Why I Judge People by the Content of their Character not the Color of their skin

“Security from domestic violence, no less than from foreign aggression, is the most elementary and fundamental purpose of any government, and a government that cannot fulfill that purpose is one that cannot long command the loyalty of its citizens. History shows us – demonstrates that nothing – nothing prepares the way for tyranny more than the failure of public officials to keep the streets from bullies and marauders.” – Senator Barry Goldwater, R-AZ

I grew up in a mixed race neighborhood in the county of Florissant, just north of St. Louis, Missouri. I grew up during the 1950s and 1960s, what was known as the “age of innocence.” It was after WWII and the Korean War that my beliefs were cemented for ever by my father and mother. My father was a veteran of WWII. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps and left service as a Staff Sergeant.

I grew up watching, on a black and white television, President John F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. give speeches that inspired me in my youth and gave me the values that I hold to this very day.

I grew up knowing that one’s character, morals and values are what are most important. Not the color of one’s skin. I learned that during my 23-year career as a U.S. Army officer to recognize men and women of character. As an officer my character was always tested.

I served with men and women of all ethnicities. But we were all soldiers. We were men and women of character. As Shakespeare wrote in his play Henry V, “From this day to the ending of the world, But we in it shall be rememberèd—We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he today that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile.”

Those I served with will for ever be my band of brothers and sisters in arms.

I served during the Tet Offensive of 1968 with the 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam. I had the honor of being in combat with the finest airborne infantry soldiers in both Alpha Company and Delta Company of the 2nd Battalion, 501st (Airborne) Infantry Regiment, many of who’s heritage were minority cultures.

One of them was Clifford Chester Sims who was in Company D, 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. On February 21st, 1968 he was serving as a Staff Sergeant. On that day, during an engagement with enemy forces near Huế in the Republic of Vietnam, Sims threw himself onto a triggered booby-trap device. He was killed in the ensuing explosion, but was successful in protecting the members of his infantry squad. I attended a reunion of Delta Company at Fort Benning, Georgia. I had the great honor of meeting  the wife of Staff Sergeant Sims at the reunion. She was loved by one and all.

Here’s a picture of Mrs. Sims receiving the Medal of Honor from Vice President Spiro Agnew.

Here is the Citation:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. S/Sgt. Sims distinguished himself while serving as a squad leader with Company D. Company D was assaulting a heavily fortified enemy position concealed within a dense wooded area when it encountered strong enemy defensive fire. Once within the woodline, S/Sgt. Sims led his squad in a furious attack against an enemy force which had pinned down the 1st Platoon and threatened to overrun it. His skillful leadership provided the platoon with freedom of movement and enabled it to regain the initiative. S/Sgt. Sims was then ordered to move his squad to a position where he could provide covering fire for the company command group and to link up with the 3rd Platoon, which was under heavy enemy pressure. After moving no more than 30 meters S/Sgt. Sims noticed that a brick structure in which ammunition was stocked was on fire. Realizing the danger, S/Sgt. Sims took immediate action to move his squad from this position. Though in the process of leaving the area 2 members of his squad were injured by the subsequent explosion of the ammunition, S/Sgt. Sims’ prompt actions undoubtedly prevented more serious casualties from occurring. While continuing through the dense woods amidst heavy enemy fire, S/Sgt. Sims and his squad were approaching a bunker when they heard the unmistakable noise of a concealed booby trap being triggered immediately to their front. S/Sgt. Sims warned his comrades of the danger and unhesitatingly hurled himself upon the device as it exploded, taking the full impact of the blast. In so protecting his fellow soldiers, he willingly sacrificed his life. S/Sgt. Sims’ extraordinary heroism at the cost of his life is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself and the U.S. Army.

Soldiers don’t see color, they only see their fellow soldiers

Soldiers depend on the soldiers in front of them, behind them and to their left and right to defend and protect them. If you’re in combat this becomes your solemn duty. To have one another’s backs.

As I woke up this morning I read the following post on Twitter:

Just met a high school student. She has a 4.3 GPA in the state of Tennessee and cannot get a full-ride (and in some cases—even accepted) to the top schools because she is white.

I just do not understand what our country is becoming.

— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) November 24, 2021

I found it ironic that a black woman, Candace Owens, has to publicly defend a young white woman’s right to be judged by her academic credentials and not by the color of her skin.

I too wonder what our country is becoming.

In my lifetime as a career U.S. Army officer I have witnessed those who have done violence against Americans both domestically and abroad. They do violence and create mayhem in a cause that they believe is just. When I and my family were stationed in Germany in the early 1970s we had two groups that targeted the U.S. military and innocent civilians. They were the Baader-Meinhof Gang/Red Army Faction (RAF) and Black September/Abu Nidal Organization (ANO) that attacked, kidnapped and then killed 18 Israeli Olympic athletes and one German police officer in Munich in 1972.

Today I keep hearing the word “supremist” being tossed about by individuals, organizations and politicians. These individuals and groups are not afraid to use violence against those that they label supremacists to make their point. They are not afraid to use government entities, like the IRS, FBI, DOJ, OSHA, FDA, to reek havoc upon those “supremacists” who disagree with them and their ideologies.

Bottom Line

Today we are seeing convicted felons, rapists and pedophiles, some who are black, idolized and worshiped. Here’s just one example:

Catholic University Hangs Painting Depicting George Floyd as Jesus Christ

Most recently I have been dismayed by how whites are being attacked for being born white. I graduated from Ferguson/Florissant later McCluer High School. It was in Ferguson, Missouri that the first riots occurred.

Dr. Mary Grabar in an August 23rd, 2014 article titled “The Ferguson Riots and Lessons from 1964” wrote:

It’s a sad day when the first day of school is delayed a week because of rioting, as it has been in Ferguson, Missouri.  Teachers, instead of being in classrooms teaching, have been getting “crisis training.” Those who have irresponsibly been quick to judge in the case of the shooting of Michael Brown by a police officer without all the facts have only added fuel to the fire.  This is the case in the lessons about Ferguson that have been prepared, free for teachers to download.

They follow the numerous lessons already fashioned out of the Trayvon Martin case (such as one by PBS called “Debating Race, Justice and Policy in the Case of Trayvon Martin”), with the focus on race and social justice, instead of real justice–as in the jury system, evaluation of evidence, etc.

Today the police, and law enforcement officers at every level, are being attacked. But we knew this was coming.  The FBI said so in a 2017 report on Black Identity Extremists:

Black Lives Matter/Black Identity Extremists (BLM/BIE). In an August 3rd, 2017 FBI reported titled “Black Identity Extremists Likely Motivated to Target Law Enforcement Officers” concluded, “The FBI assesses it is very likely that BIEs’ perceptions of unjust treatment of African Americans and the perceived unchallenged illegitimate actions of law enforcement will inspire premeditated attacks against law enforcement over the next year. This may also lead to an increase in BIE group memberships, collaboration among BIE groups, or the appearance of additional violent lone offenders motivated by BIE rhetoric. The FBI further assesses it is very likely additional controversial police shootings of African Americans and the associated legal proceedings will continue to serve as drivers for violence against law enforcement. The FBI assesses it is likely police officers of minority groups are also targeted by BIEs because they are also representative of a perceived oppressive law enforcement system.”

It was BLM that pushed the idea of defunding the police to create anarchy. Blacks are no longer oppressed they have now fundamentally transformed themselves into black supremacists.

This isn’t about race at all. It is about shifting power from one political party to another. The hammer used is race but the outcome is tyranny.

As George Orwell wrote in his dystopian novel 1984, “Power is not a means; it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship. The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now do you begin to understand me?”

The terrorism, oppression, torture and murders against any American is all about taking and keeping power. An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us.

We must not focus on race and social justice but rather focus on real justice–as in the jury system. If we fail to do so we are lost as a nation.

Remember free people are not equal and equal people are not free. History tells us so.

Now do you understand me?

I want to be judged by the content of my character not the color of my skin. Don’t you want the same thing?

©Dr. Rich Swier. All rights reserved.

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