Current Events > Politics
We must prevail, we can never allow ourselves to give up
5412:
Hi folks,
I am going to ask you all to tolerate a story from a very old marine. It was the hot summer of 1958, I had been in boot camp in Parris Island, SC for 8 weeks or so, with many weeks left to go. Little did I know that I was about to learn one of the most valuable lessons I would ever learn about life.
On Sunday afternoon each recruit platoon would have competition with all the other platoons on the island in what we called field day, which was a modified track meet, with things like wheel barrow races, running events, tug of war, distance events etc. It was taken very seriously.
One of the biggest events was a tug of war. Each side would take their biggest, strongest 15 marines and put them on one side of the rope. In the center was a hankerchief and there was a huge mud bog. You would pick up the rope, move it to the point the hankerchief was over the middle of the bog, the signal was given and the tug-o-war would begin. It was the last event of the day and the winners would move up to the next level until the final winning platoon would prevail...so the last two might have found themselves tugging in 5 or more events, and it was not unusual for each event to take 15-20 minutes so a whole lot of energy was expended.
Well our head DI had duty that weekend and we had never, ever won even one tug of war event. As usual we lost in the first round. Our DI was furious, made us run back to the barracks, in 90+ degree heat. We got inside and he had us close all the windows, no AC mind you, then we participated in one of his favorite drills called over and under. What I want you to picture is 75 young men leaping over the top of one bunk, then sliding under the next bunk, up over the next bunk...you get the picture. Guys landing on top of people, sweat pouring off our bodies, and we probably did that for at least 30 minutes straight with him in our face screaming at us all the time....we were exhausted. He then had us stand at attention in front of our bunks and the lecture began.
His message was simple and clear. The reason we never won a single tug of war was we were a bunch of losers....and he proceeded to tell us why we lost. He said it was simple, just one of the 15 men tugging on the rope has to rest for just a second to catch his breath, then the hankerchief starts to move in the opposite direction. That then energizes the opposition and they pull harder, adrenalin pumping, then another guys lets up for just a second, it moves again and pretty soon your asses are all in the mud. His message was that no platoon was in better shape than we were, stronger than we were, but we were not mentally up to the task. Each and every marine must commit to himself and his team mates that he would be damned if he would be the one who lets up for even a second, you will not be the one to let everyone else down.
Long and short of it was this. From that point foreward we never, ever lost a tug of war. I witnessed guys pulling on a rope for 15 minutes straight and the hankerchief not moving 2 inches in either direction, but sooner or later his words became gospel. One guy on the other team would stop and rest for a split second and it would start moving. Our guys knew the drill and the adrenalin set in and we were pulling folks all into the mud....worked every time.
As I became an adult in an adult world I found myself in my 30's in a terrible situation where I was failing regularly in my job. My co-worker was supposedly my trainer and was negotiating to become a partner in the firm. Little did I realize that if I succeeded it would hurt his negotiating position...so instead of helping me he was giving me bad advice trying to do everything he could do to get me to fail and quit. Well the day came where the partnership agreement was signed. He then called me into his office and laid out the truth, gave me a heartfelt apology and then said, "I have never met a guy like you before. You just would never quit. No matter how many times you got knocked down, you got back up and fought even harder." It was meant as a compliment. He then told me what I needed to get back on track and I became the #1 producer in the firm for over 25 years straight.
I then took them to court and won the lawsuit cause I knew I had more will power than they did and I won hands down.
Many times I have wished I could find my old DI to thank him for teaching me one of life greatest lessons....
Why did I tell that story? Because right now all of us who are Americans are in the fight of our lives to save our republic. No matter how hard we try. No matter how many times we go to town hall meetings, write our congressmen, send letters to the editor, the other side is making fun of us, trying to humiliate us. What did Axelrod say about the tea party. "They don't represent mainstream America......and later the said, "They are wrong." Today Harry Reid basically said he would use the nuclear option if he had to in order to jam the health care bill down our throats. And following that is cap and trade. I spent six hours researching cap and trade last night and it is a horror story beyond belief. They are behaving like they believe they have more will power than we do and they are wrong, but they will continue to do as Van Jones screamed, push and push and push.
I'm a few months from 70, and a very tired old man. BUT I TELL YOU THIS. I WILL BE DAMNED IF I AM GOING TO GIVE UP OR LET UP. I WILL NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES LET THE BASTARDS GET ME DOWN.
Ya with me???
5412
BlueStateSaint:
A few nights ago, my wife wanted to know why I was lying awake at 0-dark-30. I told her that I was worried that our daughter might not be able to enjoy the same things we could, because of the socialism creep brought on by the current idiots in power. I said, "Freedom and liberty are worth fighting and dying for." To my utter amazement, she agreed with me.
I work in a city (Albany NY) filled with lefties.
I'm in.
5412:
--- Quote from: BlueStateSaint on September 19, 2009, 02:30:58 PM ---A few nights ago, my wife wanted to know why I was lying awake at 0-dark-30. I told her that I was worried that our daughter might not be able to enjoy the same things we could, because of the socialism creep brought on by the current idiots in power. I said, "Freedom and liberty are worth fighting and dying for." To my utter amazement, she agreed with me.
I work in a city (Albany NY) filled with lefties.
I'm in.
--- End quote ---
Hi,
I am glad. I am a few months short of 70 and come to the realization that I would rather die fighting for something I believe in than drooling in my Cheerios in a nursing home.
Best regards,
5412
Bluegrassman:
I work in a union full of hard corp lefties. I'm always willing to share my opposing views very vocally which makes me not so popular....
I'm with ya. :usflag:
Freeper:
Inspiring words sir.
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