Hi. I'm Ron Coleman and a partner in
the Dylan law group. Social media legend, and
free speech ent.
When I started the culmination podcast in the
spring of 20 21,
its focus was on free expression and censorship
on the Internet.
Pod as important as that subject is to
me, which is very important. I felt hemmed
in in the podcast.
I wanted to spend more time talking to
the interesting people I've met in my legal
and free speech work.
Without feeling any need to have them all
make the same point.
So I culminated the first series of the
podcast and have started the second series.
I hope you'll enjoy these conversations
as much as I have recording it. Well,
again, comb.
You don't you just long when I tell
you what a special guest I have.
You know, and and then I wanna tell
you that, no. III love them all,
and I don't love them all.
Some of them are are real pains.
But But
we always like to be gracious, and and
and the the vast majority of them end
up
being
great guests.
This 1 is
1 of those special kinds of special like
our own children, every 1 of them is
special and above average.
Perhaps you've heard of my friend.
The great statesman and philosopher.
Cynical pub.
I got him.
I got him first. Oh, you can have
your fat cat.
You can have all kinds of all kinds
of Internet personalities, but this is my kind
of
troll. This is my kind of thinking man.
A man who's
background is the not entirely
like mine but has some distinct similarities to
it, but a truly articulate and literate it
and wealth well thought out,
timeline, cynical Pub who's gonna tell us why
is first ever podcast
and I get to see him, but you
don't.
He's A55 figure of a man by the
way. I I mean,
it's a... You're really missing out. But
Cynical, probably is welcome to culmination.
Yeah. Thank you, Ron. It's real pleasure to
be here, and, a real privilege actually, and
thank you.
First of all, for promoting my ex account,
you are 1 of the key people who
I think has been very helpful in making
it.
More than than just AAA little hobby kind
of thing,
and thank you for that. We you wanna
talk about?
I wanna talk about that. I wanna talk
about the whole thing. You have shared with
me a number of fascinating
details about your life. Entirely voluntarily well before,
either heard of us contemplated
this this conversation.
And it was interesting to me, merely the
fact that you that you wanted me to
know them. 1 of the things you wanted
me to know is that you're a lawyer
because, you know, there's that special kinship.
Not from, Jersey.
That you did mention that. That's right. Yes.
So what...
Let's start with with this sort of flat
foot question. What's the backstory and why can't
we learn the part where you tell us
your name?
Okay. Well, let me... I'll I'll answer the
second part first and then give you the
backstory. The the practice of law on then
right now is,
primarily 1 with very progressive clients and partners.
And at a respect for them, I I
feel I'm model obligated to sort of keep
my identity on the download for the time
being.
And that means he's making money folks.
Yeah. It doesn't mean that as well. Years.
He's doing orlando.
And, you know, in in near future, next
probably year year and a half. I'm planning
on I'm probably retiring from the practice of
loss, so I'll be, I'll be. Having a
coming out party when that happens. Boom,
but, I can't wait for that.
The gender reveal.
I assume to be a to party.
Yes. But... So that's the the the answer
to the second part. First part is,
yeah. I I have an interesting background, I
guess, in that it's varied. And I think
that that's what gives me a perspective that
people appreciate.
A New Jersey kid born and raised,
Roman catholic went to all sorts of... And
Catholic schools
growing up, which is You know by the
way, why we Jewish kids know the names
of the Catholic School New Jersey
because when they do the snow closing.
It was always some... A whole bunch of
saints that were closed up in North Jersey.
And said, why they have some funny school
name.
But I was help you gone that... I
loved here Capital school was great preparation for
the army.
And, you know, sister Rene used to lock
me in the closet for being bad that
kind of thing.
But
so III joined the army out of college.
I had an Rot scholarship and
became what they call Ordinance officer, which is
a former logistics, social logistics officer,
the for 22 years,
retired as a Colonel, an o 6.
So most of my career...
I wanted us stick a pin that for
a second to the good thing about interrupting
you during this kind of question is that
there's no chance if you are losing
your train of thought because you're telling us
your life story. And I don't
1 of the things that I
was like a a tremendous,
you know, treat.
Was
from when I learned in the course of
conversations, this this was probably conversations that you
were
an experienced
veteran, not... You know, and I... When wanna
I say not just someone who was in
for... Few years. I was in for 0.
But I'm someone who is 22 years that
is a career,
that is a career
and a former officer, and someone who has
been,
broad quite a bit, and we'll talk we'll
talk about that later. But
let's face it. On Twitter when talking about
politics and talking about culture war,
having that kind of experience gives you a
tremendous
g tu.
Whether you... I'm not telling. Thank you. Well,
it what it does. It it it does
and, you know,
you you really can... You really can
like my friend encouraged sc, there, another retired
Colonel, you can really
I mean, of course, you could you could
just be a dog. Right? It's the Internet.
But, ultimately, I think you've demonstrated several times
that you know what you're talking about. Okay.
Now 22 years in the army doing...
The 45 stuff? You mentioned Kurt shout out
to Kurt. He's also been a big help.
Me surprised me... It was a great account.
So... Yeah. I loved him.
And have his previous books
along with I was ever on Twitter.
Yeah. So the what... As a logistically... So
I sort bounced my career, like, most army
officers do between being at the tactical level
or in infantry divisions. I spent a lot
of time with the 80 second airborne division.
But then alternating with sort strategic level assignments
at the joint staff, that the department of
the army at the defense logistics agency. And
because I was a low decision, it gave
me exposure to sort of the the hamburger
grinding making of the military, and which has
caused me to be highly disillusioned in many
ways about how Washington Dc operates,
But a great career, I loved it. I
I love being with soldiers.
You know, I went to combat in Afghanistan
and Iraq.
And brought all of my soldiers home from
Afghanistan, which is probably my greatest
and best accomplishment in life as far as
professional stuff goes,
That's that's a that's a a great thing
to hear. Yeah. And and so I loved
it. It was great. But I was also
I felt, like, I I didn't wanna do
what.
Most of my peers were doing, which is
either go become a civilian employee and the
federal government or go being a defense contractor,
And I decided I wanted to do something
like, radically different.
And, literally, the day after my retirement date,
I started law school.
With this crazy idea that I want to
be a lit, and I'm no offense but
rapidly dis excuse myself of that notion, I'm
not affecting it's it's not for normal people.
But
I think what's important and I'll talk about
being a lawyer a bit, but what's important
fare is that...
I'm not behold to
sort of the the machine of of the
department of the army of being a, you
know, retired colonel.
I'm completely free of that, So I can
kinda say what I want,
which is unusual for someone cars. Unlike people
who stay within the...
Defense contractor were Right. Which most people do.
Consult.
Yeah. I mean, I was working for Ray,
and there's no way I'd be on on
x right now saying what I say. So...
But you also... You simply couldn't be, So
who who thinks what you think to be
worth.
I mean, you know, And again, I people
sometimes think I'm I'm gonna passive or not,
I believe the strong military. I just think
it gets it's been misused.
But so then going into
the practice of law,
I'd started doing,
corporate law, and I thought that that was
a really good opportunity for me to sort
of blend my legal experience with my
military leadership experience because startups
they need a lot of help, and they
don't have a lot of advisors. And usually,
their lawyers is their only the adviser.
And so that I've enjoyed doing that. It's
very rewarding, But, I, you know, I tell
my I tell my clients that my job
is to help them navigate stupidity. Yeah I
mean, you know, those the army is going
great for that. Right? Well, I mean, the
world of law is is as, know, my
libertarian heart said... We ought be able to
start businesses up easier and quicker and and
and we ought be able to have folks
be able to pursue their dreams and business
without there being so much red tape so
many impediments.
I talk a lot about how
you know, the the when the Democrats have
all sorts of regulatory hurdles they put in
that are ostensibly to protect the little guy,
it it protects a big guy. The big
guy is the 1 that has the money
to pay for people like me. The big
guy is the 1 who can navigate that.
So, I mean, I tell I'd look at
my clients To say my job is to
help you navigate this crap, So you can
you can achieve your business objectives. But that's
given me this really cool.
Flip on my understanding of the world because
there's a lot of people who were army
Colonel who understand how that works, but they
can't tell you what a balance sheet says.
But so now I I've gone to this
whole second career that's completely independent of all
that. And I think that that gives me
this sort of unique perspective of someone who's
been there and done that in the government
in the military and been there and done
that. In the private sector and, you know,
probably
1 of the heartbeat beats of America was
Silicon Valley.
And so I think they as meet me
perspective. The other thing, which resonates with people.
I think that I'm I'm telling you the
3 things that I think resonate or my
military service,
my I experience as an turning. 1 of
the the things that I think also makes
a difference that people we'd wanna hear about
is that, I've been married to a wonderful
black woman for 33 years, which has given
both of us insights into race in America,
that, I think most people, regardless of your
skin color don't have. I think you get
a unique perspective
when you're in an initial relationship. And interestingly
the the post that I make about race
or consistently the most popular post that I
put up.
Because, you know, I have I have very...
Classic opinions about rory set.
Everyone should be judged as an individual that
this idea that, people
you know, their skin color comes first is
is absolutely
Me. So I think that those are the
3 things. My military experience people relate to
that,
they relate to the fact that I understand
business, and they relate to the fact that
I have a unique perspective race. And I
try to comment in those areas, you know,
in light of current events,
in, as
humorous and sometimes
sarcastic ways. I can't.
I mean, I think you're anything. I don't
I don't think you're anything. I used the
word troll before. I'm far more of a
troll than you ever me.
Yes you...
Your account has grown okay. So it says
on your profile that you've been on Twitter
x whatever the hell. It's since 20 16,
but you spent a lot of that time
not being on Twitter. Right? I was suspended.
Yeah. I... I mean, I I came on...
Right after Trump got elected, and I just
started voicing my opinion and it got absolutely
0 traction. I mean, I said the same
kind of things I'd say now,
think I got 500 followers maybe. I was
constantly getting suspended.
You know, you you checked you check the
the shadow band testing. I forgot what... Called.
I was always shadow band. And then on
the night of the
Biden Trump debate,
It's
I... My... I don't know what I said.
My count got permanently locked down. I could
never understand what I had done. Was never
explained to me. I... I mean I could
still access it and see what other people
said, but I I couldn't post anything.
And, of course, Elon bought Twitter.
Thank God for Elon. I mean gonna I
think he's great American hero.
The Thomas Edison
of our times, and he's he's a history
maker. He... He's a transformative,
figure in history.
Folks... I I got nothing. I got no
no skin in the game here. Okay?
He's...
He I'm I'm still
not entirely happy with how my account works.
He doesn't follow me. All the things,
people who just came out of nowhere 3
months ago are I'm getting
orders of magnitude do more money on monetization
than I am.
Nonetheless,
he changed everything. He... Because he didn't just
change 1 platform.
The ripple effect throughout the the culture and
throughout society has been
incredibly for found that he did it
with only a very limited prospect
of making any money on.
You know, I agree to you, and and
I think that, like, all good things, doing
it commercially, doing it for the capitalist reasons
helps it grow for everybody. I mean, his
idea of monetizing the platform, his idea of
competing with Youtube
competing with Instagram
is brilliant. I mean, and I'm with you.
I don't
I mean, it's scary. The revenue to comes
in because sound I'm like, jeez I could
do this full time, but maybe I couldn't
because
there's this always gonna be this way. I
don't know. It's all, you know, a secret
sauce so we don't know how it works.
So you have 66000
followers, and you're you... And and you're able
to... And you're getting
nice juicy checks.
It's I am. Yeah. It's I mean, you
know, it's it's
enough, let's say for a couple of car
payments. Let's put it that 1.
Folks, you know, Ron Coleman with his 246000.
I have enough
for a couple of groceries for a couple
of groceries though. Okay.
I don't... You know... Well, I I think
the key... It personally... And you've mentioned it
in the post you put up I think
just yesterday that I think that Algorithm really
does favor long form posts.
And, I mean, I'm basically writing columns a
lot of times. Right.
Which I did for years as a blogger,
and then and I just... I don't have
it in me anymore.
But, I mean, I... The the wait I
just have sort of manic brain there's always
something ever and so be able to just
sit down type something out on x is
very
therapeutic, I guess. And then, you know, people
look at it and they like it and
thing someone pays me money for it. It's
kinda crazy. What's not to like. Crazy. Yeah.
Now you
got onto to Twitter
around the time of Trump's election.
The... Was that... Is that just a happen
to be a coincidence or is is that
you had something to say at that time?
No. I mean, I was really rec to
say anything publicly about my political beliefs
just in general. I mean,
you know, you... Get go to law school.
I mean, and you're surrounded by people who
are so alien in terms of, you know,
what they think about the government and what
they think about society, and I just didn't
wanna say anything, But I just sort of
became so outraged
about the constant barrage of obvious untrue about
Donald Trump.
You know, just... You could just... In fact,
the the thing that made me a Trump
supporter was long ago and a little photography,
hobby
Chat room.
Before I mean, I hadn't even to heard
or Trump as a candidate, and someone came
in said Trump is a racist.
I mean,
I I grew up in Jersey. You know
Donald Trump. Donald Trump isn't building buildings in
New York City. He isn't owning... Sports teams
and being a racist.
And it made me angry. I'm like, you
guys...
So literally, that turned me into saying, I
gotta start saying what I think, because this
is just wrong.
And it was actually an individual person who's...
The first time I ever heard someone called
Donald Trump Racist. That's what got me energized,
and that's what caused me to create Twitter
account.
But you really grown tremendously in the last,
I would maybe even 6 months. Right? Yeah.
So getting...
Set free by Elon Help. It's only been
about a year since that happened, And then
I... Just when you tell you ask how
many followers did you have?
I don't know a thousand.
In other words, nothing. 500 left thousand. I
think most of them they hadn't been active
for a long time. So we really was
none. I mean, this were... You know, it
was from 6 years prior.
But
then
started building slowly surely people liked it I
got a lot of positive feedback. I I
just sort of lapse into doing these sort
of long form posts, which I think I
was really 1 of the first people on
the platform to take advantage of that and
so that was a catalyst. And then I
did first... When I first saw your profile,
III
tend to be suspicious of the
classical
statue.
Profile accounts because they're frequently...
I mean, I'm I'm I'm, you know, 1
of my
favorite clients is, a Gavin again who
you know, coined the phrase as far as
I know Western cha ism.
I'm I'm all for that. I get it.
I'm in... I... I'm in favor of the
same things, but often
often their their wife's supremacists,
or or creeps,
but
III pay walter to that on a k
in 2016
without any knowledge that there were statute people
that were out there.
I mean, I'm I'm a huge fan of
the of the federal papers. I mean, the
pub is reference to that.
The this... Is that's really what it is
It's not a roman reference. It's an American
revolution reference. Of course.
And, you know, the the that... And I
had to ask you before we started today,
not no classes to die,
which is not to say I'm not a
classic.
Whose picture that was. I mean, whose statue
that was? That's vi virtual. That's vi.
I mean told me ready. I knew it
already.
I didn't even wanna be quoted as suggesting
that, and way knew it. Okay, yeah. So
you... Alright. But so... Yes, the name...
And yet to send is... But cy in
the in the true philosophical sense of the
word.
Not necessarily in the way we use the
word
today, which is a little bit.
I I don't think to me it means
sort of, you know, Hollywood
sarcastic
Jerry Seinfeld Cynical. I think he's ea.
I I love Seinfeld. By the way, I'm
huge I fill fan. III always explained my
wife because she's not from New Jersey. I
say, look, you wanna understand my family. It's
stick stands a Okay. That's got my family.
But but
no. By cynical to me, it's more of
a a deep business. Philosophical look at what
lies beneath the conventional wisdom to me, that's
what that means.
Now
that's interesting to me because you you just
talked... You mentioned how much you like Seinfeld.
You have been accused
by people who are who don't...
Look closely at the feet And I love
when people jump in and decide what you
are based on 1 tweet. We've without the
slightest
diligence.
So we've been accused
of being a jew.
And you've had to explain
no. Not that.
First of all, you know, III am a
strong believer in that term the judeo of
Christian
tradition. I think that our nation is built
on that. You know, I think when you
talk about the commonality between beginning Christian and
a jew, a big part it is God
isn't forcing you to worship him, you're choosing
to worship him. I mean, and that's liberty.
That's freedom, and that's what our country's built
on. So I'm huge believer in the Judeo
Christian tradition. I grew up in new Jersey.
I mean,
you know, there were the catholic kids the
price kids that jewish was kids. It didn't
matter. You know, It was all just what
you were all just there or hanging out
in the street, playing playing baseball or whatever.
But, you know, what I think I said
accusation now is my strong support for Israel,
And and and so much of the time
that I and I actually wrote a tablet
article about this, which they published under my
cynical published name.
Talk about that. That's a an incredible. That
is that blue people away. Yeah. That's a
great magazine, and I was privileged to write
for it. But You know, the idea is
I spent a lot of time in the
Middle East. I mean, not just at war.
I I lived in kuwait for a year.
I've been saudi. I've been the Jordan and
I've traveled. It's... Extensively. I've I've lived in
the culture because as a logistics software working
day to day with the local governments and
I made friends, we're we're in
in the tents at Rama,
eating rice with our hands and drinking tea,
playing cards in the middle of the night
and
but at the same time, there were so
many appalling things that I saw. I mean,
the way women are treated,
the way...
Lgbtq people are treated,
the the way that you see folks who
are coming from places like Bangladesh to work
in sweeping the street who are like, literal
slaves.
It it's just like it's so liberal.
But the 1 place in the region that
is truly liberal. The truly em pot
the sort of progressive ideals that the people
on the left
demand is Israel. I mean, israel's at democracy
it's got guaranteed liberty and it's it's 22
percent of the country is non Jewish Arabs,
and and it's it's it's a remarkable place
that's brought out of nowhere.
And, I mean, actually, I have... I've done
a lot of deals in Israel,
and, you know, just how advanced the companies
are there. The technology is coming out of
it bit. Everything about it is what everyone
ought to aspire
to... From the left, yet they hate it.
The And makes no sense to me. I
can't figure it out. So that's why I've
been put unquote accused.
I guess you're not allowed to stand up
for Israel if you're not jewish apparently.
And
it well, you know,
it is,
you know,
it it it's something that
I'm not all that surprised at, but I'm
I'm certainly deeply disappointed in the way that
it is,
you know, the growth of anti semitism has
been handled by
the people who are supposed to be
managing
things like public violence and and and public,
you know,
universities,
conduct them thing like that. But I think
that's beyond...
You know, we we have much more interesting
is to talk about that are aren't being
talked about
Yeah. But but not only that, I mean,
I I just put up on the screen
type a particular quote that that I made
your opinion on this topic. Yes, you've done
deals in Israel.
But you also as a
former United States
military officer.
Are able to
to say what it says in this pull
quote here.
Yeah.
It's an
I'm sorry. I cut you. Go. No. No.
I'm saying it's an it's an extraordinary Yeah.
Level of credibility that you have to be
able to say that. Well, I mean, some...
I'm sure a lot of my listeners are
sitting there who are, like, former infantry seals
Saying, hey, you know, this logistic. Was, you
know what he's talking about. But
it, you know, it was AAA nonlinear warfare
or Iraq and Afghanistan, and there were plenty
of instances where
you weren't unsure whether or not you should
light somebody up or not.
Because you weren't sure they were actually the
enemy. And the War, it's it's it's... You
do everything you can to mitigate
harming or killing someone who's in innocent, but
it's war. Right? It's impossible. Under there's certain
measures that you take,
civilian risk mitigation measures. And the what I've
studied about the Id
is that their state of the art. I
mean,
yes,
there are civilians to get killed, but you
do everything you can, and you don't target
them. I'm like, come up. Who and hezbollah
Blog who decide they wanna just shoot random
missiles in Israel to kill as many civilians
as they can,
where they're deliberately targeting civilians.
So I I have a real problem with
people who accuse,
particularly people who are also military folks who
accuse Ivf of literally targeting civilians.
You know, And then while they're closing their
eyes to the fact that has blonde hamas
or shooting rockets every night it israel real.
It's ridiculous.
And here we are.
Would you...
Is is is the middle is a military
career
do you regret
having spent 22 years in the army? No.
No. Absolutely not. It's... It's maybe who I
am... I I the some of them, you
know, putting aside family stuff professionally,
the most rewarding moments of my life. Or
in the military. I wouldn't traded it for
anything,
what what frustrate me, and this is what
frustrated me when I came home from my
iraq
is that we were fighting a war with
Aca qaeda Iraq where their stated goal was
to break the American will. That's what they
were trying to do. They knew they couldn't
beat this momentarily. They were trying to break
the American will. And they succeeded because of
people who were home,
bush lied, people died,
you know, the the... I was in Washington
Dc. I was pentagon on. I would seeing
it right there alive in front of me.
And
they weren't supporting the troops that were down
range. I don't think
or nation despite as many patriots or are
despite as many
patriots are who following me. I don't think
our nation collectively
possesses the will. To fight any war to
conclusion unless it's national survival, in which case,
we should never send our troops anywhere
I mean, we should... If we're not gonna
fight it to win it, we shouldn't fight
it. So I expressed that frustration, but at
the same time, the culture of the United
States Army, the the the connections I made,
The challenges,
the personal things that that you are able
to overcome and and that you're able to
accomplish. You know, there's
there there's a...
In the Ac airborne division to have a
thing
once a year called all American week. Would
you have...
Festivities and parades and celebrate the history of
the division.
And,
1 year, I was there. There was a
general James Lindsay, former 4 star general, 4
star commander. He got out there in front
of the whole division on the field and
said, no matter where you go and no
matter what you do, For the rest of
your life.
You can walk up to anyone and say,
I was a para trooper in the 80
second airborne division, what did you do for
and
That's how it feels. You feel un invincible
when you do when you experience that. So,
yeah, I love Band brothers.
Oh,
yeah.
Yes. I mean, I've watched it so many
times, and
we're we're...
We're para Lieutenant. We're supposed to be surrounded.
I mean, I can quote it like I
can quote seinfeld.
But, yeah. I mean, so the point answer
your question is, yes. I'm very proud of
I'm service. I'm very happy to observe. I
think it's unfortunate that America
has turned its troops into pawns for politics.
Most often, and that's 1 of the refrain
I have on my account. That seems to
really resonate with people.
Is... And it it it doesn't... It seems
like it's really baked into the system.
Is is there any way
because, yet. We we have this power. God
has bestowed on this country.
And maybe it's sort of the
it's sort of the
check and balance
in the big picture.
That a country that has more
military capability than any empire ever did in
history.
The ability to project military power,
unparalleled.
It's also so
systematically unable
to maintain
a strategic policy of any kind.
I great. Is there any way to fix
that? Well, I think part of the problem
is in ga put my finger
at mostly
perhaps a lot of republicans as well. Is
this concept of responsibility to protect
or R 2? I'm actually working on something
to write up about that.
It's it's a sort of a very left
wing strategy for people who never actually wore
the uniform, but, like they didn't inhabit at
the upper echelon of the department of defense.
The idea that if if the United States
has a capability to send trip somewhere to
prevent suffering to prevent
genocide to prevent a dark forward. Prevent in
this case, they're gonna say to prevent what's
happening in Gaza,
then we should. We have that responsibility to
protect because we have this power, which
as we used to say you army brief
swell,
but the reality is is when you do
that when you put boots on the ground,
you're fighting against a thinking enemy. And I
don't care if that thinking enemy doesn't have
scenes are not, they're gonna figure out a
way to come at you. Americans are gonna
die. And over time, the American well is
gonna erode and saying, why are we there?
The loose sight of why you were there
in the first place. Somalia is the perfect
example of that. And there's all... Or and
there's also the... I mean... Again, this seems
to be baked into democracy.
And and to some extent,
the cold war insulated us against it. For
a while and to some respect, but even
then, but Vietnam was a comparable experience.
There are people who will take
really cynical political advantage.
Oh, yeah.
You know, of of that phenomenon,
And I I mean, again, you you you
do want checks on the system so that
we don't abuse this
phenomenal power. But the idea that you will
vote for the Iraq war and then blame...
Run against the iraq war that you voted
for,
you know,
war in your... In your election or reelection
campaign.
I am scarred by that, Ron. That that
is just burned on my soul seriously, which
you just described scarred me. It was coming
back from my iraq and experiencing that was
turned my world upside down. I can't explain
how harsh it was to experience what you
just... Described, but you're absolutely right.
So does it mean
that we should... I mean, so so what
what is the policy?
I I think I think... And this is
actually something a lot of my followers say,
whenever I talk about war or... Yeah. The
constitution has this thing called Congress declaring War.
Well You know, I mean, we tried to
do this sort of halfway measure with the
War powers act, which, you know, doesn't really
accomplish much of anything.
Is it's just window dressing
if if we're going if we're going to
go to war, we need to define it
as such. And and, you know, police actions,
you know, sending And mean as far as
I'm concerned, we shouldn't sent
Us troops with with the peer to Gaza
without a declaration of war. I mean, we're
taking American sold.
Pulling them in Harm way overseas. We need
to have the national world to do that.
And we have elected
Democratic
options in the form of the congress and
the president, whose job it is to decide
whether or not they're going to do that,
and then they're going to get or elected
based on that decision, but they need to
commit to it via a declaration of war
and not be wishy washy. Just just like
you said, like, I voted it before I
forward it against it on Mean, it's... We
need that definitive... Yeah. We're all in this
and ran it to win. But when you
the Declare war. Right? You have to declare
war against someone.
Right? Yes.
So if you're... Let's say,
let's say,
there's a rationale.
And I don't know heart... I think we've
learned that these rationale are seldom,
work out very well. For a peace mission.
We're gonna get in between 2 sets of
kebabs. We're not going work with the other
1 of them. We just want them to
know, then if either 1 crosses over the
line, then they're gonna have to deal with
the 80 second airport. But there's a lot...
There's a look... There's a little trick in
my mind with what I just said when
I said that we shouldn't sent trips abroad
with without declaration award, meaning would never do
those... Missions because they wouldn't been gonna bother.
That's right. I mean, I set up for
that. That that's the only way you can
answer my question because those those of all
either you end up withdrawn because 1 side
refuses to Back down or you end up
getting 300 marines killed because
as you said, there's always gonna be a
chin in the arm. I mean, you know,
so there's the there's this
idea out there
that...
If insurgents
or a
inferior or or or smaller,
force is able to penetrate or inflict damage
against a major power.
That can only be because someone lets them.
In other words, either it's an inside job
or it's a false flag.
And therefore, the only way October seventh that
could have happened was because these israelis. Wanted
it to happen. Just just like the Americans,
were... You know, there was this myth that
Roosevelt
wanted Pearl Harbor to happen,
I mean, you have to be a a
there... An incredibly cynical person they're not in
the cynical public published way. To believe that
kind of stuff, but from from a military,
point of view.
What... Isn't it is isn't it really the
case that it's always easier to in inflict
damage than to
than 2.
Prevent
that that to guarantee a hundred percent
vulnerability... In vulnerability from damage,
Yeah. It is. I but I I think
that the problem that people have is they
have very
simplistic notions about who we fight. I I
always say
you're always gonna be fighting a thinking enemy.
Your is a smart is...
The is as smart as you are. Yeah.
The the Taliban may have been blowing up,
you know, historic statues and and completely...
Den women and having slavery and god knows
what else. But when... You know, they're smart
people. They know how to fight a symmetrical.
They get... They proved it against Soviets. They
proved it against us, you find the vulnerability,
and then you attack it because it's it's
what they call asymmetrical worth there. You know,
your... Our weakness as the United States is
not anything having to do with technology or
the quality of our forces fair it's the
national strategic will. That's our weakness,
and that will always be targeted. I mean,
that was what was happening in I iraq.
The whole idea behind my Ids was let's
run up to death count, so mer will
quit. There was no, like, tactical imperative. There
was no holding ground. There was nothing that
you would classically see and, you know, drive
World war 2 movies. There was just let's
kill as many people as we can so
they'll quit.
And and your enemy is always gonna identify
that weakness and they're always gonna target it.
And people just think that, oh, these are
Stone age Taliban guys. They don't know what
we're doing no. They're very sophisticated
in their understanding the warfare.
But also they're they're often getting help from
first world countries
who... There was
intelligence services
are have a very strong interest. In...
Undermining any American expansion or
or
retention of influence,
Yeah. I mean 1 of the things are
frustrated the heck out of me in Iraq
was
clearly,
there at least a not A hq, but,
the saw forces were being armed by Iran.
And so when that was something that I
forget who said it, but it was Boss
or staining or someone. Oh, you're making that
up, you know, Now, and absolutely, they were
supporting the forces against this. Just like they're
supporting hamas against Israel. I mean,
anyone who who Dow is an idiot.
That's another issue with. I guess, you know
what?
Iran, the the the obsession with the with
the Biden
administration and it's present day proxy
on making Iran
a
regional he,
I've asked this peep... I've asked a few
people on my show, why what why do
they think that's the case.
And you know, a couple of them have
said, well, any anything that
reduces American power
therefore. But I mean, that's...
Is there any
better spin? Is there any way to to
explain
why
short of being anti American or being cultural
marxist or something. Is there any way to...
That a reasonable person can say, here's the
school of thought. You may not know... This
may not be your field of study but
why why would it be good for American
foreign policy for Iran to be
a regional adjuvant to have nuclear aren't because,
obviously, that's something that bite, you know,
I agree your other guess, Braun. I mean,
I don't know another answer. I mean, I
think it comes down to this sort of
reflex idea on the left
that
the entire history of the western world, the
entire history of the United States is somehow
evil. And so anyone who's stands an opposite
to that must be virtuous, and we should
redeem our sins by supporting these virtuous victims.
And, you know, you see that right now.
I mean,
in my mind, anyone who could not see
what Ham hamas has done in the Palace
setting in support for him hamas. Absolutely
blows my mind they can't say it. But
again, it's a very reflective thing. It's like,
these are the victims
Israel stands for sort of, you know, western
thought the Judeo Christian tradition,
these folks stand for being victim vietnamese, we
must side with the victim.
And, you know, Iran is the powerful victim.
I mean, look what we did to the
shaw, look at how we've had these sort
of,
not not gonna it's the shot away he
prop him up and some of the things
that he did. You you look at... You
know, so it... It's it's a it's a
powerful victim.
And so that's why it's good. I mean,
I I can't explain it. It's crazy. But,
I mean, that's what I think the philosophy
is.
Now you mentioned just something we wanna get
back to him, but I think there's an
analog
watch this segue.
I think there's an analog
from the...
Foreign policy to the domestic policy, and in
particular the way it's affected the legal profession
and the the practice of law on the
courts.
There's this idea that there's a victim class
and that... And and there's
there... There's really no right and wrong. There's
there's just a sort of
class war but not not economic class, but
racial
class and identity class. I mean,
you said at the beginning
you you never
understood and you and you don't have any
use for this idea of skin color
as
a driving force and a person's life.
Not not... That's not exactly right. Not as
a driving force us because we are
we are products of our history, but as
a basis for judging an individual. That I
look at you and I see you and
I say, okay, you must be these things
because you look like this, that... That's what
I was speaking But I mean, yeah. I
mean, ron, going to Law school, the thing
that drove me absolutely bonkers was critical legal
theory
I mean, the idea of your that was...
Which should be about
about what 20 years ago?
About 15 years ago. 15 years ago. So
that that was
that was kind of just waning around 15
years ago, but it was still probably well
part of what your professionals. I don't wanna
give I don't wanna give my school away,
but I will say that, the school had
1 natural law journal and about 8 critical
theory journals
So...
But, you know, the thing that attracted me
to law originally, and and I was took
actually a constitutional law course as an undergraduate
and stayed with me forever,
was this sort of...
Defining truth.
Like, truth was an absolute thing and you
could define it. This is true. This is
untrue. This is right. This is wrong. This
is Moral this is immoral. You know, very
classical natural law theory and that attracted me
to such a degree. And the idea that...
No. No No. Law is only something at
the powerful use, and there is no objective
right and wrong. To me is, again, insanity.
And is leading us down a path of
destruction.
But can't you say that it's actually been
vin
by exact plea the beat... By by the
abuse of the judicial system that we're seeing.
Just yeah. Mis
who the powerful are,
might makes right. It accept we're gonna
take our might and pretend where the victims
and we're gonna it inflict it on you.
Yes.
I mean, what's been happening to Donald Trump
in the courts
to me is,
up there with... With slavery
with the worst things that have happened in
American history, this is up there. It is
a complete undermining of every principle that we
stand for. The idea that if you are
the political opposition, we will use the law
and manipulate it to silence you is
tyra. It's Stalin is Hitler. It's absolutely
insane to it's happening in America,
and and
I it... I'm at of loss for words.
Yeah. I mean, it it is it is
really disheartening and
You know, you're not a lit, but you
nonetheless, a part of the you're part of
the system, you remember the bar,
And
when you draft a contract, you're thinking about
litigation, prophylaxis, and
it's all part of of the of the
regime in which we?
Yes.
And now you're at a point, where you
realize that
there are really no rules anymore.
Right. I mean, if it faith... Anyone who
talks about, you know, no one's above the
law. I mean, you know, we can all
laugh at that. I mean, but the the
whole concept would be equal justice under the
law. No 1 seems to wanna
consider that component of things. I mean, that's
that's part of lady Liberty is is is
is equal justice under the law, and we
are violating that to such a g test
manner. It's it's it's it's unbelievable.
This So now as we as we as
we slide out of our out out of
our heavy converse... Heavy and depressing conversation.
You must have made a lot of interesting
new friends besides me
in your yourself. I mean, and you think
of all the different...
You know, you you went from 22 years
in the Us army going all over the
world, meeting all kinds of people
and having all kinds of interesting experiences. And,
then law school, which is
a social med dear of some source, but
you do also need some some interesting people,
then, you know, you're in a you're in
a law firm,
you will also meet some of the worst
people in the world. And
I actually have really good partners. So
that's right. No. I'm not glad to hear
that.
But now you you entered... You really got
yourself. Into the into the world of social
media by having
interesting and intriguing and credible things to say,
and you're being exposed
isn't isn't it just Marvelous? Yeah. It's absolutely
incredible. I mean, shout out to you,
Kurt Least,
David Lin limbaugh, someone I talk to... I
mean, it just blows my mind that I'm
even talking to some of these people.
You, you know, and and
oh, rock. That that part of it as
well that you can really have an interaction
with literally world famous people.
Yeah It's something K.
K Rob Manages is another name I wanted
met been very helpful.
He's a long my friend I mine too.
Yeah. Yeah. But, you know, the idea... And
the people are presenting with opportunities. I mean,
there's... I'm really...
It it's a brave new world. It really
is everything I've ever done before in my
life was very, like... Orderly very planned. I'm
going to do this next and do this
next very deliberate. This is just something that's
dropped on my lap. I've got people
talking to about writing books. I've got people
wanting me to write articles. I've got... You
know, you want in your podcast podcasts. I
and I... Actually, I'm very inexperienced in all
of it, and so I'm trying to make
sense of at all.
It's exciting and fun, but it... It's also
a little bit scary.
Yes. It really it really is.
And here I'm trying to balance...
Well maintaining my law practice, which, you know,
in terms of the concerns that you have,
you know, I decided I could I could
I could be honest to speak dial of
only 20 or 30 percent of the country
still and still be able to make a
living. You know, it should... It should not
really be a deal killer for me. It's
different because you're a partner, in a larger
law firm,
but
there... If there's this incredibly unstructured.
I mean, you talked about,
about what's on smart ups. Every every social
media account is a startup.
Yeah. And what And what Elon Musk did
was
turned us to
something closer to
a true marketplace of ideas
than it had ever been before. Yeah. It's
a merit. It's a pure merit. It's it's
all about your ideas and how you express
them. It's this wonderful for. I mean if
you if you have it looks like my...
You have haven't you have an unfair advantage
over other people. And you're... You know, you're
you're putting that on... You're leaving that on
the table, but that's your call.
But I mean,
it is not entirely merit. If you if
if you're a really attractive woman,
you do get extra opportunities, but that's true
in all of life. But that... That's been
true, like, since Adam eve though. Right? I
mean, so
So so
if indeed, you you fulfill the promise and,
you know, stop.
Cranking out the the, you know, the the
the law the long
and decide to, you know, because I think
America does wanna hear more from you. And
there's... You know, it... Maybe you'll take 1
of these opportunities up and and and really
have some more fun with it. So I.
I'm actually... I I don't want say too
much. I'm working on on a book proposal
right now. I'm not sure how far that
will go.
The... I I... Those you who see my
Pin tweet,
which is
The the right side of history. This is
my side of history it's your side history.
That's sort of the framework.
That's sort of the framework what I'm working
on. So hopefully that's something all come to
fruition.
Yeah. That's actually
there it is. Thrown on it.
I had actually looked at it.
And retweeted it for the first time before
before we spoke today. And it is it
is long form, but it is... It's your
sort of your
your testament, Your your Yeah. And that's my
manifesto.
You know, and it's not Democrat or Republican
even though I talk about Democrats. Directly all
the time. It's really about having a certain
mindset about why America exists,
and what it stands for
And to me, that's what that says. Because
America to me is the fulfillment of
thousands of years. Development of certain ideas of
liberty and freedom, and,
you know, we can't ever lose that. And
so that that post is this my manifesto.
Cynical pub, great talking to him. Yeah. You
too, Ron. Again, thank you so much for
support you've show me and for the promotion
you've given me a real voting me on
thank you for the Marvelous content.
And and and this sparkling
conversation.
Really, really great hanging out and helping... Can
let me know next time you're, you know,
visit visiting the
your old stomp grounds. We'll I well, I
will minute. Thanks again, man. I appreciate it.
Alright. See you later. Bye bye.
Hey, thank you for listening to the Coleman
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