Thursday, October 24, 2013

A message to the FOCKs: What a real mea culpa actually looks like.

Confíteor Deo omnipoténti
et vobis, fratres,
quia peccávi nimis
cogitatióne, verbo,
ópere et omissióne:
mea culpa, mea culpa,
mea máxima culpa.
("I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault." -- The Catholic Confiteor.)
The FOCKs (Friends of Christian Kerodin) are, with varying degrees of ignorance and malice, making much of the fact that I am an ex-communist. (See comments to Red Dot Arms offers a Three Percent upper.)
For example, Anonymous said:
"Kerodin may have stole, but you were a communist. Not only that, you were in the INNER CIRCLE!!! How much worse does it get? Kerodin could have stolen $1 from 10 million people and what you did was 10 times worse. How can we trust that you are a patriot? Because you give a few speeches? Oh, yea, i'm convinced. You may very well be a commie double agent."
"Cavmedic68w" sez, quoting me:
"Advocates of the murder of innocents do not, in my opinion, constitute the Three Percent principles that I laid out originally."
Really, I find that comment extemely ironic.
The last time I checked, the forces of Marx, Lenin, Stalin and Mao(and those wishing to fill their shoes) not only advocated the same, but joyfully performed that slaughter throughout the entire 20th century.
By the way, you wholeheartedly rolled with those collectivists once upop a time.
Did you not?
It is as if they have discovered a great dark secret of mine that I have been trying to hide. Of course, I have NEVER made a secret of what I refer to as my "Benedict Arnold period." (Note my talk on "Intentions of the Enemy" in the upper right corner of Sipsey Street.) In fact my previous service to the dark side informs and motivates me to fight for the Founders' Republic. Early on at Sipsey Street I tried to explain this and my journey into the light with A Missed Anniversary: "Vous les Americains Sont Pires que les Francais."
Among other things, I wrote:
The memories always hang heavy on my heart. This is not merely because it was hardly my country's finest hour, but because I bear personal guilt for it. You see, as the NVA gradually overran South Vietnam and the Khmer Rouge overran Cambodia, I cheered the fall of every province, marking them on a map. This was during my Benedict Arnold period, when I was a communist and an avowed enemy of the constitutional republic of the United States. As a member first of the peacenik anti-war movement which I joined in 1967, then later the Students for Democratic Society, the Young Socialist Alliance, the Socialist Workers Party, the Workers Action Movement and finally the Maoist Progressive Labor Party, I had demonstrated, leafleted, marched, rioted, been tear gassed, billy clubbed and briefly, arrested (but later released without charges), eight years of street-level radicalism, all with an eye toward this day. . .
So when Cambodia and South Vietnam fell, I was one of the happiest traitorous bastards around. I just hoped "the Revolution" would start here in my lifetime. Yeah, I was that stupid. I suppose I would have continued on being terminally stupid until I became stupidly dead, if it hadn't been for a kindly old ex-Wehrmacht surgeon named Richter who, at the end of his life, decided to wrestle the devil for my soul. . .

I once did a radio show with Dr. Russ Fine, who then had the evening call-in show on a certain station here in Birmingham. David Horowitz' book Radical Son had just come out, about his conversion from being a red diaper baby into a real American. David was pimping his book and Russ was happy to talk about it and to have someone experienced from that period of history to chat with Horowitz as someone with similar background.
After exchanging bona fides about the extent of our previous sins, I asked him the question that had, since my encounter with Herr Doktor Richter, most preyed on my own mind:
"David," I asked, "do you ever feel Benedict Arnold looking over your shoulder?" He was quiet for a moment, you could hear the slight crackle of that long phone line to California. Then he said, slowly, solemnly, "Yes."
"But if you're like me, you'll never get caught on the wrong side of your faith or the Constitution again, will you?"
"No," he replied firmly, "I won't."
And believe me, there is no greater anti-communist than an ex-communist. We know all the lies, first hand.
We also know that we can't go back.
We have burned our bridges and will live or die on the ground we have chosen. Of course twelve-step ex-leftists like Horowitz and me aren't brave at all compared to the Kit Carsons, nor did we recant in the expectation that we were joining a losing side like George Orwell or Whittaker Chambers. THOSE guys changed sides in the belief that while it was the right thing to do, they were probably joining a losing cause. Both were under the impression that either Sovietism or fascism was going to win in the end. But still they denounced the lies and stood on the truth, expecting death at the wall or in a ditch rather than reward. . .
And one other thing. As near as I can tell without a god-like glimpse into other men's souls we are all, we ex-communists, motivated by guilt at what we did in the name of totalitarianism. This guilt we must expunge by our every action for the rest of our lives. We cannot backslide, we cannot be fooled, or fool ourselves, into believing the lies ever again. . .
And I spoke about the moral agony of recovering your conscience too late:
Do you begin to understand the guilt for someone who has recovered his conscience too late? The blood of Khy Hak's family is on my hands, just as the blood of Russian kulaks was on Whittaker Chambers' hands. When you recover your conscience, the only thing you can do is make sure, to the best of your ability, that it never happens again.
We do not choose the circumstances of the world we live in, yet we must react as best we can to its challenges. For me, I have no choice. I must continue to walk along the path Herr Doktor Richter showed me more than thirty years ago in that hospital room on Nine East. My fate was set, and my Master selected, when I turned my face from pagan collectivist evil under the patient tutelage of a wise, slight-statured old man with a perpetual smile and white hair.
I can never and will never go back.
So when somebody whispers in your ear, "Well, you can't trust him, he used to be a communist," think twice. For he may be the only one who sees clearly enough to point your way through the minefield of bad choices that collectivism -- any and all collectivism -- represents.
And when I cross over to that place my Master has chosen for me, I can only hope Khy Hak is there, so I can finally beg his forgiveness for the sins of my youth. Until then, I will think of him and the millions like him every April, when spring reminds me of my guilty complicity in collectivist mass murder.
That is the reality I live with every day and what I have never been shy about sharing. Whether I am sincere or not, I leave that to you, gentle readers. I know that I've spent the last decades trying to atone for that sin. I also know that I have seen no such self-reflection on the part of Kerodin, who is no mere thief as Anonymous characterized him, but an unrepentant extortionist. Kerodin's main problem seems to be that he got caught and it's all your fault for pointing that out. And to this day he still specializes in threatening people if they don't genuflect before his altar.
But to all you FOCKs I will confess: Yes, you got me, I'm an ex-communist. And your point is?
NOTE: The comments on this post are now closed, awaiting further developments.

31 comments:

Dakota said...

There were many millions of us deceived in those years Mike. I graduated H S in 1972 from a small farming community in Dakota Territory and I was convinced we had no business in Vietnam. I identified myself as Democrat ( I had never even heard the term "liberal") I was a part of the hippie, antiwar, movement. My parents were strong Democrats and I was following in their footsteps.

My first wake up call was the American Agriculture Movement and a retired Colonel who gave a speech that I listened to over and over and I started reading. Of course the internet was not invented yet so information was hard to get. I had changed enough to vote for Ronald Reagan for his first term.

I want to publicly thank David Horowitz for writing "Radical Son" which brought me over the edge into the world of Conservatism, love of Country, and eventually being saved, which came later.

The worst part of it the utter betrayal that I felt for living a lie in the 60's and 70's, a lie brought about by devout communists who were behind all the B S of that era. Hanoi Jane, Tom Hayden, and all the rest of you can rot in hell. I also can never go back. I did not leave the Democrat party, it left me and I could never be associated with those child killing,commie bastards again.

I will always trust you Mike, I have known you for a long time and I know what is in your soul.

Bear said...

(Nota bene: I never did identify as a communist. The closest I came as a teen was, having studied the subject, conceding that "pure" communism had some positive aspects. But having the USSR and China as the main real world examples of applied communism (of whatever proprietary brand), I couldn't get past the question of how it could be accomplished on any larger scale than a family or small town without turning nearly everyone into slaves.)

So... Knowing first hand that it has some attraction, I can understand why a young person might fall for it. For a while. The real test is if they can learn from their own experience and reject their mistake. (And, depending on what they did to push it, even atone.)

From what I've seen, you did learn, and your actions since look a lot like atonement. Good enough. If we can expect convicted felons -- murderers, rapists, or thieves who survive their foray into crime -- to rehabilitate and rejoin honest society, why not communists?

What disturbs me about Kerodin is something that I saw even before I knew about his felonious past: A certain lack of honesty in taking credit for other people's work. When I learned about his background in fraud, that seemed consistent with what I observed of his current actions. In short, he does not appear to have learned from and rejected his shady background, nor has he -- apparently -- atoned.

Mike gives the appearance of working to overcome his past (successfully, in my opinion). Kerodin gives the impression of embracing his; if that is incorrect, then he really needs to work on his presentation. As a USAF NCO, I was expected to avoid even the appearance of conflicts of interest and wrongdoing. Kerodin, having an unfortunate history, needs to try even harder to avoid unfortunate appearances.

ApoloDoc said...

Mike, your work speaks for your heart, as does that of every man. Many years ago the greatest religious terrorist of his time was a man named Saul. He (quite literally) saw the light and his heart was changed. And so it is for all of us who are awakened to the Light.

Darkness still prevails in this world, but we know Who wins. Continue in your calling and leave he outcome to God.

Personally I am grateful for your continued service to the cause of righteousness and am honored to be able to support your efforts.

Anonymous said...

I've been knowing Mike for at least 20 years and I knew even then that he had firmly denounced communism and had taken up the Constitution. Otherwise, I wouldn't have had anything to do with him.

Whereas, Obama is still an avowed Marxist who attempts to destroy our country with his every thought and deed. I only hope we can stop the damned democrats and other collectivist bastards at the ballot box instead of having to defend our liberty by other means.

Even though you don't like some Republicans, we MUST change the balance of power in the Senate by getting out the vote for EVERY Republican, even if you don't like his/her views on some issues.

- Old Greybeard

Anonymous said...

I wouldn't let it bother you Mike, as the real battle has ALWAYS been between individuals and collectivists. Now these guys would all agree with that until I point out that those that believe in democracy are collectivists also. The only true gov for individuals is NO gov. The US is not even a country but an empire. It was not designed that way but it morphed fairly damn quickly. Funny, the same model is still in use in Switzerland. So, what we have here are apples complaining about apples being apples. Even after saying all this I still find much worth in what you write and will continue to follow you.

Ed said...

That is an embellished, PC translation.

"...Et vobis, fratres" is "and to you, brothers". There is no possessive "my". There is no "sisters".

What's next?

"This story shall the good man or woman teach his or her son or daughter;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered-
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers and sisters;
For he and she to-day that sheds his or her blood with me
Shall be my brother or sister; be he or she ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his or her condition;
And gentlemen and ladies in England now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,
And hold their manhoods and womanhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day."
-with apologies to W. Shakespeare and his play, "Henry V"

Sean said...

I marched with you in Temple, Mike, and you know I don't care about your past, because your here and now shows you to be a different person. I've not been an angel in the past either, so I figure the same grace you received, turning from your sins, saved me the same way, making us brothers who live under the same sky, equal, and humbled. "Ye shall know them by their fruits". And by the way, I'm proud of you. Few men will attempt what you do, and fewer still, who are crippled, diseased, and less than prosperous. The mark of a Man, is what he does when the chips are down, not when he's in them.

Anonymous said...

Don't let the bastards get you down, Mike.

--Jimmy

AmericanBTGoG said...

Mike, there are a lot more of the "God That Failed" types out here than anyone could imagine. My Kronstadt moment was 9/11/01; a bit later than many.

"A chicken in every pot,
An icepick in every..."

"Who's the leader,
Of the cult
Of personality...."

(if you know what I mean, and I think you do).

Keep on keepin' on, sir. nd don't let the bastards grind you down.

Anonymous said...

My FOCK experience:

I publicly asked for evidence of certain claims "Kerodin" has made on his blog; the 2 charities he started, the felon retraining program he started, the 527 groups he founded, his book tour, and so on.

"Kerodin" responded as expected, by refusing to provide any evidence and accusing me of being your homosexual lover, but the FOCK response was amazing.

The FOCKs learned I was a former prosecutor and they went into melt down. The summary of their online vitriol: My past means I lack the holiness necessary to question the glorious accomplishments of "Kerodin."

The thread of FOCK posts against me for being a former prosecutor would be hilarious if not for the fact it was generated to obfuscate the effort of a convicted extortionist to raise money from the public.

Anonymous said...

"Let he who is free from sin cast the first stone"

Anonymous said...

"Unrepentant" is the key word there re: K. At the age of 36 he BS his way into convincing others he was a security expert with 20 years of experience (which dates back to the time he was 16 years old) and wrote an expose about mall security for the purpose of generating money and attention for himself. Clearly, we wants to be be seen as someone better than he really is in life so he puts on a convincing act to fill the role he wants to portray. For a while he had an interest in playing the part of a security expert and then a publisher among other things. Now he's playing the part of a Patriot and taking the role to the extreme. When the initial III audience here at SS weren't impressed with his acting he simply left to perform the same act elsewhere. Ideally, he'd like everyone to get along, see him as top dog, and send him checks. It's not quite working out the way he'd like so I suspect he'll soon tire of this role and move on to something else.

He claims the system is wrong in defining what he did as extortion, but he does not believe he was trying to extort people. He may have plead guilty because it was the easiest way out, but he'll never admit he was caught trying to bilk people out of their money by tapping into their post-9/11 fears. Since he believes he was wrongly convicted for innocent behavior he cannot bring himself to experience the life-changing lesson or rehabilitation his incarceration was intended to produce. In other words, he hasn't changed a bit.

M is a former communist, something he openly admits and humbly accepts the fact he was wrong for years. K is a convicted extortionist, but only because of an incorrect perception held by others. There is a big difference between the two mindsets of M & K.

Let the Fockers hate, we really don't care anymore.

Anonymous said...

My comment was not posted as a "gotcha" moment!
It's focus is on your ridiculous, irony regarding your dislike, disagreement, distrust and unending personal attacks on Kerodin(and those like him) based on his tactical "advocacy" and legal history.
Whereas, you did not pause, or hesitate, to become a tactical foot soldier with a political force that are personally responsible for a large percentage of innocents slaughtered in the 20th. century.
Moreover, much of this murderous slaughter was known publicly(worldwide) before you actively joined their ranks.
Yes, I agree, with a heavy heart, it is in your past.
Also, with a heavy heart, I acknowledge that this BULLSHIT needs to end on all fronts.
It's because of this, along with many other factors, we are losing, losing, losing badly.
Losing to the forces led by those who could not competently lead a stream of PISS into a toilet; let alone actually appear on the field of battle with their minions.

Apologies if this was posted twice.

Anonymous said...

Mike, people always remember what you were not who you are now!

I was a bad man who destroyed his family by committing adultery and lying and cheating but God has forgive me. Do not let them get to you. All things are new in Christ.
I am on your side.

RustyGunner said...

Re: Cavemedic68w @ 11:53:

Apparently, Communist Cooties are forever.

Bill Ford III said...

cavmedic68w has hit the nail on the proverbial head. It is this idiocy and division within the III that needs to stop. I absolutely also agree that this type of assinine BS is why our enemies are winning. All of the idiocy, divisiveness, distrust and childishness needs to end NOW. I stated in the other "thread". We all have a "past", none of us are without fault.

As Anonymous at October 24, 2013 at 10:33 AM so eloquently quoted; "Let he who is free from sin cast the first stone".

Anonymous said...

So you were a communist once. Big deal. So Kerodin is a convicted felon. Again big deal. We don't have time to waste with the silliness. They want to post douche bag comments, let them. No matter how much crap they want to fling from their cages doesn't negate the fact they are reading your blog, and benefiting your keystrokes for the cause of Liberty. You Sir lack the time and energy to be waste on them. Move forward.

Anonymous said...

Rusty Gunner: Are you to tell me that douche nozzle extortionist cooties rub off because the particular nozzle says he ain't that particular brand of douche nozzle? Come on man, not even you believe that, right?

Bill Ford III said...

"So you were a communist once. Big deal. So Kerodin is a convicted felon. Again big deal. We don't have time to waste with the silliness"

This is/was all that was required to state, the rest only distracts and tends to add to the "silliness" you derided at the beginning of the comment.

ALL OF THE IDIOCY, DISTRACTIONS, DIVISIVENESS AND BS NEEDS TO END NOW.

I don't believe the common enemy needs our help, they have gained enough ground on their own.

Anonymous said...

Mike-

Sometimes it is those who have been to "the other side" who are able to see it the most clearly. Sometimes the people who have not been there start to resemble that which they set out to fight.

Not everyone has the luxury of being set in their convictions from the cradle- and I am convinced that this is a good thing.

Not that it matters, but I know where you are coming from in many ways. In the end, we -individually- are our own worst enemy. I know what you speak of when you talk if moral anguish. Not everyone is capable of that; even fewer would share that publicly.

I thank you for your work, and for pulling me to my feet years ago.

Anonymous said...

"Anonymous said...
Mike, people always remember what you were not who you are now!"
The same "sin" which you, Mike and many others are extremely guilty of now.
Without question, I would prefer to be publicly known as a "felon" for that same "crime," than to be known as a former foot soldier for those who not only "advocated," but enthusiasticly practiced the slaughter they preached.
Doing so, for the betterment of man and beast.
It was for the children, don't you know.

The Trainer said...

@ Bill Ford III:

Exactly right.

Anonymous said...

People fighting over some internet based BS 'blog war' and who gets to make money using the roman numeral 3 (III).

Ha! And these are the people who are going to 'restore the republic'?

Hardly.

Anonymous said...

Personally, I appreciate your insight in exposing collectivism and its threat to our lives and liberties. Please keep doing what you are doing, for as long as you can. Your site contains information available nowhere else. You are a brave soul. Your heart is in the right place.

Mt Top Patriot said...

The beloved Andrew Brietbart came over from the dark side too.
He too understood like very few what evil resides in the hearts of tyrants.

For somebody who can't be trusted Mike as a patriotic American, why is your axiom of the 3 percent and Nyburg claimed as banner of your accusers?

Rather ironic there.

Dutchman6 said...

Ford, you are wrongly assuming again that Kerodin is a genuine Three Percenter. He is rather a One Percenter. Tie your flank to him in a crisis and you'll get what you ask for. "Unity" is the cry of people who are fearful we are so weak that we need such allies. We don't. (Suggested reading Orwell's Homage to Catalonia.) For myself, I'll take Gideon's (and the Founders') Three Percent.

What I suggest if you FOCKers don't like me dissing Kerodin is to:

a. Don't come to Sipsey Street and draw my attention to him with sycophantic, belligerent posts. I will be happy to go back to ignoring him. And,

b. Talk your Dear Leader into ceasing to bully everybody who uses the Roman numeral III. He stole it in the first place and you can make any how-many-trademarks-can-dance-on-the-head-of-a-pin arguments you want but ask yourself how the liberty movement is served by such conduct. Personally, I can think of nothing better than to be sued by the prick, where his testimony under oath and his skittish visage can be documented.

Of course, Kerodin won't stop bullying, blustering and threatening because that is what he is and what he does. Snakes bite, dogs bark, Kerodin bullies. It is his default mode.

Vanderboegh
III
(Sue that.)

Dutchman6 said...

PS: I can't wait for the greedy bastard to sue Bob Wright and Gayle Nyberg for the III on the Nyberg flag. Now THAT will be something to watch.

Rhodes said...

Well since we seem to be baring our souls here:
I was never a commie, I came from the other direction, one of believing the State propaganda. I was a patriotic son.
Then I found out through of course the Anti-War folks things were not what I had been taught and told. That the entire premise of the war was a lie. All that misery just to feed the ego of the State.
Lesson learned, the Left is not the only bunch of collectivists, they all feed in the same pig sty.
Though I didn't know it at the time I had just became a libertarian.

When both sides hate you it is a sure thing the right path has been set upon.

As for K, well that is no concern of mine as I am much more difficult to fool than I when I was young.

Anonymous said...

Well...Mike a little bird says that Kerodin will be back inside the wall in your lifetime. The laundry list of charges ran to...we'll just say A LOT. Even being an FBI rat can't protect him OR B.N. from this..It looks like he pissed off someone A way up the food chain this time. I wonder if Mrs.K will rat him out to stay out of the FCI

Bill Ford III said...



Mr Vanderboegh,

You accuse me, by name, "Ford", of being belligerent and also being a sycophant. I respectfully disagree with you. IMHO, once again, respectfully, I claim to be neither, I remain very polite and civil in "responses/comments",and I certainly bend knee to no man nor lick their boots.

I do admit that there are times when I may/do respond in kind to what I perceive as personal "attacks"; name calling and other such idiocy, as opposed to responding to what has been stated by me. Everyone has their limits on patience.

Dutchman6 said...

Mr. Ford, you will note that contrary to your complaining email, I did indeed post your comments. I cannot release comments if I am away from the computer most of the day. As for being a sycophant, just why was it that you felt it necessary to come to Sipsey Street to defend your Dear Leader's bullying in the first place? Who directed you this way, sir?

I am cutting off any further comments to this post effective immediately, including some in the stack critical of you, Kerodin and the FOCKers.

It has come to my attention that the Kerodin problem may sort itself out shortly in a way that has nothing to do with me. This is as I predicted. Criminal behavior is often a pattern. The more desperate they get, the more they go to default mode.