Another of many examples where American freedoms may come & go-completely unrelated to military operations/US Troops in distant lands, or the Sound of Freedom over Coupeville.
Both major parties are OK with federal prohibition of alcohol and tobacco for adults age 18-20.
That was before decades of military operations for your freedoms.
Both major political parties are now OK with treating 18-20 year old adults as second-class citizens.
Why do elected officials and high level DOD civilians speak of the US Armed Forces as if they function as some sort of giant civil rights organization?
In some cases, the US Armed Forces provide for our security. That’s as good as it gets.
In terms of American rights and freedoms-The Dept. of Defense has no more say than the Dept. of Agriculture.
School children are taught about a free enterprise system. They grow up to find out that the federal government will tell them what kind of shower head they must install in the bathroom, and what type of gas can they must buy for their lawn mower.
Has anyone ever seen the Puget Sound area press ask questions about Whidbey water quality impacted by sewage treatment plant outfalls?
Has anyone ever seen any government agency, elected official or volunteer organization seeking answers related to one or more sewage treatment plants sending unsafe product into the waters near Whidbey Island?
Zero questions from small or large newspapers. Zero questions from TV newspeople.
Above: July 6th, 2024. Looking over the jetty that connects to Damon Point on the far end. We are near the end of the jetty adjacent to the Wastewater Treatment Plant.
The entire post 911 era has been a disappointment in this regard.
Decades after the lessons of Vietnam, the Pentagon seems to specialize in undeclared/unwon wars. Understandable why young people & their parents & grandparents would take a dim view on all this. Continuing on this path will wear down the energy American families once had for encouraging young people to enlist.
The Department of Defense was established in the late 1940s. What part of DOD history involved US troops sent to locations where the constitution was threatened?
Look for newspeople and school teachers to ask zero questions in these areas.
Love to see newspeople interview elected officials and let us know how sending US Troops to Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, etc., is somehow defending the constitution.
Any elected official or retired elected official who tells us The Troops are sent to protect American rights and freedoms needs to explain how those rights and freedoms are any different today because US troops were sent to Iraq and Afghanistan.
Newspeople avoid asking:
If the CIA (est 1947) serves as an advantage to the US, why does the Department of Defense have such a poor record of winning undeclared wars going back to 1949, the year DOD was established?
These questions do not need to be asked on Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Blue Angels day or Armed Forces Day. Sometime during the year, please ask these questions.
From 2004
“Today, however, the Congress has relinquished its delegated powers, giving the President license to do whatever he and his office determine that they can get away with. Consequentially, the presidential and legislative oaths to the Constitution have just turned into a great photo op on inauguration day.”
“It is a sad and hard realization for a grunt who loves the Marine Corps to admit that the organization is not used in the preservation of liberty, and has not been used toward that end for a very long time.”
Various big companies will remind us that they support veterans and The Troops. Always wonder if any of those companies advocate for less in the way of undeclared/unwon wars. Maybe these big companies are more about expanding their marketing footprint.
It is common in various states that open records laws allow the public records request to be submitted in person orally or in writing and that the public records request may be made anonymously.
Public records laws set up an open door policy for people to go and interact in person with government offices and agencies during normal business hours at public offices.
Tyrant Terminator Audits!!! is a favorite channel where he has explained all this over and again in public offices.
In past decades, people could do time in uniform, then return to the US with a feeling that they were living in the best country on the planet.
They believed it and their parents and grandparents believed it.
Those who did may have wished to hand down a better version of the modern American society to their kids and grandkids.
Today-
Standards have deteriorated. The troops return to an ongoing breakdown of society.
From 2004
“Today, however, the Congress has relinquished its delegated powers, giving the President license to do whatever he and his office determine that they can get away with. Consequentially, the presidential and legislative oaths to the Constitution have just turned into a great photo op on inauguration day.”
“It is a sad and hard realization for a grunt who loves the Marine Corps to admit that the organization is not used in the preservation of liberty, and has not been used toward that end for a very long time.”
The US should maintain strong and ready military forces.
In some cases, the US Armed Forces provide for our security. That’s as good as it gets.
In terms of American rights and freedoms, the Dept. of Defense has no more say than the Dept. of Agriculture.
Each November, school teachers across America host Veterans Day assemblies– and promote the idea to children that The Troops are in distant lands-fighting for American rights and freedoms-as if the US Armed Forces function as some sort of giant civil rights organization.
In Washington State, these assemblies are mandatory.
In the 60s & 70s I never attended a Veterans Day assembly at school.
There were none.
Probably enough veterans around to remove most of the mystique, or maybe those veterans thought it was all just an average thing and did not want to be seen as a separate part of American society, or get head of the line parking spots over at the grocery store. Maybe the concept of Armistice Day had not gone completely extinct.
Growing up in the 60s & 70s- veterans were all around- church, school, Boy Scout leaders, family, the neighborhood, etc. It was all just an average thing. These folks weren’t seen as a separate part of American society.
People weren’t stepping over to say “Thanks for your service” to my Dad- who did time in the Navy in the 50s- but looked just like anyone else out in public.
These guys weren’t lining up for free dinner promotions marketed by major restaurant chains.
Any elected official or retired elected official who tells us The Troops were sent to protect American rights and freedoms needs to explain how those rights and freedoms are any different today because US troops were sent to Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Fantasy Newsperson Asks
Top TV military analysts, currently serving four-star officers and high level DOD civilians have been associated with what wars won by the US?
The US Dept. of Defense was nowhere to be found on 911.
We haven’t won a war since.
Made For TV
Various big companies will remind us that they support veterans and The Troops. Always wonder if any of those companies advocate for less in the way of undeclared/unwon wars. Maybe these big companies are more about expanding their marketing footprint.
Wilkes was never referred to as Captain as far as I remember.
Commodore was the common name for Commodore Bainbridge Middle School in the early 70s.
A naval rank sometimes in common use – sometimes not?
We must have lived near a boundary line, because I had siblings that were sent to another elementary school nowhere near Wilkes.
These were the days of 3 or 4 brothers and sisters, married parents and maybe a stay at home Mom.
Also attended Hunter Elementary School in Fairbanks, AK and Great Falls Elementary School in Great Falls, VA.
Possibly of interest:
Several years back, I started the Old Man Blog category. It involves thoughts on changes in American culture relating to those born roughly in the late 50s & early 60s.
It is common in various states that open records laws allow the public records request to be submitted in person orally or in writing and that the public records request may be made anonymously.
Public records laws set up an open door policy for people to go and interact in person with government offices and agencies during normal business hours at public offices.
Tyrant Terminator Audits!!! is a favorite channel where he has explained all this over and again in public offices.
Trump collects big cash to maintain the US Dept. of Homeland Security. This giant federal agency now has more than two decades of experience and lessons learned in working to prevent cartel product from entering the US. More overdose deaths now, or before DHS?
ICE agents gun down people at traffic stops and on the street inside the US. This takes place away from border crossings and ports of entry.
Americans were told that they faced a life and death situation after 911. If certain actions were not taken, terrorists could come to America to disrupt our way of life and attempt another 911.
If all this was a life and death situation that required sending the troops to Iraq and Afghanistan, wouldn’t it be important to ask a few public policy questions about what was going on?
Newspeople have a long history of not asking questions in this area.
Is the Seattle fentanyl situation any different today than it was under Biden?
By John J. Duncan Jr.
The Duncan Dispatch
August 6, 2026
“Consider the Pentagon’s recent assassinations of more than 200 people in boats on the high seas near Venezuela Those assassinations are ostensibly based on supposed violations of U.S. drug laws, even though any evidence of incrimination is kept top secret.”
Both major parties have taken turns in power over the past 40 years or so. For sure, there is a chunk of public policy that has become worse, not better.
Was this operation meant to benefit the American way of life?
Were Marines defending the constitution in Lebanon?
Look for newspeople and school teachers to ask zero questions in these areas.
These questions do not need to be asked on Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Blue Angels day or Armed Forces Day. Sometime during the year, please ask these questions.
It is common in various states that open records laws allow the public records request to be submitted in person orally or in writing and that the public records request may be made anonymously.
Public records laws set up an open door policy for people to go and interact in person with government offices and agencies during normal business hours at public offices.
Tyrant Terminator Audits!!! is a favorite channel where he has explained all this over and again in public offices.
To me, this would come off as more respectful, thoughtful and meaningful. It could lead to discussions people might learn from.
Valhalla VFT
More than 1000 comments are posted with the video above.
Why It Matters
Americans were told that they faced a life and death situation after 911. If certain actions were not taken, terrorists could come to America to disrupt our way of life and attempt another 911.
If all this was a life and death situation that required sending the troops to Iraq and Afghanistan, wouldn’t it be important to ask a few public policy questions about what was going on?
Newspeople have a long history of not asking questions in this area.
Is the Seattle fentanyl situation any different today than it was under Biden?
That was before decades of military operations for your freedoms.
The Fantasy Newsperson Asks
US jet aircraft have been able to strike targets in what wars won by the US?
Did the advantage of US air power allow the undeclared wars in Iraq or Afghanistan to be prevented, won or shut down?
The Department of Defense was established in 1949. What part of DOD history involved US troops sent to locations where the constitution was threatened?
Currently serving four-star officers and high level DOD civilians have been associated with what wars won by the US?
If the CIA (est 1947) serves as an advantage to the US, why does the Department of Defense have such a poor record of winning undeclared wars going back to 1949, the year DOD was established?
How would American freedoms be any different if US troops were never sent to Iraq?
US Troops were sent into life and death situations in the aftermath of 911.
For this reason it is important to ask questions and develop a feel for what is real and what is honest.
It feels like a society where honest and meaningful ideas stand up to questioning and discussion, but the questioning and discussion rarely takes place.
Look for newspeople and school teachers to ask zero questions in these areas.
These questions do not need to be asked on Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Blue Angels day or Armed Forces Day. Sometime during the year, please ask these questions.
Macho Swagger
Watch Secretary of War Pete Hegseth takes thrilling fighter jet ride with ‘Top-Gun’ pilots:
The US should maintain strong and ready military forces.
The Fantasy Newsperson Asks
The Department of Defense was established in 1949. What part of DOD history involved US troops sent to locations where the constitution was threatened?
Look for newspeople and school teachers to ask zero questions in these areas.
“The Oath” is a very big deal to people who did time in uniform. Decades after doing time in uniform some veterans will say their oath never expires.
How would The Constitution be any different if US troops were never sent to Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam, etc.
Americans are raised on a pledge of allegiance to the flag. Small school children grow up with this. Are we raised to avoid the idea of asking questions?
Love to see newspeople interview elected officials and let us know how sending US Troops to Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, etc., is somehow defending the constitution.
How would American freedoms be any different if US troops were never sent to Iraq?
US Troops were sent into life and death situations in the aftermath of 911.
For this reason it is important to ask questions and develop a feel for what is real and what is honest.
It feels like a society where honest and meaningful ideas stand up to questioning and discussion, but the questioning and discussion rarely takes place.
Stan Goff went to 8 conflict areas and found no enemies to The Constitution.
Like many others, I graduated from high school in the greater Seattle area in the late 1970s.
Back in those days, Seattle was a place to visit for day or night activities such as shopping, movies, concerts, sightseeing, Seattle Center, dining, sports events, etc.
None of these activities were seen as unsafe or controversial for teens at the time.
Seattle was a world-class city in the last century. The WWII Generation had a modern society up and running in the 70s, 80s and 90s.
What Has Changed
Today we have homelessness, drug addiction and overdoses, frequent gunfire and concerns related to gang activity.
The post 911 surveillance state (fusion centers, license scanners, Homeland Security grant money, monitoring of e-mails, text messages, & social media sites, no fly/terror watch lists, tracking of cell phones, best advances in REAL ID and AI technologies, etc.) seems to be irrelevant in shutting down Seattle area gang activity:
KIRO 7 News
This video seems to show a roll into action after the shootings take place protocol:
Several years back, I started the Old Man Blog category. It involves thoughts on changes in American culture relating to those born roughly in the late 50s & early 60s.
Colion Noir
