And The Greatest Is Love.

A hope for a good and blessed Saturday morning to all.

So today's question is?

Are you a hypocrite?

And if you are not? Or you do not consider yourself to be? Please share the reasons why you believe that. If not with me or others? At the least with yourself.

It will be a cleansing exercise. Trust me.

Because I firmly believe? That given 10 minutes (or less) in conversation with you? Or anyone else for that matter? I can prove that you are a hypocrite. And anyone else for that matter.

As for me?

I know I am. And with well founded reasoning.

Similar to Doc Holiday?

"My hypocrisy knows no bounds."

But at least I admit it. And I am more than happy to share my reasonings of precisely why I feel the way I feel and why I view the world and this nation as I do.

And I see no need to defend myself on any level because of my beliefs. Because to my knowledge? There has only ever been one pure spirit in this world. Only one. Only one man who was above both hypocrisy and sin.

And they killed him for it.

But I digress.

We are talking about hypocrisy, or at least I am. Others are welcome to join in as always.

I believe that my hypocrisy is well founded and grounded in my knowledge of life, history and my own life's experiences.

My hypocrisy is based upon decades of observations and experiences. Of watching other leopards change their spots and then change back. Depending on the moment, or the profitability of it. As all politicians do.

But like most people I know of today? Few are willing to admit to their own hypocrisy. However, they are more than willing to point their crooked fingers at others?

But never challenge them or their own crooked fingers, or the foundations of their own beliefs. Or the facts or truth for that matter

Because to be honest?

They will never and they can never be truthful about any of it. Because to do so would require significant introspective and the accompanying revelations of just who they are; and the dichotomy of what they supposedly support, defend and represent.

As for me? I try to be unapologetic. Apologies for who you are? Serves no purpose, beyond the lies you intend to tell to defend your own self.

To obscure the dark side of your true reality.

And apologies are for the most part just that. They are lies. Because the person/s are never truly apologetic. They are just going along to get along and deflecting scrutiny away from themselves.

Going with the flow.

Swimming with the current. Mingling with the anonymous herd is what they practice. Because to do anything else? Singles them out. It marks them for all of the other plebes and minions to target and vilify.

Because we all need our boogey men. We all need our own sense of superiority over our own personal niche of reality.

We cannot step outside the commonality of agreement, that persists across the board in America today? Because to do so? Transforms you into the visual and identifiable enemy of those of approved thought.

And not unlike Colonel Nathan Jesup?

You remember him right? The character played by Jack Nicholson in the film "A Few Good Men?"

He was a hypocrite!

And what was it that he said?

Was their truth or hypocrisy in his words. Or was his dialogue, simply setting the stage for the climax of his vilification. And the abject destruction of what his portrayal represented to those who saw it then and now.

And what were his words?

"You don’t want the truth, because deep down in places you don’t talk about at parties, you want me on that wall."

"You need me on that wall."

"We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline."

Truer words never spoken. Even if they were just superfluous character dialogue, for a film and its entire purpose?

Was to detract from and tear down the Marine Corps and those who serve/ed in it.

So ask yourself a couple of questions. Did you feel better about your country after seeing that film.

Did you feel differently about the men and women who wear the uniforms of the United State Marines?

I didn't.

And I didn't for very simple and well grounded reasons. And those reasons were and are?

That I have been there. I have lived it. I am one of the few and the proud. And I know what goes along with that title. Both the beautiful and the ugly. And more importantly? I know why.

And I make no apologies for it. Neither the characterizations in that film, or the true life experiences that I lived and that I know exist.

Why? Because I am a hypocrite. And as such? I can cherry pick the rights and wrongs as I see them and as I have lived them.

Just like everyone else.

And in all fairness to the character of Colonel Nathan Jesup?

I see the world very similarly and I always have.

As Colonel Jesup concluded:

"I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man (or anyone) who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom(/s) that I provide (and have provided), and then questions the manner in which I provide it!"

"I would rather you just said “thank you” and went on your way."

Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon and stand a post. (Or put on a uniform and a badge and a gun) Either way, I don’t give a *damn* what you think you are entitled to!”

And the very reason that I share the same passion and camaraderie with those words? As the intent of the character conveying them?

Is because I have done those things. Including the parentheticals that I included with his original speech. I was the victim of and the perpetrator of "Code Reds!"

But that wasn't what they were called either then or now. They were and are called "blanket parties."

And as you may recall? You witnessed the reenactment of one in another film. Full Metal Jacket. Where Private Pyle was the guest of honor.

Those films? Were not about defending either truth, justice or the American way. Those films were about making a mockery of of their intended targets. Which are and always have been: "Truth, Justice and the American way."

As it applies to the Marine Corps firstly? And America in general.

Those films were about pointing the crooked fingers of the allegations of hypocrisy toward others. Both at those in those uniforms and those who have served in those uniforms and all others.

Similar to what we see on full display daily in America today. Be it some entertainer, or be it some athlete.

Because the real purpose of films like that and other pious portrayals by the virtuous left? Is as Saul Alinsky once noted.

Use their own laws and rules and Bible against them.

And people ask me?

Why and how I cannot support these people and their supposed individual freedoms to express themselves in protest to America? While wearing the uniforms of this nation?

And why I cannot support their acts of secular indifference and their so called protest; of what they like to champion as their protesting of the evils of America?

My answer is very simple.

When you put on the uniform? Your first allegiance is to country. Regardless of the uniform. But in particular when that uniform bears an American flag, or the letters USA across the shoulders.

And before that? Your allegiances should be to God and family.

Those were my allegiance when I wore the uniform of the United States Marine Corps. Those were my allegiance when I wore the uniform of an active law enforcement officer for thirty years.

And those should be the allegiances of others today.

I did not then speak out or speak my mind on any issue. Not as long as I was wearing those uniforms, as a front line defender of the constitution and this nation.

Regardless of my personal beliefs.

Because to to so? Was a representation of and reflected directly upon those I was serving and representing with those uniforms.

Thirty three years ago? I was the front line police supervisor in the battle over abortion in Atlanta.

It was called "The Siege of Atlanta" by the media. Look it up.

I was on the front line daily. I was being interviewed by the media daily. And during a five month period during the summer and fall of 1988? I personally arrested over 1600 individuals during protests.

My words and acts were photographed, videoed and broadcast all across American and the world back then.

I had friends who told me they saw my interviews on the local and national news? In the UK and other countries while they were there.

They saw the reports in flight on airlines while they were traveling.

And as a result of my involvement with The Siege of Atlanta?

I personally prosecuted those 1600 protestors, for well over the twelve months after their arrests. Because that was my oath.

I did not arrest them because of their political or religious beliefs. I arrested them? Because they were breaking the law. And it never was more complicated than that for me.

And during all of that time? I was repeatedly asked countless times by reporters? What my personal beliefs on abortion were.

I never said.

I refused to answer definitively.

Not because I did not have my own opinions or my own personal beliefs? But because as long as I wore that uniform and as long as I had sworn an oath to uphold the law?

It was not my place to choose or take sides on what laws I would enforce. Or against those who broke those laws. Or against those who chose to break them, because of their own personal convictions.

So you see?

I could have been called a hypocrite. And rightfully so. Because I am against abortion and I always have been. In particularly, since I came through the enlightened years of my own stupidity of youth.

Here in the South? Some might say? "I never hear'd of such a thing! Or? "I never heer'd tell of that!"

But Oh! Yes they have. And those being honest with themselves, know that I am speaking the truth.

Truth? Justice? The American way?

Don't look for either of them in films today. Or in the words or deeds of those elected to represent us. Because those principles for the most part, no longer exist. Except in the hearts and minds of the inconsequential little people.

No? America is not perfect. Never has been. Both the nation and the generations of its people? Have always been and continue to be hypocrites.

Therefore, recognize that fact. Recognize who we are as a nation and who you are as an individual.

Do the best you can to seek truth and understand that you will probably never find it as you expected to.

But never apologize for who you are. Unless you are the essence of evil and the doing of evil, has been the basis of your life.

The only perfect being to have ever walked this earth? We killed him for it. And yet we are told to be like him. To seek to be like him in every way.

Which is to capture the wind. Or to stop the flow of the tides. An impossible task. However, we will not be judged by our successes or our attempts. Or contrary to popular belief? For our failures.

We will be judged for what was in our hearts and for what we earnestly tried to accomplish.

As I recently heard a man who said that he had died and had gone to Heaven for a brief time and there he met Jesus.

He said that when he met Jesus? Jesus' one and only question to him was this.

"What did you so with the life that my Father gave you?"

And seeing the fear and remorse and abject terror at those words? Jesus simply embraced him and showered him with a feeling of love? A love that he said that he had never known before that moment.

God and his Son gave all of humanity a task. To live and to learn and to attempt to achieve and understand everything from anger to compassion.

Including love.

And as the lyrics of the song surmise of God's commandments?

"The greatest is love."

Because when asked which was the greatest of the ten commandments? Jesus' response was?

"To love one another."

And in the instant of that word? All of the other commandments fell away.

Why? Because Jesus was and is the Word.

Few will comment on what I have said today. Others may click away the moment they see my references to Jesus. But I hope they will at the least read my words and contemplate my intentions of meaning.

And to understand love? We have to understand the opposites. We have to understand the intents and the intentions of others. We have to understand anger? Before we can appreciate love.

And as some have said? There is a very thin line between the two. And that is the divine purpose behind life in my opinion.

Many in the last twenty years have asked? "What would Jesus do?"

Jesus would never rise to anger!

But yes he did. First in his Father's house. When he rampaged and turned over the tables of the money changers.

Remember?

Or what of the times when he reflected the anger of others? Back onto themselves.

As he did with the woman about to be stoned.

"Let he who is without sin? Cast the first stone."

Jesus already knew? That there was not the first among them, who was without sin. He simply wanted them to know that for themselves. And to reflect upon them what their anger truly had manifested.

Therefore, while many may believe that the unachievable goal of their faith is to be as much like Jesus as they possibly can?

The truth is, they can never be like him. No one can. Therefore, all they can do is to attempt to learn. And in the end? Return to the father with a life's record of what they have learned.

And in the final analysis? If your love out weighed your hypocrisy? I for one believe that you will be embraced and loved, as the man mentioned previously was.

As I said at the beginning. I sincerely hope everyone is having a blessed day.

Semper Fi.