Strength

  As we all are aware yesterday we had a grand parade to celebrate the US Army. We also had protests across the land called "No Kings Day" protesting President trump. It was also Flag day and Presidents Trump birthday. Yes, you could say a lot going on in America. I just watched the parade on television. I enjoyed the parade and feel like it was time to have one again. First one in thirty one years. Every quarter of a century or so is reasonable enough in my opinion. Nothing wrong with honoring the troops and showing just how big a stick you carry! Deterrence can mean a glorious parade. It is a function of diplomacy, like it or not. Strike the fear into those having bad thoughts! We need to do that with the kids today as well, make them just a little afraid, fear inspires careful consideration before acting. Yes, fear can give one pause.

  I haven't got much to say regarding those "no kings protests"  as I simply dismiss them as nonsense. Just another "virtue signaling" thing for the insecure folks. There is safety in numbers, that can't be denied, until those numbers lead you over the cliff anyway. Haven't heard much about them so guessing things were kept mostly peaceful, the left often bragging about that. I don't care what they did.

  Meanwhile in other news I'm thinking we will see the fall of Iraq in the near future. The timing of this parade might prove to be quite fortuitous. The display of military might, in a very public way, may deter any third world nation having designs on taking action against the United States. Perhaps there are those that will heed the warning issued to the Imperial Japanese regarding waking a sleeping giant. The United States has been quite restrained in our response since that time if you really think about it. The only exceptions being Desert Shield/Desert Storm, the Gulf war, in 100 hours we expelled Iraqi forces from Kuwait! In just under seven months the whole deal was done. Shock and Awe! Then again after the 9/11 attack our response was swift, sure and lethal! 

  The simple truth of the matter is, strength retains control. Following the constitutional convention Benjamin Franklin was asked: what form of government have you given us? Franklins' response was, a republic, if you can but keep it. You can only keep that in the same way it was created, by strength, by force of will and military might. It must be remembered that the "colonies" had little in the way of a military, we had militia. As Americans we don't like to talk about that, but if it weren't for the French navy and their troops providing support the outcome would have been quite different. We needed that "strength" that only a well equipped military could provide. 

  The British were quite certain we would be easily defeated because we had no real military, just a bunch of protestors, protesting the King and his policies. Taxes were imposed upon the colonies to pay the war debt of England. There was a huge debt from the seven years war, also called the French and Indian wars. The King thought those taxes were just and fair because it was the British army that provided protection to those colonists. The colonists disagreed saying, we will defend ourselves! And we tried doing that, soon discovering we needed some help. Franklin was dispatched to France to get help. He succeeded. After the war we owed France some 2.02 million dollars! In 1783 the national debt reached 43 million  and Congress was authorized to raise taxes. That was the beginning of our debt. If we had an army of our own that wouldn't have happened. So, yes, having an Army, a well equipped military is essential to preserving the Republic. Costs a lot of money and the public should see what they are paying for. 

  You are not going to keep a republic by protesting the election of the president. I know I hear the cries of "this is what democracy looks like" and they are correct. It's a mob! That's exactly what a democracy consists of, a mob where the majority rules, the 51 controlling the 49. You get whatever the mob decides! That's great if you are one the mob, not so great when you aren't. Southern democrats were a mob controlling slavery in America. They even waged a war in an attempt to defend just that. They lost because they didn't have sufficient military might. They couldn't match the industrial complex of the northern states. The republic was saved, by military strength. 

  Yes, it was a grand parade, a show of strength, a show of unity! It was inspiring and provided hope for the future. We can regain the glory of the past by honoring that legacy of service. Those protesting are no different than the "loyalists" during the revolution. They are concerned only with their livelihoods, their fortunes and their "quality" of life. They felt the safest thing to do was just maintain the status quo. Let Britain provide for their defense, they didn't want to endanger themselves! Meanwhile, fifty six representatives of the people signed a document stating this: "And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor." And that, is what that parade was all about!