The Power of Why

Last week, a Google employee wrote a memo surmising why women are so scarce in the technology sector of Silicon Valley. As I understand it, the memo does not disparage women but instead shows how genetic traits may naturally lead more men to a certain profession than women and vice versa. He in fact gives suggestions about how the tech industry could use particularly feminine traits to better Google’s business practices. The problem is that he was suggesting that men were different than women… Most haven’t even read the memo. The media then twists it and spreads it. Outrage breaks out. The Google employee is fired the next morning.

You’ve got people who are upset over police violence or a shooting, the media showing the victims mother on a soapbox, declaring her child’s innocence; a member of the church choir even. Without even looking into the circumstances, everyone says, “well there ya have it. All cops are racist, murdering thugs.” Cities are torn apart. Cops are targeted and murdered in the streets.

I’m just tired of it. I’m tired of people who hear of an event or position that fits their established narrative and then simply echoing it, without looking into the circumstances or even questioning their own pre-conceived notions. I’m tired of this country being controlled by the whims of sheep.

I’m not entirely sure what it is, whether it’s my background in military Intelligence where I evaluate every side of every thing, the fact that I’m a civilian now amongst more civilians, or whether or not the world (or I) has really changed that much in the last decade. Perhaps I should just stop listening to the news on the drive into work every morning. I’m sick of the agenda’s, the manipulation, the screaming out of context, the close-mindedness, the outrage over these “micro-aggressions” or whatever they’re called. At the risk of sounding like an arrogant prick, I must ask if there has ever been a time when the Sheepdog, who has been tasked with protecting the sheep from the wolf, looks at the sheep, shakes his head and says “you know what? Forget it. I’m done here.” Thankfully, I have never heard of anyone that left the service because of such a thought. But perhaps that’s because if you step off post, then you’ve got to go hang out with those very sheep. And we wonder why there’s a civilian – military divide.

But I’m here to tell you, you’re guilty too.

When I was in college, I tended bar. My one and only rule (outside of those enforced by law) was that there would be no discussion about politics or religion at the bar. Just about every physical fight had centered around that. It wasn’t so much the topics. It was that when the topics were being discussed, everyone went from listening and responding to waiting for their turn to speak and responding. Perfectly practical arguments from one side went completely unheeded by the other and chaos eventually ensued.

The other day I asked a friend a legitimate question about their new diet adventure. I didn’t know for sure how it worked but like everything else, I had done at least a cursory search on the topic. I noticed that they weren’t necessarily following the guidelines in which I’d read so I asked where the discrepancy lay because I legitimately was curious. I will never make that mistake again. Add that to the “no bar talk” list.

Need another for the “no bar” list? Crossfit. Just for kicks, tell a Crossfit enthusiast that you don’t feel that it works for you. Or tell them that you don’t do Crossfit because of injury risk; that you don’t think doing a heavy, very technical Olympic lift repeatedly, as hard and fast as you can, is a great idea. Don’t bother coming prepared with any studies or anything, especially not from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (Crossfit has sued them).

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We are all sheep in some way. Marketing practices count on that. But as free individuals with the ability to think freely, we have inherent within us an ability to question everything. And we should. Perhaps our parents are guilty of stifling the natural tendency to ask “Why.” For those of you with kids, you know how it goes. The child asks “why” repeatedly and eventually you snap back “because it just is!” At a certain age then, the child realizes that every time they ask “why,” mommy or daddy get frustrated. So they stop asking and just go with it. Then we spend the rest of our lives just going with whatever we’re told by people who appear to be in authority.

I am requesting, perhaps for my own sanities sake, to just stop, take a breath, and start asking why again. When you ask why, it stems from the identification of something that doesn’t quite match an intuitive, natural order of things. Perhaps you’re just naïve but if you ask why enough, you’ll either become better educated and expand upon your own life experience, or you will identify a greater problem.

I would venture to say that the greatest minds, greatest leaders, and greatest entrepreneurs continue to ask why. Then oftentimes an idea is formed and the why becomes a why not? For years and years, if you traveled to a new city or went out on the town, you took a cab. Somebody asked why it had to be that way, a suitable answer wasn’t found or somebody just screamed “because it just is that way,” and thus Uber was formed. The energy industry is being transformed by people that began to ask why, and then ventured into why not? When you start to ask why, it’s establishing a quest to identify solutions. It’s an attempt to make sense of something that may end with a greater impact on your life and perhaps on society itself.

Stop being a sheep. Start making a difference. Start with why.

-Tony

Founder / Sheepdog Strong

Destiny Driven…and Crap Like That

I’ve got a confession to make. This post was meant to be a bit of a “grind until you get it / pursue your passions” sort of thing. The idea was slightly inspired by a recent article I read about the “slog of life.” The author argues that most of us get up for work in the morning because of a “sense of obligation, guilt, or responsibility.” The author identifies these things as “negative emotions” and encourages the reader to pursue their passions. He admits that the pain and suffering in this pursuit will be real but “positive forces” will keep us pushing through. I think in many ways he’s right. But…

I’m tired of the moto, rah rah speeches about just grabbing life by the balls and running down your dreams crap. The “no excuses,” “don’t let fear cripple you,” “just do it” bulls*&t that permeates everywhere. The video’s are watched by thousands or millions of people and you know what happens? Nothing. You get an injection of feel good but look up and realize, “oh ya…life.”

I’ve been working slowly on building Sheepdog Strong for a number of years off and on. I’ve recently put it in high gear and some great things are getting prepped for release in the next month. Heck, it’s 11pm on a Monday as I write this when most are binge watching Netflix or sleeping. But it’s been a slow grind, I’m still working a regular 9-5, and do you know why? Life. And those “negative emotions” of obligation and responsibility…well I’d argue that as a husband and father of 3 children, that makes me a pretty damn decent guy. If it were just me, I would seriously have no problem sleeping on the floor in the backroom of a gym, eating ramen noodles for three meals per day, as long as it was my gym. That is what I want (minus the floor and noodles) and what I’m working towards. The video’s and articles permeating social media encourage me to just get it done. No excuses. But it’s not happening tomorrow. Why? My 10-year-old daughter loves to dance and dance classes aren’t free. My boys are already thinking about college. Last I checked, they’ll need some help paying for that. My wife doesn’t like gym floors. She wants to sleep next to me…ya know…on a real bed, in a bedroom. So where does that leave us?

“You can’t give 100% of yourself to one thing. There, I said it. It’s not real.”

Whether you’re into it or not, the Bible presents a good example of this dynamic. In Corinthians, Paul suggest that if you want to serve God to the fullest, don’t get married. It’s why Catholic priests aren’t allowed to be married. But often what’s missed is that he later adds that if you do happen to pursue marriage, then be the best husband you can be. Therefore, you might have to give up a little service to God to be there for your wife when she needs you. In other words, you can’t give 100% of yourself to just one thing (at least not on a grander scale). There, I said it. It’s not real. You’re a son or daughter. A husband or mother. A friend to someone. And each of those things require some level of commitment. So do the most that you can in the situation that you’re in.

Some of you will look at this article as an excuse, to validate your inaction in pursuing your passion/happiness. No one should settle on a life that they’re not excited to live. But if you’ve got responsibilities, especially if it is related to being a husband or father, you do what you have to do for their sake. But only settle between the hours of 9-5, or whatever the hours may be. If you’re stuck somewhere you don’t want to be, spend the rest of those hours changing things.

I just googled how many hours per day an American watches tv. Apparently it’s five hours and 4 minutes on average per day. For social media, the average is 2 hours per day (but teens are up to 9 hours per day? No way. Hey, if it’s on the internet…). Let’s just all agree that you waste time on tv and social media. Sure it’s to recharge. But perhaps you wouldn’t have to recharge if you had a job or career that you couldn’t wait to get out of bed for. To get there, you’ve got to push through now. When I went through Officer Candidate School, I knew that it was only going to be 10 weeks of hell. But then it would be over. I kept telling myself, “you can’t stop time.” No matter how bad things were now, the clock would keep ticking and eventually, 10 weeks would be up, and it would be over. Then things would be better. So put in the time, for a short while, for years of better. Put in the extra few hours per day when you can, working towards what it is you really want. Eventually, though it might take awhile, you’ll find yourself there.

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Like all kids, my daughter went through the “why” stage. Especially when she asked about living things, my response would be that everything has a purpose in a greater system. “Why do bees exist?” To spread pollen among plants and create honey for other animals to eat. “Why do spiders exist?” To keep the ecosystem in balance by keeping other bugs, some that eat our own food, from overtaking things. I truly believe that everyone and everything has a reason and a purpose. I wish that everyone would find and achieve that purpose.

Google states that 49% of people are satisfied with their jobs meaning half of the population believe things could be better. If you’re in the latter half, what are you doing to get to the better side? Start with an hour per day pursuing your passion. Then make it two. See what happens from there. But no matter what you do, make a change. Do something.

-Tony

Founder / Sheepdog Strong

The Strength in Discomfort

Photos courtesy of Jakked Hardcore and Planet Fitness Hazell Dell

Everyone who works out has a reason for it. The most common is to lose weight or get healthier. For others, it is a job necessity. For those in the Sheepdog community specifically, the importance of physical training is paramount to perform their job exceptionally, survive and win. There is a saying in the Marine Corps, “train like you fight.” It’s difficult to draw a parallel between the gym and combat, but the facility you use and how you approach training says a lot about what you’re preparing for.

For most of my youth I worked out in your typical globo-gym. The equipment was always sparkling, floors clean, sauna’s and steam rooms in the locker room, personal trainers neatly groomed walking around in their polo’s. Everything was neat and in order, seemingly focused on making its members the most comfortable they could be. In this same gym, there was a basement where the free weights were. The benches had silver duct-tape covering tears in the fabric, the moisture & humidity in the room rusted the iron plates, and those who inhabited this basement didn’t appear nearly as approachable as those upstairs but instead, intimidating. Most were twice the size of me so generally speaking, I stayed away; that is, until I made the decision to join the Marine Corps. Suddenly, the purpose of working out had changed from picking up chicks to surviving and winning in battle, where men either lived or died. If I was going to prepare for battle, perhaps there was more to learn about preparation in that basement. I meekly stepped into the dark, creeky stairwell, sounds of plates clanging and the grunting growing louder as I descended. It was time to get real.

In Iron Ambition, My Life With Cus D’Amato, Mike Tyson discusses the entrance to Cus’ Gym. He writes, “The gym was up three flights of rickety stairs. If you stood at the bottom…you could see all the way up to the top. Once you got up to the top, there was a big hole in the door, patched up with mesh wiring, and there was a huge watchdog that would smash up against the mesh, barking like crazy. If a kid came up alone and wasn’t deterred by the dog and pushed the door open and said he wanted to be a fighter, Cus knew he had something to work with.” For Cus, the first and most important aspect of fighting was mental and stepping into the face of your fears. If you didn’t have a modicum of that, you had no foundation. Nothing to build upon.

I’m not disparaging clean and tidy gyms full of shiny new machines. But for our line of work, it is not nearly as suitable. I firmly believe that the “Spartan” environment tests a man (or woman) both mentally and physically as well as attracts a type of person that is more like one you should be associating with. No one is there to screw around. Testing these traits regularly do more in preparing one for combat than the Planet Fitness’s of the world ever can. Physically, when you’ve got 400 lbs of weight on your back and you’re seeing stars, you are doing much more for yourself in preparation for war than reading a magazine while on an elliptical will ever do for you.

I will always remember fondly the make-shift gyms in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some were outside, plates buried in the sand, hot to the touch from baking in the sun all day. If we were lucky enough to have a floor, it was wood that creaked and bowed under the weight. The equipment was often cobbled together, a mix of miss-matched plates, sandbags, rusty steel rods that served as bars, ammo cans filled with concrete, and pullup bars welded together with spent .50 caliber gun barrels. If we had a treadmill, the sand quickly destroyed it so we would resort to cutting laps around the FOB in a flak jacket in 120-degree heat, refreshing ourselves with water of the same temperature. It was often a mental struggle to get out there and put the work in. But it instilled a greater depth of discipline in me than going and getting your sweat on in an air-conditioned spin class. And it was often the only time you had to yourself…a time to exercise your demons. To this day, a gym is not only a place of preparation but a sanctuary for me.

If you’re visiting this site, you’re more than likely pretty serious about what it is you do. Make sure that you’re training is serious too.

Leave a comment and tell us the crappiest gym you’ve ever had to train in, and why you remember it so fondly.

-Tony

Founder / Sheepdog Strong

Circus Tricks & The Tactical Athlete

When I was serving as a Marine, I saw a number of different servicemen and women take part in various, popular-at-the-time programs that appealed to service members with its promise that the programming would make you an elite athlete or “get shredded.” The images and the videos of these programs certainly showed athletic moves performed by athletic individuals. I recall one particular image of a fit guy, whom I know served in Special Operations and as a contractor, performing a squat while balancing with one foot on the handle of a kettlebell. I cringed as I waited for the kettlebell to twist and witness disaster. Yet social media warriors Like and Share photo’s such as this. For the truly brave…or stupid, they attempt it themselves. But is there a place for such acrobatics in Tactical Fitness?

Not so long ago, if someone thought of working out, they envisioned a barbell and weights, perhaps a sterile gym filled with machines, someone jogging down the road dodging cars, or cycling. But with the boom of the internet, more types of fitness concepts have emerged and exploded across the masses. Now there are gyms centered around spinning or Soul Cycle, Jazzercise, Pilates, TRX, Crossfit, Kickboxing (for fitness), various “Bootcamps,” Yoga, and others. The difference is that these come and go or at least shift in form. Take Yoga for example. There’s now “Hot Yoga” and I recently witnessed someone dangling upside down from what appeared to be a hammock or other type of linen hanging from the ceiling. I’m not even going to Google what this is because the splits this guy was doing while hanging in it looked seriously painful and I’m not going to subject myself to the images this might return. Some of these programs go away outright. Drive by any open gym and look at the services they offer. They change along with the years, concepts coming and going like the wind.

I would argue that a lot of the popularity of these is their promise of ease. Remember 6-second Abs? It took a few years before people realized it took more than 6 seconds to get abs. But somebody made a lot of money. Realizing that this, and things like it don’t work, people started looking at what I call circus tricks. The justification, “Squats and deadlifts are hard. But the Thigh Master didn’t work.” What to do now…enter circus tricks.

“Marketing is Theater”

I recently heard a well known businessman say “Marketing is theater.” He’s absolutely correct. And companies are spending millions of dollars creating that theater. I will admit, I’ve been to some competitive, circuit based events simply for the fun of it and I’ve been impressed. In one competition, I saw someone do a burpee but instead of just jumping up after the pushup, she did an entire flip backwards, landing on one leg dropping into a pistol squat…for reps. That, I will profess, is impressive. It made for great theater and I fully admit that I pulled out my phone to record it. Do their programs, and maybe you can too right? Yet during my multiple tours to Iraq and Afghanistan, when bullets were snapping over my head, I never pulled a matrix and did a backflip into a pistol squat, weapon tucked in tight into the shoulder, giving it to the enemy although that would’ve been pretty cool. But now, get a workout in, feel cool, impress others, get the likes, believe you’re ready.

Regarding the get-fit-quick schemes, perhaps it has to do with social media and other tools of convenience that have contributed to our declining attention spans. If you’re hungry, open the fridge. Needs cooked? 2 minutes on high. Blogging, such as this, used to be more popular. Now who has the time to read several pages of anything? We want it short and sweet, right now. Even with workout programs that aren’t marketed towards quick results, how long is your average Crossfit workout? AMRAP in 15 minutes? It takes you longer to drive to the gym. But do this every day and you can certainly be as jacked as Rich Froning right? Well at least Crossfit isn’t easy.

Besides immediate gratification, we insist on being entertained…or entertaining. We feed off of social media likes and the way to get there is to snatch a barbell overhead with plates that look like tires (but actually are 25lbs per). Never mind that your form is terrible and you just jacked up your back. Pistol Squats on a Kettlebell handle? Look at me in awe. Then there’s the toys. Everybody’s seen a barbell but do you have any Instagram photos with the new bamboo wobble stick thingy on your back? Heck no you don’t.

So what about for the Tactical Athlete? Sometimes the best thing for you is something you put the time and effort into. War is about violence of action and there is a brute-like component to it. And before you get to the target site, you’re carrying about 90lbs worth of gear. The lucky ones are riding it in. The right program for those that live this life are the programs that have lived through time…the tried and true programs that don’t disappear from studio windows every few years. Turning you into a warfighting machine took months and years of breaking you down and building you up. Shouldn’t your workout do the same?

“Anything worth doing is hard”

I’m all about the evolution of techniques and experimenting with new things, looking for the right things. But cutting through the clutter is tough when the clutter keeps getting dumped into your internet feed. What I do know is this, getting strong is not easy. Translating that strength into power is not easy either. Anything worth doing is hard and takes time and there’s a reason some programs have withstood the test of time.

Our concepts at Sheepdog Strong are simple. The work put in applying those concepts is not. If you push, you must pull. And secondly, you must move. Be strong, be powerful, move with purpose and have the energy to overwhelm when it comes time to overwhelm. Learn patience and work through mental roadblocks. And the concepts of this type of work will carry over into everyday life.

If you haven’t checked out our Daily Ex, do so today at www.sheepdogstrong.com/daily-ex.html. But be forewarned, there’s nothing too fancy about any of it, nor should there be.

-Tony

Founder/Sheepdog Strong

 

The Shoebox Story

My ol’ man has recently crossed the LOD for “Operation De-clutter,” and has been sharing with us paraphernalia he has uncovered regarding our extended family line. As he uncovers them, collectively we are trying to piece together their lives and experiences, mostly through the bits of evidence left behind. Growing up I remember hearing bits and pieces of certain events which inevitably became larger than life stories in my child’s eye. Recognizing this bias, in our attempt to understand our roots we are left with only black & white images, administrative documents and a few letters written by friends we had never known.

The other day, my father came across a “Report of Separation; Honorable Discharge” for my Great Uncle Art whom I’d never met. What we knew already is that he served as a combat photographer in the US Army during WWII and was one of the first to stumble across the atrocities of the Nazi Concentration Camps. Though he passed prior to my birth, I remember as a young child, putting together a school project on the great war. My grandparents, upon hearing as much, handed me an envelope of the photo’s Art took upon entering that wretched camp. I recall the gaunt bodies, seemingly walking skeleton’s, staring blankly back into the camera and the stacks of dead women and children, mouths agape towards the fruitless sky. These images alone opened my eyes to the cruel realities of this world and yet left me wondering even more. Those walking skeleton’s black eyes only hinted at something strikingly horrendous. The only known thoughts of my Great Uncle’s was that this was something that needed to be captured for the annals of history. Perhaps in this case, none more needed to be said. Yet perhaps if we had talked, we may have learned something more.

There’s a lot of my family history that I don’t know and like most, I’ve only personally met a few generations deep and that was as a young kid too dumb to ask questions. What I do know is surface level; that those generations had a tough life. The Great Depression and World Wars on the larger spectrum, hard work and hunger or even a young sibling’s death on a more personal level. Maybe it’s because of the exhaustion from it all, both physical and emotional, that no one wanted to talk. Or maybe it’s because they simply assumed we wouldn’t understand nor care, having never experienced anything remotely close to it. Let’s face it, we’ve got it pretty great as Americans today and yet many feel overwhelmingly “oppressed” because someone just made an assumption about their gender identity (gasp). But I wouldn’t understand any of that because I’m a “white guy” and as MTV pointed out, I’ve got some things to “do a little better” here in 2017. Quite frankly, because of this and a thousand other reasons, I don’t want to talk to people either. Nonetheless, story telling remains a part of our DNA, shaping our future and who we are. Whether you realize it or not, much of our day is spent telling stories, if not about ourselves than about someone else either professionally or even in the form of gossip.

Studies suggest that stories truly serve a purpose in our evolutionary design. I think of how many times I’ve told my boys to be careful when they’re using a knife as a substitute tool. When I approach them and say, “If that knife slips right now, due to the position of your left arm, you will stab it,” I am quickly told “Ya dad I got it. I’ll be careful.” But if I instead walked up to them and said, “You know, during a training exercise I was at in Bridgeport, I was up late prepping my gear for an early morning patrol. I was adding a magazine pouch to my flak jacket and was using a knife to feed the pouch straps through the gear. I had my left arm exactly where yours is now. It slipped and I stuck that 4-inch blade straight into my forearm. Here’s the scar.” Their eyes widen…and they move their arm.

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It is well known that stories were integral throughout history to pass on history and lessons, well before any form of documentation came into existence. Many argue that we’ve lost the art of it. But the idea of storytelling hasn’t necessarily gone away. As I mentioned, it’s part of our DNA. But in most cases, in our modern society, with modern technology, it’s still missing that certain something. Recently I updated my Facebook app and a new feature appeared. Right at the top, it says “Your Story,” screaming to be clicked on. Click and you will see that you can send pictures or videos to certain friends or “add to your story.” Admittedly, I haven’t tried it. I haven’t done so because just like the pictures from my Great Uncle Art and those discharge papers, it still leaves the recipient guessing as to who you really are. How many of you veterans or even non-veterans have lost a close friend to suicide, and you are simply stunned? Their Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter told a different story. You see nothing but smiling faces, pranks, and possibly a clear disdain for one particular political party. But again, it’s nothing but pictures in a shoebox and a few papers. And suddenly you realize that we all completely missed the real story; perhaps were even manipulated by the story presented to us. You begin to wonder, what was he thinking when he took that picture in the sands of Iraq holding that rifle? Was he scared? Or is the reason he just posted that photo just a week earlier simply because it was the only time in his life that he felt something worthwhile?

A 2014 article from The Atlantic states that “stories can be a way for humans to feel that we have control over the world. They allow people to see patterns where there is chaos, meaning where there is randomness. Humans are inclined to see narratives where there are none because it can afford meaning to our lives – a form of existential problem solving.” I would argue that this is true in both hearing stories and sharing your own. Unfortunately, I’m not sure that can be found on an Instagram or Facebook feature alone.

As The Atlantic points out, “perhaps the real reason that we tell stories…is because humans WANT to be a part of a shared history.” At Sheepdog Strong, we want to harness the power of storytelling and publish yours. If you are serving or have served in the military, law-enforcement, or first responder communities, we would like to share your story. In addition, once per month we will select one author and donate $100 to a nonprofit charity of his or her choice. If you’re a terrible writer, no worries. We’ll clean it up for you. Go to www.sheepdogstrong.com or email me at alpha@sheepdogstrong.com for more information. And perhaps in doing so, we will forever be more than a shoebox full of papers and pictures.

-Tony

Founder / Sheepdog Strong

Void in the Middle: American Political Discourse

Re-printed with permission by Justin Louis Pitcock

It is inevitable that a republic like ours will be altered by passing years and attitudes. It is supposed to be that way. The constitution left a hefty burden on the states and the Congress to answer the questions of the day. The law-making bodies that be, at both the federal and state level, have risen to the occasion many times. The bill of rights comes to mind. The Civil Rights Act and the Freedom of Information Act have their place in history as fruits of the legislature. But what happens when the Congress or the states get it wrong and why do we have so much trouble doing the right thing today?

We should know what happens when Congress gets it wrong. It happens often. “Getting it wrong” is what comes to most folk’s minds when they think of Congress today. It is a valid assumption. We do know. We can see the results of poorly written or enacted, even ill-intentioned regulation all around us. The Affordable Care Act is a hot topic in this vein. Signs indicate that it was written with political risk in mind rather than patient risk. The real tragedy is that it can be salvaged and the problem of an uninsured population more suitably addressed, but flame throwing political rhetoric is a growing obstacle to doing so.

Social security and other safety net programs were well intentioned and, on the whole, were well conceived. After many years passed without adjustments to funding or benefits, the topic now rages and divides one day and is tabled the next, when what seem to be more pressing topics arise. Meanwhile, the programs are on a known path to failure and ensuing crisis. It’s an opportune political football when nothing else is going on and a predicament we can simply put in our children’s lap when something else diverts the public gaze.

My point here is not as narrow as reforming specific legislation, though that is important. I want to talk about the structural pillars of this republic and the foundation on which they lie. Some of those pillars stand strong against the test of time and are as useful today as they were on the day President Washington was sworn in. The distribution of power between the three branches and the checks and balances in place because of that dynamic are central to honest government. Assignment of responsibility as the Commander in Chief, Head of State, and Head of Government entrusts a lot to one American, but has yielded efficient and effective results in times of crisis.

Other attributes of our constitutional foundations come under fire from time to time. The Electoral College received condemnation recently in 2000 and again in 2016. President Franklin Roosevelt gave reason for constitutionalizing the number of Supreme Court justices. Every 10 years, a new case is made for specificity in the arena of drawing congressional districts. These are but a few of the areas in which some repair has been done, but increasingly some of these pillars are eroding and losing their purpose of supporting the ideals on which this republic was founded.

“That unresolved issue almost cost us the union and did cost us almost a million American lives”

At this juncture, a long “ode to the constitution” is due but, to keep it short, it is sufficient to say that the United States Constitution is the single most important document written since the bible. Its formation is a beautiful amalgamation of careful study of the past, admiration and longing for human freedom, and painful compromise. What we were left with was far from perfect but, considering the environmental conditions leading up to its signing, the original constitution was the capstone to a truly remarkable achievement. Since then it’s been amended 27 times, contributing to the document’s strength.

It should be stated plainly, every time the subject of constitutional formation arises, that the issue of slavery casts a large dark shadow over the whole enterprise. Those who would discount the entire original document have a leg to stand on because of it. The obvious horror of slavery is not only a stain on that original beautiful amalgamation, but it was also an issue left unresolved in 1789. That unresolved issue almost cost us the union and did cost us almost a million American lives 70 years later on domestic battlefields from Gettysburg to Vicksburg. There are reasons and excuses for why it happened that way, but what matters is that the failure to do the right thing from the start put everything at risk. The lesson here to carry forward is that doing what is just, as soon as we know it to be so, is imperative – morally and practically.

That is the case now. There are several things we know about today that are prohibitive to a properly functioning American government. I’m not talking about hot-button partisan issues. The pro-life versus pro-choice debate is a strong partisan issue that is probably not going to be put to rest in my lifetime. The key to having these debates and making substantive progress in resolving any issue though, is the way in which they are conducted. To find out what is just, and to be able to act on it, passion must be balanced with reason. Self-interest must be balanced with empathy. Tradition should be honored, but not at the cost of preserving an oppressive culture. Our discourse today is at odds with these worthy goals and the most equipped entity able to change the tide is the individual American citizen.

“For good reason, our citizens have lost much of the faith in their leaders and institutions that they had in the early 20th century.”

A major problem with our discourse lies in our expectations. “Telling it like it is” is a stated desire by many voters when it comes to qualities they would like to see in their representation. People generally want to know how a leader “really feels.” The interpretation of this desire however, is almost the opposite of its literal meaning. “Telling it like it is” is accepted by many to mean “saying an opinion without regard to that opinion’s practicality of implementation or second order effects.”

In the past, a politician would state their position and then dance around tough questions about its implementation that would be politically damaging. This dance is what the term “politically correct” has come to mean and recently people’s irritation with such behavior has climaxed. This dance is understandably irritating to anyone trying to understand the stated position’s ramifications based on a single interview vice viewing the dance with well-read knowledge of the subject.

To illustrate, let’s take the issue of illegal immigration. Before the war on “political correctness” started, a politician might say their position is that the immigration laws of this nation must be enforced, but that there must be some provisions for children or families who’ve been here for a decade or a number of other possible circumstances. When asked about enforcing our immigration laws, the politician would attempt to evade the notion ICE agents would be “rounding up” immigrants for deportation. When asked about whether the provision for families who’ve been here for a decade, the politician would evade the notion that the provision is “amnesty” for immigrants who’ve broken the law by entering our country illegally. Someone watching an interview with any knowledge of the practically of the matter would generally be able to understand where the politician stands…”Amnesty for some?” Yes. “Round up of others?” Yes.

The contempt for the dance that is “political correctness” invites a different scenario. Today when a politician’s stated position is that the laws of this nation need to be enforced, instead of dancing around a follow up they are asked about a “round up,” must now brand the immigrants whom this affects as the enemy. The must say “illegal immigrants broke the law, so they are criminals.” When a politician’s position is that there must be some exceptions, they must brand immigrants as hard working contributors to American society. The middle ground gets no attention. The practicality and morality of either position in this scenario is based on two different narratives. So, when a proponent of one position talks to the other, they can barely identify with each other’s view.

An individual holding either stated extreme view probably doesn’t see themselves as a hard-liner. They most likely understand the difficulties, impracticality, and moral problems that arise from implementing an absolute stance on an issue. But if political leaders aren’t expected to address the concerns of their own stance, the debate dies. Partisans are left with only one option and that is to win at all costs, because the groundwork for compromise is left without any attention.

Much of the reason for this condition comes from a constant siege on trust. Watergate, the Vietnam and Iraq wars, politicians convicted of bribery, and the many other scandals and missteps over the years have torn away the idea that our leaders are careful actors of integrity. For good reason, our citizens have lost much of the faith in their leaders and institutions that they had in the early 20th century. Today, this mistrust has permeated down to the cultural and individual levels. Some citizens do not trust our police. Some do not trust certain ethnical groups. Perhaps most problematic, people holding different views on an issue presume the other side to be acting in bad faith.

If someone arrives at an argument assuming the opposing view is founded on bad faith there is no room for middle ground and no room for compromise. Thus the “win at all costs” mindset is strengthened and robust debate dies. This condition is cancerous to our republic and without a remedy we are doomed to fall into the tyranny that Plato forecasted will come of such democracies.

To shift this discourse and serve the public by informing them of the implications of proposed legislation, citizens must reject the paradigm that says the opposition is fundamentally flawed and thus no idea they present can be valid. We must challenge the ideas of our own parties and representatives that we generally agree with. We must understand the negative implications of our own championed policies and leave room for those who dissent. It’s intellectually honest to do so.

It’s been a long road to mistrust and it will be a long road to rebuild it. We must turn around now or accept our fate. We must read. We must hold our politicians to the same standards we expect of our children. Most importantly, we must seek to understand our neighbor and care how they arrive at their views, without making assumptions to suit our own cause. Our founding documents allowed for this. It’s our duty to leave room in each of our American hearts for the people who hold the diverse views that made us the vibrant leader of the free world in the first place.

-Justin Louis Pitcock

Justin is a US Marine Aviator, family man and proud American

Two Paths and 2017

A few days before Christmas, I sat down with my 9 year old daughter for a bite of lunch. While she gnawed away on some mac & cheese, she asked, “Why do we give gifts to each other on Christmas?” Frankly, I don’t really know how the tradition started but I’m sure there’s a perfectly reasonable answer. I’d actually pondered the same, just haven’t wondered enough to Google it. But in this wondering, at one point or another I’d come up with a possible explanation. I relayed that explanation to my daughter.

“Well as you know, on Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Jesus was a gift to humankind by God himself. And on His birth, wise men showed up with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Throughout Jesus’ life, He both sacrificed and provided what He could to all who chose to follow Him. And even in His death, He provided us the gift of eternal life if we should choose to accept it. I guess one way to honor His birth is to sacrifice our own desires and give something to others. I think that’s how He would want us to celebrate His birthday.”

Now I’m kind of a literalist. I primarily worked in Intelligence while in the military so I have never liked to propose a theory without having some data to back it up. So I guess I’ve given it some additional thought while out on the Harley or driving the 45 minutes to and from my regular paycheck (still haven’t googled it). In these thoughts, my vision has morphed to the New Year.

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A few months back I lost a Marine brother, one that I’m proud to have served alongside in Afghanistan. Most of us who have served post 9/11 have lost one, or several brothers. For many, their deaths way heavy. Perhaps there’s some survivor’s guilt or maybe feel that a lot of the civilian population will never grasp the sacrifices made by these men and women, and therefore grow disillusioned. In the end, we remain behind, in part due to their incredible sacrifice. What we do with that is up to us.

For the most part, there’s two paths we who remain can take. One is remembering their deaths. The other is remembering their sacrifice. The first is often mired in alcohol or drugs. This life choice quickly spins out of control almost always with negative outcomes. The second option is by truly living. Seeing their passing as a sacrifice, a sacrifice so that others may live, suggests that it is our duty to make the most of this life here on earth, and  really live.

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I’m probably not going to Google why we give gifts on Christmas. Frankly, I think I gave a fair explanation, that Christ would like us to celebrate His birth by giving to others. I would also argue that our brothers who sacrificed their lives for our freedom, deserve our honor and respect. The way to do that is by living this life to the fullest. It’s a new year. In 2017, honor those who passed before us through the life you live.

Live Strong. Be Strong. Sheepdog Strong

-Tony

Expanding Your Comfort Zone

Today, I had a civilian friend, one who’d never served, inform me that he was taking part in a 12 hour SEALFIT haze fest in a matter of weeks. He’s nervous and completely unsure of himself. He stated that he has recently ensured that his new boots were broken in and has gotten other tips from friends that included getting Anti-Monkey Butt Powder. He’d surmised that physically this test would be the hardest he’d ever endured and so he’d tried to prepare for that. What he wanted to know from me, however, was whether or not I had any tips on how to handle the stressors mentally. My friend gets it.

Sheepdog Strong is primarily focused on preparing the body for the physical rigors of combat. But the mental game is equally, if not more important. In our world, the two are closely intertwined.

I’m the bullheaded type. My dad always asks me why I wouldn’t do something to make things easier on myself. I’d rather just put my head down and push through…tough it out…suck it up. It always makes things more miserable than they need to be. But somehow I find some satisfaction in the idea that I didn’t need the special, non-chaffing underwear to make it…but others did. I find pride in the scars that I have, that probably never needed to happen. On some deep psychological level, it may be because I’ve learned that life stinks and if I am to make it through, I must get comfortable with the uncomfortable, always pushing those boundaries.

Throughout my military service, I’ve been subjected to some pretty tough training and endured some difficult, real-world operations. I’ve constantly been forced to step outside of my comfort zone, and yet endured. So facing a 12 hour SEALFIT haze fest is laughable to me. Horrifying for my corporate executive friend.

While I don’t have the statistics in front of me, I am reminded of the completion rates for the Navy SEAL’s Hell Week. Friends who are instructors in this course have told me that the drop rate throughout training is around 80%. However, for those who came back, the success rate is in the high 90%. Why? Because they already know what’s coming and they’ve mentally accepted it. Their fitness level hasn’t changed, it’s just that they now know what will be thrown at them. When I attended the Marine Corps Infantry Officer Course, we took a vow of silence regarding the training therein. The reason was because they viewed navigation through the ‘fear of the unknown’ as the most valuable critique of a potential Infantry Officer. If they already knew exactly how the course was run and what struggles they’d have to endure, unqualified candidates would sneak through.

For the most part, as a follower of Sheepdog Strong, I feel that I’m preaching to the choir here. But be reminded to get comfortable being uncomfortable. Get uncomfortable physically and learn to relish in it. Get uncomfortable mentally and thrive in it. If you’re struggling on that long run, go a little further than before. Hated it? Do it again the next day. And again the day after. Your workout calls for 10 reps? Go for 12…or maybe 14. Hate your 1stSgt? Ask to sit down at his table during lunch. And then when that day comes when your friend signs you up for some half marathon, and after you berate him for it because you hate running, you can stand next to your shaking friend at the starting line with a smug, confident look on your face. Easy day.

-Tony / Founder at Sheepdog Strong