(Published as written on June 3, 2016):
Yesterday during a Donald Trump political rally, my former city of San Jose became “Ground Zero” for what I will refer to as the battle for the soul of America. As a former police officer and detective with the City of San Jose from the 1970’s through the 1990’s, I have participated in any number of political protests as a peace keeper dressed in uniform, riot gear and even in plain clothes.
Yesterday’s protest was far different than those protests of the past for a singular reason. It wasn’t because people were protesting Republican candidate Donald Trump, as the naïve and uninformed Hillary Clinton surrogate and democratic city Mayor Sam Liccardo has stated. That notion is far too simplistic. No, this protest was different because it underscored that our nation has come to a critical turning point. We are in a battle for control of the destiny of our country and our core values as a people and as Americans.
Through our own fault, America has changed not for the better, but for the worse. We have become a nation of entitlements; where the sacrifices, civil rights and the riches of others who fought, endured, and died for them have been irresponsibly redistributed to and squandered by those who either have no standing in this nation; or have done absolutely nothing to earn the rights, privileges and treasures created and achieved by others.
What was once right, honorable and ethical; is now diminished and politically incorrect. Things that Americans once aspired to be, attain and emulate are now despised and frowned upon by the “everyone gets a trophy” entitled crowd. The core values of God, honor, country and family are slowly, but surely being replaced by secularists, flag burners, anti-government, anti-law enforcement Occupy and Black Lives Matter Marxist radicals.
American citizenship which was once a highly prized privilege that immigrants liked my parents once risked their lives to attain; has now been replaced by George Soros Open Society/Open Borders advocates and disrespectful illegal aliens who spit on the rule of law. Make no mistake about it.
We are in a serious battle over the direction this nation will take. Expedient and exploitive politicians Hillary Clinton and socialist Bernie Sanders simply represent the visible portion of the iceberg; but not the dangerous American Titanic sinking underbelly of it.
There has been no better demonstration of the dichotomy of the dissention of the ideological opposing forces than was observed at the intersection of N. First Street and San Carlos Avenue last night in Ground Zero San Jose.
As I watched my television screen in complete frustration, my alumni brothers and sisters in blue, dressed in riot gear, representing and supposedly protecting the Rule of Law stood idly by while illegal aliens and anarchists ambushed peaceful Trump supporters in cowardly acts of violence.
Police patience, restraint and a studied response to civil disobedience is one thing; but prioritizing damage to property to injury to people is quite another. Police Chief Eddie Garcia is wrong about his assessment of risk to the public. Any one of those Trump supports could have been violently attacked and seriously injured or killed in a heartbeat by this mob. Violence could have been avoided with better leadership, instead of bureaucratic “put up your finger and test the wind” political correctness. No wonder officers are leaving this department in droves in search of better leadership and professional support. Even San Jose Councilman Pierluigi Oliverio, Chair of the city’s Public Safety Committee remarked that police could have done more to enhance public safety. I wholeheartedly concur.
Returning to my theme; if the Silent Majority of honest, hard-working, ethical, country-loving Americans don’t rise up in defiance of the menace of posed by the uber-politically correct, the entitled, far-leftists, anarchists and illegal alien radicals; we are finished as a nation. We will have effectively become anemic and helpless Europe. In only a few short years America has transitioned from a country of greatness; to a nation without a homogeneous people, who produce nothing, stand for nothing and are untrustworthy and internationally disrespected. We allowed politicians to do this to us, enabled by the pseudo-entitled, “give me something for nothing” electorate.
We still have time to change our direction – but not much time. If we fail to restore America to its former greatness, that failure will be the lasting legacy we will have willed to our children. We should be ashamed.
If we fail this nation this November, I will never drive past the intersection of North First Street and San Carlos Avenue again without recalling that this was America’s Ground Zero in the battle for her heart and soul and we knew it, we saw it; and we did nothing.
About the Author
Ron Martinelli, Ph.D, is a nationally renowned Forensic Criminologist and a retired and decorated San Jose police officer. He is the author of the new best-selling book, “The Truth Behind the Black Lives Matter Movement and the War on Police.” (Amazon.com). His forensic site is at www.DrRonMartinelli.com.
References
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/donald-trump-rally-disturbance-1.3614121
http://www.foxcarolina.com/story/32129995/san-jose-california-police-under-fire-after-trump-rally
