Pat Schwind Presents: Strategic Edge Thursday, 10/08/2009

Liberal Radio Talk Show Host, Jeff Farias: “The Corporate States of America: How the Supreme Court Makes it Easier for Conservatives to Destroy America.”

Minutes of 09/24/2009

1. Attended 09/24/2009 : Frank Rickey, Trudy Perez, Dennis Stout, Mark Manoil, Darwin Schultz, John Kizis, Steve & Sanda Alonge, Dan Holmes, Charlie Dunlap, Deanna Beisser, Dr. Paul Eppinger, Noren Rink, Mike Ross, Mike Shoen (momentarily), Ed Stroup, Vicki Allison, Rick Dunham, Anita Leafty, Pat & Marie Schwind, Rich Woods, Mark Sordahl, Bill Blewster, Keith Cyrnek, John Thrasher, Cinderella CPA, (not her real name, but some “pillars of the community” hesitate associating with the S/E, since we discuss quite controversial topics), Chris “Big Guns” Braughton, Powell Gammill, Barb Bentley, Geri Seckinger, Olga Strickland, Kathleen Tranchese, & our speaker Dr. Robert Snyder. Congratulations, a new record!

2. Note: All opinions are those of Pat Schwind only, & not those of anyone else at Impact Mortgage Network.

   The feedback I’ve received about Dr. Robert Snyder’s presentation, “Reflections on the Korean War & the Era’s History, by a ‘Near Rear Grunt’ & Cryptographer”, has been nothing short of fantastic. It rivals the response we had to Col. Bill Negron, USMC, Ret., a few years ago.

   Dr. Snyder is my father-in-law; we met in 1973, when Marie & I became "high school sweethearts". He's got a very impressive resume as a college wrestler, college professor, & a psychologist with many years experience in both private practice & medical institutions. He has had dozens of peer reviewed papers published in prestigious academic journals on various topics in the realm of science, religion, arts & music.

   Dr. Snyder was in Korea for 17 months, in 1951 & '52. He was awarded a medal for his service, but feels guilty about it, because it involved an accident, not actual combat action near the front. He made some very specific comments about the Causes of the War, Integration of the US Army, & the firing of Gen. Douglas MacArthur.

   Some of Dr. Snyder's comments pertained to the everyday life of the average "grunt". He talked about his experience on "R&R" in Japan, where a soldier could rent a prostitute for a couple hours for just one cigarette, or all night for a pack.

   The war was the result of North Korean aggression, ("crossing the 38th parallel"), but not on the orders of Joseph Stalin, a popular myth. The North Koreans crushed the capital, Seoul, in 3 days. The war was fought not just by Americans allied with the Brits & Australian forces, but was truly an "international coalition", on the part of many countries, like our first "Gulf War", ("Desert Storm"). However, the war was not going our way, for quite a while. One of the major reasons was that the Koreans were using Russian "MIG" jets, which were far superior to our "Saber Cats", due to the MIG's "swept wing" design, which provided an incredible maneuverability advantage.

   The invasion at Inchon was a brilliant move on the part of Gen. Douglas MacArthur. But MacArthur wanted to expand the war, by attacking Red China directly, (with nuclear weapons dropped on 21 cities), because it contributed 40,000 soldiers, after the "tide started turning" against North Korea. In fact, MacArthur provoked the Red Chinese, with very belligerent comments to the international press, some openly criticizing President Truman's conduct of the war. He was trying to "go over the head" of Truman, to the "court of public opinion". Truman would not tolerate this, & sacked MacArthur. Dr. Snyder feels this "absolutely had to be done. MacArthur was effectively conducting a form of mutiny".

   Coming from New York, in basic training in Georgia, he was appalled at the treatment of Black soldiers, by locals & even White Army officers & fellow soldiers. He had a good friend, "Rudi", who was "a great guy", but as a Black man, had no real rights, once he stepped "off base", in the "Jim Crow" South. The U.S. Army was integrated during the war, not due to any concerns for equality or justice; that had nothing to do with it. The real cause was that Blacks had virtually no chance of any meaningful, real promotion to the officer corps, & white officers, many from the former Confederacy, were openly hostile to Black soldiers. Consequently, the training & discipline in Black units suffered accordingly.

   In the early part of the war, there were tens of thousands of Black troops stationed in Japan, waiting for orders to deploy to the front in Korea. But as long as the Army was segregated, these soldiers had no place to go. There were significant numbers of Blacks ("Buffalo Soldiers"), in limited use, at the front, but because they felt no real connection to the cause, or the racist officers who despised them, they often "walked away" from, (simply deserted) their "zone of operation", & duties, causing real problems at some crucial junctures in the fighting. This was a prescription for failure, so Truman ordered the complete & immediate integration of the Army. It had nothing to do with trying to "create a level playing field".

   Finally, the Korean War was never a "declared" war, & no peace treaty has really been officially signed by the major parties. Consequently, the returning soldiers were not given "ticker-tape parades", or welcomed as valiant warriors. In fact, until recently, many vets from prior wars resented the meager attention the Korean vets received, as if their efforts & sacrifice were somehow not up to par. People, even hardened war veterans can be quite narrow-minded at times.

   Dr. Snyder did a great job. We hope he's with us for many years, so he can come back in the future, & impart some of his knowledge about some other important era or aspect of history.

3. Our next meeting is this Thursday, 10/08/2009

   Please arrive before 7:30 AM at “JIM’s CONEY ISLAND CAFE”, 1750 No. Scottsdale Rd., Tempe, at the southwest corner of Scottsdale & Cavalier, Click Here for a map, 1 block south of McKellips, ~ 1 mile north of the 202 Freeway.

   Our speaker will be Liberal Radio Talk Show Host, Jeff Farias: “The Corporate States of America: How the Supreme Court Makes it Easier for Conservatives to Destroy America.”

   Bring Guests!

4. Future Speakers
   • 10/8- Local Liberal Radio Talk Show Host, Jeff Farias: “The Corporate States of America: How the Supreme Court Makes it Easier for Conservatives to Destroy America.”

   • 10/22- AZ State legislator & Devout Mormon, Cecil Ash: "An Antidote to Atheism: How a Rational Person can Believe in Angels and Lost Gold Plates."

   • 11/5- Local Liberal Radio Talk Show Host, Dr. Mike Newcomb: "Health Care Reform".

   • 11/19- Update on the “9-11 Truth” Movement, with “Truthers” Mike Shoen, & Russ Wittenberg. That’s right folks: 9-11 was an INSIDE JOB!!

   • 12/3 or 12/17- Former coach of the Belgian National, & UVA Fencing teams, Dirk Moonen, & a student, will give a real live Fencing Demonstration, in the parking lot, after a breakfast presentation.

   • 12/3 or 12/17- How Dan Dominey & Pat Schwind outfoxed one of the Greatest Con-men in the History of Great Britain; We'll watch the original documentary "The Lying Game", from the BBC.

   • 1/14/10- Local Political Analyst & Radio Host Charles Goyette presents his new book: "Dollar Meltdown".

   • 1/28/10- The Holocaust: History's Greatest Genocide or Outright Hoax? Pat Schwind debates Holocaust Denier Friedrich Paul Berg.

   • 2/11- Award Winning Political Columnist, Becky Fenger; Topic TBD’d.

   • TBD- Nuclear Power: Hard Core "Greenie" Russell Lowes will debate my good friend & nuclear engineer, Joe Napier.

5. Interest rates are fantastic!! If you need to Buy, Build, Remodel or Refi Real Estate, Call me. 480-250-8182

Sincerely, Pat Schwind, MBA