New Guardian Shepherd Post

Thank you for speaking out and always speaking your mind Mr. Emerson. And thank you for your support of us, the silent majority.
 
I don't know, Ernest. I think greed has taken over. It's all about; I, ME, and Mine.
Things are going to get mighty rough.
rolf
 
Hmmm.

What is the trend with middle age white guys calling themselves "sheepdogs", quoting the constitution, and lamenting the destruction of America?

As a middle age white guy myself, I think its all a bit strange and a symptom of something else; some other unfulfilled psychological need. Perhaps life isn't what it panned out to be? Surely, it must be someone else's fault if I didn't find the American dream out there that I was promised as a young man?

It can't be my fault. It has to be because of immigrants, pacifists, liberals, atheists, and communists.

It can't be me. I am a Guardian Shepherd! I carry a knife with crosses and skulls! I carry a pocket constitution! Yeah, it can't be me :rolleyes:
 
Dear retzius,

Thanks for your comments. Sorry but I don't have quite the respect for comments made by people who don't use their real name. I use my real name on every forum I have ever participated in and I stand by everything I have ever said, regardless of any flak I've ever taken. But none the less, you are still entitled to your opinion.

But having stated your opinion and that tangentially at least, it seems to be pointed in my direction, I will say this: actions always speak louder than words. How much of your time, money and effort do you spend in helping the overall cause of your fellow man? How many seminars, lectures, and classes do you give for free to help others better their lives or to stay safe? Do you coach any youth sports teams or act as a mentor to any youth organizations? Do you interact with any schools or give talks to elementary and high school students about succeeding by doing the right things? You're damn right I'm a Guardian Shepherd and I know a whole lot more just like me, all across this land. And they sacrifice as much or more of their time, money and efforts as I do. Just what are you giving back, besides criticism of those who do such good deeds?

As for living the American dream, I was born in a log cabin built by my Grandfather as a wedding present for my Mother and Father for a cost of $42.00. It was 20' x 30' and I slept in a little spool bed in a corner of the kitchen. I started working on the farm when I was old enough to feed and clean the barn and my legs were long enough to reach the clutch of a 1947 John Deere tractor. I'm not going to tell you my net worth or how many properties I now own. I don't need to work let's just say that.

I live the American dream every day of my life. And because I feel so blessed to do so I will continue to strive to be able to give those same opportunities to not only my family but to any Americans who want to put in the effort to also reach that dream. And I will regale against any who make efforts willfully or by consequence to prevent that opportunity from being there for all, whether it is immigrants, communists, pacifists, liberals, atheists, conservatives, Republicans, Democrats or any of the sorry lot that now govern this country.

What's your name? What's your story? I'd love to hear more.

My Best Regards,

Ernest Emerson
 
Hi Mr. Emerson,

My name is Josh. Nice to meet you. I live in the South Bay not too far from your shop.

To answer your question, I actually spend all day "helping the overall cause of my fellow man." I am a doctor for a non-profit health care organization in Los Angeles. We provide care 10 hours a day, 5 days a week, for all the people in Los Angeles that are suffering from a physical or mental disease. We treat everyone in Los Angeles of all colors, creeds, and religions whether they have money or a green card. I do that every day because I enjoy helping people. That doesn't make me a "guardian shepherd"... it just makes me a human being who thinks they world would be a better place if we reached out and helped each other. I am also a father and a soccer coach. I do those things because I enjoy them, not because it affords me the title of "Guardian Shepherd."

I will say that one benefit of my job is interacting with every type of resident in Los Angeles imaginable. They have taught me that there is no ideal "American Dream". The traditional idea of the American Dream is no more valid than any other. You live YOUR version of "the American dream every day of your life." America has always been a country in a constant state of flux. The "traditional" America of the 1950s that main-stream conservatives wants to "protect" was very different from the American dream of 1900. When America was being inundated by European immigrants in the early 20th century it was the fire and brimstone preachers that were warning against the apocalyptic demise of our way of life. Now, in the 21st century as we are being inundated by South American immigrants and our position as a world economic and political super power is being challenged, it is the fire and brimstone neo-conservative warning against the apocalyptic demise of our way of life. Same story, different actors...

Wrapping oneself in an American flag, quoting the founding fathers, and carrying a gun is not going to save "America". Inclusiveness is the only chance you have in the 21st century; our country is only going to get more diverse. If you want people to truly listen your message you need to be approachable in your words and your actions. If you present yourself as and armed, angry traditionalist you will literally go extinct. Its ironic, but the conservative who pines for an unchanging "traditional" America is in thought and action no different than the liberal who worships the idea of an unchanging climate.

Specifically, in response to your article I will say this:

You make many assumptions about our founding fathers. You place their actions and their motive on a pedestal of righteousness. You believe that our independence was declared and our country founded for the pure purpose of "throwing off oppression." You think the civil war was fought purely to "preserve the union and abolish slavery." You list a long string of wars we have fought (and are still fighting) and say what we fought them simply because "we heard the call for help."

To this I will simply say that I believe your reading and interpretation of American history is idealistic, simple, and trite. The world is a complex place filled with complex people and it always has been.

You blame politicians, intellectual "elites", and the media for re-writing history into a "hyper-critical, self-loathing portrayal of a country and a way of life that they feel we should feel guilty for creating." And yet I wonder, how much of that re-written history have you actually read?

My only words to you would be to branch out and read that same history that challenges your notion of "America" to the core. This doesn't make you less of a patriot. In fact, I think it makes you more of a patriot. You can only truly love something if you see it for all it is; the good and the bad.

I challenge you to read Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States". It is a seminal work that is often quoted by those pesky intellectuals that you so despise. You will hate it, you will throw it; he is a devout liberal and questions all facets of the American story. He has a bias but there are some fundamental truths to this story that you have not heard that will challenge the pedestal upon which you place those founding fathers. I challenge you to read this book and then reanalyze the American history you once knew and see how you have changed.

Later on you pose this question: "We have watched our debt running rampant, strapping us financially and causing us to cut the budgets of the military and defense infrastructure, severely limiting our ability to project power to places where there are those who truly need our strength to say alive. Our word is no longer held in the high esteem it once was. It would seem that there has been a conscious effort by those now in power to, “put America in its place” as if she deserved to be punished for her greatness prosperity and her might. Our enemies no longer fear us. Our allies no longer respect us. How could this possibly be?"

My answer to you is simple. You can't answer that question because you are looking at "America" through rose colored glasses while eating apple pie and quoting Patrick Henry. Expand your idea of the American experience. Read histories that challenge the notion of traditional America. Read an autobiography of a slave in colonial America, a woman in the 1800s, black man in the 50s, a gay man in the 80s, or an illegal immigrant in current times. Read about the Native American experience. Read official histories from other countries during the revolutionary war, the civil war, or the Iraq war and see how they view our actions. That pesky intellectual elites have an old saying, "knowledge will set you free". Sounds pretty radical to me ;)

All the best,

Josh
 
Dear Josh - still no last name,

Why stay anonymous? Man up a little. I was taught by my parents the rules of etiquette and manners. You want to engage in discourse or debate with me or anyone for that matter, you tell them who you are.

No, it is not a pleasure to meet you. And not for the reasons you may assume. Looking back on your very first post, you came into my house, not with a criticism of someone else's point of view but with insults and comments attempting to belittle both myself and others who share my ideas. That alone speaks volumes about your character and integrity. You should have paid more attention in your college debate class. Rule #1 If you resort to insults, you invalidate your position, which then translates to a position of weakness and lack of confidence in your argument or position. #2 Never underestimate the intelligence, knowledge or experience of the person standing at the opposing dais.

Josh, yes you are a doctor, actually an orthodontist. Most doctors state their profession and their specialty with great pride, why not you? As noble as your profession is why not state it? Maybe being an orthodontist isn't quite the same as being a doctor that puts people together after car wrecks or pulls bullets out of those wounded by gunfire.

As to your claim of serving your fellow man 10 hours a day 5 days a week, that is your job. You are paid to do it, quite well I might add. You chose it as a profession and a way to make a living. You are not working for free. You're not a peace corps volunteer in the jungles of Panama.

As to your reference of working for a non-profit health care organization, please remember your audience. There are many in this forum more learned than either you or I in regard to non-profit organizations and why they exist. I worked for over a decade for one of the largest non-profit health care businesses in the world and our yearly budget was over a Billion dollars. Oh yes, there was profit. I guarantee that no one in your organization works for no profit no matter what it says on their IRS returns.

As to being a father, that is purely a biological function. There are good fathers and there are bad fathers. The only time being a father is a noble endeavor is in being a good father.

As to being a soccer coach, coaching an AYSO soccer team because your son or daughter is on the team is not truly a selfless behavior. I understand why you would. How many teams have you coached where you do not or did not have a "vested" interest in doing so? How many of those immigrant children's teams have you coached or mentored?

As to the subject of the words Guardian Shepherd and Sheepdog that you took delight in belittling, first, you have insulted a large number of members on this forum who view themselves as such. I believe that an apology is called for, at least to them. I could care less what you think of me. What do you think a guardian shepherd or a sheepdog is anyway and why does it raise such angst from you? Lt. Col David Grossman, a Dr. of psychology, a US Army Ranger and a West Point Instructor, who coined the term, is a dear friend of mine and he has saved more lives of those who willfully go into harm's way and fixed more broken souls than you can ever account for. He has testified before congress on several occasions and lectures to military and law enforcement units all over the world. He is not only loved but regarded as a demigod within that world. He regards himself as a Sheepdog and is the originator of the term in regard to the concept of teaching Warriors, Law Enforcement and civilians the concept of the protector and the relevant role of the warrior in today's society. I guess he is also worthy of your demeaning insults. The Guardian Shepherd site is a place where people who are concerned about health, fitness, training and all aspects of personal security, anti-bullying programs, and keeping your family and loved ones safe from harm. We are also heavily involved with organizations such as the Underground Railroad and the fight against the child sexual slave trade, all whose members regard themselves as Guardian Shepherds and Sheepdogs. I guess the concept of the Guardian Shepherd group also warrants your invective, and insults. Or are you just an angry person?

As to your lecturing of me and your recommended reading list. Well professor Josh no name, I double majored in American History and P.E. with a minor in political science, and I am certified to teach in all 3 subjects at a collegiate level. Not only have I read Zinn but also Chomsky, Alinsky and Marx, Engels along with both contemporary and historical works from all sides, winners and losers in regard to Americas conflicts both internal and external. I have continued my education for over the last forty years by constantly attending college courses and have a personal library, a real library, of over 5000 books - hard copies and over 1300 titles on my Kindle account. So for you to give me a recommended reading list once again lays open your assumption that many from your side of the fence view conservatives as uneducated dolts. You have proven that point.

And finally it seems to me that in your defense of the term of term "intellectual elites" and also in the manner that your "factual" riposte seemed an attempt to educate a poor dumb conservative, I feel that you may in some small way fancy yourself as being one of those "pesky intellectual elites". So at this point you may fire away with both guns at me. I don't care. I stand by every word that I have written now and in the past. Yes, I have published over a hundred articles about a wide variety of subjects on some of the most respected conservative web sites in the world and have a following that numbers in the hundreds of thousands.

You see, you and I are from two different worlds and contrary to what you have stated, the American Dream still exists just the same as it always has for the majority of Americans. I have lived in both worlds. Both the coasts of the United States and the heartland of America where I was born. Most of this country does not exist on either coast and the majority of America is in the middle. Where I am from, people still go to the 4th of July parades with all their family and their flags. Everyone attends the Memorial day parade and services at the Veterans cemetery and they are damn proud to be Americans. When is the last time you attended a Veterans Day Memorial service? Be honest. My families military service does go back to the time of the Revolutionary War and all the wars from then till the present. Every generation of my family since the beginning of this country has had multiple members including the women, serve this country proudly. My son is a Naval Sea Cadet and will proudly be carrying on that noble tradition.

And that dream is simply to provide a better life for our children than we inherited from our own fathers. You have filled in the blanks about what you think I believe and what that dream is. Nice try, but it is your own interpretation of what was said that has been viewed through your "whatever colored" glasses.

As to the founding fathers, you can view the founding fathers from whatever angle you choose but, if you are as educated as you are trying to impress then you should be able to separate the imperfections of a man from the perfection of his work. These founding fathers, were men, nothing more, nothing less and they were also a product of what was the norm of their time whether you agree with it or not, it none the less exists. Yet they rose collectively to an occasion to create not only this great nation against seeming insurmountable odds but also a document and a system that was copied by a number of other countries in the formation of their own new governments. Do I put them on a pedestal for what these great, brave men did? Not just yes, but hell yes, and they rightly deserve it so. I know you're chomping at the bit to denigrate them, their character and their motives and to "educate" me about their mistresses, their slave holdings, their personal fortunes and gains to be had but no matter the case, they put the good of the whole above the greed of the few and they succeeded in creating a system that made the world a better place to live for all men. No matter what author you quote that can never be denied.

So, you see that although I am fully aware of the foibles that exist in the historical context of the founding of this great nation. I still love her and I honor her, while at the same time fearing that yes, there are people who are actively engaged in efforts to fundamentally change what is without question, the greatest nation that has ever existed upon this earth.

And by the way, your incorrect quote, "Knowledge will set you free" did not come from your "pesky intellectual elites" it's actually from the New Testament and comes from John 8:32, "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

I will not be responding further. Get some manners, control your temper and be intellectually honest.

Ernest Emerson
 
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Standing ovation anyone? Well written and profound Ernie, thank you for doing what you do so well.
 
Now probably wouldn't be a good time to tell him about a site selling knock offs for 25 bucks lol
 
umm, probably should not say anything, but thank you Mr Emerson and even foil Josh, for a very impressive and insightful essay. Did not expect to find that on a knife forum.
thank you.
 
Hi Ernest,

As a self-professed Shepherd, it implies that you believe there is a population of mindless sheep that need your guidance and protection. This comes across as egotism and machismo veiled in false nobility. The only being I know that could legitimately claim to be Shepherd to other people is Jesus Christ, and his teachings were far different than yours.

I know that you want to put me in my place for the benefit of your flock, but I can't believe some of the things you state:

Doctors are not noble because they make a living? They save lives everyday but you describe them as nothing but profiteers.

Being a father is purely a biological function? You are confusing father with sperm donor.

Coaching a team your son or daughter on is not altruistic? I believe any father that sacrifices his time to coach a team, even if his son or daughter is on it, is serving as a good example to his community. You insult many well intentioned fathers by parsing out their nobility based on whether or not their child is on their team.

Every generation of your family has served this country proudly? No arguments from me here, that is truly something to be proud of. Thank you for your service. What branch of the military did you serve in? How did your enlistment affect your mindset and ultimately your career? I think that would be something your readers would find interesting, I know that I would.

Disagreements aside, I really would like to know what you think of Zinn's "A People's History of the United States." Chapter 3, "A Kind of Revolution", directly challenges your notion that the revolution was fought purely to "throw off the yoke of oppression". Records show that less than 1/3 of the population supported the revolution, desertion remained steady at around 20%, and most states had to resort to paying off "vagrants and criminals" (their terms, not mine) to fill the ranks. These revelations suggest that perhaps there were other motives at play other than democracy and freedom. Perhaps a small group of people had a vested economic interest in not paying taxes to the monarchy...

In your original article you attack the "intellectual elites". However, based on your self-professed wealth (you own many properties and never need to work) and your extensive education (you have multiple degrees and can teach at the college level) isn't that exactly what you have become? I can only go by what you have written, but you give me the impression that you are very impressed with yourself.

Lastly, John 8:32 does not say "knowledge will set you free". It says "truth will set you free." In the Latin, veritas is not the same as scientia and it has a different connotation. Truth is subject to moral ambiguity and changes based on "knowledge" and experience. We cannot confuse truths with facts.

I am happy to exchange ideas in a public forum that you refer to as "your house". I believe everyone benefits from the free exchange of ideas. I would think that a man of your wealth, knowledge, and experience would openly invite dialogue, even if it is contentious at times.

Thanks again for your service.

Josh
 
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Seeing as Mr. Emerson pays for this sub-forum, it most certainly is "HIS house".
 
Hi, here is small mistake in article

And if you look back only 155 years to the time of the Civil War, a bloody conflict fought basically for two fundamental reasons, to preserve the Union and to abolish slavery. New figures point to the deaths of 750,000 Americans in a war pitting state against state, brother against brother, right against wrong. In a country whose total population was only 31 million, America sacrificed 24% of her population for the cause of freedom, liberty and justice.

I think that 750 000 from 31 000 000 is 2,4%, not 24%.
 
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