Opinion By Glen Davis

Earning the Order of the Locks in 1978.

You may have heard that the Panama Canal recently celebrated its 100th anniversary on August 15. That news, no doubt, sparked every response from raucous partying to a shrug of the shoulders. If you heard about it at all. I cannot be sure about the raucous parties, either, as I was not invited to any of them.

To explain the significance of the event to me; in short I passed through the Panama Canal in March of 1978 when it was a mere 64-years-old.

Please, please. Hold your applause.

When I joined the Navy in 1977, my first assignment was aboard the pre-commissioning unit for the USS Oldendorf (DD-972). The ship was built by Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The ship was homeported in San Diego. As a consequence, after commissioning in March of 1978 we passed through the Panama Canal to get to the Pacific side.

Our first mission was to kick the tires and check the oil looking for any “warranty” items needing repairs. That required returning to Pascagoula giving us another chance to pass through the canal.

What I remember being most impressed about was what an engineering marvel it was to that day. I recalled the hundreds of lives lost to accident and disease to accomplish this feat.

To pass through the canal, the ship was pulled into the locks by engines set on tracks on the sides of the canal. The ship is raised or lowered to get it to the appropriate level to travel to the next stage whether it be to the next lock or one of the lakes created in between. All of this is accomplished by the force of the water, itself. There are no pumps, as I understand it.

While this may seem insignificant to you, as I will someday grow old, I look back on some of the places I visited in my Naval career. I reflect on the changes I have witnessed.

I visited the “former” Yugoslavia. It was the only place I have seen where “Socialism” actually seemed to work. My personal analysis is that it worked because General Josip Tito reigned about that time. The Russians helped him into power believing that they would be a puppet State and the grain they produced would be theirs. General Tito, however, jealously guarded the sovereignty of his country from outside influence. Including the United Nations. He instituted a policy to take care of his people first allowing only the excess of their production to be exported.

There is a certain amount of corruption in any State except, of course, for the United States. It seemed, however, to be minimized under his rule.

It was disappointing to watch as the country degraded into civil war after his death.

I visited Somalia after the Russians pulled out. At the time we were hoping to establish friendly relations in deference to the neighboring Kenya. We never did and I witnessed the degradation of that state into a bloody conflict which resulted in the Blackhawk incident.

I was in the Philippines when Marcos was deposed. Peaceful though it was.

I had the chance to visit Israel and Egypt. I was able to visit the Tomb of Anwar Sadat; built on the site where he was murdered. I got to visit the Sphinx and see the Great Pyramid at Giza. I watched as the murderous Muslim Brotherhood toppled their dictator. I actually do not question that he needed to go. I only question what replaced him.

I have even witnessed the struggles in the Panama Canal zone. The 1989 invasion which toppled Manuel Noriega. The good news here is that it appears the Panamanian government is able to efficiently administer the canal. They are even making improvements.

I was in during, but not part of, the Desert Storm operation. I was out when we had to return to topple another regime. Now I am witnessing the rapid unraveling of Iraq by the murderous ISIS with very little more than a sympathetic press conference with crocodile tears made in between golf course destinations.

I also note that the murderers are those with weapons against those who are disarmed.

So you see, I have a complete understanding of the Second Amendment which is more relevant today than ever before. The biological, economic and actual hot war being conducted by Mexico against the United States should make it clear what the militia was intended for. It was intended for a national government clearly in violation of Article IV of the Constitution of the United States.

So if you plan to come and tell me to give up my right to bear arms, you’ll have to forgive me if I tell you to go to now. Actually, I will probably use stronger language.