An Idaho Combat Veteran is Told to Resign (Opinion)

The distant droning sound you hear is the constant media whine about a lack of respect.

Reporters and editors claim conservatives, right-leaning politicians and radio talk show hosts are inciting the public.  Heck, the new publisher of the New York Times infers the president is eroding trust in newspapers, however.  The publisher should look in a mirror when assigning blame.

In one of the most asinine and egregious examples of an out-of-touch media, one Idaho newspaper is demanding State Representative Priscilla Giddings resign.  Giddings was an active duty combat pilot and now Major Giddings serves in a reserve capacity.  Periodically she’s called back to service defending the United States.  What better example of public service can you find?  Writing editorials behind a desk?

As many of you remember from a story I shared last fall my family has lived for decades the personal experience of the dangers of air combat.  And I need to remind you Giddings is an A-10 pilot.  The plane is slow and used for close ground support.  The “Warthog” as it’s affectionately known isn’t a safe zone in battle.

When I heard about the editorial I shared details with a retired Brigadier General with whom I’m acquainted.  When he was a young pilot he shot down Soviet built fighters over Southeast Asia.  Later he commanded the Air Force 65^th Division in Europe and then later worked on Capitol Hill in Washington.  Here’s his response, all in capital letters exactly as he wrote before sending it my way:

BS!!!  WHEN I WAS WORKING IN THE US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, ONE OF MY JOBS WAS TO “ADMINISTER” AND DO ALL OF THE CARE AND FEEDING OF THOSE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WHO WERE USAF RESERVE OFFICERS (TO BE CERTAIN THEY GOT ALL OF THEIR POINTS EACH YEAR, ETC.)  SO IF MEMBERS OF THE US CONGRESS CAN SERVE AND BE “IN SESSION” MANY DAYS OF THE 365 DAYS, I BELIEVE IT IS SAFE TO SAY A STATE LEGISLATOR CAN EASILY BE AN EFFECTIVE RESERVIST AND EFFECTIVE LEGISLATOR.  IN FACT, SHE WILL PROBABLY BE MORE EFFECTIVE AS A LEGISLATOR WITH HER EXPANDED MILITARY BACKGROUND.

Oh, and he made sure to tell me he was writing the response in red and he did.  Modern journalists have an over inflated opinion of themselves.  Their traditional role has been as scribes, recording the first draft of history.  In my news days I used to remind the staff we didn’t cure cancer or send rockets to the moon.  If you hear a distant drone let's remember the sound of an aircraft is a blessing.  Keyboards?  Not so much.

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By the way, Giddings spoke at an event with some of her colleagues known as the Liberty Legislators.  A publication known as Redoubt News has become an impact player in Idaho and Northwest politics.  Redoubt News streamed the event live and has also posted this video.  Giddings is among the first speakers.