Quote:
Originally Posted by uke_master
@browser, would you like to share a bit about yourself and your politics ITT? A lot of us know each other very well over years, but we don't know you!
Sure. My politics are independent. I've voted in 12 presidential elections (not 12 times in one presidential election); 6 times for the republican and 6 times for the democrat (intermixed, not 6 of one then 6 of the other). Strangely, recent events have brought to the forefront topics that I had some experience in but never thought I would use again, esp in routine conversations. The first is when covid hit, and suddenly people are talking about virus spread and vaccines, something I left behind long ago when I earned my bachelors degree in Bacteriology and Public Health. Who knew the day would come when everyone could master those subjects by reading a website chat group for 30 mnutes?
But after college I attended the US Army Airborne and Ranger Schools, and decided jumping out of airplanes and shooting at things was more fun than looking through a microscope. Being indecisive, it took me 22 years to decide not to make it a career. I have a special interest in studying influence operations, as I commanded a PSYOP Battalion and was the Deputy Commander of the PSYOP Group. So I find it fascinating how openly mis and disinformation operations are utilized today, and the amount of media coverage there is. I've planned and conducted influence operations around the world, but those were times when stuff like that just wasn't talked about much. So I know propaganda when I see it, because I used to make it. That's surprisingly useful in today's political world (and even as a forum mod).
After the Army I did a variety of things, including running a repo company, (it's satisfying helping people get back on their feet); being the COO of a software company; and lastly being a poker dealer.
Like most military officers of my time, I was pretty apolitical. In many ways it didn't really matter which party was in control, as both parties had people along the spectrum that tended to balance things out. But today is a very different situation. None of us who took the oath to support and defend the Constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic, back then could ever imagine an actual domestic threat. No one even considered it a possibility. Man has that changed.
So I think we will all face some defining moments for our government and our society in the near future. The sides are moving farther and farther apart, and the traditional guardrails are breaking down. I think having a place on this website to be able to thoroughly examine and discuss these issues is valuable. That's why I decided to get involved with this forum. I hope it can function as a place where people from both sides can get out of their info bubbles for a time and be exposed to what and why the other side thinks.
In a nice way, of course.
So there it is. More about me than anyone cares to know.