A few years ago, Senator Mike Braun was finding himself in hot water over his support of Black Lives Matter, a racist extremist organization, while criticizing law enforcement.
He appeared on Tucker Carlson‘s show to respond to a segment Carlson had done about him. This was when Tucker Carlson was still on Fox News.
More than two years after Rayshard Brooks was fatally shot by Atlanta police, the case against the two officers involved has been dropped.
The special prosecutor announced Tuesday afternoon that he would not pursue charges against the officers. Pete Skandalakis, executive director of the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia, shared the decision during an afternoon news conference.
Rayshard Brooks was drunk, resisted arrest, and took the officer’s Taser and used it against the officer. The use of lethal force by police was justified by any objective observation.
In his current gubernatorial run in Indiana, Braun has received the endorsement of the Indiana State Police Alliance.
The National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO) gave Braun a 100% rating. Mike Braun steadily increased his NAPO rating from 2019, where he earned a mere 33%. Braun got a 60% in 2020 but has maintained a 100% rating since then.
Mike Braun’s current gubernatorial campaign has released a public safety plan for Hoosiers.
The plan includes:
Keeping communities safe
Braun said that if a violentcrime is committed, an individual assaults a law enforcement officer or distributes drugs like fentanyl and methamphetamine, they will “face the full weight of Indiana’s justice system.”
Standing with law enforcement
Braun said he would propose “significant salary increases and advanced training opportunities” for law enforcement, “ensuring that… officers have the resources and backing they need to perform their duties…”
Braun said he would also “champion policies” that enhance the recruitment and retention of officers, as well as improve training and support their well-being.
Interestingly enough, his plan also includes protections of qualified immunity.
Protect qualified immunity
Braun said qualified immunity is a “crucial legal doctrine” which protects officers from personal liability while they perform their duties. Braun said his commitment is to provide officers “with the confidence and legal safeguards they need to make decisions in the best interest of public safety.”
Congratulations to our very own #Airman, 2nd Lt. Madison Marsh, aka Miss Colorado — who was just crowned @MissAmerica 2024! Marsh is the first active duty servicemember to ever win the title.#AimHighpic.twitter.com/3RuDu5CulW
Episode 10:
Friends in Low Places VFW,
DAV, American Legion, Marine Corps League, and other fraternal organizations
are there for Veterans. This breakdown of the organizations talks to members about
the benefits of these program's camaraderie. The Common Veterans represent
FreedomSystem.org’s martial arts and mountain bike association.
I.
Introduction
i.
Friends in Low Places
1.
Introduce the standby Veteran Fraternal Organizations and their
missions and why.
ii.
Brief Overview of the benefits of the group
1.
Positives
2.
Negatives
II.
More Than Just Bars
a.
Bartenders are there, but that isn’t the only reason for them to
be there.
i.
Drinking socially good? Or Bad?
1.
Opens up.
2.
Opens up too much.
ii.
It’s a social club…
1.
Camaraderie is built here among Veterans from all different age
groups.
2.
Not a lot of physicality
3.
Has to be open to the public or will not survive monetarily.
b.
Some organizations are not attached to bars.
i.
FreedomSystem.org is not a bar, but do meet at fraternal
organizations that have them
1.
FSO focuses on fitness and shared experiences from military service.
2.
FSO supports fraternal organizations through shared goals
ii.
Team RWB is a fitness organization
1.
Originally a totally Veteran organization, it now allows
non-veterans to run their goals
a.
Puts non-vets in leadership roles
iii.
Fraternal organizations often have specific goals and only allow
specific people to join them
1.
Marine Corps League
2.
VFW
3.
DAV
III.
Stories, The Fish is Always Bigger
a.
Members tell stories of their exploits.
i.
Common Veterans share their military stories.
1.
Stories become what everyone needs.
2.
Shared experiences from different combat times help create more
fraternization and become friends.
ii.
Different organizations, different stories?
1.
Multi-members have different experiences in different
organizations and go to different areas for different types of camaraderie.
a.
VFW then to DAV, etcetera
b.
Moose and Eagles
c.
American Legions and Auxiliaries
IV.
Join or nah?
a.
Joining a fraternal organization can have its merits…
i.
Positives
ii.
Negatives
iii.
Neutrals
V.
Conclusion
a.
Recap fraternal organizations' essential role in
supporting veterans and fostering camaraderie.
b.
Encouragement for listeners to explore and
support these organizations or similar initiatives in their communities.
c.
Closing thoughts emphasize the importance of
camaraderie in veterans' journey and the impact it has on their lives.
VI.
Next Episode – Next Season
a. Our next episode is or next season, but
there may be a few more episodes this season that pop out of nowhere! Stay
tuned.
The belief that dying in battle brings soldiers to the table of Odin. The Common Veterans take on the sensitive topic of suicide and PTSD.
** WARNING ** This episode discusses a very sensitive subject with Common Veterans. This episode discusses suicide, religion, the different beliefs of certain religions, and triggers that could be hard to handle.
I. Introductions
a. Which of us has experienced someone that has suicided or attempted suicide
i. Fred
ii. Jeff
iii. Tony
iv. Kenny
II. Let's talk about life.
a. Being a Veteran means that one has signed a blank check to the government for them to cash, up to life itself
1. Suicide is illegal in most of the United States and goes against the Constitution of the United States – “Pursuit of happiness…”
b. Cannot separate body and soul
i. Separating the soul from the body is death
1. Souls go where the body has been commended to
a. Heaven
b. Hell
c. Purgatory (?)
c. Religions do not condone suicide
i. Christianity
1. Martyrism – certain death, but saving lives
ii. Muslim
1. Suicide bombing to certain sects gets them Virgins
iii. Judaism
1. Assisted suicide from a doctor to maintain
iv. Shinto
1. Only as an act of selflessness
III. Valhalla
a. Valhalla, Old Norse Valhöll, in Norse mythology, is the hall of slain warriors who live there blissfully under the leadership of the god Odin (Encyclopedia Brittanica)
i. Modern Day Interpretations are that this is the “Warrior’s Heaven”
a. The interpretation often for modern-day Valhalla is that Valhalla is for anyone who sees combat and dies regardless of their death.
i. This often includes suicide with the response of “Til Valhalla!”
1. This frequently glorifies suicide and states that you’ll be in a Heaven type environment once your soul is separated from your body
2. As we discussed earlier there is no religion that condones suicide
b. Many people discuss that for it to be suicide you have to be in the right headspace and timing
i. Anyone that creates suicide are not in the right headspace
1. Mental health illness is very real and usually puts people in the wrong frame of mind
2. Being depressed does not make you suicidal
V. Suicide is Selfish
a. Suicide is a selfish act and it doesn’t only take away from the suicided, but the family and love ones of the suicided
i. Makes things difficult for people who loved the suicided
1. Trauma for whomever finds and/or cleans up the mess made
2. Loved ones wonder why
a. Even with a suicide note on why there is often something left out and the reason is never really ever uncovered
b. No suicide note = never having closure
i. Speculation only
ii. Renders any act of selflessness useless
1. Committing suicide is selfish and any aid that was given to others makes it useless
VI. Closing up
a. Review what has been discussed
i. Life
ii. Separation of Body and Soul
iii. Religions
iv. VALHALLA
v. Selfishness
b. Where to get help
i. National Suicide Hotline
1. 988
2. 1-800-273-TALK(8255)
ii. Veteran Suicide Hotline
1. 988 Option 1
iii. VetCenter
iv. FreedomSystem.org
v. 22 Until None
vi. Other Veteran Organizations
VII. Next Episode: Episode 10 Friends in Low Places
a. VFW, DAV, American Legion, Marine Corps League, and other fraternal organizations are out there for Veterans. This breakdown of the organizations talks to members and the benefit of the camaraderie that these programs provide. The Common Veterans represent FreedomSystem.org’s martial arts and mountain bike association.
