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1970 Kent State. Four dead in Ohio. We’re not here yet.

As the Pro-Hamas protests at Columbia remind me of the Pro-Viet Cong and NVA protests at Columbia over 50 years ago, I recalled a movie that seemed to capture the times back then – “The Strawberry Statement.”  Watching it again reinforced what I thought back then.  Plus, it really looks like everyone making the movie was high.  The bottom line is both protests are expressions of youthful ignorance fueled by young exuberance.

It’s shocking to see hundreds of college students on any one campus supporting the barbarian savages who committed the October 7^th massacre, rapes, and kidnappings.  It’s damning to see college professors support the same.  It’s confusing to see the wide ranges of college administration responses from appeasement to enforcing the rules. And, thousands of students don’t cheer for the Muslim barbarians.

It was shocking to see hundreds of college students on any one campus supporting the Communist enemies fighting against U.S. soldiers.  Killing our own.  Aiding and abetting the enemy in wartime is treason.  But, no one was even tried.  Like today, it was damning to see college professors supporting the enemy.  And, thousands of students didn’t cheer for the Commies killing our very young men.

Other than the shared shock and outrage at such extremism on campus and the compelling evidence of abject ignorance among the protesters, there are differences that matter.  

The growing numbers of zealous, Israel-hating Muslims in America and billions of dollars Arab states invested on our colleges are different than the peaceniks, hippies, and draft dodgers during Vietnam.  The Soviet support for the Anti-Vietnam was amateurish, awkward, nickel and dime stuff compared to the paid protesters, planned events, tents, signs, etc. flowing from dark money – always attributed somehow to George Soros.

In both protest times a hard look at the numbers shows how few students actually act on extremist ideas.  The difference today may be the true ratio of support.  Hamas barbarism may be more popular than the Communist insurgency and their manifold war crimes.  Haven’t seen good numbers on that breakdown. 

The division of America by world view is the same.  It’s the same teams on both sides of the Great U.S. Culture War.  Same political party jerseys.  Similar class divisions.  Different ethnic dividing lines between Jews and Muslims.

The social aspects of protest aren’t clear from my seat in the old Seniors’ “Amen corner.”  My friends from High School and the friends I made at the most super-uber Liberal grad schools in the U.S. said much of the protest movement, for boys, was about getting laid and high.  The movie “Strawberry Statement”, based on Columbia 68 riots, suggested the same. 

When the nationwide college protest in October 1969 came to West Point, about a hundred girls and very few guys walked around the public areas.  There were a lot of Military Police visible.  The protesters politely sat down during the double-Regimental parade.  The lucky cadets who didn’t have to parade that day, got to talk up the girls and many dates were made.  Dunno how many marriages came from that Autumn day.

Furthermore, the bravado of protesters then and now indicates how little they have to fear from the State.  1970’s Kent State and Jackson State exceptions prove the rule.  Demonstrators in Moscow, for the few minutes they have, show a fearful respect when the police haul them away.  The same is true for the Hong Kong demonstrators no one has ever heard of again.  The coddled, privileged college kids crying about oppression might get a bruise if they provoke it. 

It’s still not serious stuff.  In DC the connecting streets between the circles were designed by L’Enfant to be covered by the effective range of cannons at the time.  The 1932 Bonus March is the closest the U.S. has come to giving “a whiff of grape” to suppress riots or rebellion in DC.  The combination street fight, clown show, and guided tour that was Jan 6 at the U.S. Capitol wasn’t an insurrection.  Serious people know Jan 6 wasn’t a real insurrection, attempted coup d’etat, or revolutionary warfare.

When I had to drive past Anti-Vietnam demonstrations to pick up my girl friend from nursing school, I was struck by how un-serious the demonstrators were.  If they were willing to die for their cause, they had excellent fields of fire down those DC streets.  They were all about the political theater.  Fun times.  Virtue signally as a mating dance.

The challenge now, like 50 years ago, is to not let the protestors be in charge of anything until real life, hard history facts, and more light on what’s happening educate enough of them from the errors of their misspent passion. 

Moreover, so many college administrators and educators should be fired.  Replaced if possible or let the institutional corruption collapse the ivory tower of cards.

Move the long arc of Higher Ed history away from today’s stupid, ignorant, and malevolent, anti-Western Civilization antipathy.            

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From Columbia 1968. President’s office and his cigars. Supporting the Human Secularist Totalitarians as Communists in Vietnam.

To Columbia 2024. Supporting the Islamist Totalitarians as Hamas barbarians.

Today’s blatant anti-Semitism – Jew hatred is more explicit – on college campuses comes from the growing number of unassimilable Muslims, funding from Muslim countries, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) indoctrination.   DEI is based on Critical Race Theory (CRT).  DEI and CRT are  manifestations of Cultural Marxism.  If screaming curses and wishing death on Jews sounds like NAZIs, it’s because Woke Educrats brainwash kids with the newest version of NAZI ideas.

The Muslim hatred towards Jews is Muslims being Muslims true to their religious texts, schools of thought, tradition, and bloody history.  Islamist Totalitarianism is nothing new.  Mohammed’s first mass murder of Jews was in 627 AD. 

Roughly twenty per cent of all Muslims are IslamistTotalitarians.  But all Islamist Totalitarians are Muslims and can prove it.  Islam is 800 years behind Western Civilization which explains why Hamas acted as barbaric savages on October 7^th.

Most of the College kids supporting terrorism aren’t Muslim.  They’re just Woke.     

But, for once in American politics, one side rightfully can be called NAZIs. 

Both the Cultural Marxists and the NAZIs are Human Secularist Totalitarians.  Cultural Marxism is the latest malignancy spawned by Human Secularist Totalitarianism.  This cancer from the ideas of the French Revolution created Socialism, Communism, National Socialism, Fascism, and Climate Cult.  It’s the ideology driving the Democrat Party and all things Woke.  It’s being taught in every grade, every subject, everywhere a “liberal” teaches in America.

CRT and DEI teach there are fixed hierarchies of oppressors and oppressed people.  The worst of these is the exploitation of Colonizers against Indigenous People because of the ineradicable racism of Whites against People of Color.  Every individual on the planet throughout history has to fit into this explicitly racist framework.  This rabid racism colors the concept of “Anti-Racist” which refutes tolerance, color blindness, assimilation, and Christian love between individuals.

Don’t let facts or history interrupt the narrative.  Seriously. 

Human Secularist Totalitarianism rejects the worldview of Western Civilization to imagine the perfectibility of humans, the state as god, and submission in group identity.  It always makes excuses about an enemy blocking the path to paradise on earth.  The enemy must be eliminated first – for the greater good.

Consequently, the Jewish State of Israel is cast as the Colonizer – the oppressor.  Hamas plays the role of perpetual victim as the Indigenous People – the oppressed.  Once the relationship is fixed in Cultural Marxism, no facts can dislodge it.

Just like National Socialism blamed every ill in Europe on the Jews, in a bizarre, insulting irony, Cultural Marxism defines Israel as the new permanent enemy of today’s Human Secularist Totalitarianism.

Consequently, DEI creates Jew hatred.

Pause.

Every generation is moved by its youthful passion.  It’s human nature.  The results range from folly to frightful.  On the occasion of our American Revolution one generation gave us an incredible gift in a government limited by the consent of The People. 

My Baby Boomer generation was split by the Vietnam War.  Over the years some felt shamed by avoiding wartime service or their contempt for soldiers who served.  Some felt betrayed by their country for not winning the war where their dead comrades, family, or friends died for nothing. 

Draft dodgers who stayed in school became the professors and – this is important – the indoctrinators of teachers.  It took decades for the malignancy of their ideas to grow.

Their “Classical” Marxism became Cultural Marxism after the collapse of Soviet Communism and Chinese Communism started making money like capitalists.  The bourgeois capitalist enemy was out.  The White colonialist enemy was in.

College kids have been spoon fed Cultural Marxist excrement from the 1619 Project to Zinn’s History of the American People, through Hollywood, the media, the sissy Christian churches and secular Judaism.  They believe in their take on Totalitarianism as much as any Hitler Youth fanatic believed in theirs during World War II. 

Time and circumstances will change many of their minds.

Regardless, the cancerous Cultural Marxist teaching of DEI and CRT must be removed from the society and cultural-shaping institution of Education.

Surgically remove the unassimilable Muslims and Muslim organizations.  Fire the professors and expel the students who break the rules.

Do chemotherapy to clean out all teachings of Cultural Marxism.  That includes all concepts of “hate speech.”  Let people rant in an exchange of ideas as long as they don’t break the established laws limiting speech.  The Cultural Marxist ideas can’t compete.    

Use immunotherapy to restore Education as an institution with the traditional American Revolution worldview.  Those still ascending ideas are in the DNA of American Education.

Make education DEI-free.  We’ll all ring the bell.   

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Roman War Dog

Shakespeare described the command that loosed soldiers and war dogs to prey on people without pity.  As a infantry lieutenant in the 82^nd Airborne I read a personal memoire by a WW II vet who cautioned, “Do not let slip the dogs of war.”  I never forgot his injunction.  The older I get, the more I understand how awful war is.  Yet, when war comes, it must be fought.  We should never imagine we can control it once we let slip the dogs of war.  Iran let go the leash.

On October 7^th 2023, the Hamas Muslim barbarians in Gaza committed a massacre in Israel.  Israel is still conducting the counter-attack to eradicate Hamas in Gaza.  Iran supports Hamas.  Israel struck them back by bombing the Iranian consulate in Syria and killing key Iranian brass.  On April 13^th 2024, Iran attacked Israel in the largest drone and missile attack in history.  Now, Israel will strike back.

How will Israel hit Iran?

There are many, many options.  The means for military, economic, political, and moral-ethical responses can be listed 1 to n by military planners.  Their effect and the enemies’ responses can be guessed but never guaranteed.  That’s one reason why it’s so dangerous to let slip the dogs of war.  War is unpredictable except in the suffering, loss, and generations of hatred it produces.

The direct Iranian attack on Israel was a first.  It was a monumental failure.  Now what? 

Have the cunning Persians smoked out the Israeli defenses so now they really can attack?  Lob the nukes they’ve been building?

Have the calculating Iranian Imans made the face-saving response to the Israeli bombing?  Can they go back to rallying world opinion against Israel punishing their Hamas pawns?

Are the chess-playing Islamo-Fascist Iranian Pols following a strategy which will invoke an Israeli response that will force the hated Sunni Arabs to support a much wider war?  With an objective victory planned?

Maybe the clueless dictators are just making it up as they go along.  Could they simply respond to whatever they perceive?

When will the Islamists in the U.S. and across Europe be ordered or inspired to attack like the Hamas savages did?

[Side note: How did Taiwan and the CCP interpret the effectiveness of Israel’s Iron Dome defense?  What will they do?]

Now, do the same “what ifs” for the Israelis.  Lots of options.

I know not where this fighting goes. 

From my personal perspective, I know “tit for tat” as the U.S. did with North Vietnam for years fails miserably.

Know that Turkey and Russia have more to lose than gain if they  do too much to support Iran.

Believe Iran made huge mistake crossing this Rubicon with a direct attack on Israel.

Confident that the Biden administration will screw up the response.  Also confident that Trump himself is clueless on what to do – but not so with his advisors of the Mike Pompeo caliber.

Hope the capabilities I was “read on” as a Contractor when I wrote a classified OPLAN for possible employment by the IDF back in 2006 are ready for fielding and continual improving.  Really hope so.

Relieved there were no nukes, chem, or bio in yesterday’s attack.

And, I must repeat, we should truly, truly, truly not let slip the dogs of war unless absolutely necessary.  As in exterminating the Hamas Muslim barbarians.      

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Need a fifth horseman these days.

Five very scary things that might happen are such because they are avoidable.  The worst case scenarios don’t have to happen.  Maybe they won’t.  If they do, they will be terrible.  As has happened for the whole of human history, the human folly of a few people in power will cause great tragedy to many innocent people.  The five scary, bad things are Ukraine joining NATO, China invading Taiwan, illegal aliens voting and committing America’s Oct. 7^th massacre, and Federal spending destroying the US economy.

• Ukraine Joining NATO.  The US Secretary of State said Ukraine should join NATO.  That’s precisely what nuclear-armed Russia said was unacceptable.  Also, on the day Ukraine joins NATO, then any attack on it is an attack on the US.  So, the US goes to war with Russia. 

Precisely what was avoided at great effort and expense for almost 80 years will be upon us.  War with Russia. 

The Ukraine is more important to Russia than Mexico or Cuba is to the US.  We barely escaped a nuclear war when the US felt threatened by Russia in Cuba.  The Russians were invaded twice in the 20^th Century from the West.  Ukraine is part of their “near abroad” and a vital interest to their security.

Furthermore, the Russians have legitimate concerns for Russian-speaking people in Crimea and the two eastern Oblasts.  Do those people have a right to self-determination?  The Clinton Administration bombed Serbia, killing over 2,300 civilians, to allow Muslim Albanians self-determination in Kosovo.  Muslim Albanians deserve the government of their choice, but Christian Russians don’t?

Allowing Ukraine into NATO will start the nuclear, chemical, and biological apocalyptic World War 3.

• China Invading Taiwan.  The same Secretary of State said that Taiwan isn’t independent of China, but the U.S. would prefer that China not invade.  Similar stupid statements have been partially blamed for the Korean War and Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait.  Giving China legitimacy to rule Taiwan is one step away from using military force simply to enforce the legitimacy assigned. 

Did the US-Taiwan defense treaty expire?

Do 24 million Taiwanese not have the right of self-determination?

What will the US do when the Chinese invade? 

Don’t fight and the US loses all of its power based on perception.  The US becomes the “paper tiger” Mao said we were.

Fight, and the Chinese activate their cells in the US and bio-chem-nuke-EMP us in a heartbeat.  They don’t have the restraint Russia had in the Cold War.  China doesn’t share Western Civilization’s mores.  They learned different lessons than the Soviet Union did from World War 2.

• Illegal Aliens Voting and our October 7^th.  If the illegal aliens are the margin of victory in the swing states in 2024, election integrity is dead.  The Democrat (Commie) cheaters will institutionalize it for as many states as they can for 2026, 2028, and beyond.

The 10m illegal aliens invasion since 2021 is deliberate.  It’s intended to add to the government-dependent class of Americans with a more obedient, permanent underclass who’ll vote to keep the Commie elites in power in perpetuity to ensure they – illegals – get their government handouts.

Embedded in the illegals’ invasion are the troops to conduct an October 7^th Massacre in the US.  The Cartels, Russia, and China probably have cells ready to act.  The barbarian Islamists are the most likely to attack for the same reason the Hamas savages attacked Israel.

• Spending Our Economy to Destruction. The Democrat Commies and their useful fools – the Establishment Republicans -will spend our economy into a destructive debt.  The US can go as bankrupt as Argentina, Greece, or Zimbabwe.  The money printed to cover the debt increases inflation. 

Inflation punishes the poor and robs the Middle Class’s savings.  The rich get richer. 

The laws of economics, like nature’s Law of Gravity, can’t be ignored.  The consequences, like jumping off a high height, are devasting. 

Congressional Republicans brag they are “changing the spending curve downward.”  Increasing the debt at a slower rate still gets the economy destroyed.  The day will come when the world won’t buy U.S. Treasury bonds.  No one will loan the U.S. enough money to keep running in the red.

____

Two horrible wars, a coming massacre or more, election cheating ending the Republic and the Rule of Law, as well as the destitution from Federal Government spending the US into bankruptcy are ruinous. 

These five things are very scary, because they are moving from the possible to the probable.

Buckle up for the worst case.  Pray for the best.  Be aware how hubris and ignorance in power produces suffering and loss.  Hold the guilty accountable if you can.

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Easter 2024 had new outrages and old harmony.  It passed playing out the simple rhythms of life and edging to the cusp of great events.  It was a day of gratitude, praise, and real joy for Christians celebrating Resurrection Sunday.  And another clear indicator of Democrat depravity.     

I was up at 0545 to get the chairs out for another Sunrise Service in my back yard on The Bay.  About 30 folks enjoyed the unusually balmy temperature (50s f) and no wind.  Makes such a difference.  Gorgeous dawn as usual and a good message.  Good to see family friends I’ve known for decades, but haven’t seen a year or so.  Above all, I enjoyed the celebration of Lord Jesus Christ walking out of that grave.  Because he did and because he still lives, we will also.

Sunday School and Church were more engaging, encouraging, and an energy pump.  Got to spend time with two of my grown kids and three grandkids. Missed being with my newlywed (July 23) wife and one kid with her four children.  Got home late, tired, and still grateful for this Easter and hope for more.

While one man’s family and church family kept the traditional holiday in worship and lovingkindness, others were busy offering us public insult.

The Roman Catholic-in-good-standing President of the United States of America and his Democrat minions celebrated “Transgender Day of Visibility.”  

Also, there was no mention of Easter, Christianity, or Jesus.  There were bunnies and eggs at the White House.  No Christian crosses.

The provocation is intentional.  It’s like probing an enemy position with fires to see where fire comes back – and target them. 

Everyone who applauds the Transgender Day of Visibility is on team Human Secularist Totalitarianism, which is still called Democrat, or team “Commie” for short.

Everyone who keeps silent about the Transgender Day of Visibility is subjugated prole, properly intimated into silence, emasculated, and impotent.   No threat to the Commies.

Everyone who complains or criticizes is accused of intolerance, bigotry, un-Christian behavior.  Those who push back get fired upon by the bullies who provoked the fight.

Furthermore, the resistance is on the terms and in the language the Commies use.  Christians are upset about the timing on the holiest day of the Christian calendar.  That presumes Transgender is a thing that could have its own day. 

It doesn’t get the heart of the matter – that there is no such thing as Transgenders.  There are mentally ill adults with Sexual Dysphoria and very confused and misled children.

The Easter insult keeps Christians on the defense.  We should be on the offense passing laws to make Child Mutilation and Maiming illegal state by state.  

The same tactic will be used when America has her October 7^th attack by Islamist savages, the Cartels, or CCP People’s Liberation Army’s fifth column. 

After the slaughter – and especially if there is violent reaction to the attack – the Commies will move to solve the problem.  Disarm Americans.  More of a surveillance and police state.  Restrictions like Scotland just passed on free speech and Canada and the EU keep as obedient d’himmis to Islam.

It could be a burning of the Reichstag moment for the Democrats.

Easter 2024 was a day of such contradictions.  Peaceful Christian praise and worship vs. creating chaos promoting mental illness and depravity.

Fortunately, we know who wins.   

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These Republicans voted to spend America into ruin and to fully fund the illegal alien invasion.

An alternative title is “Why Republicans Suck.”  Didn’t think that went well as a banner.  Too Trump-like in tone.  Yet, look at the failure in this week’s budget monstrosity. Republicans in Congress voted for this direct threat to the Republic.  So, Republicans own this failure.  Republicans suck at governing because “Republican” is a box store and not a brand.

The Democrats are a brand.  They have a narrative.  They have goals and the vision to achieve them.  They know how to work as one, even though their goals would destroy the US and harm the world.  Their determination is our damnation.  The few exceptions in Congress and state legislatures prove the rule. 

The Democrats can re-label their brand in a heartbeat and still stay the same brand.  They can go Bud Light when their politburo demands.  The Democrats are Human Secularist Totalitarians.  “Commies” for short.

The Republicans have no brand.  The only thing they have in common is “not Democrat.”  And, that distinction is moot when the Republicans vote with Democrats for outrageous social spending and certain bankruptcy.

There are Establishment Republicans who are Republicans because that is how you get elected to their safe seats.  These career politicians are the Enemy of The People because they betray every opportunity to keep government within the Constitution as written.

There are Movement Conservative Republicans who are driven ideologically to do what is right.

There are regional or local Republicans who disagree with Movement Conservatives on many issues.  Because they get elected as the alternative to a Democrat, they help create a majority which fundamentally shifts power in a legislature. 

If there’s a large enough majority, it doesn’t matter too much when the regional or local Republicans vote with the Democrats.  If they are, as Reagan said, 80% on our side, that’s good enough. 

The slippery Establishment Republicans don’t have to vote with the Democrats.  They’re in safe seats.  They’ll excuse their votes like this: 

“The Democrats were going to increase the federal deficit by $12T over 10 years.  We toughed it out and cut the spending by $1.5T.  You’re supposed to applaud now.”

Wait.  By their own math, the Republicans, are increasing the debt by $10.5T!  That’s the point.  These cowards are spending us to ruin.

They’ll brag about all the restrictive language they put in the 1000 page bill they never read and the Feds will work around.  They should be embarrassed by all the ridiculous, shameful wastes of money they approved.

They’ll brag about more Border Patrol officers.  They won’t point out that they, Republicans, are funding the NGOs that facilitate the illegal alien invasion.  These NGOs hook up the illegal aliens to every social service handout available and the driver’s licenses which will ultimately allow them to vote.  The Republicans fund it.  Republicans own it.

Except, Republicans voted against this abject failure to do their Constitutional duty.  Therein lies the rub.  Republicans were for and against this legislative abortion. 

Republican is the box store where you can pick and choose among competing labels. Republican doesn’t mean Conservative.

In an America deeply divided by the Great U.S. Culture War, what’s to be done?  What can be done with a razor thin majority in the House and minority in the Senate?

The voters with a safe seat, Establishment Republican, or better known as a “Campaign Brochure” Conservative, as their Representative need to fire their Congressman or Congresswoman. Hire a real Conservative in 2026.

The Republicans in the House need a fearless, pragmatic leader who is willing to “shut down” government to use the only Constitutional power the House has over the budget.  At least $2T will still flow to the Federal Government.  It won’t be flat broke with no income.  It’ll have to prioritize what to pay.  Like normal Social Security checks or build that new Senior Facility for LGBTQ oldsters?

Republicans in the Senate need a fearless leader who will hold Republicans together to filibuster and deny cloture to every bad bill and appointment. And, turn your eyes to Gov. Ron DeSantis in Florida to see how Conservative good governance is done.  Support other champions like him.

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Celebrating Native American Month at West Point. Because, Diversity dictates.

On March 7, 2024, the Superintendent of the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY informed West Point’s Board of Visitors of an “Army Senior Leader Approved Mission.”  Superintendents have changed the mission statement before.  Changing the mission, values, vision, goals, branding, and logos of organizations is something executives in business and government – including the military – do.

The problem with this change is West Point isn’t Bud Light.  And never should be.

Consider the current USMA Mission:

To educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of Duty, Honor, Country and prepared for a career of professional excellence to the Nation as an officer in the United States Army.

Contrast it with the “Army Senior Leader Approved Mission”;

To build, educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets to be commissioned leaders of character committed to the Army Values and ready for a lifetime of service to the Army and Nation.

Adding “build” looks nebulous, but could be nefarious if it means build bogus “diversity” teams by continuing race-based admissions.

Focus on deleting “the values of Duty, Honor, Country” and substituting “the Army Values.”

Ask any serving soldier or retiree to pop off to “How many Army Values are there?”  Or, “Name the Army Values!”  <Crickets>*

*Edit:  After  this piece was published, I found out that the Army makes a big deal about the mnemonic for Leadership created by GEN Reimer in the late 90s.  Soldiers are told to memorize the 7 words that make up “LDRSHIP.”  Country isn’t one of the seven, but is implied.  So troops might be able to name the Army Values.  I doubt they’ve memorized the long definitions on the Army web site.  I’d struggle to have to do that.  The currency of the Army Values as a well known list doesn’t change their subjectivity or ease to change them in any administration.  On the other hand Duty, Honor, Country is immutable.  

Follow up with “Who determines the Army Values?”  When and how?  Who defines them? <Crickets>  Whoever writes them on the Army website for sure. 

You and your befuddled soldier/retiree buddy can find the seven Army Values on the Army website along with the Warrior Ethos, Soldier’s Creed, NCO Creed, Ranger Creed, and the unforgettable Army Civilian Corps Creed. 

The Army Values include Duty and Honor, but omit Country.  They add Loyalty, Respect, Selfless Service, Integrity, and Personal Courage.  They are one and all admirable values.

But, the Army Senior Leaders made a serious mistake.  They invert the fundamental relationship of West Point to the Army.

West Point isn’t a reflection of the Army on any given day.  It isn’t just another liberal arts college officer commissioning source. 

West Point is the cradle for Army values as the formerly monastic, professional school for soldiers.  It’s the castle keep for maintaining the Army values to keep the Army’s promise to the American People – “This We’ll Defend.”  The seven Army Values are an expansion of what West Point brings to the Army for most of our Nation’s history from its motto “Duty, Honor, Country.”

The Army values come from West Point.   

Official West Point is quick to point out the Motto remains unchanged.  Good.

The Army Values may shift with any new administration.  West Point shouldn’t. 

As tempting as making new word salad or slogan soup is to Army executives, they should be discouraged from doing so.  No one can improve on the Gettysburg Address as a statement of America’s national purpose.  Likewise, no one can improve on the bedrock values of Duty, Honor, Country for West Point and the U.S. Army with flexible, corporate “Army Values.” 

Changing USMA’s mission from a career as an officer in the United States Army to a “lifetime of service to the Army and Nation” may reflect how few West Pointers stay in the Army for a career as an officer.  Clearly, USMA is failing its current mission statement.  Changing the mission reflects the reality that ROTC and OCS officer retention is higher than USMA.

Regardless of that short-coming, the Senior Army Leaders shouldn’t fiddle with the USMA mission statement by reversing West Point’s role in establishing, preserving, and upholding the values essential to the Army.  All “Army Values” come from West Point’s Duty, Honor, Country.

James Atticus Bowden

USMA, Class of 1972

If you want restore, reform, and improve West Point, sign up on the MacArthur Society email list https://macarthursociety.org/

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Great Restoration of America. More than a classic car.

I have great hope for America.  I can see a wonderful future for my grown children and grandchildren despite the existential threats coming in this century – War with China and Civil War with Islam across Europe.   The governing majority of Americans is a Conservative Coalition bigger than FDR’s.   When the Great Restoration comes to power “Happy Days Are Here Again” will resound.  By “happy” I really mean confident, courageous, and determined.  It’s the ascendant America of the 20^th Century making the sacrifices and hard work to reach new heights of peace through victory, prosperity, and freedom in the 21^st Century. 

How does America get there?

The Conservative Coalition wins the elections that must be won in 2026 and 2028.  The Coalition is the huge middle class who work for wages, run small businesses, or self-employed professionals.  This Conservative Coalition includes ideological Movement Conservatives, like me, but it isn’t ideological.  It’s pragmatic.  It’s common sense.  It’s answers that work for Americans.

It’s the opposite of the ideological idiocy of the Left where men can become women, criminals run free, illegal aliens are solicited as replacement voters for Blacks and successfully assimilating minorities, Climate Cult mania intervenes on individual freedom, spending fuels inflation and promises real bankruptcy, DEI/CRT Woke Cultural Marxism rots education, weakens the military, and abject American weakness absent moral purpose encourages enemies.  Everything the Left does fails and makes things worse.

The Conservative Coalition must be built on the ashes of dumpster fire of the Republican Party when Trump loses the 2024 election.  Donald Trump won the Republican primaries in 2016 with 4m more votes than his competition.  To his credit, he squeaked a win against the formerly most hated politician in America.  He was a voice for the voiceless, but he failed.

Trump’s incompetence created the shady conditions for his loss in the swing states in 2020.  He is doing precisely nothing to prevent the same in 2024. 

Trump loses voters with his childish, boorish personal attacks on anyone who doesn’t kiss his ring.  Name one policy issue Trump made against the other Republican candidates?  He just made braggadocio promises and called names.  He was too cowardly to debate. 

Installing his daughter-in-law as co-Chair of the RNC is a cunning move to perpetuate his cult of personality.  It won’t last.  Trump isn’t smart enough to be a Hitler, Lenin, Mao, or Castro.  Doesn’t have the absolute power of the North Korea “Rocket Man.”   He’ll be busy trying to keep some of his money as the unethical lawfare against him runs its course.

So, when Trump is crushed in November, it’ll be important to expunge his name from any association with words like MAGA, Populism, Republican, and Conservative.  His defeat, like Ford in 1976, is an opportunity for the Conservative Champion to build a Conservative Coalition for America’s Great Restoration.

The Great Restoration includes re-claiming some institutions and challenging others which shape our American Culture and Civilization.  Today, the Human Secularist Totalitarians rule government – including the military, business, education, media, arts and entertainment as they contend in religion and family.  See how they get rolled back in Florida.  Watch DEI die in Florida.  It can be done in the free states across America. 

When the Democrats (Human Secularist Totalitarians  a.k.a. Commies) win, they will continue to overplay their hand with open borders for the illegal alien invasion and drug deaths, climate cult restrictions on freedom and increases in energy costs, weakness leading to more warring around the world, rampant crime, and calling every opponent a racist, white supremacist. 

And, the tens of thousands of military age men they’ve invited to invade will do their version of October 7, 2023 savagery.  Sooner or later. 

Those excesses should win the House for Republicans in 2026, like it did in 1994 and 2010.  Then, DeSantis can lead the clean sweep into power in 2028.  Which means fixing the 2030 Census to not permanently empower the Commies with the illegal alien voters. 

I hope I live to see the wins in 2026, 2028, and 2030.  There is so much good to do in America.  From School Board to POTUS, we vote for the community, state, and nation we deserve.

I’m in it to win it.  What are you doing?        

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3 in 4 people polled are super ignorant

Never talk down to voters.  Never blame the voters.  Never criticize your base.  Got it.  So, this admonition is a general plea for more education.  It’s a clarion call for less ignorance wherever possible.  Call it a list of subjects that really must be taught because ignorance kills.

• Ignorance of Economics will kill the economy.  National debt bankrupts a country with fiat paper currency.  It’s not a theory, but an economic fact.  Bankruptcy is a fact provable in the dismal science, that is a science with laws as immutable and unforgiving as gravity.  Ask survivors in Greece, Argentina, and Zimbabwe.  

Spending must be cut.  Not slowed.  Cut.  Every penny spent on illegal aliens must be stopped.  Laws need to be changed to stop funding college loans.  Stop allowing chain migrants to cash in on Social Security and Medicare which they never paid for.  Wipe out most federal discretionary spending.

Cut taxes and regulation.  It grows capital.  Capital creates jobs.  Every $5 billion of economic growth results in about $1 billion in federal taxes = and reduces the debt.

Expand energy production.  Increasing energy supply leads to lower prices at home and new income from exports.  It grows the economy which raises more taxes and reduces the debt.

Ignorance of this basic “Economics 10” elects Democrats and Establishment Republicans at the local, state, and federal level who will – literally – kill the economy with their spending, taxes, and regulations.

• Ignorance of the Constitution will kill our freedom.  The Federalist Papers were written for farmers to read and decide on voting to ratify our 1787 Constitution.  Few Americans are capable of understanding them today.  The incessant blather about “democracy” demonstrates the abject ignorance of public discourse.  Ignorance about the structure of government and a bill of rights insures neither the protections of good government in a federal system of checks and balances nor the individual freedoms are safe.  If Covid tyranny doesn’t illustrate it for you, the lawfare and two-tiered justice system should be sufficient evidence of how government fails when people are to ignorant and unwilling to hold it accountable.  
• Ignorance of History will kill our future.  The ridiculous assertions that America is stolen land or Blacks deserve reparations are evidence of appalling and, often, willful ignorance.  Demeaning all things Confederate is a perfect example of ignorance on steroids.  Destroying monuments is a testimony to blind, stupid rage.  All of history teaches the evil in humankind and the manifold accomplishments of the same imperfect people.  When national survival is at stake, there’ll be no future worth saving is there’s no heritage worth honoring.  Supporting barbarian Hamas over Israel indicates historical ignorance or deep bias or both.    
• Ignorance of Education will kill our Civilization.  Higher Education suppresses free speech and teaches demonstrable falsehoods.  Men can’t become women.  Carbon produced by humans isn’t an environmental crisis.  Race-based admissions is racism.  DEI and CRT is Cultural Marxism – nothing more.  Ignoring the canon of Western Civilization is a descent into a new Dark Ages.
• Ignorance of the Bible will kill our culture.  You must know the King James Bible to know America.  Every step Americans take away from our Judeo-Christian moral-ethical system and from the teachings of the Bible coarsens, cheapens, diminishes our American society.    

This list of ignorance to be overcome is just the top level list.  The details below are too numerous for this piece. 

The ignorance really will kill Americans.  The ignorance may kill America all together.

Let’s stomp out ignorance together.

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The whither this Atticus goes this election year is to refuse to vote for Trump or Biden or any other Democrat.  The path of life-long learning and living brought me to this crossroads and marks my way forward.  I appreciate Trump beating HRH Hillary I and the achievements of his administration whether or not he actually made any of them happen.  He demonstrated he has no political center except self-aggrandizement.  He has no moral compass and limited intellect.  He is without wisdom.  His super-narcissism should be a case study for psychiatry.  He has no character to trust in. 

Here is where I’m heading.

I’m 73 years old and a life-long, since age 8, student of history, especially American history, and politics.  I earned several first class degrees in the Social Sciences and taught “Sosh” at West Point. I’ve got 30 years in the trenches of local politics as an elected Republican Party official and activist.  Through it all, I’ve gotten a number of things wrong.  Really wrong. 

For decades, I listened to Rush Limbaugh as the voice of reason.  He saw opportunity when I feared catastrophe.  I wish he was still here. I’d love it if Rush could grade my analysis which leads me to where I am about the 2024 election.

This is my perspective.

In 1992, I couldn’t sleep all night when Bill Clinton was elected.  I couldn’t believe the America my father and I served as professional Army officers would reject the only President who’s resume was perfect for POTUS and elect a draft-dodger of dubious morals. 

Then, in 1994 after the Dems overplayed their hand with Hillary’s healthcare, Newt Gingerich won the House.  The FDR Coalition finally finished its course.

In 2000, I was alarmed that a buffoonish, privileged Al Gore was going to cheat his way into the White House.  9-11 changed the course of the Bush presidency.  To my dismay, he proved worthwhile only for his temporary tax cuts, some judges, and a few aspects of his pursuit of Islamist Totalitarianism.

In 2008, I was amazed at the mass hysteria propelling Barry Soetoro into the Presidency.  Then, again, the Dems overplayed their hand with Obamacare.  The Tea Party replaced some Establishment Republicans with elected officials who actually had a backbone.  Seeing the Republican gains across America, I was okay.

In 2016, I thought it was the election of 1933 in Germany.  A criminal was about to be elected HRH Hillary I.  I thought Cruz was the greatest conservative to oppose her and govern magnificently.  I thought Trump would lose 52-48 across the Nation.  His election surprised me and thrilled me.

Trump prevailed in the primaries, because no one appeared to be the fighter he was against the Democrats.  He got 4m more primary votes than Cruz because of The People’s frustration and disgust with the status quo.  He looked to be the biggest brawler for the average American.

Throughout Trump’s first term I saw how the Establishment Republicans betrayed him and how incompetent Trump was at governance.  I was appalled that he couldn’t figure out how to stop the cheat that was coming with mail-in ballots.  He was clueless.  He failed after the first “15 days” when data showed that Covid was 3 times more deadly than seasonal flu and not the Black Death – mainly to old people and no threat to younger people.  He promoted a vaccine which is proving to be more deadly than the disease to the young people who took it.

In 2024, Americans have witnessed government make everything worse under tottering Biden.  But only half the country actually recognizes what they see.  Also, Covid response at all levels of government showed the tyrannical potential of elected officials, if we allow them to do as they please.  The Democrats were the worst. 

Furthermore, the Democrats have openly proposed measures to make them the ruling party for decades at a minimum and to conduct the certain destruction of our Constitutional Republic, our economy, defense, and freedoms.  That should make this election a simple binary choice of Republican – sane, commonsense vs Democrat – Cultural Marxist, Totalitarians. 

Except if Trump is the Republican candidate, it won’t be sane and commonsense leadership.   It will be carnival barking, reality TV, con man grifting with the cult of personality serving Trump’s super narcissism and Trump alone.

So, here is where it gets complicated.

Some Trump voters are in a cult. They are Trump-blinded.

More Trump voters are Conservatives who have been betrayed by the Establishment Republicans since Ronald Reagan left office.  They are hated as “deplorables.”  They see the Cultural Marxists succeeding in the “long march” through America’s institutions to rule them as the Human Secularist Totalitarians they are – which is kissing cousins of Socialists, Communists, National Socialists, and Environmental Pagans.

Additionally, these Trump voters pay the taxes for the growing dependent class living on the government plantation, fight the pointless wars, lose their jobs to overseas production, and get none of the riches the elites of Crony Capitalism enjoy.

Trump is the only one other than Newt Gingrich who has really stood up for them since 1988. 

They see the absurdity of the Ministry of Truth media and have affection for their favorites in Con media.  They see the corruption of the Deep State in the phony Russia scandal.  They witness no respect for the Rule of Law and our Constitution in two trumped up impeachments.  They see the lawfare against Trump.  They see two standards of justice for J6 and Antifa/BLM. 

They can be loyal to a fault.  They can be blindly loyal.  These voters are the Trump-minded who love what Ron DeSantis does in Florida, but can’t come over right away to support him in 2024 for POTUS. 

These voters give Populism a good name, because they are fundamentally Conservatives and Christians with no champion until they got Trump.

These voters see the Illegal Immigrant invasion for what it is – an invasion.  They will pay for it, not the elites.  Their families will suffer the consequences of the criminal elements among the Illegal Aliens, not the elites.

They know they are the fixed “oppressors” with White privilege in the disgusting racism of DEI and CRT.  Their family members will be pushed aside by DEI-mandated acceptances to colleges and promotions in the workforce. 

When they seek justice, they are called bigots, -phobes, racists, White supremacist and White Nationalists.   

All of this, certainly, should point to voting for Trump in November, right?

No.  Trump derangement syndrome drives Democrats and the denizens of Coastal and urban enclaves with Democrat worldviews to the polls.  Trump’s behavior and lies drive away the swing voters needed to win at this point in the Great U.S. Culture War.

Trump led Republicans to lose and underperform in elections in 2018, 2020, and 2022.  If he wins in 2024, he is going to lose the House.  Lose more in 2026, then everything in 2028.  Sets the stage for Dems to control the vital 2030 Census.

If Trump loses the election, the Republicans should still get the Senate.  Maybe not if he is terrible enough. 

When the Trump-minded voters see what an abject failure he is and when they feel what awfulness the Democrats do in two more years, Republicans can win the House and Senate in 2026.

They can win because there is a transformative majority of American voters bigger than FDR’s coalition from the Middle Class of wage earners, small business owners, and professionals that isn’t ideologically Conservative.  They are simply sane and pragmatic.  They love what DeSantis does in Florida.

Then, if DeSantis can bring in enough swing voters to overcome the illegal aliens voting in swing states in 2028, it is Ronald Reagan 2.0++ time.  Which sets the stage for able governance to keep the illegal aliens from distorting the 2030 census to entrench the Democrats into power for who knows how long. 

What can go wrong?  Let’s say whoever replaces Biden on the ticket in 2024 goes too far too fast like Clinton and Obama.  The governors of the Free States are the first line of defense.  The courts, until SCOTUS is packed, is the second line.  We, the People are the ultimate backstop.

Separating the cult of personality from Populism returns Populism to Movement Conservatism and Constitutional limits.  It’s going to take crushing defeats to get the Trump-minded Republican voters to re-assess the golden calf of the Trump-blinded Republicans. 

Since I’m 73, I may not live to see all of this play out.  I can imagine alternative futures based on history past – which was my day job as an Army futurist – that are as horrific as the Bolshevik generational nightmare in Russia or the awful excesses of a Spanish Civil War experience here.  I hope my children and grandchildren don’t suffer such fates.

I know the experiences of my family from the start of this country.  They fought the Indians and at least two wars here on their home soil.  I know the consequences of losing a war.  It would be far worse to lose to the Human Secularist Totalitarians now than it was to the rapacious Yankees.  I know my People survived.  We can again, if we don’t die when China nukes us or Biowars us far worse than the Wuhan Virus.

My only regret is than I’m not 40 years younger to be in the fight for another 40 years.  Until we win this fight.  When Americans do the Great Restoration of our Constitutional Federal Republic and American Civilization.

I voted for the lesser of two evils twice with Trump.  I’m not doing it again. He will shame his voters and betray them as easily as he does his multiple marriage vows.  Trump is about Trump.  Nothing else.  He will set up disastrous Democrat victories by destroying the Republican Party as the only bulwark against the Commie Dems.

I’m voting DeSantis for President in the Virginia primary.  I’m writing him in if he isn’t the candidate in the general election.

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” ― Winston S. Churchill