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Meet Walter “Shade” Burgs, a columnist for the Black Iowa Newspaper
Walter “Shade”)” Burgs, a Black Iowan, is a multifaceted individual who has left a mark in various domains. A decorated combat veteran of Desert Storm, he exemplifies bravery and resilience. As an artist, Shade’s captivating creations offer glimpses into the human experience, while his entrepreneurial spirit as a business owner showcases his commitment to excellence. Living at the intersection of artistry, military service, and entrepreneurship, Shade’s story is one of determination, creativity, and success.
Hey, just a quick heads up, Military recruitment numbers are not down due to “woke” ideology.
Saying that discounts freely available facts proving the exact opposite — the numbers are down for multiple reasons like, A: We went to war over BS during our lifetime. I know. I know. People who have never worn a uniform are going to say that’s not true; however, people who have worn one know for a fact it’s true. We were simultaneously liberating Iraq while searching for fantasy WMDs, while at the same time fighting the great phantom of global terrorism, and if you don’t see the problem with that, it’s probably because you’ve never tried to fight off three people at one time.
B: Our government is not listening to the people they are trying to recruit, You mean to tell me you expect a kid who’s had access to the truth about nearly all American military action, right or wrong or indifferent, since age 12 to magically believe somehow the same people who won’t do anything about guns but provide training for active shooter drills, while banning books from schools and public libraries, and making laws that tell them and/or their friends they can’t be what and who they are, not to mention taking away rights their mothers, aunts and grandmothers had, are worth them risking their life, health, and sanity — especially considering they can see directly how their veteran family members and friends are being treated after making that sacrifice?
C: If we go to war, whose freedom are we fighting for? We legit just ended a 20+ year conflict only for these people to come home to cops with no training, little patience, and even less understanding murdering the same people they just shed enemy blood for over a “failure to comply” or “they felt threatened” or even worse they have “qualified immunity,” which means it doesn’t matter who or what you are or have done for your country, any civilian could murder you too, and nothing will be done. How is that the freedom we made others bleed and die for, and that’s just me pointing three blatantly obvious things out. So no, “woke” is not the problem.
Honestly, I think it’s time I tell the colonists: “That’s not what woke means.”
“Woke is something you have to be every day in this country as a person of color to ensure that you are not cheering on the same group of people who freely murder your people in the name of justice, which you will never truly know or understand or have.”
But that’s a different story for a different time. Historically speaking, immediately after a conflict, recruiting numbers are always low, and this disassociation with the U.S. military is not uncommon, yet we have and will maintain the most lethal and destructive fighting force known to man, by land, by air, by sea, and now even space. If there is one American soldier, the rest of the world has something to fear.
Want to write an opinion piece for Black Iowa Newspaper? Email dana@blackiowanews.com.
This column appeared in the first edition of the Black Iowa Newspaper. It also appeared in New Black Iowa column, which is part of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative.
