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The Book of the Week is “American Shield, The Immigrant Sergeant Who Defended Democracy” by Aquilino Gonell and Susan Shapiro, published in 2023.
Born around 1980, Gonell spent his early childhood in the Dominican Republic. When he was twelve, he moved to Brooklyn in New York State. In the late 1990’s, the author’s “green card” allowed him to join the U.S. Army Reserve while also attending college at Long Island University. He had a choice to join the military full-time. But part-time, he could eventually afford a higher education.
That just shows how desperate the U.S government is to get people to join its military, absent a draft. It is taking non-citizens! People who are so grateful to be living in America are more willing to risk their lives, and are willing to work harder and longer than people born here. And, in the event of war, American leadership wouldn’t be as aggrieved at losing fighters whom they don’t actually consider their own, anyway.
Through centuries of wars in the world, other countries have practiced variations on military recruitment methods. They’ve hired mercenaries, but those soldiers are fighting for the money and ego satisfaction. It’s a challenge for them to survive. They feel no obligation to anyone. In past wars, Britain has conscripted soldiers from its colonies in Africa, and India– forget the compensation.
Anyway, the author served in Iraq, and was a Capitol police officer on January 6, 2021, by which time he was a U.S. citizen. He didn’t know he’d be risking his life during what should have been a peaceful transfer of power from one president to the next. Yet 140 officers sustained serious injuries to their heads, limbs, backs, internal organs (from bear and pepper spray)– as though they were wounded in a war.
Gonell described in detail: “…fellow officers brazenly beaten with pipes, sticks, and rocks by rioters chanting ‘Fight for Trump’ and ‘USA! USA!’ Trump banners outnumbered American flags, and for a second I froze in fear. I’d seen this kind of unbridled rage in Iraq when the base was under attack, and I knew this was bad.” Gonell himself sustained serious injuries that would plague him the rest of his life.
Americans like to think they don’t live under a dictatorship, but their thinking has changed. Before, during and after the insurrection, Fox News was spouting smears and lies, such as– Antifa plotted the agitation at the Capitol. Very few GOP leaders at that time had the courage to actually condemn the violence. There are still too many people who owe their jobs to the major influencer of the violence to kick him out of office, even though he’s now senile!
AND, theoretically, the American president, as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, has ultimate authority to decide on military deployment. However, if the president has sole control over the military and it obeys only him, is loyal only to him, including in connection with all top-secret foreign policy matters– THE PRESIDENT IS A DICTATOR.
Be that as it may, Gonell bravely appeared on talk shows to reveal the truth about the Capitol riot, even though he and his family feared doxing and death threats. He felt that a firearm would help him defend his family in his private home, and “The paperwork and background check only took fifteen minutes, and I walked out with a new Glock in its black case.” He mentioned that he had PTSD while he was in Iraq, but apparently, in the United States, traumatized ex-military members can acquire firearms in no time, with no pertinent questions asked.
Read the book to learn much more about Gonell’s life and times. A major change in the American regime will be announced during a slow-news week, so that its messaging will have maximum impact, and the media can make maximum money. Meanwhile, here’s a ditty on the current state of affairs.
STUCK WITH AI
sung to the tune of “Stayin’ Alive” with apologies to the Bee Gees, their estates, and to whomever else the rights may concern.
Well, it’s the same old DRECK on the idiot box.
Old clips and deepfakes fill airtime on Fox.
Smearing loud, inciting a storm,
Musk and Trump tooting his horn.
It’s far Right, it’s a sad day.
It’s his way or THE highway.
It’s hard for some to understand,
how the brainWASHing got out of hand.
Whether you’re innocent or guilty as sin,
We’re stuck with AI, stuck with AI.
See criminals walking and Big Tech stalking.
We’re stuck with AI, stuck with AI.
new-normal police-state, stuck with AI, stuck with AI.
new-normal police-state, stuck with A-I-I-I-I.
Oh, criminals walk…
Well, the GOP’s low, and on power they’re high,
and democracy’s crumbling before our eyes.
Job security at an all-time low.
A lying senile leader causing more woe.
It’s far Right. It’s their way.
Fourth Amendment is in shreds today.
It’s hard for some to understand,
how the brainWASHing got out of hand.
Whether you’re innocent or guilty as sin,
We’re stuck with AI, stuck with AI.
See criminals walking and Big Tech stalking.
We’re stuck with AI, stuck with AI.
new-normal police-state, stuck with AI, stuck with AI.
new-normal police-state, stuck with A-I-I-I-I.
Vance needs to step up. Somebody help him. Somebody help him, yeah.
Vance needs to step up. Somebody help him, yeah. Stuck with AI.
Well, it’ the same old DRECK on the idiot box.
Old clips and deepfakes fill airtime on Fox.
Smearing loud, inciting a storm,
Musk and Trump tooting his horn.
It’s far Right, it’s a sad day.
It’s his way or THE highway.
It’s hard for some to understand,
how the brainWASHing got out of hand.
Whether you’re innocent or guilty as sin,
We’re stuck with AI, stuck with AI.
See criminals walking and Big Tech stalking.
We’re stuck with AI, stuck with AI.
new-normal police-state, stuck with AI, stuck with AI.
new-normal police-state, stuck with A-I-I-I-I. Argh.
Vance needs to step up. Somebody help him. Somebody help him, yeah.
Vance needs to step up. Somebody help him, yeah. We’re stuck with AI…