The world keeps spinning, turning and flying through the great unknown, and the expectations of so many concerning the future is nothing but an illusion. This realization is discomforting to some, as an unpredictable future tends to cause fear in the minds of those who believe that they are in control of their lives. Silly Rabbit!! Worry can and should be replaced by hope, and assumptions by the conscious endeavor to preserve faith despite all potentially negative circumstances. What right has anyone to complain or fret about a situation which they have made no effort to improve?
The weather is improving, despite occasional days of rain and the most recent snow storm in the area. Today is a beautiful day in La Push, but terribly cold. I am scheduled to stand the watch until 1400, and I hope to standby in Forks tonight with my pal Jake to spend time at home with R & her enthusiastic and spirited cousin, Miss Rebecca. As tomorrow is Becca's last day in Washington State, I would relish the chance to sit and hear her thoughts on life over a cup of coffee. I may not have this opportunity again anytime soon.
Though there have been many opportunites for me to write again over the last few weeks, the reason that I have chosen to contribute to this blog today is that this duty period marks the point in my career, of which I was aware upon swearing into the US Coast Guard, that I knew I would have to face eventually. It has not been unknown among my shipmates here, since the day that I reported, that I have made a moral decision never to bear arms against another human being. Not only do I not believe in forcefully bestowing one's will upon another, whether that be the will of one man or of the authoritative human forces governing the one man's actions, I also do not believe that weapons make increasingly bad situations better. I understand that if someone is going to harm you, whether that be with a gun or knife or fist or insult, if you hurt them first that betters your chances of not getting hurt. Or does it? Of course it would be ideal to not put yourself in that position at all, but bad things do happen to good people. Truly, worse things happen to to people who make dangerous people feel threatened. If I kill someone else before they kill me or kill someone else, does that make me a hero? Did the fact that I had the ability to kill them within my power influence their decision to act in such a way?
Would I like to see the entire world disarmed? Damn straight, dude. Is this realistic? Not right now, but eventually, I think so. Albert Einstein once said something along the lines of, "I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones." It is with Thoreau's belief that there are "thousands hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root" that I live my life and pursue this decision not to bear arms. I have been working for the Coast Guard for nearly a year and a half and have not witnessed a single situation where the need to bear arms was even slightly necessary. If a fisherman decides to go homicidal and try to kill everyone in blue, that is a tragedy in more ways than one, but prevention of such an incident should include more creative methods than gunfighting. I understand that "guns don't kill people, people kill people," but guns don't make anything better.
Recently, I saw a news report that showed surveillance of a man in Detroit who opened fire with a shotgun in a police station in Detroit. Four officers were wounded, but the only person who died was the gunman. I am in no position to break down this incident and give my opinion about how this could have been avoided, but this man had to know that this act was going to end in his death. What would this incident have amounted to if the gunman knew he was walking into a station of unarmed officers? What this incident and the many similar situations that happen throughout the world on a daily basis suggest is that it is far too easy for hateful, dangerous people to attain weapons. The only way to stop this is to greatly reduce the number of weapons that are sold (if not to entirely stop producing firearms and ammunition entirely, even as ridiculous as that may sound to the many conditioned and literally brainwashed members of civilization). If I can be one less person who wants to own a firearm and therefore have the ability to kill easily at my disposal, then let it be so. I refuse to live in fear, and refuse to let fear of others determine my actions, and if that makes me vulnerable to those who may desire to take my life for their own reasons, then I will be vulnerable and unafraid.
A true hero is not the badass with a gun that is portrayed on the Screen, but the one who believes in a better world for every living thing and stands by the principles that he believes to be true to make that world a reality no matter what the consequences be for him.
It is for this belief that I hold and live that my current employer, the United States Coast Guard, may in their own words label me a "Conscientious Objector". This will come about after a series of interviews with administrators in Seattle who will conspire to determine my "level of conviction" in this matter. The consequences of their decision could have more than one outcome, including potentially discharging me from the service, which I joined willingly to gain hands-on experience helping and serving the people of the United States so as to make myself a more valuable asset to humanity at large.
I love my country, but my love does not stop there. This is why I believe what I believe, and forsake these beliefs for no one.
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure of heart,
for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Maybe pursuing these ideas as Truths makes me unfit to serve my country? We shall see...
Semper Paratus.
