I'll take a Jack and...

Written by Rick aka DH

So no this is not about Jack Daniels or any other type of alcohol. This is about Jack Spirko from The Survival Podcast (TSP). While getting ready for my job this morning for some reason I got a quote stuck in my head. I originally heard it in the movie Pulp Fiction. I used to just think it was interesting from the movie, but it was originally from the Bible. I am not a religious person, do not claim to be, and do not aim to offend others by this post. Here is the quote.

Ezekiel 25:17. "The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of the darkness. For he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know I am the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon you."

I really thought about this and for some reason (maybe lack of sleep, maybe new found purpose) and probably because I have been listening to TSP from episode one again for about 12 hrs a day while in my cube and is just in the background. Here is what I got out of it today.

“The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men.” This is you surrounded by government, government policies, big corporations, and the millions of grasshoppers out there living on the handouts, welfare, credit cards etc. These are the people dragging down the country today and leaches and parasites of the country who feed on those that pay taxes and actually work for a living. This is you trying to live a better life, help others, and doing the right thing.

“Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of the darkness.” This is Jack, through the podcast, the forum, and the TSP community. Educating and leading others out of the dark of their ignorance of what all was going on. He, the community, and the forum do this without expecting anything in return. The Valley of darkness if what this country has become and the tough times that are approaching. More on what Jack and TSP has done for me and my family later.

“For he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children.” Jack and the TSP community are all looking out for each other like family and constantly on the lookout for those lost in the darkness leading them to the light. I was lost, in debt, unprepared, unaware of my surroundings, unaware of what my government was doing. I was a grasshopper, I was a sheep.

“And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers.” When one of us is done wrong by government, a right violated, yet another tax, a restriction placed, we all rally around the camp fire, gather strength, and we defend our rights. This may come in the form of a call campaign, e-mail, or just letting us all know either from the podcast, the forum, our blogs, or news media. We (the community) have now gained enough mass that it is no longer one or two voices, it is a crown of 50,000 or more as far as I can tell, and growing daily as more lost children are found.

“And you will know I am the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon you." I mean no disrespect here to the religious people, but I took this as “You will know we are The People when we stand up and oppose you”. Others may see this as God, or whichever higher power you believe, is using you, Jack, etc. as an instrument of their will.

What has Jack and the TSP (referring to the TSP community and forum) done for me….

Without Jack and the TSP I would still be living as a grasshopper. I would still believe in debt, credit cards, and the belief that the government would save us no matter what.

Without Jack and the TSP I would have not started a blog, reaching out to other people and helping enlighten them. If I enlighten 3 people and each of them spread to three people. Now multiply this by 100, or 1000. How many more will wake up.

Without Jack and the TSP I would not be on my way to starting my own business and stop being one of the sheep in the cube farm working just to pay for the stuff I have. I would not have thought that I am more than a 9-5 button pusher in a cubicle.

Without Jack and the TSP I would have not found a community and family where I feel I belong. No judging, no assumptions, no guilt. Only support and help. You post something to the community and people you have never met, may never meet other than in cyberspace reach out offering to help, advice, information, understanding, and compassion.

Without Jack and the TSP I would be so far less educated than I was before. I have gained more REAL education here than any time spent at a university. Real life education and knowledge and it didn’t cost me a thing. Theoretical Physics or English Lit has no applications in much of my life today. But how to plant a garden, how to make my own food, how to power my own house I can use EVERY day.

Without Jack and the TSP I wouldn’t have my expanded my garden, build my aquaponics greenhouse, discovered permaculture, realized I could have back yard chickens in city limits, medicinal herbs, essential oils, and the list could go on.

Without Jack and the TSP I wouldn’t be heavily involved in my own prepper community, found my prepper store, ISD, or teach free classes to others on things I have learned. These classes have gotten me more friends, community involvement, sense of belonging, and pride in educating others on what I have learned.

Without Jack and the TSP I wouldn’t have built stronger bonds with my family as we all work to common goals of being more prepared. Relying on these bonds and preparations such that if something happens, we can rely on each other and our preparations to get us through just about anything.

Without Jack and the TSP I wouldn’t have applied, and gotten my LTCH (License to Carry a Handgun), and OC (open carry) regularly. Not to intimidate, not to make a spectacle or cause trouble, but to reach other people. To spark a conversation, and help educate others. Many in our area don’t know the rights, laws, or regulations. This led me to start a free class for “Intro to Firearms” to educate others. While it may not get them to carry or even become a gun owner, they are now educated, and more than likely will help oppose future attempts at firearm restrictions, or at the minimum, will not join the fight to further regulate.

Without Jack and the TSP I would still be a grasshopper, a sheep, an ignorant blip droning through the days, oblivious to what is around me.

This could go on, but this is just since January 2012. I wish I would have found it sooner, but making up for lost time and listening to back episodes. Of all the podcasts I am aware of TSP is the highest count number at 1000+.

So Thanks Jack and the TSP community. If you are already involved in TSP thanks, if you haven’t been yet, helpfully this will encourage you to do so.

www.thesurvivalpodcast.com

grasshopper = someone who is unaware, hasn't awakened yet. based on the fable the ant and the grasshopper.

Sheep = those that follow without question or understanding

TSP = The Survival Podcast

ISD = Indiana Self Defense (my local prepper store)

OC = Open Cary of firearms

CC = Concealed Carry of firearms

DH = Dear Husband

Ass Clowns = government in general who do dumb things