Off My Chest! Defending America

 

OFF MY CHEST!
Defending America
By Jim “Gymbeaux” Brown, October 15, 2026

The title of this Nugget is taken from a book Off My Chest, written by Hall of Fame Running Back of the Cleveland Browns, #32 Jim Brown. Sometimes things just need to be said, and October 2026 is such a time. I am aware this Nugget may offend some but frankly I do not care that it is what it is. 

Here are some questions for everyone. Have you been educated on the U. S. Constitution? Have you read the entire copy of the U. S. Constitution? When was the last time you read it? For me, yes, I was taught the Constitution in both Junior High School and in High School in classes labeled as Civics Class. I am not sure our educational system still has Civics Classes; I hope they do. I personally have two copies of the Constitution in my home and yes, I have read them as recently as a year ago even though I have read it before, many times. For anyone interested, you can obtain a FREE downloadable PDF file of the Constitution by going to: https://constitutionus.com/books/us_constitution_pdf/ 

I joined the U. S. Coast Guard in September of 1965. At the time, I was required to take an oath as was everyone who joined any branch of the military and yes, the Coast Guard is a military branch of the U. S. Government. The oath states, and I have underlined and I have underlined the most important part: 

"I, [Name], do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of MilitaryJustice. So help me God." 

Out of curiosity, I located the Oath of Office that members of the U. S. Governments must take AND OFFICIALLY RECORD to become members of congress. Again, I underscored that portion that I consider essential and mandatory as it is for members of the military. The big difference is that members of the military that violate their oath are held accountable through the Military Justice System. There is no such provision for Congressional Members who violate their oaths. 

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God." 

The U.S. Constitution establishes the qualifications for Members of Congress, but it is silent on what those DUTIES or their specific roles are. In the absence of formal constitutional mandates, duties have evolved from institutional rules, member priorities, and constituent expectations. 

Taken from a ChatGPT question: The most authoritative source detailing these roles is CRS Report RL33686, Roles and Duties of a Member of Congress: Brief Overview, published by the Congressional Research Service (Library of Congress). (My comment: Take note of the difference between “duties” as defined in the oath and the following list which is nebulous at best.) This report identifies the core duties as:

·         Legislation: Drafting, introducing, and voting on bills (cited by 87% of House members surveyed).

·         Constituency Service: Helping constituents solve problems with federal agencies (cited by 79%).

·         Representation: Advocating district interests and national issues.

·         Oversight and Investigation: Monitoring executive branch implementation of laws.

·         Electoral Activities: Fundraising and campaigning for re-election.

Additionally, House and Senate rules formally require Members to be present and vote on each question placed before their chamber. 

With the mid-term elections fast approaching, I thought that others might like to know my thought process in selecting a person for which I would vote. The following is non-negotiable for me and disqualifies any candidate for my vote. Do they support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. 

Greg Gutfeld, considered by most as a comedian and by others as someone who also routinely demonstrates unique and meaningful insights on a great many subjects, made the following analogy in regard to the Michigan U. S. Senate Race between Mike Rogers for the Republican side and Abdul El-Sayed for the Democrat side. He identified Rogers as being boring, dependable and we know what he stands for and what he does not stand for. As for his opponent Sayed, not so much except that he has aligned himself with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and has questionable ties to The Muslim Brotherhood, an organization declared by many as a terrorist group. Gutfeld then asked a simple question. You are about to board a 747 airplane. You must choose between having Rogers as your pilot or Sayed as your pilot. Which one would YOU choose? The answer should be obvious but for millions they prefer to look the other way and disregard some disturbing facts about Sayed based on his questionable history and what he has said and later reversed as compared to Rogers who has held the line on what he has said on policies and who is well known for his history. 

That takes me to the questions I ask myself about political candidates. The most important one to me is: Is THIS candidate (whoever that may be) a candidate that I BELIEVE would support and defend the U. S. Constitution, a document that I personally believe to be one of the best documents ever written except for the bible. Would this candidate be prepared to die to defend the Constitution as Military Members are all aware of. During a personal interview by a Board of Officers, I was asked, “Are you ready to die for your country?”  I dare say that I doubt any candidate for Congress was ever asked such a question but should be asked! 

Other questions I would like to know the answers to are where a candidate stands on: 

Are you prepared in your defense of the U. S. Constitution to kill anyone. both domestic and foreign, that threatens the U. S. Constitution like military members are?

Are you prepared to die in your defense of the U. S. Constitution if ever required to do so?

Do you hold a Dual Citizenship and if so, with what other country(s) and why?

Do you support that ONLY U. S. Citizens can vote in Federal Elections?

If so, do you support that voters show a photo ID and proof of citizenship when registering to vote?

Do you support the Second Amendment and realize it was written to protect citizens from a government that turns tyrannically against them, meaning people like you if you become an elected government member of Congress?

Do you support unrestricted abortions?

SPECIAL NOTE: Most politicians, regardless of party affiliation, are like chameleons, in that have the ability to change their colors to match their environment for protection. Politicians will say whatever they believe the listener wants to hear and that will garner them the votes they seek. Then, once in office they change to act in the manor THEY want rather than what their VOTERS WANT! 

I joined the Coast Guard with ZERO experience on using a firearm of any type. In a matter of weeks, I qualified as a sharpshooter on both the M1 rifle and on the 45-caliber pistol. There was no question in my mind that becoming proficient using these firearms was NOT for the purpose of hunting animals for food. We were a military force and the ONLY time those weapons would ever be drawn let alone fired, we understood it would be during the execution of a Coast Guard mission that required someone to be killed. Was I prepared to kill another human being when I was trained up until that day that “Thou shalt NOT kill!” To honestly answer that question, I am not sure that anyone could positively say yes until that moment a decision must be made. Training would suggest that you are. That Ten Commandants did not provide a list of exceptions. I fully understood that it was my duty to “support and defend the Constitution against all enemies DOMESTIC and foreign.”  I have seen more American citizens in 2026 so ready to destroy the existing U. S. Constitution and move towards Socialism, which is nothing but a steppingstone to Communism If that is not an attack on the U. S. Constitution, I do not know what one would look like! Sadly, very sadly, some members of the U. S. Congress are in this group and as of October 2026, they are all Democrats. These people, such as Bernie Sanders, AOC and many others took the oath listed above for members of Congress. Were they serious or did the oath that they swore to have no lasting meaning to them? I must point out that there are NO expiration dates on the oaths the member of congress and members of the military take. I took my oath seriously, still do. Do they? Apparently not! That should be a disqualifying fact for any candidate AND existing members of the U. S. Congress. That one question to me is like choosing between Rogers and Sayed to fly the 747 that I am about to board. The answer is obvious or it should be to everyone. 

I never thought in my decades on this planet that I would ever have to consider defending the U. S. Constitution that is being attacked by American citizens or from a “domestic enemy,” NEVER! That is where America IS in 2026 when millions of Americans ARE prepared to shitcan the Constitution in favor of converting to Socialism, a governmental system that has failed every time it has been tried! EVERY TIME! Same goes for Communism. Supporters of people like Sayed in Michigan, Talarico in Texas, Nixon in Florida, and Congressional members like AOC and Bernie Sanders, ESPECIALLY THE YOUNGER SUPPORTERS, have never witnessed what happens to the average citizen of countries that use the Socialism system of government. Yes, they are ignorant of the ramifications of such a government and that attitude and belief points directly to our educational system in America. They know not of what they have in the palms of their hands and are willing to exchange that for a tyrannical government that dictates every aspect of their lives. 

I am in the Winter of my life, why should I care what happens to America? It is very simple, not only did I take a life-time oath to defend America, but I also have four children, eleven grandchildren and four great grandchildren, so far. I care for what happens to them. I do NOT want Socialism or Communism to touch any of them! You may not feel the same as I do but you will if those who seek to destroy America as we have come to know, and understand it, are successful in the move towards Socialism. 

You can no longer sit on the fence, you will have to pick a side because this is no longer a battle between Left and Right, Democrat and Republican, this is a battle between Freedom and Tyranny.

 

I chose FREEDOM!

How about YOU?