 individual teams but the case could be made that the league as a whole is certainly not a pure capitalistic industry. Interesting to note too that the NFL can get local municipalities (tax payers) to fund new multi million dollar stadiums. Sound capitalistic to you?

Be clear your author loves professional sports but more importantly is thankful for all the opportunities our great capitalistic society has provided him. I know that the competition that comes from and with capitalism drives innovation, drives consumer value and drives more opportunity for more people. Is the NFL doing all of that? I don’t think so.

The NFL needs to be careful. While it’s the biggest most popular professional sports league in the country it’s got some PR issues. Player safety, player character and affordability for the fan base are all brewing issues. Billionaire owners appear to be overly focused on driving more and more personal wealth in a “clubby” industry insulated from much if any government oversight. In a sluggish economy where most Americans are currently not prospering the NFL would be wise to be mindful that they are not too big to fail.

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Tribute

Farewell to an Old Soldier by LTC (P) Zoltan “Z” Krompecher

Being an Army family means that my wife and children have accepted the requirement to move often: every one to three years we pack our worldly possessions and move to a new location, each one unique in its own way. This lifestyle has led to wonderful relationships, and we look back fondly on the friendship made with a family from Kalamazoo. Recently, the Western Michigan University and Kalamazoo community said goodbye to a man who spent most of his life serving as a natural ambassador to the university, the Army, and the community. He was a friend to many.

In my first week as the Professor of Military Science at Western Michigan University (WMU), a time when I was still trying to figure out where to park, a gentleman with a Soldier’s stature walked into my office and introduced himself as Herb Kenz. A comfortable conversation ensued between two soldiers who, following combat, found academia a welcome environment. Herb shared childhood tales of growing up in Saint Ignace, his journey to war, and the courtship of Jean, the woman who captured his heart.

Following high school, life pushed Herb out of the quietude of the U.P. and into a world broken from war. As a soldier in occupied Japan he guarded Emperor Hirohito and became part of the healing process between former enemies. Five years later, he stared war in the face in Korea. These experiences must have led him to believe the world could be a better place, because he came home to Michigan and Jean (staying in the Army reserves) and decided to help others through teaching, but what I remember most about Herb and Jean was the way they “adopted” WMU ROTC cadets.

ROTC cadets generally represent a variety backgrounds but are united in the hope of one day commissioning as Army officers. They are the great “unwashed” who arrive on campus nervous and apprehensive. To temper their anxiety, Herb and other WMU ROTC Alumni, along with spouses, show up on the first day to grill food, share stories, answer questions, and make newly arrived students feel welcome: a shining example of generations passing hands.

Herb had a warm smile and easy approach which helped cadets see past temporary discomfort by understanding the world is worth getting up for in the morning, even at 0530 to run in the Michigan cold. Through their efforts, the WMU ROTC alumni formed strong bonds with the cadets. They helped the cadets press on towards the finish line together. They made it, and somewhere along the line they discovered each other and themselves. With every new class of cadets, Herb never lost that smile or the warmth that enveloped those of us lucky enough to know him. After graduating, many cadets entered the army ingrained with the lessons of camaraderie that Herb and his ilk helped teach them. Many of these young officers return to campus to impart these same lessons onto new generations of cadets.

Perhaps the deepest lesson Herb taught us, one not found in an Army manual, was not to return to the ordinariness of our lives because faith, family and the greater good are more important than oneself. He loved Jean, their children, his students and WMU. He loved Michigan.

For a time, Herb and Jean participated in Community Theater. It makes sense, because he could adapt to any environment. In the end, it was as if he needed a larger stage, so he left the spotlight to be with Jean.

Last month, alumni and students of WMU gathered in Saint Augustine’s to pay tribute to Herb. Lieutenant Colonel (Retried) John Colburn held roll-call by calling out the names of present service members, each one responding with, “Here, Sir!” When they got to Herb’s name there was no response. Second passed and then a 21-gun salute was fired following by a lonely trumpet playing Taps to honor the kind soul of a man who never really grew old.

I arrived to Kalamazoo knowing nobody, and then Herb showed up.

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Ram-i-festo (NFL)

Ramifesto” by Black Jack Pershing

I am an adopted St Louisan. I love it. I have lived all over the US to include both coasts and many places in between. For those of us that like a good run in humidity because it makes us feel alive, who love baseball, who love a great neighborhood pub, who love down to earth real friends, and who love interesting American history, this town is just fine. If you think it’s just Ferguson and the Arch – maybe you need to read about your country more.

Anyway. Some thoughts on the Rams, a team I was never a fan of, even when I lived in LA and they were there.

1. Date and you might be disappointed: before we get into anything else, let’s agree that the Rams left LA and were romanced to come to St Louis. Sometimes you end just as you start.

2. History, Heritage, Ritual, Pride: all of the best organizations whether they be sports teams, companies, or religions have shared heritage that is celebrated. Think about the Steelers. Think about the Packers. Think about even those irritating Cowboys. They are iconic and reflective of their cities. The baseball Cardinals are pure St Louis. Reflective of the town. History? Google it. Heritage: Stan the Man and so many more. Ritual? Meet me at the Stan the Man statue. Pride? What other team opens their season with the Budweiser Clydesdales circling the field. I’ve been there with tears welling up to see it. My point? The Rams had none of that. ZERO. The team was initially well managed and bravo: The greatest show on turf, etc – thank you Dick Vermeil. But it wasn’t real. It was a fluke. The Edward Jones Dome is nice. Certainly a fine place to see a game. But it’s not what you would call a cathedral to football. How could it be? It was built for a team that wasn’t here yet. And the namesake Rams? Native to St Louis? Hmmmmm. That doesn’t add up. A Football team from St Louis should ideally be called the Brew Masters or The Big Muddy’s – inspire us please.

3. Kroenke: a low class dope from a small town in Missouri who is still trying to prove he can hang out with the big boys. Read his interview in the LA Times. Awkard and pathetic and so eager to please that community. Kharma will prevail. They denied Rush Limbaugh the team out of political correctness. At least he’d never curry favor with nauseating west coast elites.

4. LA: it sucks. Nice weather. The end. The Rams and Raiders both left. Nothing has changed since the early 90’s. I am proud to say I attended the last game both teams played in LA, against each other. To this day it is known as the game that holds the record for the most fan fights in the stands. More than 300 were arrested or thrown out. I guess they thought it was their last chance. It is hard to get anywhere in LA, and most people do not want to sit in traffic 90 minutes both ways to attend an NFL game. This is why both teams left. Fans were not up for it. Kroenke picked Inglewood for the new stadium. A dangerous area often mentioned in old school rap songs. No one will want to drive there. Further – unlike St Louis, Pittsburgh, New Orleans, Dallas, or DC, LA is not a real city – it’s a region of sprawling communities. There is very little civic pride. Good luck Kroenke. You will need it. And no matter what, you will never fit in and never be liked out there. They think you are a useful tool.

5. The NFL: It hires people of bad character, rewards them and defends them. It is a money oriented machine. It’s all been said. Their role in this whole thing is something like a hybrid between a madam of a very large whore house and Pontius Pilot. These are dishonorable people. These are dishonest people. These are cynical people. My best guess is that they are eyeing an international model based on the interest in some cities like London and Toronto in having their own teams. I’ve met lots of European NFL fans. It’s something different for those poor souls who have had to watch the ‘beautiful game’ all their lives.

6. St Louis: this town needs to get its act together with an aggressive growth plan with appropriate incentives for businesses. Almost in spite of itself it has a very vibrant startup and tech sector emerging and plenty of good news happening. The new stadium development site would have worked miracles on a large stretch of riverfront that needs an overhaul. That’s too bad. Mayor Francis Slay has said “I’m done with the NFL” I hope he sticks to his words. Let’s get a professional soccer team (the beautiful game again) since most kids have now grown up with that sport and just start over.

7. It won’t happen – but I would love to see the country abandon the NFL to an extent that would render the investments of all the skunks involved in it useless. Are there good people in the NFL? Of course. But they are not winning the day or influencing positive outcomes.
Summary: St Louis: good; Kroenke: bad; NFL: bad; LA: bad; Inglewood: even worse. Oh yeah – forgot to mention – Jeff Fisher: bad too.Ramifesto

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Iran

Iran

Legacy Trumps US Security

Legacy trumps four decades of bi-partisan statesmanship of five consecutive presidents until President Barack Obama. Hubris is dangerous and in this case, it is undermining US foreign policy ignoring precedent and five decades of US policy toward Iran. Cult of personality and a self-assessment of “I know better than my predecessors “is a dangerous course in securing peace and fostering a more peaceful and unified world.

After awarding Iran $150 billion of US dollars that have been held since their 1979 Iranian Islamic Revolution ( coming to the table on Barack Obama’s nuclear deal), regardless of the history of holding US hostages for over a year during the Iran Hostage Taking of US Citizens and not changing Iranian sponsored terrorism; and their continued practice of taking hostages to foster their form of Islamic extremism on the world, the Iranian government actions signaling toward the US continues to be belligerent including the most recent event of mistreating ten US sailors at gun point on their hands and knees for an apparent navigation error.

In regards to the $150 billion dollars we are giving Iran, Secretary of State Kerry said two days ago, “I think that some of it will end up in the hands of the IRGC or other entities, some of which are labeled terrorists” referring to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps. “You know, to some degree, I’m not going to sit here and tell you that every component of that can be prevented.” Question to Kerry, why then are we doing this deal? Terrorists of sorted ilk attacked Fort Hood; Tennessee; New York City; Arkansas; and most recently San Bernardino, CA; but yet you are not concerned about that? What are we passionate about — the Iranians or protecting Americans at any cost? Is there anything that Iran would do to cause you to recommend that we should not pursue this deal?

Your job Mr. President is to Protect Americans at all costs vs. taking a bow on the world stage for some ill-fated treaty that couldn’t secure enough votes in the US Congress, and once again relies on a President who issues edicts like a King in the form of Executive Orders because he can’t lead and build consensus through the strength of his convictions. Weakness begets weakness. You have failed us through your lack of engagement and serious consideration to the opposition party in the US Senate & House. It is ignorant to think you have it all figured out. We have reached a new low driven by your hubris. Peace through strength is no where to be found!

A few more points to the American public as we embark on President Obama’s Iranian Compromise:

Does it bother you that we likely lost over one thousand American lives in Iraq by the hands of Iranians either directly or indirectly through their creation of a most deadly form of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) known as the Explosive Form Projectile (EFP)? These IEDs were manufactured in Iran and shipped to Iraq through their militia network
Does it bother you that we likely have tens of thousands of American troops suffering the loss of limb, battle fatigue and mental duress from being victimized from an IED/EFP?
Do you know that the Iranians trained southern Iraq Shia and Shia militia to fight and kill US troops fighting in Iraq from 2003 through the ill-advised Presidential directive to withdraw against the advice and counsel of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and US Generals Officers (2011)? I seem to recall that VP Biden stated that the Iraq victory was going to be one of President Barak Obama’s greatest achievements in office. “Bin Laden is dead and GM is alive,” something like that. And today, ISIS in Iraq and Syria represents the ignorance of our President to withdraw prematurely against the advice and consent of his senior military officers to leave a residual force to continue to train, advise and give a backbone to the new Iraq Army. Make sense? Of course it does!! Except to the one who knows better than all of us — our current President.

When you have a President and a Secretary of State that puts legacy over US Security, we have a problem. When you have a President that chooses to not make his case to the opposition party because of his dogmatic style, and outright goes around US public engagement, but chooses to makes his case to the “world,” we have something significantly less than an American leader devoted to the best interests of this nation’s people. Some have questioned what President Obama really represents and his true agenda with this deal. It is this exact circumstance that makes us question his motives even that much more.

… lastly, and some wonder how a candidate named Trump has emerged as a front runner … perhaps because his message is simple, “Make America Great Again.” There are many Americans yearning for optimism, freedom and raising their children to live the American Dream free of terrorism and a terrorist state with nukes !!!

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Rights

Rights by pmwalt2

There’s been plenty of rhetoric recently on the topic of gun rights. Many consider our current gun laws too permissive while others consider them too restrictive. Until recently, I thought we in the Commonwealth had attained a balanced, sensible balance of Second Amendment rights with common-sense safe guards in regulating how firearms were handled within the our borders.

Rather than debate whether or not current laws are adequate, let’s have an open discussion on how all of our rights are affected when those in power govern thru edict and proclamation.

Virginia’s Attorney General, thru the state’s Police Superintendent, recently revoked concealed carry permit reciprocity between Virginia and 25 states. This was done without the advice and consent of the State’s Legislature nor was there any offering for public comment. It appears this action was highly influenced by anti-gun lobbyist outside of the state. Prior to this, Virginia’s governor took steps to restrict the legal carry of firearms in certain state buildings, again doing so without the advice or consent of the legislature. Finally, our President has elected to adopt a course of action placing restrictions on legal gun ownership and is doing so without the advice or consent of the legislature.

I have trouble with this.

First and foremost, the powers of elected officials are granted to them from the citizens of this country. They are not our rulers and we are not their subjects. We are not a rabble who these officials lord after and permit us simple freedoms. We are, rather, those who have empowered these few to administer governments for our mutual benefit.

Secondly, I take great umbrage against people who think they know what is best for me – and treat my rights as one would treat an infant child. This arrogance of the elite who consider themselves superior to me and the collective citizenry of this land is insulting. They consider it their duty to restrict 2^nd Amendment Rights because they know better than me. This elitism is pervasive and troubling because it creates an aura of a ruling elite. It is not a principal of how this country evolved or what it stands for. Ruling elitism is not good for any of our rights guaranteed under the Constitution … the 2^nd Amendment being only the first of many placed at risk.

Disclosure: I’m a gun owner, a concealed carry permit carrier and a retired veteran of the Marine Corps. I’ve gone thru a NICS check every time I’ve purchased a firearm. I went thru an ATF background check before I received my Curio and Relics license from the ATF. I’m for sensible, well-reasoned and collectively agreed upon measures to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals or those with mental illnesses.

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Faith

A New Evangelization by Father JR

“The JOY OF THE GOSPEL fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept His offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness, and loneliness. With Christ joy is constantly born anew. In this Exhortation I wish to encourage the Christian faithful to embark on a new chapter of evangelization marked by this joy, while pointing out new paths for the Church’s journey in years to come” [Evangelii Gaudium #1].

In his call for a “new chapter of evangelization,” Pope Francis offers us a great challenge. All members of the Church, lay and religious, priests and teachers must engage the world more effectively as “heralds of the Great King;” Jesus, our Lord and our God and our Brother. We should welcome this great opportunity to assess the effectiveness of our past efforts and to refine and improve our methodology and expression as we proclaim the Good News in our times.

What is this New Evangelization?

Although people frequently speak of a “new evangelization,” most of them would be hard-pressed to define just what it is. Is it “Catholic Television?” YouTube videos? Is it learning from or imitating protestant evangelical techniques?

For more than 2,000 years the essence of evangelization has been to proclaim simply and powerfully that “Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior.” Then something changed in 1979 when a young and newly-named Pope, now Saint John Paul II, returned to his native Poland and exclaimed, “A new evangelization has begun!”

During the ensuing 35 years, Pope John Paul II and his brother Popes Benedict and Francis have repeatedly challenged us to engage with new ardor, methods, and expression, “entire groups of the baptized [who have] lost a living sense of faith”… who “no longer consider themselves members of the Church and live a life far removed from Christ and His Gospel.” These groups are the particular focus of the “new evangelization” or “re-evangelization.”

Joy-filled Witness

In most parts of the world, and sadly, in our own society, Sunday worship, daily prayer, even the attempt to live a truly Christian lifestyle seem to be fading from the common cultural experience. Computer screens, earbuds, smart phones, and an imposing battery of technological gadgets very effectively draw us into a “virtual reality,” drowning out the words of the Gospel for many—perhaps most. Silence, solitude, the awareness of God abiding within us are now rarely a part of our daily lives.

Within this culture of “systematized distraction,” those who would evangelize must find a way to fascinate and captivate our brothers and sisters with the Gospel—and it won’t happen with “persuasive eloquence” or “wise argumentation.” In the words of Pope John Paul II, we must be “credible evangelizers whose lives radiate the beauty of the Gospel.” Recognizable, tangible joy is certainly the hallmark of this endeavor.

Information and Formation

The problem with much of what is being presented as the New Evangelization is that it isn’t “new” at all. Certainly a greater ardor is in evidence among would-be-evangelists and catechists, but mere ardor won’t carry the day in these challenging times.

Passion and programming won’t accomplish much if they are merely “window dressing” for the same tired methodologies that have failed to set hearts on fire in the past 50 years. Many feel that orthodoxy or technological innovation are the essence of the New Evangelization. Although orthodoxy is essential, and an effective use of technology is indispensable, in themselves they are insufficient.

If we hope to succeed, our approach must both inform and form – not just passive students, but receptive disciples… who in turn will be prepared and ready to be evangelists, catechists, and apostles themselves.

Jesus Christ: Front and Center

The crucial weakness of most of our evangelical and catechetical efforts… elementary and high school kids, adult education and RCIA, and even those programs which faithfully employ the Catechism of the Catholic Church, is that they are not sufficiently Christ-centered.

Although Jesus may be mentioned with some frequency, weeks may pass (or longer periods still) without spending significant time reflecting on His words or pondering the events of His life. In our programs, textbooks, and media presentations, we tend to present our material according to our agenda and following our methodology. We then bring Christ in as an illustration, a sort of “audiovisual aid” to illuminate the point we are trying to make. As a result, although we may sometimes convince people of the reasonableness and truth of what we are proclaiming, we are failing to bring people—even those who are open and receptive—into a deep, lasting, and intimate holy communion with Jesus Christ Himself.

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Benghazi

It’s not hard. If you put Americans in harms way, you best have a plan to get them out of harms way if need be. You owe them that. You owe their families that. If you work in a US Embassy, you have an emergency action plan to get out. You rely on the US government to monitor the situation and give the Ambassador and his staff orders securing US personnel and safeguarding designated information and equipment. If it is too dangerous and US citizens safety cannot be guaranteed, SOPs are executed on a deliberate, planned withdrawal. When this doesn’t happen, you have a systematic failure. When this doesn’t happen, you question leadership at every level. When this doesn’t happen on the anniversary of September 11th, people are relieved for their incompetence and failure to properly advise and secure US personnel, property and equipment. When this doesn’t happen, and you lose an Ambassador and US personnel, the Secretary of State doesn’t run for President. Ultimately, four American lives were lost makes a big difference to their families and the honor of this country. One of the country traits that historically makes the USA exceptional, is that one ordinary citizen’s life matters dearly. As a nation, our citizenry expects our government to move heaven and earth to bring our own back to safety. Did that happen here? Did we find a way to get every potential resource in play to save our fellow citizens lives? I don’t care if there is less than a 1% chance at saving a life and rescuing our fellow Americans, you give the order to rescue, safeguard and bring our people home, without hesitation. It is simple, Americans in harms way? We go get them and bring them home! If you hesitate, if you debate it, if you blame a youtube movie and insult our intelligence, you are not fit to serve in a low level position let alone as President of the Unites States!

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