The Latest Threat To the United States is me?

Well, it’s finally happened. The United States of America has finally labeled me as a threat to our country. I’m not alone though. I’m in good company. Considering the men and women that are included I’m damn proud of this new label.

The Department of Homeland Security has released a 9-page report labeling all military veterans returning from Iraq or Afghanistan as a threat to the United States of America. Holy crap! You mean I upheld my oath for over 20 years and because I deployed with my troops I’m now considered a threat? You mean that I’m actually a threat to the very nation that I swore to defend and even promised to give my life for if need be? Are you saying that I’m a threat to the very nation that I still uphold my oath for? You’re damn right, skippy! Now, let me tell you why.

Somewhere along the line people forgot what this great nation stands for. They forgot what principles made our country what it is. Somewhere along the line people forgot that our oath knows no allegiance to any political party or administration. Somewhere along the line people thought our oath was to an administration or a particular president. Our oath is to “…support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same…” That’s the bottom line. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see where our allegiance lies. It’s spelled out right there in the oath. “…I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same…” means “…the Constitution of the United States…” See? It’s pretty simple. Don’t make this any more difficult than it really is.

The real irony in all of this is that federal civil service employees take an oath very similar to the oath of enlistment for our military. How can our returning veterans be considered a threat for upholding an oath similar to that which the employees of the Department of Homeland Security take? There’s only one way that can happen and I hate to even consider it possible, but the answer is so obvious that it can’t be ignored.

The answer is that somebody has no intention of upholding their end of the bargain. Our returning veterans have already upheld their end so it must be the employees of the Department of Homeland Security. The very same employees that issued this report must have no intention of fulfilling their oath. It is a sad commentary on the state of our government when that very government starts to distance itself from the Constitution of the United States of America and then chastise those willing to lay down their lives to defend it.

Why am I so proud to be included with these people? I served with Democrats and Republicans, liberals and conservatives. I served with a rainbow of people. There were whites, blacks, browns, reds & yellows. Some people volunteered and others got volunteered. No matter what their political beliefs, skin tone, religion, gender, branch of service, favorite NFL team or anything else that might separate us back home we were brothers in arms overseas. These people are now your police officers, fire fighters, emergency room doctors, shopkeepers, politicians, bartenders, federal civil service and every other profession you can imagine. They’re your aunts & uncles, mothers & fathers, sons & daughters, brothers & sisters and husbands & wives. These people ARE the United States of America. They are the “defenders of freedom”! How can they possibly be considered a threat?

That’s the fly in the ointment. That’s the real problem for the Department of Homeland Security. The only possible reason that these people can be considered a threat is because they upheld an oath to the Constitution of the United States of America and they may do so again should our government forget to uphold theirs. In that regard I’m proud to be considered a threat, but I’m not a threat to the United States of America. We’re a threat to those politicians that would attack our liberties and the Constitution of the United States of America. If our politicians are threatened by us then people like me just might be able to keep our politicians honest… if that’s possible.