Most of my readers come from Twitter followers and not all are involved in the rescue of pets. I feel a need to address the Rants I sometimes go on, and want to remind my readers that @pamperedpetspal is my advocate for Pet Fostering and Adoption, trying to stay clear of political and religious views on the web media.
While I rant on many different subjects as @stevegrimes it is important to know that I will not take a stand on any issue I am dumb and blind to! I elect to allow others to make their case whether educated or not! With six years of Military experience preceded by four years of ROTC I share a certain pride with Soldiers that comes from serving abroad under a Supreme commander! A Commander that a Soldier is proud to serve. Having said that, let it be understood that not all Soldiers are created equal and some are more inclined to reach out for help than others! Soldiers are a mixed bunch by age, experience and now by sex! While few women will lay in the trenches and fire fully automatic weapons at an approaching enemy when the Commander calls upon her she will! If it so happens the he or she is gay is of no consequence to the Enemy nor the Commander because this individual joined the all voluntary service knowing full well the consequences. Being Gay isn't a reason for discharge from duty anymore than a business in these United States can "Legally" dismiss someone because of sexual preference! Even Congress is coming out of the closet and its just a matter of time before a newly elected President does the same!
My point being is that "All" of us making our journey through this World have an obligation to someone albeit A commander our Spouse or a parent or Guardian. No-one walks through this World alone! We all need someone to reach out to. I spent a year walking in search of my future but "Alone"" I was not, as I had an employer to answer to, and reached out to those around me when I was sick for comfort. We would all like to believe that we are the only ones responsible for our well being but any one whom thinks that is only a fool. Accomplishments are the direct result of failures somewhere in life, even if those failures were learned from someone else's mistakes!! We do not move forward without them. Many people have become stagnant and don't seem to be getting anywhere from where they are now, and that is what is bringing me to my point!
I see many people raising an ugly head about all the corruption in this country and Crying for action. Crying does not make action. Crying only leads to people shutting doors to your crying! Shutting doors becomes a pattern as others look to leaders to mop up the mess! Tea party this and Leftist that are nothing more than titles slung on fences saying stay out! No Trespassing, No Hunting, Private Property!
Just how many of us work for a company we know is defrauding the public out of millions of dollars each day, but our income is so important that we elect to stand quietly by until the scales have been tipped, the company faces unsurmountable consequences and everyone is let go as a result of it, while the owners simply walk away with the ill gained profits and opens the business under another name! You are the least of his concerns! He got what he wanted from you...Silence!
When is Enough, Enough! What kind of a person does it take to stand up and take Action? Well you are about to meet such a person!
In 1978 while stationed in Germany I listened to belly aching of everyone from the Squadron Commander, (a Full Colonel), to the Airman, bitch about the conditions on the Military Installation because of a lack of Groceries in the PX to the poor condition of the lanes at the Bowling Alley! Roaches came out of the window sill's at the local Snack Bar when anyone sat down to eat at a booth! My roommate worked part-time there and said "You should see them come out in the kitchen each time we bring food out"! I asked if he had complained to the manager and he said it falls on deaf ears! At what time do people stand up for what is right? Why is it always after some disaster such as Salmonella or food poisoning! here in this country millions of people work in the food service industry and know the dangers of spreading contamination through the food chain but remain silent!
Everyone felt we were subject to the rules and regulations governing the Army! Nothing could be further from the truth, but as long as everyone remained silent and in a nice orderly manner the Army could run the daily operations anyway they saw fit! We ate what they served us at the time they prescribed, and the amounts they prescribed, We were able to shop at the local PX and BX, but only when we were instructed! s At the time I had less than a year of service and was a grade E-2 Airman! Work shifts were 12 hours, 7am to 7pm every day! Time was tight to achieve eating ,laundry and sleep! Anyone whom has served knows about KP and Latrine duty being worked into that schedule as well! The Military though process is that if the rats are busy they don't have time to think for themselves! Morale was rapidly deteriorating as the first six months went by and fights among the troops were becoming a common thing around shared facilities such as washers and dryers and even sandwich and candy vending machines! I administered CPR one evening until medics arrived as a result of a man being choked to death over a vending machine argument! The weather was a constant dreary rain and fatigue was setting in everywhere as the guys and gals in the unit would try to settle in for a 15 minute break huddled under tarps and canvas covered huts! The more we moved equipment and people, the deeper the mud got, and no matter what type of road surface we put down, it would sink and disappear into the mud creating even further frustration among the troops! Two and a half ton trucks would sink to the axles and the one Forklift used to pull them out, had to be dug out several times a day!
We worked under stringent deadlines to get equipment up and running while tying to maintain some high ground to work on the equipment! Our Radar wouldn't work as expected and several weeks of frustration built in the operations division as a result! My Assignment was to provide Generator power to the Radar and operations facilities with only one generator that worked and 17 others in hundreds of pieces! We worked from spot lights into the night and even began 16 hr shifts to try and meet deadlines with 2 hour rotating intervals to eat! I became sick and experienced severe chest and abdominal pains after 8 months and was hospitalized with a slight coronary for two days!
I was instructed not to eat the food in the Army Chow Hall but to seek an alternative less fat, healthy diet! I was given extra money to eat elsewhere, but given the work schedule and the conditions at the alternative Snack bar, There was only one choice left! Take action to rectify the food served at the Chow Hall by the Army staff!
This is where my journey as an activist begins!
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