Providence

Recently I was reading through some of my journal entries and I ran across the following entry on 8 January 2010. I decided to post this because I think it is a nice reminder to those of us who believe in God's providence.

I was reminded today about the pressures of combat from reading only a portion of an article from Dr RC Sproul (http://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/my-good/ ). The article did not talk about combat, but rather the toll that a horrific Amtrak accident took on he and his wife. The article goes on to articulate Romans 8:28 "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose ". The reason this made me think of my time in combat is that I experienced the same type of thing while being bombarded by rockets and mortars on a small base in central Iraq. When these attacks began to happen I naturally had a strong feeling of anxiety. I would lie awake at night thinking about the prospect of being hit by one of those screaming pieces of steel. One of these nights was different however. As I was lying awake with my head spinning a thought entered my head. If God wanted to take me out of the world at this moment, there is nothing I can do about it. This had an extremely calming effect on me. I had learned in that moment what I already knew to be true, but this time I understood how to live the principle. God has control of all things. If I lie awake at night with anxiety about what is to come, then I waste my precious time and energy. I rested well that night and the rest of the nights in Iraq. Don't get me wrong, I still had fear of being killed in that forsaken sand box, but it no longer ruled my thoughts or made my heart pound. It freed me up to function. It reminded me of the words of old Sergeant Major Barret…If I want you I'll get you. As R.C. put it "The promise of God that all things work together for good to those who love God is something that has to get not only into our minds, but it has to get into our bloodstreams, so that it is a rock-solid principle by which life can be lived." That night it entered my bloodstream.

I am posting this from an email that I recently received which was a patriotic email and sent a reply to it.

Please don't misunderstand this email. I commend the people who try to understand the patriotic emails that have been sent. But please don't underestimate the toll that combat takes on the souls that experience it. Whatever the political persuasion you have, whatever the understanding of war you have, please understand that it taxes souls to participate in combat. I am alive, but some did not survive. Some of the men I knew did not live through the hell that we had to endure, but I don't ask for your support and certainly don't ask for your sympathy. I ask that you understand that we lay our lives down initially because we have an idealistic idea of what it means to die for our country, but when reality weighs down on our shoulders it is only then that we realize what we are actually fighting for. They call us heroes, but we only did what we needed to do to survive. So please understand that when you use the term hero it only leaves us with a sense of guilt. I survived, but my brothers did not. We lay down our gun because we can't come home till the last shot is fired. You don't have to send this to anyone; it is not a chain email, but when you watch the fireworks explode on the 4th of July I want you to feel that we celebrate this holiday because we prefer to celebrate freedom when we can. Please experience the happiness that our freedom represents...for it is what truly honors those who did not survive the hell we lived through. But please also understand that the men and women who survived feel that their sacrifice was not enough; that they did not do enough. Say a prayer for peace for our daughters and our sons; set my spirit free; let me lay down my Gun. Lord I'm so tired...but I can't come home till the last shot's fired. If you can please listen to Trace Atkins song during the ACM's, It tells the story well. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ge9zXIQq5HI. Please celebrate our freedom...but don't forget it was earned with blood.

Sgt Harland

USMC

I have said many times, that because many Americans believe that personal protection is the job of the police, that Americans have become more willing targets of crime. It only takes one person to change a terrible situation into a victory. That is why I call David Benke a Great American. School Teacher David Benke has been involved in teaching children drills in case of a shooting at his Littleton Colorado school in order to allow students to have a better chance of survival instead of being sheep at the slaughter. This is a mindset that others should adopt. The ability to ask the question, "if something happens what would I do?" David Benke working at a school near Columbine - the site of a great American tragedy - asked himself this question several times. He told himself that if something happens he would do what he could to stop it. So when the time came in a shooting at his school he did just that.

On 23 February 2010 David Benke tackled a gunman who opened fire on students near the school. He didn't have to ask himself whether or not to do something when he turned the corner and saw the gunman, because he had already answered that question. After having done this his only regret was that he didn't get to the gunman fast enough to prevent a second shot. Because of his action no one was killed. Let me say it again...No one was killed. Surely if Mr. Benke had not acted, we would be talking about another Colorado School shooting tragedy. Many will call David a hero, but I would respectfully disagree. The reason we have a hero complex in America, is because so many people have become so helpless that acting with responsibly and honor has become a strange event that only the few undertake. There is no doubt that David is a great American. This used to be and still should be how Americans think. Most survival experts talk about the psychology of survival as just as important if not more important than circumstance. If Americans continue to live a life of learned helplessness we will soon cease to be a society of great hope. Next time you think of some terrible situation you heard about don't just say "I hope that never happens to me", instead ask yourself "What would I do?" and make a plan. Hope for the best and prepare for the worst!

Thank you David Benke for doing your duty. May God bless you and your family.

The American Spirit

I have become increasingly angry with the tone that the Federal Government has taken with the people of America. I have a bone to pick and I want to get it off my chest. I am tired of being lectured by people who have never held a job other than politics. I have done many things in my short life. I have logged trees, cared for over 50 horses, and farmed in northern Wisconsin. I have attended college, worked as a carpenter, spent five years in the Marine Corps during war time, and am now a contractor working with military units. This is only part of the list. I have accomplished all these things without someone telling me how to think or live. I have been dirt poor and not asked for a handout. I have fallen and not asked for a safety net. I help people who need help.

I imagine that whoever may read this most likely has a similar list of various professions, experiences and accomplishments that are unique. The skills and experiences that people gain in there lives tend to be useful long after they have been learned. The same goes for career politicians. Barack Obama has not held a practical job since college. That leaves nearly 30 years of non practical experience in the political arena. Nearly 30 years of ideological development. Nearly 30 years of learning how to create policies that tell you how to live your life. I realize that he was voted into office by the American people. It is my belief that this happened because people were scared. Mostly scared of the uncertainties of an unstable economy. Every time I hear Obama speak all I hear is disdain in his voice. He constantly complains of the mess that he inherited, while forgetting that he begged us for the job. Inheritance is a passive event and a campaign is an active request for the job. This is not leadership!! In fact it is the definition of poor leadership. Leaders unite people. He has divided them. I know 19 year old Marines who know more about leadership than you Mr Obama.

Its not only him, but he is the one setting the tone. I would venture to say that there are few people in America who would look back on our wonderful history and say, "Wow, it was the government that has made this country so great". I would argue that it is the human spirit, or more specifically the American spirit that has inspired much of the world. Friedrich Hayek wrote a book called The Road to Serfdom in 1944. In the book he describes the inevitable dangers of socialist policies. He talks about the loss of economic and personal freedom, as many argue, but he touched upon an interesting concept. Of the changes socialism brings about he said, "The most important change ... is a psychological change, an alteration in the character of the people." His point is that social policies kill the spirit of a free people. It makes them less likely to innovate, or be creative to improve their lives. As John Stossel points out it is also called learned helplessness. Policies that are written in the spirit of doing for you rather than creating an environment for you to do for yourself, kills your desire to do for yourself.

The more this type of ideology continues, the more America will lose. The more people will become apathetic, and the more the government will do what it wishes regardless of what you think. It creates a why bother attitude. No thank you…not me. Some time ago I heard Glenn Beck say that he was done throwing his vote away. When I heard him say it, I didn't quite agree with it. But now I understand…I will no longer vote for someone who has not had a successful career before politics. I will no longer vote for someone who has been in office too long. I will not allow politicians to sit in office fat and happy while feeling like they can ignore the people, because they will just be reelected anyway. I will no longer vote for the person who is most likely to win. I will vote for the one who will reward success, allow failure, and harness the American Spirit, not crush it. If you want to continue voting for people who squash everything you have worked for…that is your choice. At least for now. Because the longer this goes on, your precious power of choice will become more and more narrow. It will choke the life out of you along with your money.

Usually in my posts, I go to painstaking detail to explain the reasoning behind my point. But this is not an explanation. It is a proclamation. I am not going to sit and listen to the Lecturer in Chief, imply that I need to just shut up and get on board with whatever he says. Next time he speaks, listen to what he is really saying. YOU DON'T MATTER! GET OUT OF THE WAY! I have survived this long without you Mr President…and I will survive long after you have left that office. And I will never get out of your way.

Difficult Questions

In my quest to understand the truth about our nation's history and the original understanding of our republic I came to a conclusion. Liberty is a very difficult concept for people to truly embrace. Liberty at its heart is the ability to live as we choose for ourselves. As a nation of laws and not of men we can do so within certain limits. What I am coming to understand is that Liberty also puts a great responsibility on the individual. This is coming to light in the ideological debate that is before our nation today about what role the government should play in our lives.

I believe there are two main issues at play. First is the notion that current politicians in congress are trying to sell; that they are creating the right to healthcare. But this is not the basis of our government. This is a positive understanding of rights rather than a negative one. The US Constitution and the Declaration of Independence explain that our rights are a natural condition of our existence, and that government cannot take them away. This is the basic foundational principle of limited government in our constitutional republic. Rights have been instilled in us from God who created us. Even if one does not believe in God this principle is still valid. The mere fact that you are a human means there are things about your humanity that should not be taken away. In this way those members of congress that are trying to "create" a right for the American people are wrong. Rights don't come from the government. They of course are free to believe this, but our system of government does not allow it. If they (or the reader for that matter) really believe that rights should be determined this way…that is a choice. But they need to have an open and fair discussion about this before they try to pull the wool over your eyes.

This begs the question…How are they able to sell the notion that they create your rights? This is the second issue at play. The answer highlights the importance of the individual in our constitutional republic. We are in danger of losing liberty because we as Americans are beginning to lose our backbone. Living with liberty, as it turns out, takes hard work and courage. Liberty places a great responsibility on the recipient. It means YOU are responsible for YOU. The more you ask the government to take care of you, the more liberty is lost. The problem is that it is not a proportional balance. It is exponential. You may ask for healthcare but what you get in return is the government having control of your body and the status of your citizenship. The current healthcare bills threatening to pass congress put a mandate on people to buy a product as a condition of citizenship. And as a natural condition of government, it will create an enormous bureaucracy to administer healthcare that will necessarily reduce your access to it. Healthcare is only one current and practical example of the ongoing ideological fight in our society now.

This is not a lecture from my high horse, but merely a call to others to think about this concept. For it is the most important concept to ensure our free way of life. It took the improper and aggressive action of congress to wake me up to what is happening. I am trying to share with others what I have learned. That living with liberty means that individuals have to exercise self control and self responsibility, just as God asks us to do. If you’re wondering what this means for those who are poor, can't afford healthcare, unemployed, or live day to day; my answer is stop asking the government to caudle them and treat them like children! Start treating them with respect; treat them like capable human beings. Grab someone's hand and help them get back on their feet. If you have identified a need in your community…do something about it…don't ask an entity with coercive powers to do it for you. Protecting our rights, it seems, is our responsibility. A difficult question to me and the reader is…What are you going to do about it? Comments, as always, are welcome

Well its 2010 and this year will be a big year for politics. According to Politico.com there will be over 500 House, Senate, and gubernatorial seats up for election in 2010. This means that voters will have some decisions to make. The question is: Why should you care? Don't forget that when a politician of any type asks you for your vote they are asking you to put them in a position that will allow them to make important decisions over the way you live your life and the way you spend your money.

Think about that for a Moment. Does that make you nervous? It sure makes me nervous. It should motivate you to know everything you can about the people asking for your vote. Their background, what they believe in, what makes them tick, what ideas and information have influenced them in the past and how they will use that information. Ultimately we try to find out what role they think the government should play in our lives. We use all of these things to make our decisions about voting.

However, I hear a lot of people tell me, "I don't understand these complex issues so how can I choose a candidate?" Then they tell me "I just choose not to vote". I understand this position, but I strongly disagree with it. We all need to do something very important...we need to know what we believe in, what makes us tick, and what ideas and information influence us. If we don't know these things about ourselves how can we choose a representative that most closely resembles our beliefs? If we fail to do so, we are more vulnerable to be swindled by dishonest people. For example if you are not willing to go into credit card debt because it puts you in a compromising financial position then you probably don't want to vote for someone who advocates spending money on social programs when the government doesn't have the money. Common sense goes a long way. Good principles still work when applied to government. Anyone who tells you different is probably either a progressive or a politician...and maybe both.

I don't mean to sound condescending, but I think it is all too common for people to look at political parties and merely vote for their team. I firmly beleive that if more people truly voted for the candidate that had character our political landscape would look very different in America. Political parties have dictated the terms of politics for far too long. I don't think political parties are inherently evil, but because we have allowed career politicians to get fat and happy within the government, political parties have become institutions filled with power hungry fat cats. We need a reset.

I suggest during this voting season that we all do our duty as Americans and inform ourselves. I suggest starting with a website called Project Vote Smart (http://votesmart.org/). Don't just listen to the candidates and believe them...do your homework. This is the perfect moment in America for us to change the face of politics. Liberty and limited government is best safeguarded by our vote.

Submitted for Your Consideration

I am an advocate of limited government. On this blog I have been trying to get others to entertain a dialog on this very thing. However, I am struggling to find my voice and often use a frustrated tone that I feel may be abrasive at times. I often find others that write things much more eloquently than I. The link I have included below is one of those voices. It is a chapter in the Handbook for Policymakers entitled "Limited Government and the Rule of Law" from the Cato Institute. If you are interested in such a thing I encourage you to read it. Although dense the chapter is only 11 pages. If you are not accustomed to reading political history you may find the beginning a bit daunting, however stick with it and pay attention to pages 8-11 as they are the most relevant to our current political environment. I am passionate about this issue and am afraid that many Americans have either never learned the concept of limited government or have forgotten it. I offer this gem to whomever will read it in order to encourage others to restore the limitations written into our federal system. As always everyone is encouraged to comment, question, or debate. Enjoy

http://www.cato.org/pubs/handbook/hb111/hb111-2.pdf