Well shoot. I just realized there might be an early deadline because of Thanksgiving. Despite the stress of speculating about a future without law enforcement for our grandchildren, we have a wonderful world for which to be thankful.

For the last few years Thanksgiving time has been a destination in time for me. I don’t know about other farmers but joy is when a job occupies the space in our minds where indecision and uncertainty can be a curse. Ringing the bell for the Salvation Army attaches me to the kettle. I can’t leave it because law enforcement can’t be everywhere all the time.

I remember once a pickup pulled into the parking lot with a beautiful dog hanging out of the window. I fumbled for my phone to get a picture but missed it. Then when the guy came out of the store I walked over to the dog to get the picture. There was a little apprehension because I was about 40 feet away from the kettle. I’m not fast.

Oh for a world where nobody believes that what is ours is theirs, or where gun control controls guns. The one place where gun control worked best saw Bill Gates’ vision of population reduction accomplished by 70-85 million souls including 6 million Jews. The guns were in the wrong hands. This Thanksgiving we can be thankful for oceans and friendly countries as our neighbors. Despite the price our forebearers paid, it could have been much worse.

World War II saw trumped-up enemies and lack of communication as it’s enablers. Speak up and it could lead to dire consequences. Jews were viewed as undeservedly successful. Envy is a powerful ally of totalitarians. The Jews kept to their roles individually, not taking the time to unify in opposition to the National Socialists. Then it was too late, as the government propaganda machine had Hitler elected in a landslide.

To the east was Ukraine. The Kulaks were in the same position as the Jews in Germany. People of Iowa should be able to relate because Ukraine has excellent soil that enabled vast amounts of wealth. Just look at the huge travel trailers parked in most farmyards. Joseph Stalin starved almost 4 million successful farmers in his drive for an equitable society. He claimed they were exploiting the workers. Their grain was confiscated and it was even illegal to glean the fields to utilize wasted crops. Our cows are doing that today, but we won’t shoot them like the socialists did. We need them. They need us.

The Salvation Army was there for me when I needed them. So I’m there for them because they know a person somewhere, who like I was, is alone and without food or shelter. It’s actually a beautiful alliance connected by a span of 50 years’ time.

Our alliance with law enforcement is the foundation of our civilized society. Law enforcement in the socialist countries of Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union had a different role than our ideal in the United States. Their role was to enforce laws that stole.

A question I have for our times is, “If law enforcement is not there for us, is it the same as if they were enforcing legalized theft?” We are well insulated from such a predicament as happened in Kenosha, Wisconsin, for now. But there are those among us who want to see the guns in the hands of the thieves and murderers instead of respectful people. They are either ignorant or don’t give a darn about their grandchildren.

There is a huge difference between socialism and volunteerism.