by Paul Big Bear
Dear Friends,
As I sat ready to write this week’s column the news broke that Former President Donald Trump has been shot at a rally. As I watched and listened my mind flashed to; the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, The assassination of Martin Luther King, the assassination of Robert Kennedy. I was in class when our teacher returned to the classroom and told us that the president of the United States was just shot and school was letting out early. I arrived home minutes later and the TV was on and my mother was sitting on the couch watching the news and had been crying. I sat and watched the news footage of the president being shot while riding in his open limo. I remember being shocked that Martin Luther King had been shot and thinking what kind of country are we living in. I was asleep when Robert Kennedy was shot but had my radio on, in my sleep the music was interrupted by the news that Robert Kennedy had indeed been shot I put my TV on and saw this replayed over and over again. How could this be happening? Where were you when these three horrific events took place? What went through your mind? What about the attempted assassination of President Ford? All these horrible moments, I watched as the secret service leapt into action to protect Donald Trump and I could not help but think of the day President Ronald Reagan was shot and his joking as he was wheeled into the hospital to surgery saying “I hope you’re Republicans.”
The commentators on the TV reporting as they became informed how many shots, was he indeed shot, multiple shots, yes he was shot, an audience member was killed, the shooter had been killed, how could this happen? In the days to come the FBI, the secret service, and other security will be questioned as they investigate. I watched the secret service and other security jumped in to protect Mr. Trump, I watched with pride at their immediate action, I have been a body guard on many occasions for many people on many levels. I was assigned to General Westmoreland as he campaigned I know the intense training, the immense feeling of responsibility as you scan the room, the area, ever ready to protect even with your body. Knowing that things can explode in the blink of an eye and you must be ready and prepared to react, ever aware of the speed with which life, the world can change forever.