Be Excellent to Each Other

Warren dropped out of the race, and a lot of people have feelings about it. There’s a lot of hostility flying around, and I want to address it directly. The core of this is that we can’t have productive discourse without understanding, and so much of the vitriol is just trying to silence people without listening to what they’re saying; this is as true of the angry Sanders supporters as it is of the angry Warren supporters. I don’t condone any of the negative behavior, but I understand where it’s coming from, and I want to help other people understand so we can move forward toward common goals, because we are on the same side. Please try to remember that there’s been a massive Russian intelligence psyops operation happening since 2014. It is still ongoing, with a mission to divide us. People are still responsible for their actions, but a lot of people are being manipulated.

Elizabeth Warren was a great candidate. She didn’t make it through a combination of sexism, bad strategic decisions, and other factors. She would undoubtedly have been the best president of my lifetime thus far. She was always my close second choice behind Sanders, and after Castro dropped out, nobody was a close third. My preference for Sanders is that he wants to entirely change the system, while Warren wants to fix it. Either of them have a far superior vision for this country than the one we currently live in. Warren’s supporters are sad and righteously angry that a brilliant, capable, progressive woman didn’t fare better, and that’s valid. I have criticisms of Warren, but I have criticisms of every candidate, including Sanders. I have fewer criticisms of Warren than almost anyone. I admire her evolution from being a Republican to someone fighting to protect working people, and working ceaselessly to eradicate the corruption that plagues our government; it speaks very highly of her character.

The anger that we’re seeing directed at each other isn’t about Warren. It isn’t about Sanders, either.

There's a lot of valid, righteous anger about the oppressive system in which we live, and there's a lot of power trying to actively silence it or weaponize it, so it manifests in unproductive ways. The presumption that any opposition to a progressive candidate is crooked, corrupt, or in bad faith is obviously false, but when someone sees a system that is demonstrably rigged against them, they often see any opposition to dismantling that system as a personal assault against them (they shouldn't, and it's a very shortsighted view). Frequently, that comes in support of a status quo politician who benefits from a crooked system, so they see support of that establishment candidate as crooked, too. This has been reinforced for many people’s entire lives. Even as a Xennial, I experienced a *lot* more security in my life than people born 10-15 years after me. This isn’t to say that I’ve had it easy, because I haven’t at all. I just recognize the privilege of growing up in a system that had not been eroded as much. Americans have reliably watched as moderate after moderate promised change and to fight for them, but the only change was to benefit corporate America at the expense of the marginalized. Many of them see Biden as a death sentence because he literally promised billionaires that nothing would change. If nothing changes, we really are doomed. They don’t trust Biden to fight for the issues that are literally life and death for them; he’s just another existential threat to them, and far too many people with a lot more privilege don’t seem to grasp that.

“I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to "order" than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says: "I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action"; who paternalistically believes he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by a mythical concept of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait for a "more convenient season." Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.” - Martin Luther King, Jr. - Letter from a Birmingham jail

The income inequality in this country is at the highest point since before the great depression. 40% of this country can’t come up with $400 if an emergency happened. Many people are one missed paycheck away from poverty. People are dying because they can’t afford insulin, and the little wealth the 99% has is being systematically siphoned away from them, while social support programs are being cut. We’re watching the effects of climate change ravage the planet, threatening the prospects for future generations, while the government eases regulations. There are a lot of people who live with a constant existential fear, and it is very rational and well justified fear.

Marginalized people are disproportionately affected by these issues. This is an intersectional fight, so we have to be intersectional in the way we approach the campaigns. Understanding privilege is critically important, as is recognizing that oppression comes in many forms. The sexism that people are rightfully angry about is one form.

Sanders speaks directly and honestly to people about the power structures that are causing these socioeconomic woes, they look at his very long history of fighting this fight, and trust him to be an ally. Then, just as he’s poised for a big win on Super Tuesday, Biden wins SC (a state he was always expected to win), and between a very friendly, if exaggerated, narrative about his win from corporate media (who have been demonstrably biased against Sanders), and a sudden slew of last-minute endorsements from the corporate-backed Democratic establishment, rallying together to defeat the largest grassroots movement in my lifetime. Sure, the poor performance of Sanders’s outreach to the black community in SC had a lot to do with it, but he was never expected to win there. This is after Democratic leaders and superdelegates said they would be willing to damage the party to stop Sanders. The message that the establishment is trying to stop Sanders has been very real to his supporters since 2016, and the party has cemented that belief this year. They are righteously angry at the system that is trying to prevent real progress.

There is no debating that Warren and Sanders split the progressive vote; that’s just math. It wasn’t stealing from one or the other, there were just two good, progressive candidates, and people have varying opinions about which one is better, so they voted accordingly.

With that in mind, let’s consider the demographics of Warren and Sanders supporters. These are not criticisms, just data. We’re all on the same side, the candidates just had stronger appeal to different segments, and clearly better outreach was needed by both campaigns. Warren supporters are largely white, college educated, working professionals, 30-64 years old. Sanders supporters are overwhelmingly 44 and younger, nonwhite, non-college educated, and lower-income. He also has the highest support in the LGBTQ community. There are distinct disparities in the privilege that these groups have, and that cannot be overlooked in the discussion.

Warren supporters are righteously angry at the outcome of the election thus far and the actions of some Sanders supporters. Sanders supporters are righteously angry at an oppressive establishment, and some have misplaced their anger in targeting Warren and her supporters because they saw things that she did as beneficial to the establishment candidate, and betraying the progressive cause (right or wrong, this is how it looks to them). For them, it’s an existential issue, so they take it very personally. The offending Sanders supporters are not listening to the very valid reasons that Warren supporters are upset. They often don’t see that this is interpreted by Warren supporters as sexism, which is very real and has taken a heavy toll, or as juvenile hostility. Warren supporters who are attacking Sanders supporters are not listening to the very valid reasons Sanders supporters are angry (even if the anger is sometimes aimed in the wrong direction). Now, let’s look at that from a demographics perspective; a large, young, diverse group of marginalized people are seeing a group of largely older, white, college educated professionals telling them that because some people were mean to them online that they’re going to vote against the interests of the marginalized people. I know this is not the intent of the Warren supporters who are lashing out, but in engenders distrust and anger, largely because of the disparity in privilege and economic power.  None of this is to say that Warren supporters aren't angry at or fighting the same system. Again, we’re on the same side, and the anger is misplaced. Other Americans are not our enemy.

Some Sanders supporters see people supporting moderate candidates who aren't promising any real change as the enemy because it’s literally life and death for them. They think that people voting for moderates are more concerned with maintaining the status quo than the survival of marginalized, vulnerable people. The voters are not doing it with that intent, of course; the anger is valid but misplaced, but they also are not understanding that maintaining the status quo is maintaining a system that is hostile to the very existence of many Sanders supporters (and many supporters of all candidates, Sanders just happens to represent a lot of very vulnerable people).

We need a huge coalition to win this. Please, in your interactions with people, consider that everyone is facing a struggle with some power structure in this country. Be kind. It might not be the exact same fight that you’re fighting, but it’s connected. Try to understand privilege and how it relates to the people with whom you’re dealing. Try to understand how these systems of oppression overlap and reinforce each other. We need to work to build understanding, not attack each other. Keeping us divided is what the establishment needs to retain power. That’s why unions are under attack, it’s why grassroots movements are under attack, and it’s why the free press is under attack. Especially if you’re coming from a place of more privilege, try to understand that voting against the interests of marginalized people is seen as active oppression, and if you believe in a progressive agenda, take the time to listen to the most vulnerable people and understand what they’re saying. Remember that you cannot say that you’re an ally to someone and then vote for something that will harm them.

Everyone talks about unity until someone is an asshole to them. We’re better than that. Be patient. Be understanding. Most importantly, be kind. Build a bigger tent, talk to the most vulnerable people you know, and vote in their best interests. If you’re vulnerable, try to help your friends and family understand the direct impact these policies have on your lives. If you have more privilege, recognize it and use it. We all have to fight against a common enemy, and 99% of Americans are not it.

Be excellent to each other - Bill and Ted

What it Means When Someone Refers to "The Establishment"

Setting aside any policy specifics, I want to clear up a term that’s thrown around a lot without a ton of explanation.

“The establishment.”

The political struggle in this country is usually framed as left vs right, or Democrat vs Republican, but the truth is much more insidious. Both parties are bankrolled by the same people for the same goals. The parties may be ideologically different, but they frequently work toward the same goal, such as opposing universal healthcare, or fighting against a radical change in our energy infrastructure. Leadership of both parties are fully opposed to Medicare for All, but it’s not because they have a deep-seated belief that it’s bad for their constituents; it’s because they take a ton of money from the health insurance industry to hold that position. Sure, the Republicans are trying to strip all healthcare away, and Democrats are fighting to bolster the ACA, but they’re both fighting against universal healthcare because it would destroy health insurance profits. WalMart and Amazon donate huge sums of money to fight against increasing minimum wage and unionizing efforts. Same goes for basically every industry that’s harming the planet or oppressing 99% of us for profit.

We have to look at the power structures that are maintaining the status quo, and it’s bigger than political parties; they’re just the tools. We do live in a capitalist society, but people misunderstand what that means. I’m not a capitalist, and if you’re reading this, you’re almost definitely not a capitalist. You might think you are, but what you really are is a consumer and worker in false class solidarity with capitalists. Capitalists are the ones who can seize your possessions if you don’t pay your bills. Capitalists are the ones who can set the rates you earn on your investments. Capitalists are the ones who lead the industries. Capitalists are the ones who can crash the world economy with no repercussions. Capitalists are the 1%. We’re not even playing the same game. Capitalism is one form of power structure fighting to maintain the status quo.

Another form of an oppressive power structure is systemic racism. This country, and nearly every institution we rely on, were built by racists, and are intended to maintain minority rule. This shows in the electoral college and caucus systems where delegates are weighted to give disproportional representation to rural areas where white slave owners relied on slaves, and thus had less population for representation in elections. This shows in the design of cities where low-income people are geographically segregated from the economic centers and faced with transportation challenges, and have depressed property values that make it difficult to generate generational wealth. This shows in past practices like redlining and Jim Crow, and current policies like our criminal justice system that disproportionately incarcerates people of color. I could write an entire article about racist power structures.

There are many power structures in play that are bigger than political parties, but the obstacle to overcoming them is the same for almost all of them; money in politics. The people with money who corrupt our political system to work for their benefit.

When Sanders is talking about taking on “the establishment,” this is who he’s talking about. Sure, there’s the Democratic establishment; the corporate Democrats who are fighting to maintain the status quo, there’s the Republican establishment doing the same thing, but they all serve the same corporate donors. They’re all working toward the same overarching goal of profiting at all cost, no matter the harm to the people or the world at large. The only way we defeat them is by choosing politicians who reject that money and make decisions based on what’s good for the people.

When you hear corporate media pushing a narrative that Bernie Sanders is divisive, they’re not wrong, they’re just lying to you about who he’s dividing. He’s driving a wedge between the people and the entrenched power structures, not between Americans; that’s what the establishment is doing. A divided country is easy to control; one united in solidarity is not. Intersectionality is a topic for another post, but it’s rooted in the belief that no matter what your struggle with oppression, we’re all in this fight together. The Sanders campaign is intersectional; it’s bringing together people from every walk of life because we’re all fighting the same war. Make no mistake, we’ve been in a class war our entire lives, but the 1% has been winning. It’s time we changed that.

To showcase what I mean about the parties both serving the same corporate masters, take a look for yourself. Sure, in some cases an industry donates more to one party than the other, but they all donate to both parties, and often, in almost equal amounts. Always look at who's financing the opposition to policies that would benefit you.

Koch Industries
Pharmaceutical and health product industries
Fossil fuels
Health Insurance
NRA
Defense
Amazon
Google (Alphabet)
Apple
WalMart
Finance/Insurance
News Corp (Fox, WSJ, New York Post, Harper Collins)

The Claims of Media Bias Against Sanders

Many people still don't believe that the news media is biased against Sanders. MSNBC is the most-watched news network es, Fox gets more traffic, but they're not news), with almost twice the average viewership of CNN. They had a post-debate panel consisting of Joy Reid (MSNBC), Jason Johnson (the Root), A.B. Stoddard (Real Clear Politics), Brian Williams (MSNBC), and David Plouffe (Obama surrogate, and board member of ACRONYM). Two hours of post-debate commentary was an unending attack against Sanders, strategizing about how to stop him, and laments that he might be the nominee. Joy Reid, on her daily show, has been making arguments supporting Bloomberg, saying that the Democrats need their own Trump to beat Trump.

As it was two solid hours of nearly exclusive Bernie-bashing, I can't provide a full transcript, but here are some very representative quotes:

Williams: "Well, I thought it was a great night for Bernie Sanders. I thought it was a great night for Donald Trump. I thought it was a terrible night for the Democrats....Tonight was the night to knock down Bernie and the Democrats didn't do it. Buttigieg tried a few minutes but not effectively enough."

Johnson: "You know, it’s amazing America’s biggest socialist is a millionaire."

Johnson: [Sanders showed] “some of his weaknesses in communicating his message which we've seen before,” such as “[h]is inability to do anything other than gaslight America about some of the behavior of his own supporters when it comes to unions and organizations that don't fall in line with what he wants.”

Plouffe: “nobody laid a glove on Sanders” (Warren landed some solid hits)

Williams: “[t]he rap on the Democrats often is they're trying to punish success.”

Stoddard: "It's a very pure, far left-wing of the Democratic Party argument to sit on this campaign finance argument that Elizabeth and Bernie are so obsessed with. I think Democrats just want to win and that's why it was a strong moment for Bloomberg in an otherwise sad debate... Nevada is really important in terms of tonight's attack on Bernie. Tonight was the night to do it. Next week could be too late. He — they did not go after him. The moderators questioned him on his medical records and his transparency... They did not say this is an existential election in which we're letting a socialist lead our party while Trump is trampling the rule of law. There's plenty of recent examples from today, last several hours and the previous two weeks since he was acquitted. No one had their pants on fire. No one declared this an emergency. I think Nevada is really critical, and if Bernie is allowed to win it, I think they’re going to find they're in more trouble than they thought they were in."

Stoddard: "Health care is the most unifying issue in the Democratic Party. Well, it was until Bernie Sanders prominence as a potential soon-to-be nominee, delegate leader because of the argument of Medicare for All. Donald Trump has no health care argument. It’s the biggest liability for the Republicans and Donald Trump. Their health care plan is a Medicare for All nominee. If the Democrats nominate someone who has this ridiculous plan, and — and — and can be characterized as leading us into Venezuela, breaking the economy and taking — and ruining our health care system, then Donald Trump has a health care plan. So none of the — these are all gimme points that I just expected people to be making tonight in this very important moment because I believe that Nevada counts despite the early voting and I just don't think that this electability issue is being made enough effectively by them."

Plouffe: Sanders’s opponents haven’t made clear they want to defeat him with a “moment” that paints the socialist as “a liability.”

There is a very real corporate media assault against Sanders. There is a very real Democratic establishment assault against Sanders. There is a very real assault against Sanders from the pharma, insurance, and military industrial lobbies. There is a very real assault against Sanders from Republicans. Even in the face of such strong opposition, he has no billionaire donors, and is winning because he's backed by the most diverse coalition of supporters in the race, who understand that this is an existential fight, and that Sanders is the best chance for salvaging our future.

Respect The Troops

This is addressed to every veteran, active member of the armed forces, and every family member of those who served.

Respect the troops, they say.
Respect the troops, they say, while they use the troops as political pawns.
Respect the troops, they say, until the troops are homeless and begging for change.
Respect the troops, they say, until 17 troops commit suicide every day because they can't get mental health care.
Respect the troops, they say, until the troops come home from war, broken, and are forgotten by the country they served.
Respect the troops, they say, while they debase every value troops have fought, bled, and died for.

If you don't know, I proudly served in the Marine infantry. I swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Everyone who has served in the military swore the same oath. A month after I came off of active duty, my unit deployed to Iraq again, and fought in the Battle of Ramadi, the bloodiest battle of the war. 34 Marines and 1 sailor died in that battle alone. 12 of them were personal friends of mine, and they were all my brothers; some of them I trained. They made the ultimate sacrifice because of the oath they swore. This is very personal for me, and as a veteran, active member of the military, or family of someone who served, it should be for you, too. I respect the sacrifices made by everyone who serves, and I believe it is important that we do everything we can to uphold the values for which we all sacrificed. This isn't about politics, it's about honoring the oath we took.

Donald Trump, a draft dodger, called parts of the Constitution, that we all swore to defend, "phony." Whether you agree with him politically or not, this is an affront to everything we're supposed to stand for. It's a violation of his oath of office, and in opposition to the oath we swore. Trump, a draft dodger, insulted POWs. Trump, a draft dodger, compared military service to dodging STIs in college. Trump, a draft dodger, repeatedly attacked Gold Star families, who have suffered the ultimate sacrifice. Trump, a draft dodger, abused a charity for veterans for his own personal gain. Trump, a draft dodger, continues to use the troops as political pawns while debasing the Constitution and the sacrifices we've all made.

Even if you agree with every single thing he's done politically, he should have lost your support the minute he called the Constitution phony, even if you can overlook everything else he's done. If he calls the Constitution phony, and you support him, you are in direct violation of the oath you swore; you're an oath breaker. This isn't about politics at all, it's about basic integrity. Donald Trump, a draft dodger who called the Constitution phony, is the most un-American president we've ever had, and every minute he's in office is an insult to my service, and all of yours. Donald Trump, a draft dodger, doesn't respect the troops, he uses them for his political gain and nothing else.

If you never served, and you support Donald Trump, a draft dodger who called the Constitution phony, miss me with your fake "respect the troops" bullshit.

http://battlerattle.marinecorpstimes.com/2014/03/07/2nd-battalion-4th-marines-to-commemorate-deadly-2004-battle-of-ramadi/ 

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

A Brief History of US/Iran Relations, for Context, Given the Current Situation

A brief history of US/Iran relations, for context, given the current situation:

1953: The CIA overthrows the democratically elected government

1957: The US gives Iran nuclear technology and education (the foundation of their current nuclear program)

1967: The US provides Iran with a five-megawatt nuclear reactor and weapons-grade enriched uranium fuel.

1968: Iran signs a nuclear non-proliferation treaty, ratified in 1970, that allows them to continue a civilian nuclear power program, but not develop weapons.

1972: Richard Nixon visits the Shah to ask him to guarantee US security interests in the region, allowing Iran to buy any weapon system it wants in return.

1976-1978: Over $8 billion (in current dollars) worth of weapons were delivered to Iran each year.

1979: A radical Islamic movement overthrows the US backed government. A mob of students overruns the US embassy in Tehran, taking 66 American diplomats and Marines hostage. Khomeini backs the hostage-takers, but 13 are released after a short period of time, many women and African Americans; Khomeini says they already face "the oppression of American society." Another is released for health reasons. Carter imposes sanctions on and freezes billions in Iranian assets. Five months after the embassy is seized, Carter ends diplomatic relations. A rescue mission fails, resulting in the killing of eight American crewmen.

1980-1988: Iraq starts a war with Iran to capitalize on the chaos. Reagan provides Baghdad with intelligence and resources. Iraq uses chemical weapons against Iran, and the US continues to support Saddam Hussein.

1981: Carter announces that the US and Iran have agreed on a settlement. The final hostages are allowed to return home on the day of Reagan's inauguration, after 444 days in captivity.

1984: The US designates Iran a state sponsor of terrorism and enacts massive sanctions.

1985-1986: Ronald Reagan illegally sold weapons to Iran, which he lied to the American public about, and, in defiance of Congress, covertly and illegally funneled that money to fund the CIA's support of a paramilitary group in Nicaragua (see the Iran-Contra scandal). Reagan claimed it was to get Iran to release 2 hostages, which they did, but they took 2 others, so Reagan had zero net gain, and broke a lot of laws in the process. Incidentally, William Barr is the one responsible for the pardons issued for the convictions from that scandal.

1988: US Navy warship shoots down Iran Air Flight 655. The Airbus A300 is a passenger plane carrying many pilgrims on their way to Mecca. All 290 people on board are killed.

1992-1997: The US imposes many more sanctions on Iran.

2009-2015: Obama, over the course of years, negotiates the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) between Iran, the United States, Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia, that prevents Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

2016: 10 US sailors ended up in Iranian territorial waters on two small boats are taken hostage, but released after less than 24 hours after being taken into custody. The United States and Iran announce a prisoner swap. 4 Americans prisoners in Iran are freed in return for clemency for at least 7 Iranians, most of whom are dual U.S.-Iranian nationals, who were convicted or awaiting trial in the United States. A 5th American is released separately. The International Atomic Energy Agency confirms Iran is adhering to the JCPOA, and the US lifts nuclear-related sanctions.

2017: Trump, during his first foreign visit since taking office, makes a speech holding Iran responsible for global extremism in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

2018: Trump, against the recommendations of a bipartisan Congress, the Pentagon, and nearly unanimous international outcry, unilaterally announces he is withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal and reimposes massive sanctions.

2019: The US, at the direction of Trump, designates the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a "terrorist organization." An Iraqi-born American citizen is killed on a base in Iraq. The US (Trump) blames an Iranian-backed militia inside Iraq, and fires on its bases in retaliation.

2020: Trump, without consulting Congress, and at the insistence of Mike Pompeo, assassinates Qasem Soleimani, the 2nd most powerful person in Iran, who also happens to be the most popular person in the government, turning him into a martyr. One of the consequences from this was that Iran, which was suffering from massive, violent protests (partially because of a dramatic increase in fuel prices, but also directed at Khameni), which were the biggest internal dissent since 1979, became unified behind Khameni, and is now the most solidified support that he has had. Trump repeatedly threatens to commit war crimes if Iran retaliates. Iran launches ballistic rockets at an Iraqi base; no American casualties are reported.

And now we're caught up.