Homeland Security’s, “See Something, Say Something” campaign motivated me to say something. Since that’s the purpose of this tax payer funded behavior modification program, consider this a rare government success story.

I see a world being led by the least among us, while the best continue to re-arrange the deck chairs on the Titanic. The biggest threat facing our country is not terrorism, the debt, drugs, poverty, healthcare, immigration, climate change, abortion, gay rights, racism, school shootings, the militarization of the police, the privatization of the military, or even the wave of biological time bombs walking across our southern border and being escorted to Everytown USA. To anyone looking for a campaign slogan:

“It’s the corruption stupid!”

To the saber rattlers looking for the next wars to fight, might I suggest corruption, abuse of power, and ignorance? Ignorance is fought by simply shining a light on the other two, something our mainstream media has forgotten. Thanks to the internet and the citizen journalist, that darkness is being pierced. How can we even have honest debates about the troubles facing our nation when the people in power control the debate, yet lost their credibility long ago? Where is the moral high ground in a bottomless pit? It can be found in pockets of excellence across the country throughout our government institutions. Honest people who simply give a damn (I refuse to call them “whistleblowers”), saw something and said something at the VA, IRS, DHS and the State Department, yet our “leaders” will expend more resources investigating them or conducting bogus investigations more intent on damage control than holding anyone accountable. The fact that no one from any of these institutions has even been arrested as a result of the corruption and abuse of power that we already know about, is proof alone that the President and the Attorney General belong in jail.

What should we expect when the head of Homeland Security publicly states that he is impressed with the “integrity” of his Chief of Staff, a man who testified against his father-in-law (a state senator who went to prison on 137 corruption charges) to keep from going to prison himself? As the NSA turns the whole planet into “The Truman Show”, we’re told to not be alarmed because federally appointed judges are watching them in secret FISA courts. Hopefully, not someone like Judge Samuel Kent who went to prison on charges he abused his power and lied to cover up sexual assaults on two women who worked for him. He told one of them, “I am the Government. I’m the Lion King. It’s good to be king. I’m the Emperor of Galveston, the man wearing the horned hat, guiding the ship.”

Despite basic human fallibility and corruptibility, we allow our “leaders” to claim more and more authority over our lives. In case you haven’t been paying attention, the President has already claimed and exercised the authority to kill any American citizen, without due process, simply by claiming that he or she is a “terrorist”. If you’re not a terrorist, you’ve got nothing to worry about. But what if the most powerful man in the Senate thinks you are, and says so publicly? I’m sure Cliven Bundy is thankful that Harry Reid isn’t the President. Some of our “leaders” should be more careful about the way they throw around the “T-word” lest they be forced to look in the mirror.

It’s quite possible that any armed revolution that some fear is coming, could be avoided by simply fighting a “cold war” on corruption instead. Unconventional battles could be fought at the water coolers, cubicles and conference rooms of our bureaucracies as well as the courts. The weapons would include emails, memos and other documents. The warriors will be the government employees who stand up because they are inspired by and follow the lofty mission statements that provide the moral guidance for all of their agencies’ actions. One of the most crucial steps in the Military Decision Making Process is “Mission Analysis” and involves taking a very comprehensive look at the mission you’ve been given, in order to ensure that you understand completely what is expected of you and your people. Commanders go to great lengths to make them as clear as possible, so that even an individual separated from the group, and in the absence of any further guidance, will know how best to act in any given situation. A commander will also personally write a “Commander’s Intent” which offers even further clarifying guidance. I challenge every government employee to go and read your organization’s mission statement and then act accordingly. If the mission has changed, then demand a new one be written, and update the website so we can all see what it really is.

If more and more honest people who give a damn banded together and took back our institutions, then our “leaders” would suddenly realize that no one is following, and they would be disarmed of their weapon of power which is WE THE PEOPLE who actually run those institutions and drive those Bearcats.

There, I said something. Now, go get your horned hat and take back the ship.

Col Pete Martino USMCR (ret)

Average citizen who gives a damn

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