Reverend Ron Kemell - September 18, 2008

I am "PopSeal" of Slidell, La.

As a staunch conservative, I can now confess that I like Obamanation and the avalanche of unintended consequences he has brought to America.  How conservative am I?   I became a Christian 40 years ago through the witness of several fellow Navy Seals when we had all become civilians again, after tours in Viet Nam.   I've since been a pastor in small churches, a missionary associate in Bolivia, and most recently a "chaplain" working Blackwater Security contractors in Central Asia.   Thoughts of people like me, make people like your most faithful readers wake up in a cold sweat.   My friends and I are most definitely material for any liberal's worst dreams.

But now I like Obama.   He is the darkness that makes the slightest candle burn ever more brightly.   Like the guys on the radio say much of the mainstream media is now exposed as little more than a White House steno' pool, when the White House is run by leftists.   The metaphor term "progressive" is now outed as a code word for Marxist.   A big sign hangs in a local gun shop depicting the authoritative, looking into the half distance 'Bam, and declaring him to be the best gun salesman in America.    The range where I am one of 75 NRA certified safety officers is doing a booming business (pardon the pun).     Some of my acquaintances are having to decide if they're in favor of Communism or ethical capitalism.    Conservatives are getting not just active, they are now angry about the institution of permanent welfare status, illegal immigration,  government control of our lives, and the enforcement of political correctness as the amorality of the day.    Obama's support team at ACORN is being exposed and I will not be surprise if some of that dirt is splashed onto The One (as 'Bam was titled by Farrakhan).     His most recent Marxist move, that of attacking the CIA really seals the deal against the evil of the left.    The idea of attacking the very institution that protects America from her worst enemies will most assuredly blow up in 'Bam's face.     Most importantly for the long run, history teaches that after a total failure like Jimmy Carter, we got Ronald the Great.    I am looking now for the next great American President to rise up from the ashes of this current disaster.      These and a few other results of this nefarious administration's ensconcement are doing good things that a moderate electee of McCain's ilk would never have achieved.  

I take no small pleasure in the fact that as a bearer of the Truth about life, living, God and mankind, my moral certitude sends Chris Matthews' leg chills into the bowels of the steno' pool.   Aint it grand?

Our local newspaper called the Times Picayune, has jumped on the "we hate BW express" with the rest of the media.   I finally got fed up and wrote a little response note to the editor and the author, referring to their accusation that BW men need more training!    Below is the note as sent.   Feel free to cut-copy or paste and send to anybody you like................just sign it,    "POP"

You think the TP might like to hear a personal eyewitness account of a Blackwater contractor?   Here it is.   About six years ago I thought it might be a good idea to take a sabbatical leave from my pastorate, having been on that job for 13 years and the ministry for 27 years.    At a Seal Team reunion I discovered Blackwater USA.  Perfect, I'd get paid by BW, relieving my small church of financial burden.    It only took seven months to gain the required security clearance.   I was invited, in spite of my age, to go to Moyock, North Carolina for a vet and train-up, where my skill set would be established, determining abilities and work assignment.     Two failed the PT test, two failed the gun qualifications, and one was sent packing for range safety violations.    It is called "big boy rules".    13 of 52 qualified for the immdiate assignments available and the rest of us were sent  home to wait.   Two weeks later I was called and sent to Central Asia as a "static site" security guard.

Not supprisingly, when it was learned that I'd only been a minister for the previous 27 years, I had to prove myself again (not your basic need to know information).    However, I ended up doing more ministry type  counseling than when I occupied the church office in Metairie, so I retired from one to do the other.     Pastor to contractor to chaplain in ten months, who'd a thunk it?    We had a couple of guys at site that didn't like all the accountability and were sent home.    In the five deploys I made there, one was sent home for accidently discharging his sidearm, doing magazine change drills while on post.    My 15 months there saw no angry shots fired.   Any discharge of firearms not on the range under range officer eyes was investigated and the man usually was sent home from any site Blackwater maintains.   I went through three skill schools at BW and did quals for DoD clients at their ranges and my targets were graded by them.   More than one lost his job at client range work-ups.   The other site I worked at was in Afganistan, all the above equally applies.    The only firearms violations commited there were by DoD civilians not with BW.   I report these things to establish an island of solid ground in the sea of media misinformation and outright politically motivated spin.  
The idea that BW contractors are out of control cowboys is total wishful thinking on the part of those that believe in nothing, fall for everything, and accept no responsibility for spreading fabrications.    Usually they are pacifist that cling to self-defined moral superiority while hiding behind ethical nuances of their own construction.    

The concept of mercenary is a perfect example of the above misinformation.   One would think journalist would be more precise in their word craft.   But when one is afraid to offend media culture assumptions and has no backbone, they'll cave and go the easy way of conformity.   Mercs' never stay at BW very long because of the security clearance needed,  personal accountability under State Department  or DoD authority, and unwillingness to travel on a Diplomatic Passport.   The claim we have no accountability is the biggest lie.   With thousands of men in high threat locations, every bullet that leaves a muzzle has a good reason.    Former soldiers and policemen that are making better money than they ever have, do not throw that away.   The men under investigation currently will have their day in court.    As for the 13 that got those first jobs I told you about, four of them were sold out by corrupt Iraqis, killed in Fallujah, and happily video-photographed by the French journalist that local thugs waited for, before throwing gas on the wounded men inside the vehicles.   Military re-enlistments in country, sometimes take place at the infamous Blackwater Bridge where those charred bodies were strung up.   

Two important definitions need to be estabished as my conclusion.   First, the social parasite is that creature that pushes to the front of the line when the rights of American citizenship are handed out, paid for by those men and women of war that are far better than those parasites.   Finally, the coward is that pacifist that thinks himself better than those that fight to keep him free in America.   Orwell said it, "Peaceful  souls sleep in peace because rough men stand ready to do violence in distant lands on their behalf!"...paraphrase...........welcome to the real world!

The Reverend Ron Kelmell
Feature Writer
email: Editorialist@sdbeachlife.com

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