{"id":131724,"date":"2026-02-09T23:26:45","date_gmt":"2026-02-10T05:26:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=131724"},"modified":"2026-02-09T23:53:01","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T05:53:01","slug":"what-is-america-to-me-a-veteran-chimes-in","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=131724","title":{"rendered":"What Is America To Me? A Veteran Chimes In\u2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1545664804358300\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/script><br \/>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display: block; text-align: center;\" data-ad-layout=\"in-article\" data-ad-format=\"fluid\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1545664804358300\" data-ad-slot=\"8616314829\"><\/ins><br \/>\n<script>\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/script><\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=131724\" rel=\"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=131724\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-131725 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/America-300x156.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"156\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/America-300x156.png 300w, https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/America.png 312w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>By \u201cBad\u201d Brad Berkwitt<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s now 10:55PM Central Standard Time. As I write this column my first in years, Joni Mitchell is playing on my computer her 2000 version of \u201cBOTH SIDES NOW\u201d. It\u2019s truly a beautiful song she wrote back in 1966, two years before my birth in 1968.<\/p>\n<p>Both sides now tie in with this column\u2026. Many years ago, it seems now in the Pre-Donald Trump years we could have a both sides in the world of elected Democrats and Republicans.<\/p>\n<p>Today, not a fucking chance! <!--more--><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=131724\" rel=\"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=131724\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-131729 size-medium\" style=\"margin-left: 10px;\" src=\"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1674515261712-300x75.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"75\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1674515261712-300x75.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1674515261712-1024x256.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1674515261712-768x192.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1674515261712.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>I have never said Democrats are perfect! Far from it\u2026 However, no matter how far left they may be in office, have they ever tried to overthrow the government or shit on the Constitution. The same Constitution I took an oath to defend many times from my career in the US Navy from September 2, 1986 \u2013 September 30, 2006.<\/p>\n<p>All the above is the America we live under the second administration of a twice impeached, 34-time convicted felon, who caused an insurrection on January 6, 2021, on a lie he didn\u2019t lose the Presidential election to Joe Biden. He is also a convicted rapist. A racist, homophobe, lying grifter, narcissist, sociopath and best pal of an evil pedophile Jeffrey Epstein who is no longer on planet earth!<\/p>\n<p>Yes, I am talking about Donald John Trump elected to be President of the United States once again by a MAGA Cult and a large swath of pathetic Democrats whose misogyny wouldn\u2019t let them vote for a woman of color in Kamala Harris a more than capable former Vice President. Or finally, another group who just didn\u2019t vote at all.<\/p>\n<p>See, I have never been one who didn\u2019t see the reality of any situation, especially when it comes to Civil and Human Rights. My father Alvin Berkwitt would never allow his only child to be complacent when it came to humanity. He was a Civil and Human Rights Icon who you may not know by name, but his deeds whether marching with DR Martin Luther King, JR. in the 60\u2019s or taking on the homophobic evil Anita Bryant in the 1970\u2019s as an ally of the Gay and Lesbian community.<\/p>\n<p>He fought for any marginalized group in his lifetime.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=131724\" rel=\"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=131724\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-131734 size-full\" style=\"margin-right: 10px;\" src=\"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ICE.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"275\" height=\"183\" \/><\/a>Dad as I am would be disgusted with what ICE is doing to people in our country just to please the evil of Donald Trump!<\/p>\n<p>So, you see, I know America was never great for far too many\u2026 It can never be great because we will always have a segment of society who are just evil and don\u2019t care about Civil and Human Rights\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Yet, I will always say we have and always will the potential to be so much better.<\/p>\n<p>The question is, at least for me, at the age of 57. Will I see in my lifetime the massive changes we need in our institutions, and even more so, enough humans to make the changes finally needed?<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>I truly hope so for the sake of humanity\u2026<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Welcome To The &quot;Bad&quot; Brad Berkwitt Show\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/SzrDjx_cmIU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><strong><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; color: #808000;\"><a style=\"color: #808000;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.authorhouse.com\/en\/bookstore\/bookdetails\/232300-BOXING-INTERVIEWS-OF-A-LIFETIME\">Click Here to Order Boxing Interviews Of A Lifetime By &#8220;Bad&#8221; Brad Berkwitt<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"wpforms-container wpforms-container-full\" id=\"wpforms-126533\"><form id=\"wpforms-form-126533\" class=\"wpforms-validate wpforms-form wpforms-ajax-form\" data-formid=\"126533\" method=\"post\" enctype=\"multipart\/form-data\" action=\"\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F131724\" data-token=\"a05e9f7c82ac6455439a9d3a456605ed\" data-token-time=\"1777264663\"><noscript class=\"wpforms-error-noscript\">Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.<\/noscript><div class=\"wpforms-field-container\">\t\t<div id=\"wpforms-126533-field_4-container\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"wpforms-field wpforms-field-text\"\n\t\t\tdata-field-type=\"text\"\n\t\t\tdata-field-id=\"4\"\n\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<label class=\"wpforms-field-label\" for=\"wpforms-126533-field_4\" >Name Message Comment<\/label>\n\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" id=\"wpforms-126533-field_4\" class=\"wpforms-field-medium\" name=\"wpforms[fields][4]\" >\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div id=\"wpforms-126533-field_1-container\" class=\"wpforms-field wpforms-field-name\" data-field-id=\"1\"><label class=\"wpforms-field-label\">Name <span class=\"wpforms-required-label\">*<\/span><\/label><div class=\"wpforms-field-row wpforms-field-medium\"><div class=\"wpforms-field-row-block wpforms-first wpforms-one-half\"><input type=\"text\" id=\"wpforms-126533-field_1\" class=\"wpforms-field-name-first wpforms-field-required\" name=\"wpforms[fields][1][first]\" required><label for=\"wpforms-126533-field_1\" class=\"wpforms-field-sublabel after\">First<\/label><\/div><div class=\"wpforms-field-row-block wpforms-one-half\"><input type=\"text\" id=\"wpforms-126533-field_1-last\" class=\"wpforms-field-name-last wpforms-field-required\" name=\"wpforms[fields][1][last]\" required><label for=\"wpforms-126533-field_1-last\" class=\"wpforms-field-sublabel after\">Last<\/label><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"wpforms-126533-field_2-container\" class=\"wpforms-field wpforms-field-email\" data-field-id=\"2\"><label class=\"wpforms-field-label\" for=\"wpforms-126533-field_2\">Email <span class=\"wpforms-required-label\">*<\/span><\/label><input type=\"email\" id=\"wpforms-126533-field_2\" class=\"wpforms-field-medium wpforms-field-required\" name=\"wpforms[fields][2]\" spellcheck=\"false\" required><\/div><div id=\"wpforms-126533-field_3-container\" class=\"wpforms-field wpforms-field-textarea\" data-field-id=\"3\"><label class=\"wpforms-field-label\" for=\"wpforms-126533-field_3\">Comment or Message<\/label><textarea id=\"wpforms-126533-field_3\" class=\"wpforms-field-medium\" name=\"wpforms[fields][3]\" ><\/textarea><\/div><script>\n\t\t\t\t( function() {\n\t\t\t\t\tconst style = document.createElement( 'style' );\n\t\t\t\t\tstyle.appendChild( document.createTextNode( '#wpforms-126533-field_4-container { position: absolute !important; overflow: hidden !important; display: inline !important; height: 1px !important; width: 1px !important; z-index: -1000 !important; padding: 0 !important; } #wpforms-126533-field_4-container input { visibility: hidden; } #wpforms-conversational-form-page #wpforms-126533-field_4-container label { counter-increment: none; }' ) );\n\t\t\t\t\tdocument.head.appendChild( style );\n\t\t\t\t\tdocument.currentScript?.remove();\n\t\t\t\t} )();\n\t\t\t<\/script><\/div><!-- .wpforms-field-container --><div class=\"wpforms-recaptcha-container wpforms-is-recaptcha wpforms-is-recaptcha-type-v2\" ><div class=\"g-recaptcha\" data-sitekey=\"6LeyxF8eAAAAALCgKefmpigcK22wWdwPbUdyB_q8\"><\/div><input type=\"text\" name=\"g-recaptcha-hidden\" class=\"wpforms-recaptcha-hidden\" style=\"position:absolute!important;clip:rect(0,0,0,0)!important;height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border:0!important;overflow:hidden!important;padding:0!important;margin:0!important;\" data-rule-recaptcha=\"1\"><\/div><div class=\"wpforms-submit-container\" ><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"wpforms[id]\" value=\"126533\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"page_title\" value=\"\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"page_url\" value=\"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131724\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"url_referer\" value=\"\"><button type=\"submit\" name=\"wpforms[submit]\" id=\"wpforms-submit-126533\" class=\"wpforms-submit\" data-alt-text=\"Sending...\" data-submit-text=\"Submit\" aria-live=\"assertive\" value=\"wpforms-submit\">Submit<\/button><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/wpforms-lite\/assets\/images\/submit-spin.svg\" class=\"wpforms-submit-spinner\" style=\"display: none;\" width=\"26\" height=\"26\" alt=\"Loading\"><\/div><\/form><\/div>  <!-- .wpforms-container -->\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By \u201cBad\u201d Brad Berkwitt It\u2019s now 10:55PM Central Standard Time. As I write this column my first in years, Joni Mitchell is playing on my computer her 2000 version of \u201cBOTH SIDES NOW\u201d. It\u2019s truly a beautiful song she wrote back in 1966, two years before my birth in 1968. Both sides now tie in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":131725,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10928,18030],"tags":[34022],"class_list":["post-131724","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-columns-by-bad-brad-berkwitt","category-world-news","tag-what-is-america-to-me-a-veteran-chimes-in"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131724","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=131724"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131724\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":131738,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131724\/revisions\/131738"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/131725"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=131724"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=131724"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=131724"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}