The other day I was at a Bo Eason story telling workshop discussing the world state of affairs with some wonderful ladies who were taking the course with me. We were talking about the growing ISIS threat, Ebola, Ukraine, and all of the growing threats in the world.
One of the ladies, a soft-spoken, sweet mother of three boys, said something that went straight to my heart. “You know, she said with sad sincerity. “Sometimes all of this is just more than I can take. I watch the news and it seems like the world is just falling apart. I don’t understand most of it, and it just becomes too overwhelming. I just can stand to look at it. So, I turn the television off and hope that someone in our government is handling it.” I’ve heard my Mom say similar things.
I have a message for her, my Mom, and all of you reading this…It’s going to be okay.
We have been through much worse, and we will get through this as well. Yes, ISIS seems unbeatable and Ebola appears to be closing in on us like a thick fog. When these things seem insurmountable, that’s when we have to step back and breath.
Have you ever had a nightmare that was so real, it shook you to your core? What did you do? You opened your eyes wide, took in a deep cleansing breath and started to physically re-connect with all the things around you. As the shaking subsided, with new clarity you became slowly present and realized it was just a dream. When these things happen, it’s the manifestation of fear, and if not checked it can consume us – and that is exactly what ISIS wants.
These guys are nothing more than thugs who control through intimidation. They’re bullies. They are no different than West L.A. “gang bangers” intimidating parents and adults to stay in their homes, while they run the streets. It doesn’t have to be this way. Each of us can and should take control of our own fear and make it work for us.
There are three things I’d like you to do:
1. Start working on an attitude of winning. We worry more about not losing to ISIS than we do about beating them. We worry more about offending other people’s b.s. sensibilities than we do about real epidemic threats. Look around you. Look at your kids. Look at your grandkids. Take in the smell of your home. Listen to the birds outside on your lawn. Are those things worth winning? If we are going to be okay, we’ve got to start thinking like winners. That’s not hard for America to do…we’ve always been winners and we have a tendency to celebrate winning. Let’s get back to that.
2. We have to get smarter about our reality and the reality all around us. We’ve had our head in the sand too long. We’ve projected ridiculous world views and domestic agendas like climate change into life and death arenas like violent extremism. Whether you agree with climate change or not, this is not only dangerous, it’s irresponsible. It reveals our ignorance of the threat right in front of us. To deal with threats like ISIS and al Qa’ida we need to learn more about them. What are their goals? How do they see us? How do they want us to respond when the commit audacious acts like Youtube Beheadings? Are we being manipulated and drawn deeper into the fight?
It all starts with studying these groups, how they started, and where they are going? When you do this, you’ll start to see these guys for what they are…thugs, fascists, and petty criminals cloaking themselves in an ideology of hatred. There is power in this exercise for you – please do it. I will help you. I wrote a book called Game Changers that’s coming out soon that will tell us all how to change the game and beat these thugs. My Stability Institute is at your service. I started this Institute to help special operations and government folks understand rough places. Now, I am changing our mission to serve you. We are here to answer your questions and help you understand what we face. You can ask our experts questions and build your knowledge on these threats just like the spec ops guys do – totally free to you. We’re here.
3. Hold our politicians accountable. Part of the reason we feel so frustrated is that our politicians and in many cases our media, manipulate our emotions with technical jargon and slides of the hand that would be the envy of any Vegas Blackjack dealer. When you are informed on these threats, it’s harder for them to do this to you. If the news you are watching is sensationalism, turn it off and find something informative and less sensational. Beside, the media can’t manipulate your emotions for ratings if you are well-informed.
Our congressional elections are coming up. As a career Army Green Beret for almost two decades, I’ve traveled to rough places all over the world. The people in these places get almost no say in what happens with their government. We do. Yet, our voting turnout is embarrassing. If we’re truly worried about these international threats, we need to change that in the next few weeks. We get to cast a vote for who will represent us. These congressional elections in November are critical. Congress has failed us over the last few years in terms of national security. We need leaders who will stand strong and protect America and our families. Regardless of party, we need strong voices with distinction who see the threat for what it is and are willing to stand against it…right beside you and me. That’s the America I want to live in.
Do you know you are going to vote for? Is your choice informed by reality or is just party lines. I would suggest the former. Where do they stand on issues like violent extremism, the border, Ebola, and other big foreign policy issues that affect you at home? Look at their record, not just what they say. Google it…it’s easy. All of your new found knowledge on threats does little good if you don’t use it to hold our own leaders and media accountable. Form study groups or action groups, call and write your congressman and demand actions that put our safety at home first.
There is one thing I forgot to mention…It will be okay if we stand up and take action. If we continue to put our head in the sand and hope it goes away, I can’t guarantee the outcome. Our warriors are tired and beaten. Many of their families are broken. Their spirits are strong but their bodies grow weary. They can’t continue to go into the violent breach without help from home…without help from you.
Here is what I want you to do right now.
1.Go to Stability Institute and download the first chapter from my book, Inconvenient enemy. It’s free and it will start your learning process.
2.Enroll as a member in Stability Institute. It’s free and you get access to all of our content that we provide to spec ops and other government pros. There is no catch. We are just pulling the curtain up so you can get informed. It’s time for that.
3.Sign up for my newsletter on Scottmann.co and you’ll get a good, honest update on things going on around you. And you can reach me any time on these blogs…so please let me know your thoughts and how I can help.
We need to stand up for ourselves, for our children and families, for our honor. This isn’t some silly rally speech. This is for our survival as a nation.
Our time is now.
De Oppresso Liber,
Scott