I'm Angry; the Question is, Why Aren't You?

I'm angry. I'm angry almost all of the time. I'm angry because we have a fascist liar in the White House systematically dismantling civil rights protections, dismantling environmental protections, enshrining increasing inequality into law, enacting tariffs that hurt Americans, increasing our defense budget while slashing social safety net programs, normalising and praising dictators and autocrats around the world, and abusing the power of the presidency to cheat in the next election, while undermining our national security and Constitution in the process. I'm angry that we have an entire party that has wholesale sold out their ethics and morality to protect the most criminally corrupt, dishonest president the country has ever had. I'm angry that there's a neo-Nazi writing policy for the president and there were only minimal demands to remove him. I'm angry that there isn't a single Republican left in the party who is willing to put country above party. I'm angry that the Democrats have yet to realize they need to be an opposition party, and are led by people more interested in protecting their own seats and maintaining the status quo than they are in fighting against Trump. I'm angry that Democratic leadership has fought harder against progressives and progressive policy than they have against a president trying to be a dictator and the party supporting him. I'm angry that the Democratic party is so afraid of a progressive winning the presidential election that they're willing to risk another 4 years of Trump to stop it. I'm angry that there are so many Americans willing to accept the lies and hateful rhetoric that go against every value we're supposed to stand for. I'm angry that so many friends that I previously had respect for are unwilling to even engage with me about their support for Trump, and have sacrificed their integrity to support him. I'm angry that there are so many Americans who don't accept the lies and hate but are unwilling to stand up against it. I'm angry and disappointed that we don't have mass protests on the scale of Puerto Rico, Hong Kong, and Chile.

Since the Civil War there hasn't been a time more critical to take a stand against the corruption of our government, white supremacy, and fascism. We're at a critical moment, staring down an impending collapse of the rule of law, environmental disaster, and worldwide stability. You know I'm angry; why aren't you? If you're angry, why are you not in the streets protesting? Are you doing everything you can to stop us from going down the path we're currently on? The only way we do that is by standing strong together against the forces trying to destroy us from within. Take a stand before it's too late.

A Message for Veterans (and Everyone Else)

I’d like to discuss something very important, and while this is addressed to everyone in the country, I want to specifically address veterans. It's a little bit of a long read, but please bear with it as it's important.

Everyone gets so caught up in the politics of the impeachment that they lose sight of the big picture. I’d like to put politics aside and focus on that, so humor me and read until the end. Trump’s lawyers acknowledged that he did it, and Republican Senators Lamar Alexander and Marco Rubio both admitted that the Democrats proved their case; Alexander admitted that it was wrong, and Rubio even admitted it was worthy of impeachment, but neither would vote to remove. Trump did it, that’s not the issue, and not what I’m here to discuss, though impeachment is what prompted it.

For those who don’t know me, I served in the Marine infantry. I’m proud of my service, and value everything I learned from it. When I enlisted, I swore an oath, as does everyone who enlists in the US armed forces. "I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same..." That's the core of the oath I took when I enlisted in the Marine Corps. I take that oath every bit as seriously today as the day I took it. Once in the Marines, they ingrain in you the Marine Corps core values of honor, courage, and commitment. They also teach you fourteen leadership traits: Justice, Judgment, Dependability, Initiative, Decisiveness, Tact, Integrity, Endurance, Bearing, Unselfishness, Courage, Knowledge, Loyalty,& Enthusiasm. You are expected to conduct yourself at all times according to the core values and leadership traits; it is the code you live by. I’m going to discuss them below, and while your tendency might be to skim over it, don’t. Read it and give it thoughtful consideration. The definitions are copied and pasted from USMC training materials, they are not my words.

Honor. This is the bedrock of our character. It is the quality that empowers Marines to exemplify the ultimate in ethical and moral behavior: to never lie, cheat, or steal; to abide by an uncompromising code of integrity; to respect human dignity; and to have respect and concern for each other. It represents the maturity, dedication, trust, and dependability that commit Marines to act responsibly, be accountable for their actions, fulfill their obligations, and hold others accountable for their actions.

Courage. The heart of our Core Values, courage is the mental, moral, and physical strength ingrained in Marines that sees them through the challenges of combat and the mastery of fear, and to do what is right, to adhere to a higher standard of personal conduct, to lead by example, and to make tough decisions under stress and pressure. It is the inner strength that enables a Marine to take that extra step.

Commitment. This is the spirit of determination and dedication within members of a force of arms that leads to professionalism and mastery of the art of war. It promotes the highest order of discipline for unit and self and is the ingredient that instills dedication to Corps and country 24 hours a day, pride, concern for others, and an unrelenting determination to achieve a standard of excellence in every endeavor. Commitment is the value that establishes the Marine as the warrior and citizen others strive to emulate.

I don’t need to go in depth with all of the leadership traits, but there are a few I need to define (again, taken from USMC training materials):

Integrity means that you are honest and truthful in what you say or do. Having integrity means that you put honesty, sense of duty, and sound moral principles above all else. The quality of truthfulness and honesty. Unselfishness means avoidance of providing for one’s own comfort and personal advancement at the expense of others. Courage is a mental quality that recognizes fear of danger or criticism, but enables a Marine to proceed in the face of danger with calmness and firmness. Knowing and standing for what is right, even in the face of popular disfavor. Justice is giving reward and punishment according to the merits of the case in question. The ability to administer a system of rewards and punishments impartially and consistently. The quality of displaying fairness and impartiality is critical in order to gain the trust and respect of subordinates and maintains discipline and unit cohesion, particularly in the exercise of responsibility.

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s circle back to the topic. Who are we as a country? Who do we want to be as a country? I think who we elect to lead us says a lot about that, so their character is important to discuss, and not just their politics. This is true at every level of the government, from the town you live in all the way to the president. This is one of the reasons it’s important that you be an informed, engaged citizen. WIth the values I listed above in mind, let’s take a look at some of our elected representatives and how they conduct themselves. I think something we should all agree upon is that our government should be expected to conduct itself in accordance with the highest moral and ethical standards.

Let’s look at Trump, since he’s so prominent in all of this, and is who we are holding up as a representative of who we are as a country. This is who the world sees when they look at us. He’s a draft dodger who has made demeaning comments about women, trans people, disabled people, insulted POWs, said dodging STIs in college was equivalent to military service, insulted Gold Star families, has made racist attacks against many people including judges, celebrities, politicians, and even entire countries. He has bragged about sexual assault, and is on record lying more than 16,000 times since he became president. He was friends with Jeffrey Epstein, and partied with him for years. Underage girls were trafficked out of Mar a Lago. He has been credibly accused of rape or sexual assault by more than 20 women, including someone who was 13 years old at the time. He’s the billionaire pedophile that so many people claim are secretly running the world. He has white supremacists working for him, he knows it, and refuses to fire them. He wouldn’t be able to maintain a job anywhere I have ever worked, and he certainly would never have cut it in the military. Being that fundamentally dishonest is in opposition to every value I hold, and you know that you wouldn’t allow anyone in your own life to behave that way. He’s been in office for almost 1200 days and has lied, on average, almost 15 times a day. He has lied to you almost 15 times a day every single day he’s been in office. You would not tolerate that from anyone in your own life, not your friends, not your family, not your coworkers, and not your boss. Why do you accept it from your president? How does that hold up against the values we’re supposed to live by? What does that say about us as a country?

Now, let’s look at the people who have been defending him through this process.

Devin Nunes, who led the House investigation as the ranking member for the Republicans, has been directly implicated in the scandal, and he did not recuse himself from the investigation, and there are definitely others who knew and said nothing.

Rudy Giuliani, a shameless, compulsive liar and conspiracy theorist, who even has Republicans like Lindsey Graham distancing themselves. He runs around the world peddling anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and making anti-Semitic remarks, was married to his cousin, and is the subject of at least three ongoing investigations, including criminal, counterintelligence, and financial. He has likely broken many federal laws, including FARA, while acting as Trump’s personal attorney.

Alan Dershowitz, and accused child rapist who admitted to getting a massage from an underage sex slave at Jeffrey Epstein’s mansion, but claims it was okay because he “kept his underwear on.” He made claims in Trump’s defense that were so outlandish that he even admitted only one person in history, in 1867, agrees with him. He argued that the Constitution says presidents are above the law, which is simply a lie, and you all know it. This country was formed to get away from monarchs who are above the law; that’s a foundational principle of the Constitution.

Pat Cippolone, the White House counsel, who is supposed to be representing the best interests of the country, not acting as Trump’s personal lawyer, blatantly and intentionally lied during the trial, something that would likely get him disbarred if that had been in any criminal court in the country. In addition, he’s implicated in the scandal, and still acting as counsel, which is against every ethical rule lawyers have.

Lindsey Graham, one of the Senators acting as a juror in the trial, has been implicated in the scandal, and said before the trial that he would not be impartial. He broke his oath of impartiality. He has been caught in more lies in defense of Trump than I care to get into here. During the 2016 election, he called Trump a “nutjob” and a loser,” as well as a “race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot.” He predicted that if the GOP nominated him, “we will get destroyed … and we will deserve it.” He sacrificed his integrity and is now completely subservient to Trump, and has likely committed crimes in Trump’s defense.

Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader who predetermined the outcome of the trial, breaking not only his oath of impartiality, but getting the other Republicans to break theirs. He has been completely obstructionist for the sake of being obstructionist, even when the things he was blocking would have benefited the American people. He has been complicit in covering up Trump’s crimes and defending Trump’s lies more than anyone else. He is the one responsible for getting the Senate Republicans to hold the first impeachment trial in history with no witnesses or evidence. He is the one who is getting the Republicans to refuse to remove Trump, even when admitting that the Democrats are right. He is getting them to set the precedent that the president is above the law. It is unconstitutional, and a travesty of justice. A perfidy, as one person put it.

Jim Jordan, another one of the House Republicans who ran the opposition to the investigation. It shouldn’t be surprising, though, seeing as he previously covered for a serial sexual assaulter and pedophile during his tenure at Ohio State University, where he refused to cooperate in the investigation, despite multiple students who have said he knew what was happening, and a referee even came forward about it. He has told more blatant lies in Trump’s defense than most people.

I could go on, but I think you get the idea. Where do we go from here? The Marine Corps also teaches you leadership principles, and there are a couple that are very relevant. I think they mostly speak for themselves.

Know yourself and seek self-improvement. Make an honest evaluation of yourself to determine your strong and weak personal qualities. Seek the honest opinions of your friends or superiors. Learn by studying the causes for the success and failures of others. Develop a genuine interest in people.

Set the example. A leader who shows professional competence, courage and integrity sets high personal standards for himself before he can rightfully demand it from others.

Seek responsibility and take responsibility for your actions. Stand up for what you think is right. Have courage in your convictions. Own your actions.

Give all of this consideration. Nothing I have said here is incorrect; I give you my word as a Marine, and if you think I'm factually wrong about any of it, I'm happy to discuss it with you and provide proof. Think about the values you hold and how the people I’ve discussed align with those values. Is this who you want us to be as a country? Are you really comfortable with that? All political positions aside, I am not okay with it. They are antithetical to everything I believe about how a person should carry themselves through life. They lack integrity, they lack any commitment to a higher ideal, and they are all putting their own personal benefit over that of the country, and to the direct harm of the country. I’m not asking you to evaluate your politics, I’m asking you to evaluate your values, morals, and your integrity. How much of that are you willing to sacrifice just because someone’s “on your team?” If you know me, I have a very low opinion of most politicians; Democrats included. I think most people in our government are corrupt to some extent, whether that’s taking money from lobbyists to influence policy in ways that are good for the lobby but bad for the American people, or manipulating political organizations and rules to maintain power, or any number of other things. Trump is so profoundly morally bankrupt as a person that there’s still no comparison between the normal corruption in Washington and what Trump has done.

I swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; and that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same. That is what I am doing now, and if you swore the oath, I'm asking you to abide by that oath. The values the Corps instilled are values I still strive to live by. I have spent most of my life in public service, and it’s likely that I’ll spend most of the rest of my life doing the same. We don’t have to agree on things politically; we all want what’s best for the country, we just have different ideas about how to get there. What we should agree upon is that our leaders be held to the highest moral and ethical standards, and I want you to examine yourself and see if that’s really what you’re doing. Are you living by those values by supporting Trump and the GOP? Are you setting the example that you want others to follow? Know yourself and seek self-improvement; it is never too late to grow as a person. It is never too late to decide to take a different path. Make decisions that you can be proud of. Make decisions your descendants can be proud of. Make decisions that the country and the world can be proud of.

Thanks for reading,

Semper Fidelis

Looking at the Big Picture with Russia

I’d like to take a few minutes of your valuable time to hopefully try to put some perspective on all of the events surrounding Trump, Russia, Ukraine, and even Brexit and the UK election, because they’re all connected, and it’s important to understand how. We focus so much on the specifics of what happened with Trump and Russia/Ukraine that the bigger picture gets lost.

First we’ll start with some history.

In 2011, Putin decided to run in Russia’s presidential elections, essentially just swapping places with Medvedev for Prime Minister, continuing their grasp on power. There was a rigged election in Duma that sparked the massive Bolotnaya protests in Moscow, and drew criticism from Hillary Clinton, who was Secretary of State at the time. Putin was worried about revolution, and of course cracked down on dissent, detaining nearly 1000 people, formally charging more than 30, and crushed the protest movement. Shortly after this, a real revolution, known as the Revolution of Dignity, broke out in Ukraine, and resulted in the overthrow of the Ukrainian government and the ouster of the corrupt Ukrainian President, Viktor Yanukovych. Yanukovych is in exile in Russia and still wanted by Ukraine for high treason. The Revolution of Dignity could have been a role model for Russians unhappy with the status quo, so Putin quickly launched a campaign of political manipulation, ensuring negative coverage of Ukraine on Russian state media at all times.

Crimea, transferred by the Soviet leadership from Russia to Ukraine in 1954, is populated by Russian speaking citizens who were frightened by the possibility of coming under the rule of extreme nationalists. The Revolution of Dignity was a legitimate uprising against a corrupt government, but it also had an ultra-nationalist component which was prominent for all to see, and was exacerbated by the constant push of Putin’s media campaign. A whole floor in the revolutionary HQ was occupied by Right Sector ultra-nationalists, and flags and symbols associated with Ukrainian Nazi collaborators in the World War II were flown in Maidan square. All of this was seen as a threat by Crimeans and influenced them to turn their backs on the revolution in favor of Putin. Following the Revolution of Dignity, Putin launched the Russo-Ukrainan war where they annexed Crimea.

Putin sold the invasion and eventual annexation of Crimea, which was a clear violation of international law, as an act of salvation, and saved himself from the threat of revolution.

After Russia annexed Crimea, Obama placed sanctions on Russian individuals associated with the invasion, and pushed European leaders to take a firm stand against Putin. I’m sure Putin was not a fan of this, which leads to everything that has happened since.

With the United States and Europe in strong opposition to Putin’s advances in Ukraine, Russia would not be able to further extend its invasion. This was untenable for Putin, so he orchestrated a massive campaign to destabilize his enemies. He started with targeting the upcoming US elections (remember, the Mueller report detailed that the intelligence operation began in 2014). Since Clinton as Secretary of State had been so vocally opposed to Putin’s actions, the operation targeted her campaign with the intent to undermine it. Russia, using a wide variety of methods, including infiltrating the NRA using spies, and funneling money to conservative groups through the NRA, using intermediaries such as Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman to make campaign donations, oligarchs funneling money to conservative political causes, trading favors with Mitch McConnell, and much more.

Trump was already indebted to Russia for bailing out his various failed business efforts since the late 1980’s, and had been vocally supportive of them during his campaign. There’s even video of Maria Butina, the Russian spy, asking Trump questions about Russia during a rally. Russia couldn’t count on anyone else to be as friendly to their agenda as Trump, so they worked tirelessly to get him elected. We know what has happened from there, and I don’t think it’s necessary to review the Mueller and Ukraine investigations here.

Russia’s other effort, interfering in the Brexit referendum, also started in 2014. For those of you who have not been following Brexit closely, it’s a disastrous decision of the United Kingdom to withdraw from the European Union. It was sold to the citizens without explaining what the impacts would be, and was largely pushed on the same racist lies that Trump used to stir ultra-nationalism in his base (immigrants are the causes of all of society's ills, etc). Russian continued the interference all the way through the most recent election that saw Boris Johnson, the champion of Brexit, elected.

So, how is all of this connected? The Russian interference campaign has resulted in a weakened United States, a weakened Europe, weakened NATO, lifted Russian sanctions, decreased ability of Ukraine to defend itself and its independence, and an upswing in Putin’s popularity among Republicans in the US. Putin was a senior foreign intelligence officer in the KGB, and has masterfully manipulated the world stage to his advantage. It’s important to remember that as bad as Trump’s actions have been, they’re only a small part of Putin’s agenda. If Putin gets his way, he’s going to continue his expansion into Ukraine, which is incredibly dangerous for the rest of Europe, and the free world in general.

Many Republicans are complicit in this effort, or are complicit in covering it up. It’s critically important to hold Trump and his administration accountable for what he has done so that we, as a country, can take a strong stand against Russia, help protect our allies in Europe, and ensure that we can have free and fair elections, which gives us the ability to self-determine the future of our country.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.