I know in past years that have come and gone, we have experienced years that were overwhelming. That would be an understatement this year.

My personal experiences with 2017 have been, for the most part, just like yours — up and down. I really have nothing to complain about, as I know other’s who have had a hard go of it this year. I still had my share of problems, but, as we all feel, it could have been better.

So you see, I have no problem in saying I, for one, will be glad to see 2017 vacate the premises. I am not playing the poor old pitiful me card, for I am still walking and talking and making a fool out of myself from time to time. You know, just like the rest of you who will own up to your own shortcomings. We all have them, one way or the other. I might be wrong — there might be a sprinkling of perfect ones among you. It is possible. LMAO. I also know what I experienced was nothing compared to what some lost. Just saying it was a very trying year for some of us on a personal basis. No sympathy required for any of us. We’re big boys and girls, except for the ones who need to cuddle a kitten to help them get past their losses.

Now this review is not about you or me, it’s about all of us and how the year did come to affect us. It was good for some, bad for some — and for some of us, it was just a trade off on the past years that were uneventful. I don’t have a problem with that. It is all about life and living it with the ups and downs. That’s just life for us who have truly lived a long life.

So with that said, for 2018 we will go forward. When we start this new journey into our future year, we might start alone and take those first few steps solo, but that will not last long. It won’t be long before you’ll be joined by others who will see our journey as being very significant — that being trying and working harder to be understanding of each other.

That is for the future; now for the review.

Of course, there is not enough space to list all of the events that affected us. But one that did hit home for us all was the heat. This year was one of the hottest summers that has ever been recorded since those records have been cataloged. That would seem to play in to the Global Warming that scientists say is effecting the weather patterns. I guess it would make sense? But, you have to take a look at a lot of cities in the North and the amount of snow that they received in 2017. Snow cream for everybody — if you like snow cream. You see, the cities got hit hard. I don’t think it felt like Global Warming during the past winter to the residents of New York City.

Jumping across the world, it seems China has decided to try and become the big boy on the block in the South China Sea in the game of building “Islands in the Sea” and claiming ownership of that part of the world, which is disputed by both South Korea and Japan . These are our allies. Allies that we are stepping away from. Why? Well, that’s easy to explain. We can’t piss China off. We owe them too much money. They piss me off, let them get a taste of the American flavor of standing up for yourself and your allies. I forgot, China started putting surface-to-air missiles on the islands. They said they would not do this when they first started building the islands.

It looks as though the Democratic Party will never be happy with President Trump. It matters not what Trump gets accomplished, for it will never be enough for the Democrats. They will complain for the entire term of his administration. It looks as though Trump’s battle in the House and Senate over tax reform will become law. I can not say one way or the other if it will be good for America. In time, the truth about it will come out. By just looking at it on the outside, it looks good for most of America. The Democrats, of course, did not like anything about it. Their biggest problem was they did not like what it did for Corporate America. I have no love for these corporations at all because I feel they rob the workers of America. In the past, the way that they robbed the worker was by sending our jobs overseas. If they bring the trillions of dollars back home to America that they have offshore, I might change my mind about how I feel about them. They can change America through good-paying jobs for the people. I will give them the chance to prove themselves.

At home a war rages. Our own law enforcement officers have been targeted — Targeted by groups who see this as nothing more than open season on those who protect us all. What insanity has been allowed to breath and breed this hate? This insanity of a few will not stand — it cannot stand. We the people took back our country, we will take back our streets from those who wish to destroy us from within. We all saw the wish of the working man and woman come to life in November of 2016. We will, in time, see the roaches of the streets fall to the wayside, as their leaders are proven to be no more that hate mongers who care not for the people. Nothing more than power to a few, to incite people who do not even understand why they have been pushed to hate those who protect and serve the people, all the people.

Terror stalks the streets of Europe. Radicalized Muslim terrorists seek to bleed all of Christianity to the pale. The Christians have been persecuted during this past year as they have not seen in hundreds of years. Bring the Muslim refugees in, give them safety from their enemies and spit in the face of the Christians. That is what I am seeing. I’m not alone.

Terror also took the lives of 58 people one night in Las Vegas. Another night that will not be forgotten. For not the hate of a mad man, these souls would live with us today. They did nothing to this man who would kill for no reason. This was the rage of a monster. This was the evil of Satan come forth on Earth. This cannot be allowed to pass as an everyday event of hate.

I see in the past, we have said, “We’ve got Israel’s back. We will stand with Israel.” Nine years ago, Obama and his administration stabbed Israel in the back and walked away. Under Trump’s administration, the world now sees how we protect our allies. The American people did not walk away; we still stand with the Israelis. We’ve got your back.

The county as a whole lost so many notable people. Their stories are many and their deeds of help to the community too numerous to talk about. Your names matter not, for God knows each and every one of you. Your memory will not fade, not even with time, for your memory will forever be within the family of God and all of his children.

So much more happened, many more occurrences took place. These were just a few that passed for your review. The years will continue to pass. We must look to the past for knowledge of understanding what the future holds for us all.

Robert Lee is a concerned citizen and U.S. Marine veteran who owns and operates Rockingham Guns and Ammo. His column appears here each Saturday.

https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/web1_RobertLee_newmug-4.jpg

Robert Lee

Contributing columnist