Sheep to the Slaughter – I purposely did not discuss the events of Orlando until this writing. Watching the conversation unfold, it is clear that there are three distinct beings in our country, the sheep, the wolves, and the sheepdogs. This is not an original thought, but is one that many before me have talked about.
Radical Islamic Terrorist, the wolves. We can see them, indiscriminate predators, roaming our country. Feeding off our fear, embolden by our weakness, laughing at our ineptness. Aided by a clueless society and incompetent government, these wolves hunt and attack without mercy. It is their nature, it is what they have been taught. They are ruthless and focused, with one goal in mind, our slaughter.
Then there is a compliance society and ‘moderate Muslims,’ the sheep. The sheep keep their heads down and chew on the grass. Occasionally they may scurry, or worse, allow themselves to be herded in one direction, guided to the slaughter. The sheep does not care what instrument is used to sheer and slaughter it. Whether it be handheld sheering scissors or an electric razor; what difference does it make to the sheep whether it throat is cut or it receives a bullet to the head. It’s a sheep, its lot in life has be pre-ordained. The wolves thrive on this…ignorance.
Lastly, we have those who are ever vigilant and bound by duty, the sheepdogs. Whether by instinct, by upbringing, evolution, or by training, the sheepdogs are the guardians of our society. They see danger when others choose to ignore. They fight when others graze. They protect indiscriminate, because they believe they are their brother’s keeper. Often misunderstood, the sheepdog runs to danger, protects the weak, safeguards his family, and defends is nation.
The world has watched as these thugs and cowards have raped, tortured, enslaved, and murdered in the name of their religion. We stood by and watched gays being thrown from rooftops, Christians beheaded, soldiers burned alive, and children sold into sex-slavery. Only now some see the evil, only now some have come to the suddenly realization that terrorism is hate, and that Islam has become polluted with inhumanity and driven to tyranny….really, are we that blind?
On June 12, in Orlando, it was LGBT-Americans. At Fort Hood, Chattanooga, and Arkansas it was Military-Americans. In San Bernardino, Boston, Pittsburg, and New York it was Latino-Americans, Jewish-Americans, Lebanese-Americans, African-Americans, insert ‘Hyphen-American’ here. The list goes on, but we do ourselves a disservice if we believe that our peripheral identities made us a target. We spend so much time separating the victims with a hyphen, we miss who the real targets are, the one factor that unites all of us. We are Americans, and so were those that were killed and wounded. No hyphens, no separation, no division……just Americans.
On June 12, 2016, December 2, 2015, July 16, 2015, Nov. 5, 2009, June 1, 2009, and Sept. 11, 2001, gay, straight, black, white, Christian, Jewish, Atheist, Muslim, military…..these constructs meant nothing to the wolves. We are Americans, they look at us as their sheep to slaughter as they see fit.
We have been at war with wolves since the founding of our nation, and make no mistake about, we are at war today. We were once a nation populated more with sheepdogs than with sheep. Once again, we must become a nation of sheepdogs; fierce in our defense, merciless in our response, compassionate to ever victim. If we choose to follow this President, and so many of his misguided minions, we will be led to slaughter. It is time to take off the sheep’s clothing, stare our enemy in the eyes, and let them know they messed with the wrong country.
We were warned over and over again that they would bring the war to our shores. The enemy is here; the barbarians are inside the gates. It is time we live by the words of General John Stark (from the battle of Bennington) – “There are the Redcoats, and they are ours, or this night Molly Stark sleeps a widow.”
Live free or die, my friends, because death is not the worst of evils.
