First I’d like to thank TomZom for inviting me to contribute to this page. I appreciate this outlet to let my voice be heard.
“So…who are you?” I can hear you saying. Before I tell you who I am, let me take a minute and let you know how I think.
When it comes down to the very basics, everyone can be categorized in three different ways.
The most common, especially in America, is the sheep. Yes, I’m saying it, most of you are sheep. Sheep are those that “just want to live their lives peacefully and not rock the boat.” Sure, I want that too, but as a wise man once said, “You need to stand for something, or you’ll fall for anything.”
I find that so very true, because of the current state of our country. The lack of indictments of certain people in power. Why aren’t more people absolutely furious?!? What has happened to the America I grew up in? What have we denigrated into?
The second kind of person are the wolves. These are the predators of the world. They could be after any number of things. Power. Money. Sex. Your life. These are the bad people. But you don’t always know who they are because they come in so many forms. They can be manipulative, forceful, coercive, or any combination of these things.
The final category is the sheepdog. These are those who are aware. Aware of their surroundings, the political climate, the economy, and life in general. They stand up for what they believe in, and are passionate about it when they do so. It may sometimes come across as mean, or insensitive, but if you listen to their words, you understand and realize that they are protecting something. It could be a person, an animal, or the very thing that is most precious in this life: Freedom!
I am a sheepdog.
Sheepdogs come in many forms as well. They may be bold. They may be loud. They may be quiet. They could be a veteran, or someone who never served, but wanted to desperately…or even had no desire to serve in the military at all. Though we are few in number, we recognize each other when we meet. Maybe not right away, but once we start talking, it’s not hard to pick up on. We find each other and know immediately that we’ve got each others backs.
The interesting thing about being a sheep, a wolf, or a sheepdog is that it’s not genetic. It is a choice. Many may say, “but I’m a victim of circumstance, therefore I’m …” Poor, a thug, a hero, pick one. But that’s just it, WE CHOOSE OUR PATH, regardless of the hand that we’ve been dealt. If you think otherwise, then you’re lying to yourself.
So that’s me, you friendly, neighborhood sheepdog. I have my convictions, which I am VERY passionate about. And because common courtesy dictates that publicly I usually hold my tongue in most situations, I do. But here, I don’t have that restriction.
-Joseph Forefathers