A Veteran’s Thoughts
By Ski Ingram
October 2023
When I was attending Army Officer Candidate School (OCS) learning to be an officer and a gentleman, I heard our instructors repeat the words “set your priorities, Lieutenant” or “what are your priorities, Lieutenant” many times throughout the course. I was taught that an officer’s first priority is to accomplish his mission, The second priority is the welfare of his men. It’s very important that an Army officer and a combat soldier understands this. Many of us apply this same principal in our civilian life. My first priority as a husband and father should be to protect and adhere to the U.S. Constitution. My second priority is my family. I shudder to think how hard it would be to protect my family if we didn’t have our Constitution. It terrifies me every day knowing that there are people in this country who do not appreciate the Constitution and are working hard to destroy it.
The Biden administration is lowering our quality of life by trying to ban gas-powered vehicles, gas stoves, gas lawn mowers and barbeques. While running for office Biden stressed that he was the uniter and President Trump was the divider. A few weeks ago, while in Phoenix, Biden said that “the MAGA Republicans are a threat to democracy.” This is a strange way to unite the country. I believe the progressives, with which President Biden has aligned himself, are doing their best to divide us, which will in fact destroy our democracy.
A democracy is defined as: ”a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving free elections.” I’ll ask the question, who voted to have an open border? Who among us voted to give Ukraine a blank check to pay for their war while giving little to the survivors in Maui and East Palestine, Ohio? Which of you voted to give extreme amounts of our tax dollars to illegal aliens who are flooding our southern border by the millions? These things are more of a threat to our democracy than people who voted for President Trump.
Are you happy with the power given to the transgender population, BLM and those pushing the climate agenda? Are you happy with the way women athletes are being treated? How many of you are happy with what our children are being taught in our public schools? Who reading this believes Bidenomics is working and will be the way to lower inflation? This was all brought on by the progressives, and their priority is to remain in power at any cost so that they will be free to rule over us.
Crime is out of control in most major cities. There are more homeless people living on our streets than ever before. Billions of dollars are being spent to care for and house illegal aliens while Americans and our veterans are pushed aside and forgotten. This is proof to me that the democrats are working hard to divide this country and they don’t care about you.
In the New Testiment Jesus said, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.” Abraham Lincoln paraphrased this verse in a speech given in Springfield, Illinois about the Supreme Court’s 1868’s decision to allow Dred Scott to live in a free state. He stated: “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”
What are a few of the issues dividing the country today? The high crime in most major cities, illegals flooding across our southern border, Inflation and high interest rates, transgender males competing in women’s sports, extreme abortion rights, buying oil from our enemies instead of drilling for our own, and drugs killing thousands of our youth with much of it coming across our wide-open southern border and much more.
It is now time to ask yourself, what are your priorities? As every good officer in the military understands, it is harder to accomplish your mission, your first priority, without taking care of your second priority, your men. It will be the same in America. If we do not do all we can to protect our Constitution, the supreme law of the land, it will be very difficult if not impossible to care for our families. Our families must be taught the importance of the Constitution. They must be prepared to continue the fight if America is to be the land of freedom for all who live here.
The liberals want us to give up the fight for our God-given rights. They attack us every day in hopes of weakening us. They try to convince us that we are alone in our beliefs. They want us to give in and join them in their quest to “fundamentally change America.” Frank E. McGurrin said it in 1889 and I repeat it here, “now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country.” Don’t give in, don’t give up. There are more of us than them. All we need to do is band together, be one voice in support of those in government who have our same values. It’s time to speak up in town halls, in our churches, and in our PTA meetings. Be bold. With a bold and loud voice, we will gain support from more people who believe as we do. I have faith that good men and women who love freedom, can win this fight if we all stand together.
Our country’s priority must be to support Israel and every other country who wish to live in freedom.
