All posts by Jim

Left HS before report cards came out. Enlisted in the Marines for four years. By the time those years were over, I was hooked - they had me for life. Spent nearly ten years as enlisted. Received a Silver Star, Bronze Star w/V, Purple Heart as a Sgt during first RVN tour. Upon returning to the State's received a combat commission to 2Lt. Retired after 36 total years as a Colonel. Book follows my career, but is more about the heroes with whom I served, the great mentors I had, and the leadership principles they instilled in me.

A Must Watch

Admiral Lyons was among other assignments:

  • Com2ndFlt in the Atlantic aboard USS Mt. Whitney.
  • Director of Naval Operations in the Pentagon.
  • CinCPacFlt in the Pacific & Indian Oceans out of Hawaii.

His age is showing, as is yours and mine!, but his mind is clear – and he’s spot on!

This is a long video (21 minutes), but you need to listen to him, and then send it to all your liberal “friends,” that is, if you have any.

Originally posted 2016-09-06 13:21:55.

Message from a non-oppressed black man to Colin Kaepernick…

Message from a non-oppressed black man to Colin Kaepernick…

allenwest1  By Allen West

If there’s one thing I live for, it’s football season, especially college.  Saturday night I was enjoying a fantastic game between Charleston Southern  University and North Dakota State University. The game went into overtime  and ended with the Bison of NDSU winning 24-17. However, as I watched this  thrilling game, it was an item on the ESPN news ticker that disturbed me —  to which I see a need to respond to this “teachable moment.”

As reported yesterday, San Francisco 49-ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick refused to stand for the National Anthem in Friday’s pre-season game against Green Bay because he was protesting “black oppression” in the United States. The Niners went on to lose.

The NFL issued a statement that said players are encouraged but not required to stand for the national anthem. Hmm, this is the same NFL that refused to allow the Dallas Cowboys to wear a helmet decal in honor of the fallen Dallas Police officers gunned down on Thursday July 7th.

This is the same NFL that said nothing when players from the St. Louis Cardinals displayed the false narrative symbol of “hands up, don’t shoot” — which we know didn’t happen. I find it rather interesting that the NFL has no issue disrespecting law enforcement officers but only “encourages” players to respect the symbol of our nation, the American flag, and our anthem, the Star Spangled Banner.

However, I would recommend a simple scripture from the wise King Solomon for Mr. Kaepernick, Proverbs 17:28 (NIV): “Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.”

Or, as the old folks down South would say, “best for a stupid person to keep their mouth shut and not open it and let everyone know they are.”

Mr. Kaepernick, a bi-racial young man adopted and raised by white parents, claims America is oppressing blacks at a time when we have a black, bi racial president who was twice elected. We’ve had two black attorneys general and currently have a black secretary of homeland security, along with a black national security advisor. Here in Dallas our police chief, whom I know, is an outstanding black leader. The officer in Milwaukee who shot the armed assailant after issuing an order to drop his weapon was black. Is Mr. Kaepernick following suit and cherry-picking what he terms “oppression?”

First of all, let me clarify to you sir, you are a multi-millionaire “one-per center” just because you can throw a ball and kiss your biceps. Men like Jesse Owens, Jackie Robinson, Hank Aaron, Oscar Robertson, Ernie Davis, and Bernard King and Condredge Halloway of my Alma mater were athletes who knew of oppression. You sir may certainly have the right to sit upon your “fourth point of contact” when the National Anthem is played but never forget, you live in a nation that has provided you the privilege to have that right.

My story is one I wish to share. My dad was a corporal in the U.S. Army and served during World War II. He was born in 1920 and knew oppression. Yet, when he sat me down on the steps of our home, 651 Kennesaw Ave NE in Atlanta, he shared with me that there was no greater honor or privilege, than to wear the uniform of these United States. Perhaps that ‘s why his first and middle sons, along with his grandson, are all U.S. combat veterans, just like Dad. Herman West Sr. was not a victim, and he raised men who would never allow anyone to suppress or oppress them. Perhaps you should stop trying to make victims and admonish people, black people, to be victors — try it, and you may find that more satisfying than your insidious action and word vomiting.

If you want to know about oppression of blacks in America, past and present, how about you ask Rep. Nancy Pelosi of the San Fran Bay Area about the policies that decimated the black family? Maybe you can cross the Bay over to Oakland and ask Rep. Barbara Lee about the 13 to 15 million black babies killed since 1973, and ask her who is Margaret Sanger?

Or perhaps you can ask the two California senators, Boxer and Feinstein, about who doesn’t support better education opportunities for black children in the inner cities — school choice, vouchers, charter schools, home schooling. Perhaps you didn’t know Barack Obama was the one who cancelled the DC school voucher program for deserving young black children — talk bout oppression. Is that something you’re willing to do, or is it just too difficult?

You should look at who’s been controlling the communities and cities where blacks live. This isn’t not about what America has done; it’s about what a certain group, a political party has done. And your somewhat backhanded comment towards our law enforcement officers — well, wonder how many times San Francisco PD has protected you?

Here is the deal young man. My recommendation is that you apologize. Be a stand up fella and admit you made a very stupid comment. Humbly state that you do realize how very special this country is and the opportunities it has afforded you — and many others. You should take that stand and apologize to all of those who are currently serving in our Armed Forces and those veterans who’ve been willing to make that last full measure of devotion. You see, when the National Anthem is played, it has a very special meaning to us — maybe you should take a hiatus and go over to Helmand Province in Afghanistan and spend a week and understand why. Go over and throw a football with the men and women who enable you to earn those millions of dollars.

The American flag has a very touching meaning for those of us for whom it will drape our coffin — as it was for my Dad…and it will be for me. That song defines who we are as a proud and exceptional people. This is a land where so many dream of coming to and earning the title of American. Your actions were shameful, disgusting, despicable and disrespectful.

You do have a right and a freedom of expression. But know, there are consequences to your ignorant action, which is what it was. When the National Anthem is played, I salute because I am a black man born and raised in the inner city afforded the opportunity for greatness in my own right. May you seek God’s forgiveness and find humility, because we, the people are not going to forget what you did and said.

THIS MIGHT EXPLAIN SOME OF HIS ACTIONS…..

The media won’t tell us this. Turns out Kaepernick is engaged to a Muslim woman who is a BLM activist. In the off-season he converted to Islam. She appears to be radicalizing him by looking at his Instagram and other accounts. He is a VERY angry man and should be watched. His actions now are making sense!!

*ISLAM is EVIL and spreading like wildfire!!! OUR flag means everything to American’s FREEDOM. *

*Don’t like it. LEAVE!!!*

Originally posted 2016-09-05 13:28:10.

A History Lesson for today

Heineken WagonThe two most important events in all of history were the invention of beer and the invention of the wheel. Beer required grain and that was the beginning of agriculture.

Neither the glass bottle nor aluminum can were invented yet, so while our early humans were sitting around waiting for them to be invented, they just stayed close to the brewery. That’s how villages were formed. The wheel was invented to get man to the beer and vice versa.

These two were the foundation of modern civilization and together were the catalyst for the splitting of humanity into two distinct subgroups:
1.   Progressives.
2.    Conservatives.

Some men spent their days tracking and killing animals to BBQ at night while they were drinking beer. This was the beginning of what is known as the Conservative movement.

Other men who were less skilled at hunting (called ‘vegetarians’ which was an early human word meaning ‘bad hunter’) learned to live off the Conservatives by showing up for the nightly BBQ’s and doing the sewing, fetching, and hairdressing. This was the beginning of the Progressive movement.

Some of these Progressive men evolved into women. Others became known as girlie-men. Some noteworthy Progressive achievements include the domestication of cats, the invention of group therapy, group hugs, and the concept of democratic voting to decide how to divide the meat and beer that Conservatives provided.

Over the years Conservatives came to be symbolized by the largest, most powerful land animal on earth, the elephant. Progressive are symbolized by the jackass for obvious reasons.

Modern Progressive like lite beer (with lime added), but most prefer white wine or imported bottled water. They eat raw fish but like their beef well done. Sushi, tofu, and French food are standard Progressive fare. Another interesting evolutionary side note: many Progressive women have higher testosterone levels than their men.

Most college professors, social workers, personal injury attorneys, journalists, film makers in Hollywood, group therapists and community organizers are Progressives. They meddle in national pastime and invented the designated hitter rule because it wasn’t fair to make the pitcher also bat.

steak1Conservatives drink real beer. They eat red meat and still provide for their women. Conservatives are members of the military, big game hunters, rodeo cowboys, lumberjacks, construction workers, firemen, medical doctors, police officers, engineers, corporate executives, athletes (some), airline pilots, and generally anyone who works productively. Conservatives who own companies hire other Conservatives who want to work for a living.

Progressives produce little or nothing. They like to govern the producers and decide what to do with their production. Progressives believe Europeans are more enlightened than Americans. That is why most of the Progressives remained in Europe when Conservatives were coming to America. They crept in after the Wild West was tamed and created a business of trying to get more for nothing.

Here ends today’s lesson in world history. It should be noted that a Progressive may have a momentary urge to angrily respond to this post.  This is called a ‘Penninger’ reaction.
A Conservative will simply laugh and be so convinced of the absolute truth of this history that it will be shared immediately to other true believers or to just piss-off more Progressives.


And there you have it. Let your next action reveal your true self, meanwhile, I’m going to grab a few beers and grill some steaks – rare!

Please note that the use of terms Republicans and Democrats were not used as this history lesson speaks of Ideologies, not political parties.

007(email)Proudly signed by Jim Bathurst, a studied Pragmatist

Originally posted 2016-09-02 16:13:33.

Participation Trophy Syndrome

A public school district near Louisville, Kentucky has come down with a bad case of what I call “Participation Trophy Syndrome” – or PTS.

The Greater Clark County School Board in Jeffersonville, Indiana, is considering a plan to eliminate the valedictorian system because it creates “unhealthy competition,” according to Supt. Andrew Melin.

Unhealthy competition? Is he serious?

Did a kid suffer a concussion while trying to parse a participle?

“When students are competing for the Val and the Sal, they’re trying to find ways to maneuver through the system to try to get the best grades they can possibly get, as opposed to taking the course work that’s truly in their own best interest,” Supt. Melin told television station WHAS.

For you folks living in a commune in Berkeley, the “Val” is the valedictorian and the “Sal” is the salutatorian.

Now, the superintendent does have a valid point. If the kids are taking easy classes for an easy “A” – well, that’s not right.

But I’m curious about the kinds of courses he thinks the youngsters need to take. Are we talking about useful classes like shop or mechanics? Or is it more along the lines of “The Textual Appeal of Tupac Shakur” or “Interrogating Gender: Centuries of Dramatic Cross-Dressing”?

So instead of honoring the best and the second-best – the school is considering a plan to honor more kids.

“We’ve got all these great students that work very hard, and become very distinguished in their academic career and we want to be able to recognize more of those students at the end of a given year,” he told the television station.

My diagnosis has been verified, folks.

Clark County does in fact have an infestation of PTS. The school district will discuss the change on Sept. 6 – meaning the disease is only in the incubation stage.

Symptoms of Participation Trophy Syndrome may vary depending on the seriousness of the outbreak. However, most of the infected typically receive a trophy or a gold star.

Parents should also be wary of underage athletic programs. Teams that refuse to keep statistics or scores are more than likely infected.

Supt. Melin told WHAS there is “growing sentiment nationwide” to change the way schools honor academic success.

A school district in Whiteville, North Carolina recently made a similar change. Instead of recognizing two students, they will move to a three-tier Latin honor system.

Wake County, North Carolina opted for the Latin honor system, too, according to the News & Observer. And it also happened in Christian County, Kentucky where kids could earn either cum laude, manga cum laude or summa cum laude.

But even in the Latin honor system, someone still has to be number one, right? So isn’t that person being denied well-deserved honor and accolades?

Public schools are doing a disservice to kids when they try to cushion them from disappointment. In the real world, not everyone comes in first place.

In essence, they are minimizing achievement and teaching kids to aspire to mediocrity. What kind of message does that send to the kids who are trying to do their very best?

Just remember, folks. When everybody is a winner – we’re all losers.

Todd Starnes is host of Fox News & Commentary, heard on hundreds of radio stations. His latest book is “God Less America: Real Stories From the Front Lines of the Attack on Traditional Values.” 

. Here we go again folks. Is this another Dr. Spock fad? Some of you may not be old enough to remember that imbecile. Oh, and remember the more resent fad where we endanger our children by telling them they are wrong. I remember the commercial that went something like this:

Teacher: “Johnny, what is two plus two?

Johnny:  thinks for a minute or two and says: “Five.”

Teacher: “GREAT Johnny, Good Answer, that’s super that you were able to think so hard about that some so close.”

Then my long time friend and shipmate, who was one of three Naval Officers for whom I had great respect when I was sentenced to one year on board the USS Chicago for some obscure reason I have yet to determine, sent me an email in response to the above email from a mutual friend. It’s priceless, and I learned soem things about my shipmate that I did not know.

 

3 amigos

     Bob, Doug, and Gary Doing what we all            did best, especially in Olongapo, PI

 

 

Please forgive the personal reference, but:

In high school, we had National Honor Society (and me in it);

Top 10% (yup, me)

Youth Week with kids “running” for election (fire chief, police chief, mayor (guess who? Me))

Senior students voted stuff for the yearbook (best smile, most athletic, most versatile (me), most dependable (me), most likely to succeed (me, as second most likely)

Club presidents (no, I didn’t much like to join)

Dramatics Award for senior play (me, even though I didn’t join those geeks in the dramatics club)

We had something called Girls and Boys State with 4 chosen to go off to Rutgers University to play at legislative politics junior year (me again).

Anyway, all those offensive selective things bound to cause all the other boys and girls to commit suicide or lead forever traumatized lives!!! Nope, don’t recall that happening!

Bet they have little of this left today.

Our downward spiral, not started with Obummie, but he sure greased the slide.  We are going to leave this earth too late to avoid witnessing this…….

Doug

Originally posted 2016-09-02 12:19:49.