Thinkin agin when I ain’t getting paid for it

I continue to hear that old saying “The person who will not learn from history is doomed to relive it.”

I am somewhat of a lover of history. Right now, my military mind is running amok in the world of the Third Reich.

There are really so many areas I can go to in this discussion, but I think I want to keep it generally in one area.

Just the other day we became aware of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Intelligence and Analysis Assessment on Rightwing Extremism. There are a couple of points in this assessment that I would like to take a look at, and perhaps bring a little bit of history to light in the same area.

I will pursue using the points addressed in the assessment under the heading of: “Rightwing extremism in the United States can be broadly divided into those groups, movements, and adherents that are primarily hate-oriented (based on hatred of particular religious, racial or ethnic groups), and those that are mainly antigovernment, rejecting federal authority in favor of state or local authority, or rejecting government authority entirely. It may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration.”

Perhaps the most glaring point made, is in the area of returning veterans. In World War II Germany there was a man in the naval service, who distinguished himself in World War I as a submarine driver…he held the country’s highest awards. We know him today as Martin Niemoller.

After WWI he returned to civilian life, and became a pastor of a church. When Hitler and the Third Reich, began instituting the German Church, based not on Christ, but on state pride, Pastor Niemoller, among others, spoke out against the efforts.

The Third Reich called for Naval Officer Niemoller to again take up the war effort and lead submarines in the second world war; to which he refused. After refusing, he began to speak out more vehemently against what was happening in the name of religion. He was having an effect on the townspeople, and like Dietrich Bonhoffer, was eventually arrested and locked in prison in order to silence his “antigovernment” speech.

Now what could the German leadership do with him? Here was a national war hero, who had offered up his life to protect the homeland. He was a hero. Hitler, was torn with what to do with him, because if he out and out killed him, he took a chance of making a martyr out of him, before he could completely establish his church. So, Pastor, National Hero, Niemoller was locked up and released a couple of times. He refused to disclaim his Christian belief. Eventually, he was locked up and not allowed to leave. And in 1945, was finally executed for crimes against the government.

Pastor Niemoller left us a thought that should be floating through everyone’s minds at a time like this, when our nation is being led into “change”. I think, {again, I ain’t getting paid for thinking} that I would like to paraphrase his statement, to bring it up to where we are today.

When first they came for the Christians, I didn’t do anything, because I wasn’t really a Christian.

Then when they came for the homosexuals, I didn’t do anything, because I wasn’t a homosexual.

Then when they came for the academicians, I didn’t do anything, because I wasn’t an academician.

When they next came for the journalists and media types, I didn’t do anything, because I wasn’t a journalist.

When they finally came for me, there was no one left to do anything.

So, why is there such a fear in our government of military veterans? I would propose a couple of ideas here. Military veterans, are willing to lay down their lives for the country they love: when someone is bent on destroying that country, as they love it, they stand ready to defend.

Should we take an inventory of the people who are responsible for the “change” in this country, and the risk assessment, TODAY, I really believe we will find that not one of them has ever been in the military, or even considered being willing to give up their life for this country, mainly because they don’t like liberty and freedom, and they, deep down in their innermost being, believe they are better suited to tell the rest of us how to live our lives. Remember the song, “He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother”? Well, their version of that is, “He ain’t heavy, because I am the one who carries the weight”.

The United States of America has a reputation as being willing to stand up for the little guy and put down anyone who is oppressive…it is in our Declaration of Independence, it is in our Constitution. That brings another thought {no charge for this one either}. According to the DHS assessment, “Rightwing extremists… rejecting federal authority in favor of state or local authority”. Our Constitution gives limited authority to the federal gummint in favor of state and local gummint! So, you see, even the founders of this country and the Constitution are guilty of rightwing extremism.

No, cotton-pikkin wonder we the people of the Republic of the United States of America are being labled as antigovernment. When will they ever learn, when will they ever learn?