ELECTION DAY? 2020 MIGHT NOT BE DONE WITH US YET... ARE YOU READY?

 As election day approaches, this country is awash in tension and emotions are running high.  I will not be making any sort of political statements or taking a stand on any of the issues that are behind all of this, as none of that really matters (not as far as the intent of this particular post, anyway).  This is not a prediction, as I don't honestly think anybody can accurately predict or imagine what things will look like  between now and Christmas.  It's just an educated guess, followed by some suggestions on what folks may need to consider...

There is a high probability that the widespread chaos and violence we have seen over the last few months will intensify as the election draws near. No matter who actually wins the elections, we will likely see an explosion of violence once a winner is declared.  Extremists on both sides of the spectrum have been dreaming of this day forever, and I'm relatively sure they will not let this opportunity go to waste...  So what does that mean for my friends and family who are neither extremists, nor stupid?

 Your emergency responders will most likely not be responding your call for help.  Cops will be busy quelling the violence, or defending themselves as they will assuredly be targeted.  Fire and EMS will probably limit responses, travelling only with a police or National Guard escort.  If you need help, I suggest your prepare to be your own first responder.  Make sure you have prescriptions refilled, have first-aid supplies on-hand, check your fire extinguishers, have a garden hose hooked up, etc.  With police response times almost guaranteed to be substantially impacted, nobody is going to show up to stop a crime in-progress.  They'll get there in time to write up a report and head to the next one.  Make sure your doors and windows all function and lock correctly, make sure your firearms are clean, loaded and accessible.  Talk to your neighbors about keeping an eye out for each other and who is available and willing to assist with anything that comes up.

When the chaos ramps up, local, state and federal governments will institute lockdowns and curfews.  This could mean you can't get to the grocery store, gas stations or anywhere else for that matter.  It would be a good idea to make sure you have AT LEAST two weeks worth of food, toiletries, etc.  Between now and Election day, don't let your vehicle's fuel tanks get below 3/4 tank, and make sure you fill up ON election day.  Grab a couple extra propane tanks. If you have a safe place to store extra fuel, do so...

Lastly, just a bit of applicable life advice:  Be aware of your surroundings!  Protests and riots, potentially terrorism, they can all sprout up or occur almost instantly.  With social media used to coordinate, many protests just sprout up when the word goes out to those who engage in this stuff.  Right-wing militias, ANTIFA, BLM, they all maintain a robust and effective communications capability.  They have also spent the last six months developing and implementing strategies and tactics in places like Portland, Kenosha, Seattle, etc.  These events, should they occur, will be well-organized, well-equipped, and dangerous.

How do you handle this stuff?  If you're out and about, keep an eye out for large groups of people.  Watch for unmarked school busses, multiple vans, or a large police presence.  If you see that sort of stuff, probably time to head home or change course.  Follow your local law enforcement agency's twitter and social media feeds.  Obviously, the best way to keep safe when Election Day actually gets here?  Maybe stay home.  If you vote in person, be hyper-vigilant, and for the love of God, DO NOT travel to and from the polling venue in a vehicle slathered in your pro-Trump or pro-Biden stickers, wearing your Back the Blue or F*** the Police t-shirts.  Do everything you can to blend in, to be what they call "grey".  The time for flying your flag and being unafraid of "those idiots who don't think like me" is over.  Nobody is going to be swayed into voting for your guy on Election Day by your awesome shirt or big ol' flag.

Maybe this is all bluster.  Maybe we haven't given our fellow Americans enough credit as human beings.  I'm hoping, sincerely, that my wife and my friends and those who follow this blog, will poke fun at me for the rest of my life for being such a drama queen about this whole dang thing.  But the smart move today is to take some basic precautions and be ready in case I'm right.  And while we navigate this whole debacle, I would, as always, encourage you to join me in praying for our friends and neighbors, strangers, the opposing parties, our first responders, our country and our leaders.  2020 has been an incredible demonstration of the fact that wordly things and events are surely and completely out of our control.  Placing our identity in pro-mask vs anti-mask, Red vs Blue, Pro-cop vs anti-cop, whatever you stake your claim on?  Galations 2:20 reminds us that we are now identified in Christ, that we need no other claim of identity to be whole. And that looking to the world around us for hope or peace?  That, my friends, is a losing proposition.  The only true peace we can be guaranteed is found in the Grace and love of Jesus Christ.

Anyway, I'm rambling.  Keep your ammo dry, your eyes open, your bourbon neat, and we'll put the whole thing in God's hands.

 

THE FECES ARE ABOUT TO HIT THE OSCILLATING VENTILATION DEVICE...

 

The 2020 Presidential Election is just a few days away.  Our country is more divided, more tribal, than any other time in my 47 years as a citizen.  Extremism and anger rule the day, and fill the airwaves.  There is much to be concerned about.  Whichever way the election goes, you can bet that there will be chaos and civil unrest that will make the events of the last six months seem absolutely quaint.  Armed insurrection, mob violence, potential disruption of the supply chain, basic services, you name it.  The relative comfort we have enjoyed all our lives has a significant chance of being ruthlessly stripped almost overnight.  I happen to one of those people who has always known this time would come, and have advocated for years that folks undertake at least some minimal steps to be prepared.  I pray that I am wrong, and I pray that if I am right, that God will protect us all and show us a righteous path out of these dark times.  It is definitely unnerving though, as I am sure it is for most people.  Which is why I’m writing this today…

 

It doesn’t matter who wins the election, because God is still on His throne, Jesus is still (and always will be) the King.  So when fear, anger, sadness, anxiety or any other negativity starts eating away at you in these troubled times, remember that this is exactly what the Enemy wants.  Satan does not seek to corrupt the strong, or the True Believer, for he is powerless in the face of our Faith.  He whispers in the ear of those who are vulnerable, emotional, afraid.  He tries to tell us, lying like he has always done,  that we should fear, hate or cast out those who do not see the same worldview or political stance as us.  He encourages us to let fear become anger, and anger to become hatred, dividing us as friends, neighbors, family and humans, knowing that this is where his lies and deceit are most easily accepted.  DO NOT FALL FOR HIS CRAP!

 

While I will always suggest that being competently and proficiently armed, and well-stocked, are two of the most important things a man can do for his family and friends, these are worldly preparations for worldly problems.  Defending and providing for your family are non-negotiable duties you volunteered for when you took on your gig as a husband, wife and parent.  It is my opinion that on the weeks and months to come after the election, there is a strong chance that we will see some very dark days in this country, events that may permanently alter what the world looks like to us.  But if we don’t fall for Satan’s lies and attempts to steer us into sin, there is a solution that will provide both Spiritual and practical peace for all of us…

 

Ephesians 6:11-18

Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

 

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.  In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.  Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

 

 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

 

I would ask all of you to join me in praying for our nation, and our fellow Americans.  Pray for our leaders, from BOTH parties.  Pray for wisdom and discernment in those who are tasked with finding a way out of this chaotic, tumultuous time we live in.  Pray for our God to lay His hands upon the hearts of all men, that they would be restored and strong in their Faith, and in their love for their fellow man.  We ALL need to put on the full armor of God, and step onto the battlefield…  While there may indeed be an actual battlefield in the coming weeks, the battlefield we have chosen to take a stand on is a spiritual one, upon which we deny Satan’s influence and reach out to those who would otherwise never understand the love and Grave of Jesus Christ.  God Bless you all, and hang on tight, this ride is about to get a little hectic!

THE CONFLICT BETWEEN YOUR WORLDVIEW AND YOUR HEARTVIEW

 I'll be 47 years old here in a couple of days.  In those 47 years, I have seen and experienced things that have shaped my worldview.  My worldview and my heart are not the same, although both things can definitely impact the other.  It's important to talk about this, as I think that many people, even those closest to me, seem to think that I have issues of the heart because of my worldview.  I'm hoping to do a better job of defining both the separation between the two and how they can inter-mingle without becoming one.

The Worldview:

My worldview is not based on some hyped up bullcrap fed to me by my social media feed or the television.  My life experience, the things I have seen and done with my own eyes and hands shape my opinions, which are always shored up with FACTS.  This country has been being lied to by the left and the media for decades but when you tell the same lie a thousand times, it will take hold in the minds of those who suckle at the teat producing the lie.  So here's the facts:

According to DOJ statistics, American law enforcement had 53.5 million "contacts" in 2015 (the last year I could find data for).  8 million of those were officer initiated (traffic stops, traffic accidents,crime in progress, welfare checks, suspicious parties, etc).  The remainder were public initiated (911 calls, flagging an officer down, walking into the police station, etc).  Let's do some math here:

53.5 million contacts divided by 12 months equals roughly 4.46 million contacts with the public every month.  In the same year, police officers fatally shot 987 people.  How many of those people were unarmed black men?  Two percent.  That's twenty.  Now out of that twenty, lets talk about what "unarmed" means.  It does NOT mean, innocently sitting at the library reading The Caine Mutiny.  It simple means they did not have a weapon.  Let's be clear here:  I could beat a grown man or woman to death with my bare hands.  I could knock a grown man unconscious with one or two well-placed punches.  So if I was fighting a cop, he would rightly be concerned that I might access his gun and kill him or others.  So if he was losing that fight, he would be completely justified in shooting me.  If I was a suspect in a shooting or other violent crime, and ignoring his commands, and suddenly pointed my wallet or phone at him, he would be justified in shooting me because of my actions.  So now that THE FACTS are out there...

Lets say, generously, I might add, that 50% of the unarmed black men who were killed by police were truly bad shoots.  Like the cop really messed up, or was just a bad cop.  So that knocks the number down to ten unarmed black men killed by police that year.  Again, statistics do not lie, they clarify. here's the truth:  Statistically, that number doesn't even register.  You have a better chance of winning the lottery AND getting struck by lighting at the same time, than being an unarmed black man and getting killed by the police.  What is the truth?  The truth is that American law enforcement is not out there assassinating black people.  There is no genocide.  There is no war against black people.

Some people would say that I haven't addressed police brutality.  True.  And I'm sure it occurs. But the statistics on that are similar, in that most police brutality complaints are found to be a direct result of resisting arrest...  NOBODY deserves to be beaten, NOBODY deserves to be shot and/or killed, but there are a lot of bad decisions made on the part of the offender.  As my old man used to tell me when I was a young criminal myself, "Play stupid games, win stupid prizes", which was a hard truth.  He also told me, LOTS OF TIMES, "If you don't hang out in high crime areas, don't hang out with criminals, and generally behave, you have a much better chance of not having to talk to a cop".

So to sum it up, that's my worldview on the matter at hand.  Statistically speaking, the American police force is damn near perfect in their correct and righteous application of force, whether lethal or non-lethal.  It angers me that the narrative is some sort of targeted assassination, a racist genocide of black men by racist cops.

Now for my "heart view":

The economic inequality in this country is directly responsible for the culture of crime and discord within the black community.  Black men are nearly ten times as likely to be arrested by the age of 21 as a white man.  55% of all violent crimes are committed by black men, which consist of less than 7% of the US population.  Is this because black people are pre-disposed to crime and violence?  Because they are savages, animals, somehow "less than"?  NO.  EMPHATICALLY, NO.

When you grow up in poverty, in a failed educational system, surrounded by despair and hopelessness, you wish nothing more than to find a way out.  How many of us who grew up in a safe suburb, both parents around and working, nothing to worry about, really, can say we understand that life and it's effects on a young man?

You know who doesn't worry in the poorest neighborhoods, about where their next meal is coming from, or whether or not they'll be confronted with violence?  The guy all these lost young men see every day.  The gangster, the dope dealer, the criminals.  "Self-made", driving a badass car, rolling with a posse of dudes for mutual protection, carrying guns, wearing fancy clothes, flashing stacks of cash, etc.  Black or white, you take a kid who has never had a damn thing, and let him watch this lifestyle everyday, he's going to choose at some point.  Getting paid $50 to run a sack of dope to the guy down the street, or to be a lookout on the corner, that can be a life-changing event.  Suddenly, this 14 year-old kid has money.  Him and his siblings might have real food tonight instead of no food or crummy food bank food.  This kid who's dad was never around and hasn't been taught about how to earn respect, suddenly knows what respect feels like when the gangsters keep him around.

Eventually, in this culture, born in poverty and broken homes, the young man becomes the men his friends and family respected, and feared.  The glorification of the gangster, the respect paid to a young man for not being a snitch, getting arrested, committing crimes, it becomes the only thing he has to hold on to.  Suddenly, dealing with the cops looks completely different for this kid, than it did for you and I.  I always respected cops, and was afraid when I got busted for stuff, because I was a soft kid from the suburbs who didn't want to go to jail.  This other kid, he ain't afraid of jail, he knows plenty of dudes from his neighbor hood who are already there, or have been there plenty of times and have prepared him.  That first arrest may even be seen as a badge of honor, a rite of passage.

This entire issue isn't about black or white, or criminal versus non-criminal.  It's about poverty, and the culture it breeds when openly ignored by the educational and social systems.  It's about the way the liberals in this country continue to tell poor people that this is a class war issue, or that they are poor because the "others" aren't doing enough to help them.  So they pour money into a welfare system designed to keep people on the dole, as it guarantees votes, and keeps perpetuating the class war the left so desires.  And as an added bonus for the left, the violence and unrest generated when their class war breaks out as a black and white, rich and poor, law-abiding versus law-breaking conflict plays right into their desire to see this country divided permanently.

So the heart view SHOULD be, what am I doing, to help bring change and real hope to the poorest in this country?  What can I do to be a face of compassion, a benefactor, a comrade in the fight to make real change for those who so desperately need somebody to believe in them and stand beside them?  How often did Jesus' own disciples question why He spent so much time with the outcasts, the downtrodden, the "criminals", the sinners?  His answer was always the same, although I paraphrase here:  "The healthy do not need a doctor, it is the sick who require healing".  Those who are most broken, those who have lost all human dignity in the eyes of their society, those are exactly who needs us the most.  So maybe stop harping on how bad this behavior we see on the news every night is, maybe stop looking at the other side as animals or traitors, and look at them through the eyes of Jesus.  There's a lot of reasons to be angry, I myself am angry.  But anger has never solved anything.  We have to find it in our hearts to show empathy, sympathy and compassion to those who need it so much, despite our differing socio-political views and beliefs.

Mark 2:17

When Jesus heard this, he told them, "Healthy people don't need a doctor, sick people do.  I have to come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners"

FAITH VERSUS THE WORLD AROUND YOU

 I posted something on Facebook a couple of days ago, standard Johnny Knuckles stuff, drawing lines in the sand, being angry, etc.  And three of my friends from my extended church family basically, in a very loving, Christian manner, called me out on it.  These times that we are living in, an era of national turmoil, they engender an enormous amount of emotional weight in anybody who is paying attention.  No matter what side you choose, no matter what you think about it all, the weight remains, and can significantly impact your ability to manage the way you interact with friends, family, strangers, etc.

There is a solution to this emotional turmoil, though.  In Matthew 11:29-30, Jesus tells us, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."  When we choose to seek solace and pursue the Holy Kingdom, we throw off the weight of the worldly chaos and sinful nature of this life, leaving only the Grace of our Father to carry.

So I decided to give Facebook a not-so-fond farewell.  I find that I am easily sucked into the divisiveness, the anger, and all of the other completely negative garbage that I find there.  I have friends who mean the absolute world to me, brothers and sisters in Christ, that were quite obviously hurt or disappointed by my drawing lines in the sand and demanding that people choose a side.  I need to remember that I am expected to walk in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, and that means that even those who choose to call me their enemy are still God's children.

Now, all of that said, I still hold strong beliefs about right and wrong, and about what is going on in this country.  No matter how my Faith guides me or colors my view of the world, the fact remains that the same people who are cheering the rioters, looters and cop-killers on as they attempt to bring about the destruction of the American Way, are the same people who have hate in their hearts for those who follow Christ.  It is my responsibility, as a Christian, to love and pray for my enemies.  But let us not forget that there was a time when God instructed His People to fight those who wished for their destruction.  In fact, God sent us King David, the warrior king, and other warrior leaders throughout the Old Testament, who met our enemies on the battlefield with the power and might of God on their side...

Today, we are surrounded by modern day Phillistines, an army of zealots focused on erasing Christianity and replacing it with a morality system more like Sodom and Gomorrah.  The only question is do we fight?  How hard do we fight?  Who will lead us in that fight?  So all we can do is prepare, and pray.  "Therefore, let him who desires peace make ready for war"...

I will pray for our enemies, pray for our country, and pray that God provides us with the wisdom and courage to navigate the dark days ahead.  In the meantime, I will continue to use this blog as a platform to both spread the Word of God, and to provide fact-based, historically supported, Johnny Knuckles observations and suggestions on how to see clearly, make ready, and be at peace with all of it.

My God bless us all, and protect those who call him Father, and may he provide the Grace for us to love our enemies in the face of evil...

THE LEFT AND THEIR PARAMILITARY ARMS WANT WAR. THIS IS WAR, PEOPLE...

https://www.foxnews.com/us/los-angeles-county-sheriffs-reward-ambush-attacker

This is a direct result of the anti-cop rhetoric spewed by the liberal left, the media, Democrats, the media, and their followers.  Ladies and gentlemen, make NO mistake, this is war.  This is what they want, this is all part of their plan.  Let me repeat that in caps so we are clear here:  THEY WANT WAR.  THEY WANT THE COMPLETE FAILURE OF OF AMERICAN SOCIETY.  THEY ARE OPENLY ADVOCATING THE COMPLETE TEAR DOWN OF THE UNITED STATES, AND APPLAUDING THE MURDER OF OUR FRONT-LINE RESPONDERS...

Let's look at this with some common sense though:  None of these people have developed actual life skills, not for a soft, comfortable society full of malls and iPhones and Amazon, and certainly not for the anarchy and feudalism that will result if they get their wish.  Here's the truth of the matter...

Defunding the police, combined with the increasingly hostile attitude towards the police from their own leadership and elected officials means that police work is rapidly becoming an unattractive career choice.  All these cops who have been on the job for ten, twenty, even thirty years, with all their experience, street-smarts and abilities?  They are leaving in droves.  Big city departments (let's say departments with over 1,000 officers) are looking to lose up to 20% of their most experienced officers and leadership as guys and gals with enough time on the job to retire are doing so, even if they had planned to do thirty, they are seeing the writing on the wall and leaving at twenty.  Younger, college educated cops with seven to ten years on the job are young enough to start a new career, so they're leaving too.

What happens when you can't entice the good guys to become cops?  When they pay sucks, the danger is ever increasing as staffing levels drop and equipment less available, the chances of being sued or prosecuted are hanging over your head from day one, etc?  I'll tell you what happens.  The standards get lowered, and the quality of your candidate pool follows.  Pretty soon, you have cops who avoid those calls for service that might be hairy.  You have cops who don't know how to read a situation, you have cops who have hundreds of hours of sensitivity and diversity training but less than twenty hours a year of combatives training, firearms training, etc.  All of this leads to cops more likely to shoot or kick somebody's ass because they haven't received the training on how to safely take down a fighter, or shoot/don't shoot scenarios.

Pretty soon, you end up with residents of these jurisdictions who can afford to do so, leaving for jurisdictions where the cops are still supported and funded.  It will look like the "White Flight" of the 1970's, but it won't be.  It will be people escaping these large cities as the crime rates skyrocket, looking to live in a safer place.  If you think I'm wrong, just look at how the homicide and violent crime rates in major cities with administrations already defunding and leaving the cops out to dry.  New York City, Chicago, Seattle, LA, the list is growing every day.  But long-time residents of these cities are now openly questioning their safety and security.  It will be months, not years, before we see the middle and upper class residents of these places leaving for cities where this situation is not tolerated.

What comes after that?  Maybe at the five year mark?  Major cities look like New York City in the 1970s, what the FDNY called "The War Years" as entire boroughs became untenable slums filled with crime and chaos that bled into surrounding areas.  In five years, once modern cities like Seattle and Portland, Chicago, they'll all look like Detroit, with hundreds of city blocks full of abandoned, vacant, and burned out properties, a wasteland with an unsolved homicide rate hovering around 80%.  You want to talk about a socio-economic divide?  The haves and have nots?  This whole country will be irreparably divided in this scenario.  The haves?  In ten years, they'll be living in gated communities with para-military private security.  And their cities will be patrolled by cops driving armored cars and authorized to use whatever force is needed to keep criminals and the have nots out.  The have nots?  They'll be trapped by their lack of resources, stuck in the Mogadishu-esque wastelands that will be the signature of those locales that defunded and wrecked their police forces.  The cops in those locales?  They'll be corrupt, infested with thugs who passed the minimal requirements to get hired and now patrol their beats not to prevent or solve crime, but to collect bribes from the crime lords, gangs and militias that actually "police" their territories.  Think that's a stretch?  Look at Venezuela, Columbia, the Philippines, Johannesburg, Mexico...

But here's an article from one of my must-read fellow bloggers, Greg Ellefritz.  He lays it out much better than I can, from a cop's perspective...  Y'all best be stocking up on guns and ammo, and figuring out how you will live day-to-day when this country is in this situation.  Start learning to grow your own food, start learning basic medical care, the list is endless.

https://www.activeresponsetraining.net/the-future-of-american-policing [activeresponsetraining.net]

REMEMBERING THE DAY THE TOWERS FELL

 On September 11, 2001, I had been a member of the Wheat Ridge Fire Department for about 2 1/2 years.  I was sitting at home getting ready for my other job and watching the news, my normal routine.  Life was pretty good, America was pretty good.

The news cuts to a live shot of the first tower, thick black smoke rolling out of one of the most iconic buildings in the United States, talking about how a plane had hit the building.  I'm thinking "That's way too much smoke for that to be a general aviation aircraft, that was a big plane...".  Fascinated, thinking about how FDNY was probably dumping hundreds of firemen on this box alarm, knowing they were one of the few departments in the world who had enough equipment, manpower and experience to climb a hundred floors of stairs and kick this fire's ass.  But also thinking, "Jesus, how many civilians and passengers are already dead?  What is the rescue portion of this incident going to look like???

Then, hearts and minds across America, and the globe, were broken.  EVERYTHING changed.  From the side of the screen, a large commercial passenger jet streaked across the sky and impacted the second tower.  The smoke and flames exploded out the opposite side of the tower, accompanied by debris and what seemed to be a million pieces of paper.  It was so surreal, most of us watching didn't really comprehend what had just occurred.  But then reality slapped me in the face, and I knew this was a targeted attack.  Somebody had done these things on purpose.  But despite this knowledge, I was still thinking, only FDNY could handle something like this, but we are definitely looking at hundreds of dead and injured.  Fear crept in, as I wondered what the hell was going on.

I'm watching as the bodies rain down on the streets around the towers, dozens of people leaping to their deaths from a hundred floors up, choosing the painless death of the fall over the terror of fire and choking smoke.  Now the news is reporting that there are other missing planes, and before we get much further, the towers have collapsed, the Pentagon has been hit, and Flight 93 is a smoking hole in a field in Pennsylvania.  We are most assuredly under attack, and the entire national apparatus is scrambling to figure out if there is more to come.  Within two hours of turning on my television that morning, I had literally watched 3000 people die on live TV, and received the news that hundreds more were dead at the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania.  The skies emptied as the FAA shut the entire national airspace down, not a single plane in the sky aside from the fighter jets scrambled over every major city in the US.

I responded to my fire house and we went on standby, knowing that if something like this happened in the Denver area, we would certainly be called in, as nobody in the metro area has the manpower to handle an incident like this without mutual aid from their surrounding departments.  We were all glued to the TV as reports just kept coming in, live shots of the smoking apocalypse that came to be known as Ground Zero.  My heart ached as I thought about the fact that I just watched hundreds of fellow firemen make the ultimate sacrifice in just a few minutes.  I couldn't even begin to wrap my mind around the true scope of this tremendous loss of life and the impact it would have on all of us.

In the coming months and years, our nation would enter into a state of war that has lasted the better part of two decades.  Every facet of our daily lives has been impacted by the events of that day.  I spent a few days at FDNY Engine 23 (the Lion's Den) that November, attending the first official memorial service for all 343 firemen lost on 9/11.  Madison Square Garden was filled to capacity as firemen from all over the globe joined us to mourn and remember the courage and will of  those we lost.  Spending those days with the guys from The Lion's Den, meeting the families of the six guys they lost on 9/11, seeing that terrible pile of steel and ash that used to be the two tallest building in North America, it scarred me.  Like, I'll never not be able to feel sorrow and loss on September 11th again.  But also a sense of pride that I spent ten years in the most noble profession, that those 343 brothers who died that day (and the hundreds more who have died from disease and suicide as a direct result of that day's events) were indeed my brothers.

When the FDNY pulled up in front of those towers throughout the morning, surely every single man knew that this was bad.  Most of them probably knew that they were going to lose some guys on this job.  But still, as the bodies rained down, as Father Mychal Judge was killed by a jumper, guys like Captain Paddy Brown and the men of Rescue 3 climbed ever higher into the hellish landscape of a mortally wounded high-rise because "THIS IS WHAT WE GET PAID TO DO, IT'S OUR JOB".  Even as a third generation fireman, proud of my own ability to put rational though aside and enter a burning building, I struggled (and still do) to understand just what is must have been like to climb those stairs, ascending ever higher as scores of terrible injured people headed down in the opposite direction, seeking safety and refuge.  It's that kind of sacrifice and bravery that keep my faith in humanity alive to this day.  We are blessed to have men like this among us...  Even though I left the fire service in 2010, I remain connected to this day with the guys I came up with, I still dream about various fires and incidents I worked, and am proud to have been part of that brotherhood for ten years.

***Captain Paddy Brown, one of the most decorated FDNY members of all time***

Highly recommend you check out this trailer, and see for yourself what this guy was all about:

http://findingpaddy.com/

So, without taking a political or social train off the tracks, without soiling the memory of 9/11 with a selfish personal rant about the two decades since that fateful day, I'll just end this entry today with one statement:  "No greater love than this, to lay down ones life for his friends"...  what's crazy about the truth in this verse is that those firemen weren't even doing it for their friends, they were climbing to their doom for complete strangers...

A BROKEN WORLD...

 We live in a broken world.  The latest evidence of this is the viral video going around of a dude who committed suicide on facebook live, and has been circulating on various social media platforms for the last week.  My son saw this video, and never said a word to my wife or I about it.  It is GRAPHIC.

When I was a teenager, if you wanted to see crap like this, you had to search far and wide at the local video rental store, maybe in the "Adult" section, for Faces of Death tapes.  Now any child with a smart phone can access the most gruesome, horrific content with a tap and a swipe.  I wonder just how much my son has seen, at the age of 15...

As a youth leader at my church, a wrestling coach, a dad, I struggle to even grasp the enormity of the impact that the complete access we enjoy today has on our kids.  Violence, death, pornography, the very worst this world has to offer, and our children share the same access we have.  If you're a parent, I pray that you have a relationship with your kids that fosters discussion on this stuff.  My son is very open with us, he will talk with us about anything, even though we usually have to ask (as opposed to him just giving it up), and for that we are blessed.  But how many kids in this country suffer in broken homes, distant or disconnected parents, and lean into social media for connection?  Because that is where the Enemy lies in wait, using that brokenness as a conduit to steer children away from God and into darkness...

There wasn't really a firm point to this post, maybe I will have something a little more helpful or meaningful later, but I just wanted to share my feelings on this stuff, as I am more than a little broken-hearted about the whole thing.  I leave it with a prayer for now:

Heavenly Father, please protect the hearts of those who need you so much.  Give parents and families the wisdom and discernment to courageously educate, defend and lift up their children.  Please continue to empower your followers with strong hearts and powerful love, that they would stand in your Word, and be free from the sin and shame that this broken world brings to our doorstep and into our homes.  Thank you for sending your Son to redeem us all, and for the full armor of God.  In your Son's holy name, we pray these things.

Ephesians 6:10-18

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

THERE WILL BE MERCH!

Once I have around 2,000 page views and the blog is getting some traction out there in the blogosphere, there will definitely be merch...  I'm not super creative, but I AM pretty smart, and have therefore surrounded myself with a very diverse group of other super smart humans.  Some are super linear thinkers, about as creative as blank graph paper but super analytical.  The others?  These people somehow ended up with ALL of their genius IQ points squarely in the "Stephen Hawking had a baby with Bob Ross" camp.  Knuckle sandwiches and big words has some great potential for badass merch, amirite???

ANTIFA SHOOTER WHO KILLED JAY DANIELSON RECEIVES HIS REWARD

https://www.foxnews.com/us/new-details-shooting-portland-michael-reinoehl

ANTIFA is a domestic terrorist group with the stated ideology of total anarchy and the destruction of the the United States of America and everything we stand for.  They advocate violence with an enthusiasm and volume that makes any rational person say, "Wait, what?".  Strangely, the leftists in our government and their media lackeys ignore or downplay their hate-filled rhetoric while still running a full-court press on the make-believe threat of white supremacist terrorism and racist cops.

Well, when you advocate violence and actively participate in multiple violent attacks, eventually conducting an intentional assassination of another human being for the simple crime of having a different opinion than yours, you have chosen your path.  And the Good Guys always win, dummy.  I won't say his name, he does not deserve a place on this blog, but the Feds made sure he died of lead poisoning and he received his just reward.  While I will pray for his soul, I think it's safe to say this monster was not a follower of Christ, and is likely completing his new resident orientation class in Hell as I type this...

THE SMART GUY'S GUIDE TO NOT BEING SHOT BY THE COPS

STEP ONE: Don't be a criminal, don't associate with criminals, don't commit crimes or behave in a manner that draws attention from law enforcement.

STEP TWO: When interacting with a police officer, whether you committed a crime or not, DO WHAT THE OFFICER SAYS. Follow instructions, remain calm and polite, do not behave in a manner that indicates you may be a potential threat to the officer's safety. (Even if you are completely innocent and/or you believe that this interaction is based on false or incorrect information or even harassment, this is not the time or place to fight that, you will lose)

STEP THREE: When the situation has escalated to the point where the police officer has his hand on his gun, or has drawn it, your decisions have become life-or-death. The ONLY choice that provides for life beyond this moment, or at least a life without bullet holes in you, is complete and total compliance. This one seems simple, as whether it's a police officer, a concealed carry citizen, or some dude off the street trying to rob you, the fact remains that when a man with a gun is giving you orders or making demands, any sane, rational person would understand that choosing otherwise carries potentially fatal consequences...

That's it folks, three simple steps to "surviving" an encounter with law enforcement. I honestly can't believe that I even had to post this list. This is basic life skills 101, nobody even had to teach me this stuff. If you've seen even one cop movie, or watched even one episode of Cops or Live PD, or even seen somebody arrested, you should be able to understand that the man with the badge (and the full authority of local, state and federal law behind him) and the gun is probably in charge. If you can't, or wont, respect the badge, boil it down to basic human instincts for survival and respect the fact that this feller is loaded with things that will hurt and/or kill you.

JACOB BLAKE WOULD STILL HAVE USE OF HIS LEGS...

But he, like so many "innocent black men hunted and killed by racist police officers", chose to fight with the police, and ignore the orders and directives of two men with guns drawn. You have yourself a wanted felon, a rapist, wife-beater, a man with a known history of resisting arrest, yet the narrative is that he was somehow just an innocent young man, harrassed and then shot by a mad dog cop? Nope. He fought the cops, was tased and continued to resist, broke free and was, based on the video evidence, armed with a knife (which was found on the floorboard of the car he was reaching into when shot. Yet Kenosha burned anyway, just like all these other cities... So what is the common theme in the officer-involved deaths that have occured in 2020 that have America burning? Let's take a look:

George Floyd: Rap sheet a mile long, actively resisting arrest, toxicology report shows what is considered a fatal dose of fentanyl in his system, plus myriad other controlled substances, and a list of pre-existing, aggravating medical conditions. Would still be alive if he had not been committing crimes, being on drugs, and resisting arrest.

Rashard Brooks: Rap sheet a mile long, actively resisting arrest, attempting to taser a police officer, drunk. Would still be alive had he not been a criminal and resisting arrest.

Breonna Taylor: Video and taped jailhouse phone records show that the decedent was an active participant in her boyfriends criminal activities, managing his money and assisting with other logistics as he was in and out of jail on a laundry list of drug distribution, firearms charges, etc. A tragic but completely avoidable loss of life on this one. True, she was shot and killed while she lay in bed. BUT, had she not chosen to align herself with a career criminal who attempted to engage the police in a gun fight, she too would still be alive. Everybody gets hung up on the fact that she was in school to be an EMT, apparently getting a free pass for her complicity in the drug and gun distribution ring she participated in.

The list of black people killed by police officers that resulted in riots, looting and other mayhem over the last few years goes on and on and on. Michael Brown? If he hadn't been a criminal, and hadn't assaulted a cop, he'd be alive. Freddie Gray? Don't fight the cops dude. All medical evidence appears to show that he injured himself, fatally. Racist cops aren't out there hunting black people and assassinating them. The reality is, criminals are fighting the cops, resisting arrest, and getting killed for it. Stop pretending otherwise.

ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE MYSELF...

Brief introduction, you'll get to know me as I ramp up posting and running off at the mouth... I'm 46 years old, in my lifetime I have lived in the ghetto, in the burbs, downtown, uptown, on the wrong side of the tracks, I've been homeless. I've lived on a Spruance-class destroyer, in a tiny apartment in Yokosuka, Japan, in a vacant warehouse, a van down by the river, a double-wide trailer, a big ol' house, a little ol' house, too many hotel rooms to count. Born and raised in Arvada, Colorado, called Arvada home base for 40 years, until I moved to Phoenix, AZ to marry my dream girl.

I've always had pretty cool jobs,I like working... I've done nearly every aspect of construction, from roofing, framing, drywall, plumbing, electrical, you name it. I spent quite a few years in the emergency construction/restoration business, coordinating and project managing disaster response on jobs ranging from a residential fire to Hurricane Katrina. I was a fireman for ten years, and was pretty good at it. Taught classes on the effects of fire on buildings and structural components, auto extrication, truck work, firefighter self-rescue, RIT operations and too many fire academies to count. I spent a few years as a project manager and operations manager for an environmental response company, overseeing all of the really hairy or high-profile gigs. Everything from a $5 million crude oil spill to a rolled over tanker full of ANFO (explosive slurry used for strip mining) to bio-hazard (suicides, crime scenes). Full disclosure, and more details to come later, I promise, one of my income generators during my misguided youth was the sale/distribution of various controlled substances and other criminal enterprises...

While my wrestling career in junior high and high school was mediocre at best (in five years of wrestling, I wrestled about 7 varsity matches (filling in for sick or injured varsity guys) and amassed a final record in the neighborhood of 20 wins, 60 losses, lol...  I wasn't focused, I wasn't dedicated, I just went figuring it would help me be a better fighter, since I averaged a fight every couple of weeks.  I'd say I was bullied, but I had a demeanor, look and mouth the engendered the ire of the "cool guys" and "jocks", so it was mostly mutual...  Fast forward to 2020, and you have a guy who's a wrestling coach, been a DIE-HARD fan of MMA from the very first UFC, and spent almost 20 years as a bouncer in some very interesting places.  So you'll see plenty of content on this blog about combat sports, anecdotes from my bouncing career, and opinions on the value of being able to fight, when to fight, and what I try to teach my son and other young men about having a fighter's mindset in life... 

 I'm a lover of music, with wide-ranging but strongly opinionated tastes. Elvis? Hell yes. NWA? Yep. Thrash metal? All metal? Horns up sucker! Merle Haggard, Avril Lavigne, Agnostic Front, EDM, the Rolling Stones... Luke Bryant ain't country. Rappers who wear sweater vests or dress like Jake from State Farm ain't gangster. 

I have been a military history dork since I was a youngster. When everybody else was writing book reports on Judy Bloom books in 4th grade, I was writing book reports and essays on the Battle of Leyte Gulf and Erwin Rommel. I have a tattoo of the P-51D Mustang on my bicep, because it's the most beautiful thing ever created at the hands of man. I play the mobile version of World of Warships religiously, and run a two-fleet Armada called USN Armada. Anything related to military history from WWII to the present gets me going... 

I am a hard-right, Constitutional Conservative. I have strong opinions on what's great about this country and what's really, really, wrong. Our culture in America is broken, and I fear that without a course correction to steer us back to the basic foundation of faith, morality and American Exceptionalism, we risk handing our children a nation that looks nothing like the one our Founding Fathers intended. There will likely be a lot of posts on this subject, as I am starting this blog in the midst of the greatest societal upheaval this country has seen since the Vietnam-era protests (although today's "protests" look like they will potentially engender a far more damaging cultural shift as they attack the very fabric of what has made this country great while claiming they do it in the name of social justice). 

Most importantly, and hardest to walk out every day, is my identity as a follower of Jesus Christ. That He looked at all of us and our affinity for sin, knowing that even after He was nailed to that cross, we would continue to sin and STILL gave His life to redeem us is beyond my comprehension. I am a youth leader at my church, with anywhere between 15-40 middle and high schoolers on any given night. They love me, and trust me, because I am always honest about my failures and bad choices in my past. I am thankful every day for the love and protection of my God, and for everything He has given to me, taken from me, and taught me. If you do not know Jesus Christ, but would like to, I relish the opportunity to share The Good News with you, just ask! 

So that's the abridged version of who I am and what I do. You can generally count on this blog to be populated by posts related to everything you just read, hope you enjoy what is to come, I'm looking forward to sharing my heart, my opinions and a bunch of history with complete strangers on the interwebz. 

Caution: May cause severe allergic reactions in those who support or espouse any leftist/Communist/Socialist/ANTIFA/anti-Christian ideologies. Reactions include, but are not limited to, hives, nausea, headaches, uncontrollable tears, incomprehensible screaming, Trump-derangement Syndrome, tearing up mom's basement in a rage, incontinence. Please consult your physician or your holistic shaman/healer/mid-wife/hippie neighbor for essential oils and incense if you experience any of these symptoms. It won't help, as a lobotomy is the only medically effective way to treat the underlying disorders associated with this condition. See y'all out there!