May 9, 2009
Please excuse me for not writing sooner. I have been busy working out a few issues with my circumstances at this point in my life. Throughout my entire life, I have been constantly reminded that I cannot make everyone happy; yet that did not keep me from trying. This led to one of my personal quotes: “I try.”
“I try” to balance my life. My sense of personal control over my emotions enables me to project an optimistic view with an extrovert’s style, while still being a realist.
I like that about myself. I really do. I believe it is the reason why I am able to develop close and caring relationships. I make friends. The intent is not to become “popular.” Truth be known, when “this” is all said-n-done and behind us all, I just want to live in peace and serenity.
Nor should my “making friends” to be misconstrued as building an army of freedom fighters… That would be insane. Large governments, with large, powerful and well equipped military forces are designed to fight “armies”. Tactically speaking, small units using a hit and run style can chip away the greatest of standing armies. But that is not my point here.
Building a healthy relationship out there is difficult enough, but doing so here, on the inside of the razor wire is even more difficult. The reasons vary in nature and mostly deal with prison politics, and not because of what you first thought. I will remind you that over 85% of the prison population is in on drug-related crimes. And whose business is it what grown adults do with their own bodies?
How many of you and your friends would be “locked up” if beer and liquor were still illegal? What if we included those who use tobacco products? Would you be ashamed to call them friends then? Have you ever even thought of it that way before?
Where am I going with all of this? With everything? With these words, with these ideas, with my friends, my family, the movement, this country, the world…
I saw a documentary this afternoon named Occupation: Dreamland; they have a web address of http://www.occupationdreamland.com/. The film was about a unit’s ordeal in Fallujah, Iraq. I strongly recommend that everyone view it. They expressed thoughts and feelings in 2004 which developed into expressions of “feeling abandoned by the American public.” Feelings which I witnessed firsthand while in Mosul, Iraq back in 2006. And which I reported to congresspersons, senators, and staff in 2007.
So now it is 2009, and the Dept. of Homeland Security has confirmed and defended their labeling of war veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan as possible “domestic terrorists.” My heart grows heavy as I write this, but I recognize that as a liability. So I breathe deep and I continue forward. There are more than enough people and fencing with razor wire upon it to keep me from assertively continuing my mission. The last thing I need is to be my own worst enemy.
At the end of the film the team members are upset. They had already begun to question “Why?” in 2004. Already hating the Iraqis because the Iraqis do not care about the soldiers… In 2006 the soldiers in Iraq felt “abandoned” by Americans for allowing the government to keep the military in Iraq. And lets note that America forgot about the war in Afghanistan that same year.
Where do you think their hate focuses now? Have you ever felt abandoned before? I have. I feel abandoned now. I am told you care about me. I am told that I am in your thoughts and prayers. But I do not see it, I do not hear it, I am still in here. Locked up. Locked up for fighting for and defending your rights and our children’s rights. So make no mistake I feel abandoned, and you better believe I hate you for it- I fucking hate you!
I once heard someone describe abuse as feeling like an ugly bug with thousands of legs, and being caught in a doorway while fleeing from pain… Being abandoned, to me, feels millions of times worse.
But again, this is a liability. So I am not able to yield to despair. Therefore, I exercise personal control over my emotions. And I try to bring balance to my life. Sometimes I hate that about myself; I swear I do; not being able to give up.
I have said this before and I will say it again:
· You have a personal responsibility to you and your loved ones.
· Only you can choose your level of involvement.
So accordingly, I have no one else to blame for my circumstances, and the responsibility falls on me.
Now I do not know what the hell you all are doing out there, but it has come to my attention that you all may not know what I am doing in here. Besides “time” of course… I came to realize this fact when someone said I needed to “inspire others”…WTF?!
When I arrived here at El Reno, the guy from S.I.S. said to me “I know who you are. I know what you’re doing, and you’re not going to do it here.”
I never asked him directly what it was he thought he knew about what I was doing. He only said I was “anti-government.” My reply was “I am more pro-constitution.” To which he asked “What does that mean?”
By the way ladies and gentlemen (my brothers and sisters in arms), I spoke with the same S.I.S. individual yesterday when I was ordered to report to the Lt.’s office. Whereupon he informed me that he was told to photograph my new “ink” (which means tattoo).
Have you all seen my new “ink” yet? There are two copies out that show the top left side and the bottom right side of it. Its located inside my right forearm, and reads:
“…all Men are created equal
… With certain unalienable Rights
Whenever any form of government
Becomes destructive… it is the
Right of the People… it is their duty,
To throw off such…”
(Please note that Men is spelled with a capital “M” for mankind, everybody.)
Please excuse me for not writing sooner. I have been busy working out a few issues with my circumstances at this point in my life. Throughout my entire life, I have been constantly reminded that I cannot make everyone happy; yet that did not keep me from trying. This led to one of my personal quotes: “I try.”
“I try” to balance my life. My sense of personal control over my emotions enables me to project an optimistic view with an extrovert’s style, while still being a realist.
I like that about myself. I really do. I believe it is the reason why I am able to develop close and caring relationships. I make friends. The intent is not to become “popular.” Truth be known, when “this” is all said-n-done and behind us all, I just want to live in peace and serenity.
Nor should my “making friends” to be misconstrued as building an army of freedom fighters… That would be insane. Large governments, with large, powerful and well equipped military forces are designed to fight “armies”. Tactically speaking, small units using a hit and run style can chip away the greatest of standing armies. But that is not my point here.
Building a healthy relationship out there is difficult enough, but doing so here, on the inside of the razor wire is even more difficult. The reasons vary in nature and mostly deal with prison politics, and not because of what you first thought. I will remind you that over 85% of the prison population is in on drug-related crimes. And whose business is it what grown adults do with their own bodies?
How many of you and your friends would be “locked up” if beer and liquor were still illegal? What if we included those who use tobacco products? Would you be ashamed to call them friends then? Have you ever even thought of it that way before?
Where am I going with all of this? With everything? With these words, with these ideas, with my friends, my family, the movement, this country, the world…
I saw a documentary this afternoon named Occupation: Dreamland; they have a web address of http://www.occupationdreamland.com/. The film was about a unit’s ordeal in Fallujah, Iraq. I strongly recommend that everyone view it. They expressed thoughts and feelings in 2004 which developed into expressions of “feeling abandoned by the American public.” Feelings which I witnessed firsthand while in Mosul, Iraq back in 2006. And which I reported to congresspersons, senators, and staff in 2007.
So now it is 2009, and the Dept. of Homeland Security has confirmed and defended their labeling of war veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan as possible “domestic terrorists.” My heart grows heavy as I write this, but I recognize that as a liability. So I breathe deep and I continue forward. There are more than enough people and fencing with razor wire upon it to keep me from assertively continuing my mission. The last thing I need is to be my own worst enemy.
At the end of the film the team members are upset. They had already begun to question “Why?” in 2004. Already hating the Iraqis because the Iraqis do not care about the soldiers… In 2006 the soldiers in Iraq felt “abandoned” by Americans for allowing the government to keep the military in Iraq. And lets note that America forgot about the war in Afghanistan that same year.
Where do you think their hate focuses now? Have you ever felt abandoned before? I have. I feel abandoned now. I am told you care about me. I am told that I am in your thoughts and prayers. But I do not see it, I do not hear it, I am still in here. Locked up. Locked up for fighting for and defending your rights and our children’s rights. So make no mistake I feel abandoned, and you better believe I hate you for it- I fucking hate you!
I once heard someone describe abuse as feeling like an ugly bug with thousands of legs, and being caught in a doorway while fleeing from pain… Being abandoned, to me, feels millions of times worse.
But again, this is a liability. So I am not able to yield to despair. Therefore, I exercise personal control over my emotions. And I try to bring balance to my life. Sometimes I hate that about myself; I swear I do; not being able to give up.
I have said this before and I will say it again:
· You have a personal responsibility to you and your loved ones.
· Only you can choose your level of involvement.
So accordingly, I have no one else to blame for my circumstances, and the responsibility falls on me.
Now I do not know what the hell you all are doing out there, but it has come to my attention that you all may not know what I am doing in here. Besides “time” of course… I came to realize this fact when someone said I needed to “inspire others”…WTF?!
When I arrived here at El Reno, the guy from S.I.S. said to me “I know who you are. I know what you’re doing, and you’re not going to do it here.”
I never asked him directly what it was he thought he knew about what I was doing. He only said I was “anti-government.” My reply was “I am more pro-constitution.” To which he asked “What does that mean?”
By the way ladies and gentlemen (my brothers and sisters in arms), I spoke with the same S.I.S. individual yesterday when I was ordered to report to the Lt.’s office. Whereupon he informed me that he was told to photograph my new “ink” (which means tattoo).
Have you all seen my new “ink” yet? There are two copies out that show the top left side and the bottom right side of it. Its located inside my right forearm, and reads:
“…all Men are created equal
… With certain unalienable Rights
Whenever any form of government
Becomes destructive… it is the
Right of the People… it is their duty,
To throw off such…”
(Please note that Men is spelled with a capital “M” for mankind, everybody.)
Anyone know where those excerpts are from? Anyone want to guess? Who said the Declaration of Independence? Because that is the correct answer. Now, who knows what “unalienable” rights means? - Not capable of being given up or transferred.
Say it. SCREAM it! “Unalienable rights!”
Where am I going with all of this? With everything? With these words, with these ideas, with my friends…
HERE: “That all men are created equal, with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it. It is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government. And to provide new guards for their future security.”
These were our country’s founding principles! Unalienable rights = rights of yours which you are not capable of giving up, nor able to transfer to any government (let alone have taken).
I am instilling leadership skills by leading by example. The wrong perception of the movement can lead to poor choices. And poor choices will throw off my efforts. Failure to set priorities and develop significant personnel undermines the movement’s ideals.
Leaders are people who know who they are, and know what their unalienable rights are. Leaders are people who know where they are going with these ideals.
I move to inspire morale and motivate future leaders of the movement. Concentrating on the basics, such as “all Men are created equal” will solve and overcome priority problems and challenges to the movement. With this “truth” we are able to identify real strengths and weaknesses in the teams, which will lead to shared work tasks and delegation.
Communities and organizations are already in place. We only need more leaders who are imaginative and are risk-taking to promote unalienable Rights. This insight approaches the barrier of how to get organizations interested in what it can become, not what has been. History proves the People will always prevail, so there should be no need to fear failure. We are more creative in times of tribulation by nature.
Leaders are only needed from time to time. I set an example of leadership by being a follower of the basic ideas and principles that emphasize the dignity of others and True Freedom. Enthusiasm, vitality and energy are natural side effects when one pursues and engages in safeguarding their future security to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Anyone with these principles and ideals, with a basic understanding, can be a mediator and negotiator. Example: I cannot steal from you for any reason, nor you from me. Neither can one million others vote to steal anything from either of us for any reason.
No matter the divisiveness of a conflict, breakthrough will be achieved by working toward the common good/basic Rights.
Effective leadership involves integrity. Seeing people in the wholeness of life; not just the means to an end. Good leaders are entrepreneurial and disregard peer pressure. They break protocol, traditions and rules to discern proper and desirable True Freedoms.
You may believe in the cause, you may even be a full-blown freedom fighter- yet not approve of my new adjudicated friends. Your anxiety is understandable, but chiefly askew.
Stealing is wrong, yet we are not able to even gather a majority vote against the federal income tax. Murder is wrong, yet we “support our troops” who are forced to kill because of situations they are placed in. Situations where they are placed against others defending their families, homes, and land (country).
Remember, over 85% of the prison population is incarcerated on drug-related violations. Even we “convicts” hate those who rape and expel people from their “yard.” Hell, even pirates of old signed contracts (Pirate Code) that assured death to a rapist.
The people are forced to play a rigged game, where new rules are constantly made up along the way. The system is stacked and the game has gone on for so long that everyone has been affected and made a victim.
History has shown us that when the People break away from their oppressor’s rule, they are quickly labeled “criminals” or “anarchists”… Tutoring on the subject of this country’s founding principles is not sedition! And anyone who says it is, for any reason, is committing treason!
“If not I, than who?”
“If not now, than when?”
I answered those questions with “I” and “now” a few years ago, and every day since. How will you answer when asked what was you contribution?
“My children, when they speak of their father, will say he was a man who stood up for what was right. A man who said he must do something now. What will your children say about you?”
My loved ones will carry dignity and honor long after I am gone. If only because I was “defiant for you.”
“Everyone dies, but not everyone truly lives!” Find your catalyst and live bravely! Burn bright in your fight!
Knowledge is power; Power to the people.
Cirino a.k.a. Reno
