Benign Credulity
this is what losing looks like
In the summer of 2013, as a federal intelligence analyst I went to a Chicagoland ICE HSI office and met with the SAC for a meet and greet regarding a possible transfer from my role in CBP to whatever was available in the Chicagoland area. I had been in DHS for almost a year and had 12 years of operating experience via Marine Corps intelligence (3x deployments to Iraq from 2004-2008) and as an intelligence contractor supporting special operations in Afghanistan (3x deployments from 2010-2012). I was also a native—having been raised in Chicago’s south suburbs, I recognized Drury Lane from an elementary field trip as I pulled up to the field office (just 5.1 mile drive from the Broadview Complex currently being sieged). I wasn’t expecting much, but I gave it the due attempt.
The SAC was a good dude. He didn’t like the Obama-era policies which were hamstringing deportations and investigations as well as the never-ending barrage of field policies from the executive machine. We shared frustrations of loopholes, talked about solutions, etc and basically measured each other up in a “I’m more right wing coded than you are” kind of way. I toured the facility, checked out his operational equipment and kit, and was tested on other operational mannerisms. Generally, he liked me and thought I could be a good fit.
“Got no room for you though, man, I’m sorry. Obama admin just isn’t letting us bring in more people.” It’s a response I was expecting so I said no worries and inquired about a waiting list or how else I could help myself.
“Actually, you’d be waiting behind Peanut Tillman (Chicago Bears starting cornerback)” he beamed. Fuck that, he gloated. “Yeah he’s been wanting to become a federal agent after he retires and we’re all kind of excited to have him on-board”. Peanut Tillman graduated from University of Louisiana-Lafayette in 2003 after majoring in Criminal Justice. After college, he was drafted in the 2nd by the Chicago Bears in 2003.
Peanut Tillman didn’t retire until the summer of 2016, some three years later
Peanut Tillman didn’t join HSI, he joined the FBI
Here’s the fucking kicker: Peanut Tillman recently retired from federal service because he didn’t want to partake in deportation operations. Just chew on that for a moment before you move on.
I consistently argue the most significant positions of power Americans, and I mean Americans, need to be in are in the executive branch. From the president down to the GS-5, if you don’t have Americans who are America First (and America Only), you’re giving up power. Now, the ICE HSI SAC I met was at minimum a conservative. He wanted to deport aliens. He wanted to do investigations. He was in the executive and wanted to do the things that we want the executive to be doing. Yet, the thought of having an NFL cornerback, who has zero experience, on his roster made him excited.
He didn’t know, or refused to realize, Peanut Tillman would inevitably be sympathetic to foreigners. 100% ngmi
This office was one among dozens through the U.S., and the nature of government service (specifically leadership) attracts a few different types but essentially boiled down to two types: survivalists, idealists. If this guy was all the right wing coded in the bluest of foreign-infested cities and he’s more interested in celebrities than professionals, we’re absolutely fucked and I mean f-u-c-k-e-d FUCKED.
If he doesn’t know how to identify personnel, he doesn’t know how to use power. Government doesn’t move by narratives, it moves by personnel. That’s why I separate the entities of the administration and the executive branch.
Machiavelli specifically in “Discourses”, is right.
Welp, I never got the opportunity to transfer. I ended up staying at CBP and eventually moved to USCIS because I (naively) determined I may be more effective at preventing the fraud and corruption within immigration there. Long story short, I then became:
the first whistleblower about the emergent and novel TTPs of the child trafficking economy during the Biden admin
the first whistleblower to thoroughly demonstrate the asylum-citizenship corruption at the hands of the corrupted elements of USCIS
the first whistleblower to demonstrate the nature, size, and scope of terrorists brought in during the Kabul evacuation
numerous back-channel interactions and dealings to include white paper production for predatory hearings, narrative construction and logic for numerous Congressional hearings, the only citizen-led effort which lead to a Congressional Review Act procedure (federal rule 2013-21168), and many more
(wrongfully) fired, and still fired
This is an issue which needs to be addressed, as I can assure you I am not the only one with a story similar to this. I have better placement and access than you, and the hiring authorities have not changed. The proving ground remains a tool for your enemy as they bolster their numbers and talent into the executive workforce. And yet, I hear people say things like “well God’s plan for you is…” (from Christians, nonetheless) as they yap another western heresy, denying the free will God blessed into each and every one of us. I hear (from “anti-establishment” journalists nonetheless) things like “stop being so negative”. Seriously. Most important election though, right?
I continue to operate in an effective capacity, albeit removed from the executive branch workforce. I have caused and helped cause numerous changes, which sit behind the veil of multiple NDAs and (my personal favorite) you don’t have a need to know. This ICE HSI office in Chicagoland could’ve had me, but instead held out hope for over three years for Peanut fucking Tillman who later went on the quit the FBI because he didn’t want to do deporfuckingtations. I’m good at identifying problems reeeeeally early and identifying/nominating solutions, and even seeing solutions through. I hate sounding arrogant, so I promise this is my confidence speaking and not my ego: done a lot more than most of you in these arenas.
My loss is your loss.
A Segue to the Information Consumers
There is a tack mark in the loss column marked for the conservative movement, which is it thinks it has time. Another loss is the complete lack of seriousness. Yet another is enough personnel with the understanding of what actual conflict is. I remain convinced that 2020 demonstrated aggression will always beat the holy red pill for the informationalists. Meanwhile, the conservative compass wanders as its holder stands on soft sands, forever a prisoner of the 24hr news cycle. Conservatism doesn’t work. There is a major problem called personnel and we are fucking losing. Any of you whose reflex is disagreement are nothing more than cowards.
Yes, there is talent in the workforce. And, the workforce lacks talent.
So that’s where you currently sit, and reading the current I’m going to layout what I think your movement will become, seeing as it’s not going to change (last GOP meeting I went to was in 2022, and the chair said “It doesn’t matter what religion you are, just as long as you have faith in something”). The majority of you will become soft support watching Millenials, and mostly GenZ, rise to power. You’re soft support now and you’ll remain soft support (which is okay), but the change is inevitable because time is constant. The right wing is rising as the conservative stands still, begging for the 1990s and Pizza-Hut-Nationalism. The reasons? Most of the conservative crop doesn’t have a whisper of seriousness, nor adaptability. They’re just here because sharing memes in 2016-present is fun. They can’t even stop lying to themselves (e.g. they truly believe we just need to return to <year>). Who knows who will be around when these winds change, but I truly fear something for all the lukewarm:
Make of this what you will.