I Can't Breathe!

By now you've seen the horrific photos and videos of the takedown and murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis Policemen.  By any measure or analysis, there really isn't any doubt that the police used excessive force that resulted in the death of Mr. Floyd.  I know, I know...let the investigation run it's course.  They deserve due process.  I wasn't there and don't know the circumstances.  Blah, blah, blah.  But bottom line...they killed him.  If you watch the video that has gone viral, you can hear him pleading that he couldn't breath.  And you can see the look on the face of the policeman that screams at me that he really doesn't care.  That is an opinion, but I don't see how you could come to any other conclusion.  Of course after this story exploded in the news, there was outrage and cries for justice.  In these kinds of incidents, action is never swift enough.  The four officers involved were terminated from the police force and an investigation was begun almost immediately to determine facts of the incident and next steps.  But of course, the photos, videos and witnesses meant that the whole thing was going to go viral, and go viral rapidly.  Before they knew it, Minneapolis had a shit storm of rage on their hands and it has spiraled out of control.  There have been riots, looting, businesses trashed, buildings burned and numerous injuries.  It quickly became too much for the police force and the National Guard has been called in today.  The hope is that there will be order and calm restored.  We'll see.  People are outraged to a degree I haven't seen in quite some time and could continue the looting and burning for several days.  Meanwhile the police officer most identified with the murder and the guy with his knee on the neck of Mr Floyd for such a long time (almost 9 minutes), has been arrested and charged with murder among other things.  I've heard that the other  officers involved may face charges also.  Only time will tell.  

This whole thing has become all too familiar.  Depressingly familiar.  During the last several years there have been too many instances  of black men and boys killed by the police that have resulted in varying levels of public outrage.  Some have been pretty straightforward and some a bit more murky.  But the thing that has been common as the years go by is that they all contained video and photographic evidence.  As more and more people have a video camera in their pockets, literally everything in life winds up being videoed.  And so this week when Mr Floyd was callously murdered, it was right there in video for all to see.  And the rest, as they say, is history.  As before, there have been expressions of outrage.  But that only goes so far.  I am so over expressions of solidarity through hashtags.  Thoughts and prayers are just that...thoughts and prayers and not much else.  There have been peaceful demonstrations against the treatment and the violence.  But those only go so far.  They should be effective in providing an outlet for the frustration and a chance to express feelings.  But when the signs are put away and everyone goes back to work and school, the frustration is still there and continues to build.  And too often they erupt in violence.  Some of it's spontaneous and some of its planned.

A word about the riots.  They have spread across the country.  There have been riots and looting that have burned and destroyed neighborhoods and lives.  Mostly black neighborhoods and black lives.  And those only serve to set back the efforts of good people trying to come to grips with answers.     They feed the crowd that focuses on any excuse to minimize the event that caused the outrage.     There is widespread reporting that many these riots have been organized and orchestrated by ANTIFA groups and white supremacist groups.  These guys are plainly criminals and there is no place for it.  And the people engaging in it should be dealt with swiftly and severely.

The Mayor of Atlanta has a very powerful statement about riots that are burning her city.  I can't  add anything.

The rioting is difficult to understand or condone for someone who has never been close to being so frustrated, so outraged, so hopeless that they have to do something.  Anything.  That's not to excuse it, but to try and understand it.  The problem with what these protests have evolved to is that they are no longer about Mr Floyd.  This is just destruction and looting.  Here's another person's take on rioting..."And I must say tonight that a riot is the language of the unheard. And what is it America has failed to hear? It has failed to hear that the plight of the negro poor has worsened over the last twelve or fifteen years. It has failed to hear that the promises of freedom and justice have not been met. And it has failed to hear that large segments of white society are more concerned about tranquility and the status quo than about justice and humanity."  Martin Luther King, Jr.

So what are we to make of this?  From my perspective it's another sad episode in the sorry tale of race relations in this country.  And frankly, it appears that there isn't much that anyone can do about it.  We have lived with this scourge for hundreds of years.  Slavery was our original sin.  We argued and fought over it for the first 100 years of our country's existence that finally culminated in the Civil War, the bloodiest war in our history.  Neighbor against neighbor, brother against brother, fighting to the end for something that both sides passionately believed in.  But the end state didn't resolve much. Oh, the Emancipation Proclamation was passed and several amendments to the Constitution were passed to guarantee civil rights, but when President Lincoln was assassinated and Andrew Johnson ascended to the Presidency, it pretty much sealed the fate of the black population for the next 100 years.  Johnson was a rabid segregationist and torpedoed every effort for the country to heal and for blacks to begin the road to equality.  So for the next 100 years (100 years!!) we had Jim Crow.  If you've read anything about this history you know it's about as shameful, if not more, as the era of slavery.  And then came 1965 and the Civil Rights Act.  That was supposed to bring about equality with the stroke of a pen.  Be we know it doesn't work that way.  So for the last 55 years we've been on a long, slow, tortured path to achieving the dream of equality.  There have been successes, there is general day to day harmony in many communities, and we see increasing integration month by month, year by year.  But we're still not close to where we should be.  

I think there are some truths that must be faced.  Some hard truths.  Some truths that are generally difficult to discuss.  Whites and blacks don't get each other.  We can be friendly, we can marry, we can be neighbors and classmates, we can socialize, but at the end of the day there are social, racial and cultural barriers that are almost impenetrable.  An interesting thing to me is that economic parity between particular whites and blacks can go a long way towards understanding, but there are still barriers.  And they are fundamental.  Now don't get me wrong, on an individual basis, whites and blacks can be as close as brothers and sisters, but generally as a group, there are barriers.  And I have to say that whites will never understand the plight of blacks.  They can't.  They can't relate to sending your kid off on a date and worrying if he's going to come back alive.  They can't relate to being followed in a clothing store and being asked to see the receipt for purchases when they walk out of the door.  They can't relate to sitting in a restaurant waiting for service that will be slow in coming.  They can’t relate to the incomprehensible injustice of asking a woman to leash her dog in a public park and her reaction is to call the police because you’re threatening her.  Or innocently pumping gas at a gas station when police cars show up and start questioning you because a white person called them.  They can't relate to the absolute necessity to educate your kids and especially your boys on the dangers they will face simply because of the color of their skin.  They can't relate to accepting inferior schools in their communities because that's what the system provides.  They can't relate to their male population being unemployed or in prison at alarming rates.    They can't relate to the number of their daughters who are raising their children on their own.  They can't relate to all the tiny little prejudices that blacks experience every single day while just trying to live their lives.  While not recognizing their own blindspots, too many whites believe they are colorblind.  They will say they "don't see color" while not recognizing the vast differences and inequities present in front of them.  And as a result they become part of the problem that they don't see.  If this discussion causes you to scratch your head a bit and wonder if I'm either crazy or maybe have a point, take some time to do some soul searching.  There are a ton of books, articles, movies and other material that address these issues.  And like I said, it's not comfortable.  Here's a couple of recommendations of a movie I've recently watched and a book I've recently read that caused me to ask myself those uncomfortable questions.  Check out a movie called, "The Hate U Give".   It's pretty basic but tells an interesting story.  And the book is by Jody Piccult called "Small Great Things".  Check them out.  There are a lot of other issues but these seem to me to be the biggest.  And these things don't solve themselves overnight.  It's going to take a long time.  A real long time.

I also think there are a lot of people who believe that the answers lie in more government, more legislation, more money, more programs, more bureaucracy.  These things have been proven not to work.  Especially at the federal level, we don't need more of anything.  What we need is better, not more.  When we all get treated equally by the government, then we all have a stake in the outcome.  The experiment called America won't work unless we all buy into it.  And buying into it means having a sense that the playing field is level and anyone can achieve.  It seems to me that when the government provides more of whatever it is to some over others, they are trying to influence outcomes.  I don't think that's America.  We need to work on influencing starting points and playing fields.  And then let the chips fall where they may.  There will be winners and losers.  Always.  That's life.  But that it's so predetermined isn't.  But once again, I'm not sure there's a way to fix where we are today.  The systems, the bureaucracies, the expectations, the limitations, the advantages, and so many other things are institutionally tipped one way or the other.  The other piece of this issue that frequently gets ignored is the issue of personal responsibility.  The more level the playing field becomes, the more important personal responsibility becomes because everyone has an increasing sense of being responsible for their own lives.  Unfortunately, when the government assumes so many functions in our lives, it's easy to minimize the level of personal responsibility required to succeed.  The reason everyone admires a young black kid who strives and overcomes and achieves success in school and his or her life is because everyone knows the playing field isn't level.  That for some kids the climb is steeper and littered with roadblocks.  So when they make it, it's a big deal.   

There is one common thing in all of the incidents we've heard about in which black men and boys are killed.  And that is the police.  Now don't get me wrong, policemen and women are heroes.  99% of them are great people doing a very tough and dangerous job.  They should be honored, applauded, paid well and used as examples for our children.  But that doesn't mean we turn a blind eye to the bad apples.  If I were a local government official in any city, county or state around our country, I'd be asking some pretty tough questions.  A case can be made that every police organization in our country should be conducting very tough audits of their personnel with the intent to weed out anyone who has exhibited behavior that could be deemed prejudicial or racist.  And then there should be some very direct and comprehensive training on what is acceptable and what isn't.

Another aspect of this horrific issue is media involvement and blame.  Like so many things in our society, the media has evolved.  Unfortunately the evolution of he media hasn't been good.  It appears to me that they care about two things.  First is making every story as sensational as possible to generate headlines and revenue.  Second is to cast the story in a light that reflects their prejudices.  So  they've departed from just providing facts.  That doesn't sell.  And it doesn't promote their views.  As they shape and mold their stories, many times it drives people to their respective corners.  And that doesn't promote any sort of dialog that solves issues.  But like so many other things, I'm not sure there is any going back.  

So what do we do?  Throughout my professional career and even in many organizations I volunteer in the most frustrating, routinely non-answered question is...so what do we do?  When asking what we do most think we need to think about big, systemic, earth-shattering change.  But at the personal level, and that's where all of this really is, I think we need to ask what we can do to try and help with needed changes.  First, I think we can run toward the fire.  The natural propensity is to turn away.  To ignore uncomfortable or unjust things. But all things happen fundamentally on a local, personal level.  We have to stand up.  We have to hold people accountable.  What would have happened if one of the police officers in the group detaining Mr Floyd would have said stop?  What if one of them would have raised the alarm of abuse?  Or at the end, what if one of the police officers present would have arrested the policeman with his knee on Mr Floyd's neck?  What would you do if you were there?  Would you have stood passively by or tried to do something?  Think about that.  You never know when it will happen, so be ready.  

How will you change your view of racial injustice where you see it, where you live?  How will you know it?  Who will you hold accountable?  How will you educate your children?  How will your actions allow you to sleep better at night?  Maybe an honest dialog with some friends of a different race is in order.

When you see people of color reacting to injustice in ways you think are outrageous, will you try to understand or scoff that they are only hurting their cause?  And I'm not saying excuse criminal behavior but rather to at least try to understand.  Or when you see them being resigned to injustice maybe because it's happened so many times and will happen again, will you boldly stand with them?  Will you be the one to say...no more?

When you see opportunities to help level the playing field what will you do?  Are there kids in your sphere who you can influence to climb the long, steep mountain?  And will you be there for them when they trip and lose their way?

What other things can you do?  Look around.  Don't shrink from action.  Again, have an honest dialog with friends who don't look like you.

This has been a long and rather painful blog post.  I know many won't agree nor see things the way I do.  And that's okay.  But the tragic death of Mr Floyd seems to me to be somewhat of a tipping point.    There is almost universal agreement that this horrific incident should be condemned.  And that condemnation is not enough.  If this death causes people to look inward and resolve to work for change, then maybe that's all we can expect.

Paddle Boarding

We tried this one time when we were in Hawaii.  There is a definite technique to it.   I remember that it wasn't difficult to get up but it takes some work to stay up.  The stress is in your legs and it's a great  leg workout, especially thighs and butts.  And I thought at the time that paddle boarding would be a great sport to take up if you wanted to work on your legs and tone your butt.  Apparently I was right!

When We Emerge...

When I started this blog, I would routinely quote Peggy Noonan and reprint her columns that I thought were particularly poignant or presient.  Over time and as Trump lived into the Presidency she has become, if hot a "never Trumper" at least a vociferous critic.  And I think most of her criticism has to do with style and cultural impact.  I believe she remains at her heart a conservative and a Republican.  And there have been many, many times over the last three years when I've very much resonated with her dismay at Trump's remarks, tweets, and persona.  But I guess the difference is that as a guy who is just a casual observer and living life in a larger context than the NYC or WDC bubble, I keep my eye steadfastly on the other side.  The damage they would do to the country is, to my mind, just as important to focus on (if not more important) than the shenanigans of the President.  And how Trump acts is so dependent on media that truthfully I give him a pass most of the time because I know it's all a reaction to their shameful behavior.

But I soldier on reading her columns hoping to find a gem once in a while.  Today is that day.  I think her column in the WSJ this week is really good.  It's not earth shattering, it's not breaking news, it's not all things for all people, but the message seems to me to be from her heart and can apply to so many of us.  And for me if on the other side of this pandemic, we emerge a simpler, kinder, more loving people, then we're so much the better for it.  It might be true and it might not.  It's one person's opinion.  But I'll take it.

A Plainer People in a Plainer Time
As the lockdown forces us to turn inward, we rethink what’s important and what we were meant to do.

By  Peggy Noonan
Updated May 22, 2020 2:13 pm ET

We’re easing up. Good, it’s time. Spring is here, summer’s coming. You can pass any well-meaning restriction and do your best to enforce it, but great leaders work with human nature, not against it. People need to be together, out in the air, in the sun, and if you don’t let them they’ll find a way anyhow, and then everybody will have to fight.

All 50 states are to varying degree unlocking. How citizens do this will determine the size and severity of second and third waves. It’s almost all in our hands. A report this week from a scientist who helped discover SARS said that a lab experiment confirms what common sense always suggested: Wearing a mask can substantially reduce disease transmission and viral loads. If we all do that one small thing, chances are we’ll get through OK.

How could we not? Especially after we’ve just done something so big.

What we did—essentially shut down a great, complex, modern nation for two months out of concern that people would become sick—had never been tried before. It’s something new in history. We will look back on it, however it turns out, with a certain wonder.

In those two months we learned a lot. How intertwined and interconnected our economy is, how provisional, how this thing depended on that. And how whisperingly thin were everybody’s profit margins. The well-being of the West Side block depends on human traffic, which depends on restaurants and bars, which depend on the theater being open. It was a George Bailey economy: “Every man on that transport died. Harry wasn’t there to save them, because you weren’t there to save Harry.” Every economy is, in the end, and if you’re interested in economics you knew this, but not the way you know it after the business catastrophe of 2020.

But the biggest things I suspect we learned were internal. No matter what you do for a living, when you weren’t busy introspection knocked on the door and settled in. Two different men, professionals, both blinked with surprise as they reported, unasked, that they can’t believe they have their college-age kids home again and they’re all together and they have dinner every night and play board games. They were so grateful. They had no idea this was possible, that it would make them so happy. That it had been missing.

People have suffered. They’ve been afraid. The ground on which they stand has shifted. Many have been reviewing their lives, thinking not only of “what’s important” or “what makes me happy” but “what was I designed to do?” They’ve been conducting a kind of internal life review, reflecting on the decision that seemed small and turned out to be crucial, wondering about paths not taken, recognizing strokes of luck. They’ve been thinking about their religious faith or lack of it, about their relationships. Phone calls have been longer, love more easily expressed, its lack more admitted.

It has been a dramatic time. We have stopped and thought about our lives, and our society’s arrangements. We have applauded together, for the first time, those whose jobs kept our towns up and operating, from nurses to truckers. We’ve rethought not only what is “essential” but who is important. All this will change you as a nation.

Here is what I am certain of. We will emerge a plainer people in a plainer country, and maybe a deeper one. Something big inside us shifted.

Superficially, the hair is scruffier, the roots grew out, but you can almost hear people thinking eh, our time is finite, our money limited—maybe that’s not gray, it’s silver. Maybe that new fringe is my silver lining. We’ve grown used to soft clothes, gym clothes. I have three outfits in daily rotation and I keep them folded on a window ledge, like a child laying out her clothes for school. I like the simplicity of this. I shared it with a friend. “That’s what I do!” he said. “And I don’t want to stop!” We watch TV news and home studios, light makeup and spectral lighting and think OK, sign of the times.

The world has admired and imitated America’s crisp chic, but I see an altering of the national style. For reasons economic and existential a new simplicity is coming, glitz leaving. (All this would be especially true for those over 40, but according to the Census Bureau that’s more than half the country.)

Fashion is a sliver of life. Maybe you approach it as the fun of glamour; maybe you see it as a way of paying tribute to life by making it even more beautiful. Maybe you see it as vanity, chasing youth. But it’s a leading indicator of a nation’s mood, and it will be changed by what we’ve experienced.

We’re getting pared down. We’re paring ourselves down.

I asked Andre Leon Talley, former creative director at Vogue, whose new memoir, “The Chiffon Trenches,” is about more than fashion, if he saw it as I did, knowing he’d disagree. But no. “I think more people will be dressed, when we come out of this pandemic, in almost Amish stoicism—a simple uniform of basic wash and dry. It’s going to be difficult for fashion to exist as a mainstream addiction.”

Vogue, he noted by email, has just published a new issue. “For the first time in ages there is no celebrity cover choice, no high-fashion model in near perfection of dress and grooming. There is a red rose, photographed by the late Irving Penn, which symbolizes more than a mere trend of dress.” He called the cover “iconic.” To him it symbolizes “the larger issues of life”—nature, gardens, fresh flowers.

When he speaks to people in fashion, “they are not even concerned with acquiring the new.” “Women are wearing neat, coordinated exercise gear or track suits as they walk off the extra pounds gained from self-quarantine.”

This, he said, is the mood: “I recently saw a video of Amish men moving a big red barn across a field. Instead of having it raised on a flatbed, 300 men wearing black simply picked up the full-size barn and moved it across a field. That was so moving to me. The idea of how humans can be so resourceful, based on strength and their cultural roots. Amish people are elegant, yet they adhere to traditions that have been passed down generation to generation.”

Women “will always want to look smart, neat and well groomed,” he said. “There’s nothing like a woman who has put on a simple white cotton button-front shirt, a simple skirt, and she has taken a beautiful cotton or linen or silk scarf and neatly knotted it at the chin or the nape of her neck. That is what I mean when I say Amish stoicism. The pioneer genes shall prevail, and women will focus on the essentials: nurturing their children in the arc of safety (homes and schools) providing food (driving to breadlines and food banks) and making do with what is already in the closet. Everything old will be suddenly new again.”

We will lose, for a while, our old patina. We will not much miss it.

America is about to become a plainer place. Maybe a deeper one, too. Maybe that’s good.

Memorial Day 2021

(May 2021). This is an update to my annual Memorial Day message that I've published every year since 2015.  It never gets old and is never not applicable.  The intro just below reminds us of where we were last Memorial Day versus where we are today.  Last year the beaches were closed, the stores were severely limited and restaurants had become a ghost town.  

Today we're seeing a robust recovery in most of the country.  Of course, if you've read at at all you know I live in California so we have to wait until June 15 for a full reopening.  Why?  I have no idea except that the Emperor in Sacramento continues his nonsensical control.  But that's probably the subject of a whole other blog post (or series of posts)!  

I'm confident that the vast majority of people in the U.S. will have a wonderful first weekend of the Summer.  The relief is palpable.  That we've had so many people vaccinated and are seeing numbers of COVID cases plummeting is wonderful.  Despite the selfish, mindless, troglodytes who haven't been vaccinated the success we are seeing as a country in the battle with COVID has been terrific.  But those who have any sense of the country and where we've come from will spend a few moments remembering and thanking those Americans who served so that we can all be free.

(May 2020) I put up the post below in 2015 and have repeated every year since.  In the over 3300 posts that I've done since starting this fun little blog experiment, this is by far the one I'm most proud.  I think it captures the feeling that so many have on this most solemn of American holidays.  This year, it takes on a particularly poignant meaning as the national cemeteries around the country are closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  I won't pretend to understand that.  If there is anywhere that we can social distance and pay respects while following the guidance of health professionals, I would think it's a national cemetery.  There are so many this weekend who will be so sad that they aren't able to go pay respects to their loved ones.  But I guess that's another issue for another day.  For this day, stop.  Stop and think.  Stop and think about all the people who have picked up the gauntlet and charged into the fray.  Or think about those who were just doing their job when the unimaginable happened.  Having been there, I can tell you that no matter what you're doing in the service of the country, there will be times when you are tested.  They say that courage is being scared to death, but going anyway.  That's the story of the vast majority that lie in our national cemeteries.  No one believes it will happen to them.  But then it does.  And what is left?  You.  You and me.  We can remember and we can grieve.  And we can tell our children the stories.  And most importantly, we can honor them.  

(May 2015) This never gets old.  The homecoming.  Been there, done that.  And it is so sweet.  After a long or short deployment with separation from your loved ones, coming home has a special meaning.  Whether you are on a routine training mission across the country, or on a combat mission on a remote and lonely battlefield someplace that was unknown to you until you stepped off the plane , or on a ship at sea on the far side of the world, coming home is something every service member has on his or her mind from the moment they get on the plane or cast off the lines.  And the families at home are no different.  They try to go about their daily lives doing all the routine things that consume their time, but the reality of their loved one being far away for some period of time is always there.  And it doesn't matter what the mission is.  If you are separated by deployment, the danger is always there.  No matter if you're driving a truck on a military reservation somewhere in the U.S., humping a pack through dangerous lands, manning a MASH unit behind the lines, doing a routine job on an American warship, flying a routine mission of humanitarian assistance,  or so many other jobs, the danger is always there.  You could make a misstep and your time could be up in a heartbeat.  That's why homecoming is so sweet.  You're back in the fold with your loved ones. You can be a part of their lives again.  And they can be a part of yours.  It's the way we were meant to live.  Together.

But this weekend we don't celebrate homecoming.  For many, many families they won't ever experience that joyous homecoming.  Too many will weep this weekend.  Too many will yearn for their loved ones who will never return. So what can we, the living, do?  We can honor them.  We can think of them.  We can pause and remember.  Oh, we all know that it is also the first weekend of summer.  There will be barbecues, parties, and fun family times.  It will be a time to relax and get ready for summer.  So have a great time and enjoy whatever endeavor that will come your way.  But for a moment, just for a moment, remember those who have fallen to ensure our freedoms and those left behind mourning their loved ones who gave the "last full measure of devotion".  And it doesn't matter what they were doing when they lost their lives.  What matters is their service.  We live in a secure nation.  An island nation.  We have generally not experienced the horror of attack or the threat of invasion on the scale of other countries around the world.  We've had our Pearl Harbor and our 911.  And those we're horrific.  But think of the war-torn countries around the world.  It's not that so many think it can't happen here....it's that so many don't even think about it.  But there are those that have.  And those that do.  Those who recognize service above self.  Those who are willing to give, to go in harm's way, to risk all.  So take a moment on Monday.  A quiet moment.  Look around you.  Hug your family.  And give thanks.

Blame Game

Every single day the blame, the recriminations, the looking for scapegoats, the hope for failure continues.  I really don't think I've ever seen anything like it.  At least I don't remember seeing anything like it. The country has been through hell in the last few months.  The global pandemic is like nothing nobody alive has ever seen.  The virus that was unleashed from China, whether in a lab or a "wet market" has reeked havoc on the world  and our country.  Most people were in denial early on and talked about "getting back to normal".  Most people have followed the recommendations from the experts in our government who have counseled social distancing, wearing masks, washing hands, etc.  The infection numbers and deaths are terrible and I think higher than anyone imagined.  And they are likely to go higher.  The stories of the people who have died are heartbreaking.  And it mostly involves a rapid deterioration and death while alone and isolated from your loved ones.  It's tragic.

It seems to me that our governments, both federal and state, have done the best they can.  There have been horror stories of missed opportunities, wrong decisions, and callous disregard of personal needs.  But there have also been heroic stories of people coming together, helping each other, and going the extra mile to save lives.  Our first responders and medical professionals have been nothing but heroic.  And it hasn't all been fun and games.

But as I said at the beginning, the searching for failure is getting really, really old.  I have come to hold the media in contempt but this crises has only heightened that opinion.  They do absolutely everything they can to find fault and blame when it comes
 to Trump.  They only want to find ways in which he has failed and plant blame squarely on him.  I won't list them all but you've seen them.  Just today he told the Governors that he wanted to see the churches open.  He declared them essential.  So the media immediately sprung to the question of how he could make this mandate.  They were only looking for ways to accuse him of being a dictator.  With literally any other President, they would see this as the President using the considerable power and prestige of his office to persuade the Governors to come around to his way of thinking.  But in this case it was all about how they could get Trump.  Disgusting.

When there is a crises or a tragedy, most people believe that the focus should be on solving the immediate problem and bringing people together to attack issues.  But in this case it's been nothing but blame Trump.  No credit for reacting early and stopping travel from China and then Europe.  No credit for creating a task force that has had great success in so many areas, no credit for trying to rally the people with various ideas to defeat and at the same time live with the virus, no credit for projecting an optimistic attitude that people can rally behind.  Once again the media as a whole has failed us.  Failed badly.

One of the Priests at my church told us all that, "Everything is messy and difficult and everyone is doing the best that they can".  I think that is true and we all should give the benefit of the doubt to people who are trying to do the right thing.  Everyone that is except the vaunted press who only are in the gotcha business.  I guess we'll just have to get used to this bullshit.  Not only is Covid-19 bringing us a "new normal" but the cowardly, prejudiced, smarmy, smart assed press have brought us a new normal in listening to them.  

California...Failing

It's been 6 days.  6 stinking days!  6 days since I decided to "social distance" from the blog and just be a watcher of events instead of a commentator.  My caveat was returning to put up a post if something pissed me off enough or there was a compelling issue to comment on.  Well...suffice to say that the actions of the state leadership of my beloved California has my blood boiling.

California is my birthplace and home for most of my life.  It is a diverse state that is almost a country in itself.  To many for a lot of years, it's been a place that has defined tomorrow.  A place with optimistic people who are on the cutting edge of society.  For a lot of years it had an education system second to none, high technology firms had centered their operations here, a rich cultural heritage related to the Mexican culture, almost every tourist and recreation attraction imaginable, and an agricultural industry that was second to none.  The state government routinely had a surplus and focused their priorities on growth and quality of life.  People flocked to California.  The population swelled and life was good.  To be sure there were problems along the way, but I've been proud to be a Californian my whole life.  I could extoll it's virtues and minimize it's failings with the best of them.  When we lived on the East coast a few times, I always yearned to return.  My family is from here and the draw remains.

But it's getting more and more difficult.  In fact, it's extremely difficult.  California has become the butt of so many jokes around the country and I must say deservedly so.  When the pandemic first hit I was a bit optimistic that Gov Newsome was exhibiting some pretty sound leadership.  He seemed to be spouting all the correct things and provided some reasonable direction given that we really didn't know what we were facing.  But in the weeks and months since taking the spotlight, it has become increasingly obvious that he is a grandstanding ego maniac.  His dictatorial edicts from Sacramento have hurt more than they help and now we see cities and counties around the state either begging him for dispensation to open or ignoring them as much as possible.  He is not only misguided but he comes from a very powerful, elite, racist family lineage that has been in power a long time and unless something drastic happens will remain in power a long time.  Check out this family tree.

But the latest idiocy and the straw that broke the camel's back is his edict to provide hard earned taxpayer money to illegal aliens.  I mean, that is just beyond the pale.  Like many, I am outraged.  This is just blatantly an attempt to influence voting blocks and nothing more.  He doesn't give a shit about illegal immigrants.  To him they are nothing but an entity.  But at the same time I know there isn't anything I can do about it but fume.  The state has a solid majority of liberal Democrats and they will go along with it. But to most clear thinking Americans, this makes no sense.  It's just another step down the steep slope to disaster.  President Trump has threatened to withhold Federal relief money if this decision isn't reversed and I really hope he will do it.  And so what did Newsome do?  He doubled down of course.  Now he is saying that unless California receives a massive bailout from the federal government, the first to face cuts will be first responders.  Think about that.  He's giving taxpayer money to illegal aliens and will cut funding for first responders.  What a royal asshole!

But this latest idiocy shouldn't be a surprise.  After all, we're the home of the sanctuary cities and a drive to create open borders.  We have arguably the worst homeless problem in the country that has driven Los Angeles and San Francisco to become cess pools of disgusting tent encampments.  And the local governments don't seem to be able to do anything about it.  Or more accurately I don't think they care.  We're the place where the state government is championing "vote by mail" which is an obvious corruption of the process and designed to favor one side over the other.  We're the place that used to have the premier university system in the world that is now a laughing stock.  Just this week they took another step toward mediocrity by getting rid of the SAT and ACT system.  We're the place where local schools used to be the pride of the community and now don't have enough of anything except very nice salaries for teachers and administrators.  We're the place that had a world class, thriving agricultural industry and killed it by shutting off the water and diverting it to sea to save the snail darter.  We're the place where the coastal elites are doing just fine and in fact thriving, while their fellow Californians 100 miles inland are starving to death.  I've come to believe that these elites are the worst kind of racists.  We're the place where the state government is famously owned by the Unions.  Nothing can change or get done unless the Unions agree because they own all the politicians.  We're the place that is actively debating a state healthcare system for all, including illegal aliens, that will cost over $400 Billion.  We're the place where illegal aliens can get a drivers license.  We're the place that has adopted it's own climate change policies that are devastating to the poor and even the middle class but don't impact the elite coastal racists.  Think about this...California has the worlds most comprehensive climate change laws.  The worlds!  We're the place that is recognized as the most regulated state in the country, if not the world.  It literally takes years to get any project approved.  We're the place that has the highest income tax in the country and a high sales tax.  And only 150,000 people of the 40 million who live here pay more than half of the tax collected.    We're the place where our Attorney General has filed dozens of lawsuits against the Trump administration as a form of "resistence".   When he's not doing that he's protecting criminals.  We're the place that has water infrastructure to serve 25 million people at most with a population of 40 million.  And nothing has been done about it since the 1960's because of idiotic and onerous environmental regulations.  We're the place that people are fleeing from more than any other state in the Union.  And I could go on.

And so you might say just leave.  Easier said than done.  When I balance the reasons to stay versus the reasons to leave, staying still wins.  But it's by an increasingly thin margin.  Things have gone so very wrong in California and I fear it is a generational issue that won't improve until devastation rains down on us.  I probably won't live to see it but I hope somebody comes along to save the State.  

Socially Distancing

With almost 3300 posts covering almost 8 years, it's time to...socially distance.  There is just so much vitriol in the public discourse, that I find myself not wanting to contribute to it.  It's just so tiresome.  So I'll be here, watching to see if there is something that either (1) pisses me off to such a degree that commenting is irresistible or (2) is a compelling issue that I have some strong feelings about.  Don't know when or how that might happen, but for now I'm in the watch and wait mode.  For anyone reading or who has read these meandering thoughts, thanks for being part of the tribe.

Update:  So it turns out I was wrong.  There is just too much going on and I have too much time on my hands to retreat.  So disregard this post.  I'm still here.

Motivation Monday

Friday Funnies

Friday Funnies

Motivation Monday

National IQ Test

Life, in many ways, has become exhausting.  The Covid 19 pandemic has thrown us all off our game.  There are so many impacts and so many things have changed that it's a bit mind boggling to consider.  Some have said life will never be the same.  Some believe that we'll have serious mitigation requirements for a couple of years until we get a vaccine.  Some think we all should just get back to our normal lives and accept the consequences.  I'm guessing the reality will be somewhere in the intersection of those options.

But then inject the political theater that we experience every day and it can be...well exhausting.  I try not to pay attention very much because, other than how much tax I have to pay, it's really not a great impact on a day to day basis.  But it's hard to escape.  President Trump has an update news conference every day.  Every single fucking day.  And it's exhausting.  I've watched a few of them and they have a bit of info surrounded by platitudes, arguments with the media, self congratulations, and above all visibility for Trump.  This is it for him.  Since he can't do his rallies, this is it.  And he's going to squeeze every ounce of publicity he can out of the opportunity.

Now don't get me wrong.  I support the President and will vote for him.  But two things are true for me.  He makes it difficult.  And the other side is so God-awful bad that there's no way I could support them.  But I've said this before...if the other side just put up a reasonable alternative who wasn't a Socialist radical, then I'd support that person over Trump.  But that ain't gonna happen.  And if you say that Joe is that option...please.  He is so not able to be President.  He wouldn't make it a year.  And he's gonna pick a radical wacko as his VP so that option is off the table.  So I'm left with someone I could easily abandon if there was a reasonable alternative.  It's a hell of a situation.

But here's the thing.  If you can get past the bloviating, the self-congratulations, and the arrogance of always thinking you're right he's actually done a good job.  Go to www.promiseskept.com and there are a pretty good list of things I can get behind.  But he makes it difficult.  But it's not just him.  The media is an embarrassment in their obvious hatred for him.  And they just can't get over it.  And there are a ton of other people who hate him.  I mean hate as in capital H.  I've had to limit my views of Twitter because the hate is just depressing.  I'm quite sure that there are a lot of people who hate him so much that they would be happy if he was killed or died.  It's unseemly, it's unAmerican, and it's unprecedented.  It's difficult to relate to people who have that much hate.  A lot of us didn't like the guy before him.  In fact, I believe he was the second worst President in our history.  But I didn't hate him.  I didn't throw insults at him.  It leads me to believe that a lot of my fellow citizens are just...icky. 

Which brings us to the latest dustup.  You've probably heard that Trump is recommending that people inject disinfectant (think Lysol or bleach) into themselves to fight Covid 19.  This was the result of a discussion at yesterday's press briefing.  He brought out an Undersecretary of Homeland Security for Research and Development to describe how Covid 19 is killed.  Turns out that UV light can kill it and disinfectant can kill it.  It's also sensitive to heat and humidity.  So instead of just thanking him and moving on, Trump starts one of his free-thinking rtfs on what could be.  Here's the transcript:

[Trump] So, supposing we hit the body with a tremendous — whether it’s ultraviolet or just very powerful light — and I think you said that that hasn’t been checked, but you’re going to test it.  And then I said, supposing you brought the light inside the body, which you can do either through the skin or in some other way, and I think you said you’re going to test that too.  It sounds interesting. 

ACTING UNDER SECRETARY BRYAN:  We’ll get to the right folks who could. 

THE PRESIDENT:  Right.  And then I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in a minute.  One minute.  And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning.  Because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs.  So it would be interesting to check that.  So, that, you’re going to have to use medical doctors with.  But it sounds — it sounds interesting to me.

So he's musing.  He's riffing.  He's brainstorming in public.  Bad idea.  Because the media's heads collectively exploded.  Everyone who hates him took this little musing as an excuse to shout to the rafters that he is recommended people inject themselves with Lysol.  Huh?  Where is that in the transcript?  Right...it's not there.  And they wonder why Trump rails on fake news.  And if you nodded along as the media lied about our President's comments, then maybe look in the mirror and figure out if you're part of the problem or part of the solution.

But I titled this piece, "National IQ Test" and when I did I was thinking of how stupid would you have to be to listen to Trump's ramblings in the transcript and take from it to go buy some Lysol to inject in your veins.  But as I wrote and thought about it, there's a component of media IQ too.  But it's a bit different.  They are not stupid people.  They are manipulators.  They are liars.  They are underhanded and unscrupulous.  They will do anything and say anything to get their name in lights.  But they're not stupid.  They know exactly what they are doing.  So I guess I'll go back to the original premise of this being a National IQ Test for listeners.  I sure hope I don't read about anyone actually doing it.  And here's an interesting question.  Would the blood be on Trump's hands or the media's hands?  I know what I think... 

Friday Funnies

Motivation Monday

Friday Funnies

I hear this is in the final FDA approval cycle.  We can only hope it gets approval soon!

Motivation Monday

Friday Funnies

Hitler Gets Coronavirus

Motivation Monday

Relief For Cause

One of the big stories in the news these days is the relief of the Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), one of the nation's 10 Nimitz-class aircraft carriers.  Since most of us have been sequestered in our homes, you likely have read about it in the news, seen various opinions on social media and even seen the viral YouTube video of the crew emotionally saying goodbye to the Skipper as he walks off the brow for the last time.  I have hesitated to comment on this story because of the emotions it raises and I wanted to wait until more was known.  As of today (4/4) there is a good deal out there in the public domain that paints a clearer picture than just a few days ago.  One thing for sure, this incident has motivated comment from all sides.  Some think he is a hero for looking out for his crew and some think he was an incompetent who panicked at the prospect of an epidemic aboard his ship.  The truth is likely somewhere in the middle.

Commanding Officers of U.S. Navy ships occupy a unique position in our society.  It goes back all the way to the beginning of seagoing nations.  Our Navy takes a lot of our rules, traditions and laws from the Royal Navy and it is inviolate in both services that the CO is ultimately, singly responsible for every aspect of his or her ship.  Every action, every person, every operation, every piece of equipment, every inspection, every evolution, everything.  The buck stops with the CO.  There are very few comparisons to it in civilian life.  In civilian life there are always equivocations.  There are always multiple aspects of a situation to take into account as evaluations are made as to the success or failure of any action.  Not so aboard a USN ship.  The Captain is ultimately responsible.  Full stop.

For context, during my Navy career I was in command of three organizations; two aviation squadrons and a wing (which is an organization that contains many squadrons).  I won't compare those commands with command of a ship at sea which is truly complex and unique, but nonetheless the same emotions arise when assuming command of any organization in the Navy.  It is a unique experience that happens instantaneously.  When I relieved the previous C.O. and assumed command in a ceremony for all to see, I immediately felt a sense of obligation and pride that was almost overwhelming.  As long as I was in command, I was totally responsible for everything and everyone in my organization.  Since the day of my swearing in to the Navy 14 years previously I had worked to achieve this position.  It was not to be taken likely.  Like most, I felt ready and was eager to assume the job.  Sometimes it was routine, sometimes it was incredibly difficult, sometimes maddening, and sometimes the pride was overwhelming.  It is not close to anything else I've done in my life.  I will take it to the end that I was a Commanding Officer in the U.S. Navy.  And speak to almost any Flag Officer and they will tell you that there is nothing that they have done in the Navy that compares with operational command.  

Periodically across our Navy and Marine Corps, CO's are relieved for cause.  It is usually announced that his or her immediate superior in command has lost confidence in the person and has elected to remove them from command.  The vast majority of the time there is no other reason given, only those in the loop know the details and it is always painful.  It could be anything from a personal failing (and we see more of that today as fraternization rules are strictly enforced), a failure of some key part of the organization, or even not executing a particular mission as ordered.  When this happens the command, the person and the Navy are impacted.  It is likely that there is a strong bond between the CO and the crew.  If the CO is removed for being abusive that may not be the case, but those kinds of removals are few and far between.  The crew will hate that it is happening and the command leadership will struggle to maintain good order and discipline in light of the traumatic impact on the command.  But it usually turns out okay.  And that is because the Navy is filled with superb leaders who understand the system and understand their place in it.  If things "go down sideways" they must be there to pick up the pieces.

Now to the situation at hand aboard TR.  She was on a routine Western Pacific/Indian Ocean deployment when the Covid 19 pandemic hit the U.S in full force.  When it was discovered that there were some in the crew infected there were no good answers.  The CO was in a difficult position, but that's what he is paid for.  He asked for and got permission to divert to Guam to try and solve the problem. Being in port was really the only answer to try and deal with this issue.  But as we’ve all seen and heard over the last few weeks, the only solution is social distancing.  That ain’t happening on a Navy ship.  Some say he could’ve moved people out of berthing to the hangar bay, limited sailors on the mess decks, etc.  But that's probably too tough.  The ship is not only filled with confined spaces but also loaded with 70+ aircraft from the Air Wing. I ASSUME he sent appropriate “high side” or classified messages to entire chain of command asking for help.  I ASSUME he sent “personal for” messages up the chain of command asking/begging for help.  I ASSUME he sent appropriate messages to National Command Authority describing the situation (a CVN is a national asset).  I ASSUME he was in communication on an hourly basis with his boss, the Strike Group Commander (SGC) who is a RADM and resides down the hall.  He was clearly at his wits end with what he perceived as the slowness/lack of response and said “fuck it, I’ll just send a letter laying out the whole sordid mess” including the condition and location of the ship.  And he sent it to an unclassified email list of between 20 and 30.  

He had to know that would get him relieved.  Had to.  But somewhere in his mind he let his concern for the crew overcome his obligation of command.  He was so invested in the well being of his crew that he forgot (or ignored) his obligation to command.  The truth is that there was a response in execution, but it wasn't urgent enough to suit him.  The truth was that the demographic of the 5000 sailors aboard TR is such that many of them would be ill, some would be severely ill, and few might even die.  That would be tragic but in the context of a capital ship of the nation on an overseas mission, that is the cost of doing business.  As has been famously said, "you don't go to war with what you want, you go to war with what you have".  He said in his letter that since we aren't at war, there was no justification to risk anyone.  That statement alone merits relief for cause.  As the CO of this awesome, capable, terrifying power, he needs to ensure that it is ready for anything, at any time.    If you're interested in reading the letter, you can find it here.  If there is a threat, no matter what it is, formulate a plan to deal with it as best you can and then press on.  But press on you must.  I've seen several articles from various sources providing analysis based on the same level or higher of experience that I possess.  Most express the same opinion that I believe.  A good one, if not a bit harsher is here. 

On the SECNAV side, I don’t see that he had any other choice.  SECNAV rightly said that relieving him had nothing to do with his pleas for help for his crew.  But SECNAC relieved him because he lost confidence in his judgement.  Hard to fault that when you read the letter, which was unclassified and leaked within about a nano-second of being released, detailing the impacts to the ship.  Below is SECNAV's statement and it lays out the issues pretty well.  I don't disagree with anything.   

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Statement from the Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas B. Modly, regarding the relief of the Commanding Officer of USS Theodore Roosevelt.

Good afternoon. Thank you again for your diligence and courage in keeping the American people informed as we all deal with the profound ramifications, and rapid developments, associated with this crisis.

I am here today to inform you that today at my direction, the Commanding Officer of the USS Theodore Roosevelt, Captain Crozier, was relieved of command by the Carrier Strike Group Commander, Rear Admiral Stuart Baker.

The Executive Officer, Captain Dan Keeler, has assumed command temporarily until such time as Rear Admiral Select Carlos Sardiello arrives in Guam to assume command. Rear Admiral Select Sardiello is the former commanding officer of the Theodore Roosevelt so he is extremely well-acquainted with the ship, many members of its crew and the operations and capabilities of the ship itself. He is the best person in the Navy right now to take command under these circumstances.

As Secretary of the Navy, I could not be more proud of our men and women serving as part of the Navy and Marine Corps team. I can assure you that no one cares more than I do about their safety and welfare. I myself have a son in uniform, who is currently serving right now on active duty in Korea—one of the first nations in the world to have a significant spike in Coronavirus cases. I understand, both as a parent and a veteran, how critical our support lines are for the health and well-being of our people, especially now in the midst of a global pandemic.

But there is a larger strategic context, one full of national security imperatives, of which all our commanders must all be aware today. While we may not be at war in a traditional sense, neither are we truly at peace. Authoritarian regimes are on the rise. Many nations are reaching, in many ways, to reduce our capacity to accomplish our national goals. This is actively happening every day. It has been a long time since the Navy and Marine Corps team has faced this broad array of capable global strategic challengers. A more agile and resilient mentality is necessary, up and down the chain of command.

Perhaps more so than in the recent past, we require commanders with the judgment, maturity, and leadership composure under pressure to understand the ramifications of their actions within that larger dynamic strategic context. We all understand and cherish our responsibilities, and frankly our love, for all of our people in uniform, but to allow those emotions to color our judgment when communicating the current operational picture can, at best, create unnecessary confusion, and at worst, provide an incomplete picture of American combat readiness to our adversaries.

When the Commanding Officer of the USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT decided to write his letter of 30 March 2020 that outlined his concerns for his crew in the midst of a COVID-19 outbreak, the Department of the Navy had already mobilized significant resources for days in response to his previous requests. On the same date marked on his letter, my Chief of Staff had called the CO directly, at my request, to ensure he had all the resources necessary for the health and safety of his crew.

The CO told my Chief of Staff that he was receiving those resources, and was fully aware of the Navy’s response, only asking that the he wished the crew could be evacuated faster. My Chief of Staff ensured that the CO knew that he had an open line to me to use at any time. He even called the CO again a day later to follow up. At no time did the CO relay the various levels of alarm that I, along with the rest of the world, learned from his letter when it was published two days later.

Once I read the letter, I immediately called the Chief of Naval Operations, ADM Gilday, and the Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, ADM Aquilino. ADM Gilday had just read the letter that morning as well, and ADM Aquilino had it the day before. We had a teleconference within minutes of my reading of that article, including the Commander, SEVENTH Fleet, VADM William Merz, ADM Aquilino, ADM Gilday, the Department of the Navy’s Surgeon General, RADM Bruce Gillingham, and others. That evening, we held another teleconference with the entire chain of command.

The next day, I spoke with the CO of the THEODORE ROOSEVELT myself, and this morning, I have spoken to the TR’s Carrier Strike Group Commander, RDML Stuart Baker. RDML Baker did not know about the letter before it was sent to him via email by the CO. It is important to understand that the Strike Group Commander, the CO’s immediate boss, is embarked on the Theodore Roosevelt, right down the passageway from him. The letter was sent over non- secure, unclassified email even though that ship possesses some of the most sophisticated communications and encryption equipment in the Fleet.

It was sent outside the chain of command, at the same time the rest of the Navy was fully responding. Worse, the Captain’s actions made his Sailors, their families, and many in the public believe that his letter was the only reason help from our larger Navy family was forthcoming, which was hardly the case.

Command is a sacred trust that must be continually earned, both from the Sailors and Marines one leads, and from the institution which grants that special, honored privilege.

As I learned more about the events of the past week on board USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN-71), including my personal conversations with the Strike Group Commander, Commander, SEVENTH Fleet, Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, the Chief of Naval Operations, and CAPT Crozier himself, I could reach no other conclusion than that Captain Crozier had allowed the complexity of his challenge with COVID breakout on the ship to overwhelm his ability to act professionally, when acting professionally was what was needed most. We do, and we should, expect more from the Commanding Officers of our aircraft carriers.

I did not come to this decision lightly. I have no doubt in my mind that Captain Crozier did what he thought was in the best interests of the safety and well-being of his crew. Unfortunately, it did the opposite. It unnecessarily raised alarms with the families of our Sailors and Marines with no plan to address those concerns. It raised concerns about the operational capabilities and operational security of the ship that could have emboldened our adversaries to seek advantage, and it undermined the chain of command who had been moving and adjusting as rapidly as possible to get him the help he needed.

For these reasons, I lost confidence in his ability to lead that warship as it continues to fight through this virus, get the crew healthy, so that it can continue to meet its national security requirements. In my judgement relieving him of command was in the best interests of the United States Navy and the nation in this time when the nation needs the Navy to be strong and confident in the face of adversity. The responsibility for this decision rests with me. I expect no congratulations for it, and it gives me no pleasure in making it. CAPT Crozier is an honorable man, who despite this uncharacteristic lapse of judgment, has dedicated himself throughout a lifetime of incredible service to our nation.

Pursuant to this action, and with my full support, the Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Gilday has directed the Vice Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Robert Burke, to conduct an investigation into the circumstances and climate of the entire Pacific Fleet to help determine what may have contributed to this breakdown in the chain of command. We must ensure we can count on the right judgment, professionalism, composure, and leadership from our Commanding Officers everywhere on our Navy and Marine Corps team, but especially in the Western Pacific. I have no indication that there is a broader problem in this regard, but we have obligation to calmly and evenly investigate that nonetheless.

To our Commanding Officers, it would be a mistake to view this decision as somehow not supportive of your duty to report problems, request help, protect your crews, and challenge assumptions as you see fit.

This decision is not one of retribution. It is about confidence. It is not an indictment of character, but rather of judgement. While I do take issue with the validity of some of the points in Captain Crozier’s letter, he was absolutely correct in raising them.

It was the way in which he did this, by not working through and with his Strike Group Commander to develop a strategy to resolve the problems he raised, by not sending the letter to and through his chain of command, by not protecting the sensitive nature of the information contained within the letter appropriately, and lastly by not reaching out to me directly to voice is concerns, after that avenue had been provided to him through my team, that was unacceptable.

Let me be clear, you all have a duty to be transparent with your respective chains of command, even if you fear they might disagree with you. This duty requires courage, but it also requires respect for that chain of command, and for the sensitivity of the information you decide to share and the manner you choose to share it.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, I would like to send a message to the crew of the Theodore Roosevelt and their families back here at home. I am entirely convinced that your Commanding Officer loves you, and that he had you at the center of his heart and mind in every decision that he has made. I also know that you have great affection, and love, for him as well. But it is my responsibility to ensure that his love and concern for you is matched, if not exceeded by, his sober and professional judgement under pressure.

You deserve that throughout all the dangerous activities for which you train so diligently, but most importantly, for those situations which are unpredictable and are hard to plan for. It’s important because you are the TR, you are the Big Stick, and what happens onboard the TR matters far beyond the physical limits of your hull. Your shipmates across the fleet need for you to be strong and ready—and most especially right now they need you to be courageous in the face of adversity.

The nation needs to know that the Big Stick is undaunted, unstoppable —and that you will stay that way as we as a Navy help you through this COVID-19 challenge. Our adversaries need to know this as well. They respect and fear the Big Stick, and they should. We will not allow anything to diminish that respect and fear as you, and the rest of our nation, fights through this virus. As I stated, we are not at war by traditional measures, but neither are we at peace. The nation you defend is in a fight right now for our economic, personal and political security, and you are on the front lines of this fight in many ways.

You can offer comfort to your fellow citizens who are struggling and fearful here at home by standing the watch, and working your way through this pandemic with courage and optimism and set the example for the nation. We have an obligation to ensure you have everything you need as fast as we can get it there, and you have my commitment that we will not let you down. The nation you have sworn to defend is in a fight, and the nations and bad actors around the world who wish us harm should understand that the Big Stick is in the neighborhood and that her crew is standing the watch.

My only caveat is that Big Navy has a tendency to not understand the urgency of a request from the fleet.  While they are formulating their plans, the people on the front lines are becoming more and more frustrated.  There is a famous example of this with Lord Wellington's letter to the British Foreign Office.  You can read it here.  The mitigating circumstances here is that staffers today usually sit up and take notice when the Captain of one of our aircraft carriers send an urgent request.   

The other issue of note is the viral YouTube video of many in the crew chanting the CO's name as he walked down the brow for the last time.  It was a bit excruciating.  Those shipmates were sincere in their anguish.  They hated to see their CO being punished for looking out for them.  At the deck plate level this is understandable.  And it will make the job of the new CO all the more difficult.  But as the dust settles and the problems are attacked, most will hopefully understand the reasoning for the relief.  There are also a ton of uninformed folks on social media blaming the Navy and demanding that he be reinstated.  The key here is that they are well meaning, but ignorant of the responsibilities inherent in military command.  There is even a Change.org petition calling for this to happen.  But it isn't going to happen.  It can't happen.  And there is only one person who can make it happen.  I will be shocked and surprised if he does that and will lose a measure of respect for his judgement.  

So it's a tough situation in which there are no winners.  There never are in this kind of story.  It's an old Navy story and it never is easy.  But it's the right thing to do.

UPDATE:  I just saw that Capt Crozier has tested positive for Covid 19.  I pray for him and his family that he will come through this challenge.  

UPDATE 4/10:  It would probably be the better part of wisdom to just let this post sit there and let the story unfold as it will.  But we've all seen what has been happening since the Captain was relieved and I'm compelled to comment.  The most prominent event was that the Secretary of the Navy flew 8000 miles to address the crew of the TR and gooned it up in an epic manner.  He went aboard ship, got on the 1MC (the general announcing system) and proceeded to disparage the Captain and issue a profanity laced diatribe.  He came home, was immediately berated by the press and others in leadership positions and was forced to resign.  I think I know what happened with him.  He is a USNA grad and spent a couple tours as a JO.  He has fond memories of those simpler times aboard ship and when we stepped on the quarterdeck the memories came flooding back.  The smells, the sights, the sailors, the environment...he was back!  Except he wasn't.  He was most likely caught up in the moment.  Instead of being the strong SECNAV at the helm, he reverted to his days as a JO and decided to speak to the troops as one of them.  It clearly was a huge, huge mistake and one he will always regret.  But there is no fixing it and he is gone.  

Meanwhile, there is a new Acting SECNAV named who seems like a good and capable man.  And remember, there is a SECNAV in the nomination process.  He is the Ambassador to Norway.  Both have a Naval background...in a manner of speaking.  The Acting is a Navy JAG (lawyer) and the nominee was a Navy PAO (public affairs).  My question about both of these very accomplished and I'm sure capable men is where is their link to Naval strategy?  Many, if not most, interested watchers believe the service secretary jobs have become a bit of window dressing.  That is, they don't seem to have a role in the meat of the service, which is acquisition and strategy.  Oh they have directorates that are in charge of those functions, but if the person at the top lacks credibility, the impact is lessoned.  Let me be clear, this is just an observation.  It is what it is.  But in this time when strong and steady leadership is required, I'm not sure these are the men to provide it.  

The other disturbing thing I've seen in the last week is all the comments and observations from the peanut gallery.  To be sure, that always happens.  Everyone has a theory.  I've even engaged in a bit of it in the piece above.  Social media has allowed all who have a theory, from the most well-meaning but ignorant to the downright mean to enter the fray.  But in this case, the stakes are high.  It doesn't serve anyone to postulate a certainty.  Because we don't know.  My comments were largely in the realm of top level opinion.  I don't know what the day-to-day, minute-to-minute timeline and activity was.  And no one with a brain would comment on that.  

I've heard two common refrains.  "The Capt was just looking out for his crew and the Navy crucified him for it.  Anyone who speaks truth to power will be fired."  or "There's no doubt about his firing and he should be courtmartialed".  Both of these sentiments are typical social media responses that tend to drive toward the extremes.   But as I said right up front, the truth is somewhere in the middle.  So now the investigation is underway.  It will lead where it leads.  And someday (soon I hope) we'll all know what really happened.  I heard the CNO yesterday say that all options are on the table.  Many in the media took that to mean reinstatement.  I honestly don't know what that looks like.  Maybe it's been done, but I've never heard of it.  And if it was done, the howling from the Naval establishment might be pretty loud.