Getting Rewired

Happy Tuesday Everyone,

I hope you all at least had a little time to reflect on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. yesterday. At the very least, he was an extraordinary and inspiring man who showed the world that one person truly can overcome adversity and affect change.

Since my last post, a lot has happened. I'm still working on this transition into, for lack of better terms, normal life. I no longer worry if I need to shave or not when I run to the store on Saturday morning, or if I am showing the right amount of deference when speaking to someone of "authority." But those are all little things that really have no real significance in life. What does, is what inspired this post I am writing today.

I used the term "rewired" in the title for several reasons. People in the military, especially enlisted service members, are often referred to as brainwashed, or robots. Additionally, the term has been used in official training twice in my career; during my three month visit to the infamous Marine Corps Recruit Training Depot, and then again during my exit training, referred to as TAP class (Transition Assistance Program).

During boot camp, the Drill Instructors referred to our brains as circuit boards that needed to be "rewired" for optimal performance and rapid obedience. At TAP class, we then had to be "rewired" to return to civilian life. But I want you all to consider this; shouldn't we all be rewired?

Above, I mentioned that a lot has happened since my last post. Nothing too crazy or dramatic has occurred, but many things that opened my eyes to how the world works, or doesn't work for that matter, have taken place.

The most egregious example happened recently when I attended a luncheon that was specifically put together for veterans to meet face to face with hiring managers and do some networking. It was held at an amazing venue, and was totally free of charge to the veterans in attendance. I was so excited to meet my future boss, whoever he or she was going to be. Well, the Lieutenant Governor of Texas, David Dewhurst, who by the way is up for re-election, showed up and stole the show. By the time he was done telling us several long winded stories about how he was so supportive of veterans, and that if he is re-elected, he will continue to help veterans, it was time to leave. I could see the look of disgust on the veterans' faces in my immediate vicinity.

Anyway, my point is this: yes, as I mentioned in my last post, "The Entitled Veteran," we  vets do need to rewire ourselves and change the way we look at things. But so do the people that supposedly "support the troops." So do the folks that complain about the school systems in their neighborhoods, but don't join the school board or the city council. So do the people who go day-by-day as part of the herd, only eating what they're fed by someone else, and not seeking out information.

I'm not sure if this is a book title already or not, but we need to "Rewire the Republic." Citizenship isn't just something that is debated about in D.C. with regards to illegal immigrants. Citizenship is a duty. And if we don't like where things are headed, then we need to get engaged and attempt to do something about it.

A good friend of mine from Cambridge, MA often tells me that the Constitution is outdated and needs a total overhaul. I personally feel that our Founders got it right, and that they were men with such amazing intellect and foresight. Let's not forget their amazing wives either. (If you ever have time, read some of Abigail Adams' letters to her husband). However, I think "We the people..." have gotten it wrong and we need to strive to be more like the Founders.

I could join the rest of the doomsayers on the web and try to scare everyone, including myself, into frantic action, but that obviously doesn't work, and quite frankly, it's a bit extreme in my opinion. I do believe we are headed down a very destructive path. However, I don't think the "zombie apocalypse" is going to happen overnight like all the folks on the fringe. And if I'm right, that means we still can do something about it.

Dr. King mobilized millions for his cause. What are "We the people..." going to do today? As we say in the military... "crawl, walk, run." Start out by turning off ESPN or the Kardashians and talking to your friends and families about the issues that affect your immediate circle, and then do something about it. Tip O'Neill coined the phrase, "All politics are local." I'm not sure I agreed with too many of his political views, but he was certainly right that we have the power to make changes at our levels.

Now, I must cut it off here, as I don't get paid for this, but please remember, that this is truly OUR country, and not just a plot of geographic space we occupy. We must own it and make it what we want it to be. Until next time, remember...

"The unexamined life is not worth living." - Socrates

Semper Fidelis,
Chris Bentley