Sheep, Wolves & Sheepdogs

February 8, 2008 By CJ
Posted in Why We Serve

With all the hype about Berkeley and the many efforts to block their stupidity, I thought about an essay that I read once called “Sheep, Wolves, & Sheepdogs”. It’s a poignant essay that people like the Berkeley City Council and others can’t afford NOT to read.

By Lt. Col Dave Grossman

Most of the people in our society are sheep. They are kind, gentle, productive creatures who can only hurt one another by accident.” This is true. Remember, the murder rate is six per 100,000 per year, and the aggravated assault rate is four per 1,000 per year. What this means is that the vast majority of Americans are not inclined to hurt one another.

We may well be in the most violent times in history, but violence is still remarkably rare. This is because most citizens are kind, decent people who are not capable of hurting each other, except by accident or under extreme provocation. They are sheep.

Then there are the wolves and the wolves feed on the sheep without mercy. Do you believe there are wolves out there who will feed on the flock without mercy? You better believe it. There are evil men in this world and they are capable of evil deeds. The moment you forget that or pretend it is not so, you become a sheep. There is no safety in denial.

Then there are sheepdogs and I’m a sheepdog. I live to protect the flock and confront the wolf. Or, as a sign in one California law enforcement agency put it, “We intimidate those who intimidate others.”

If you have no capacity for violence then you are a healthy productive citizen: a sheep. If you have a capacity for violence and no empathy for your fellow citizens, then you have defined an aggressive sociopath–a wolf. But what if you have a capacity for violence, and a deep love for your fellow citizens? Then you are a sheepdog, a warrior, someone who is walking the hero’s path. Someone who can walk into the heart of darkness, into the universal human phobia, and walk out unscathed.

We know that the sheep live in denial, that is what makes them sheep. They do not want to believe that there is evil in the world. They can accept the fact that fires can happen, which is why they want fire extinguishers, fire sprinklers, fire alarms and fire exits throughout their kids’ schools. But many of them are outraged at the idea of putting an armed police officer in their kid’s school. Our children are thousands of times more likely to be killed or seriously injured by school violence than fire, but the sheep’s only response to the possibility of violence is denial. The idea of someone coming to kill or harm their child is just too hard, and so they chose the path of denial.

The sheep generally do not like the sheepdog. He looks a lot like the wolf. He has fangs and the capacity for violence. The
difference, though, is that the sheepdog must not, cannot and will not ever harm the sheep. Any sheep dog who intentionally harms the lowliest little lamb will be punished and removed. The world cannot work any other way, at least not in a representative democracy or a republic such as ours.

Still, the sheepdog disturbs the sheep. He is a constant reminder that there are wolves in the land. They would prefer that he didn’t tell them where to go, or give them traffic tickets, or stand at the ready in our airports, in camouflage fatigues, holding an M-16. The sheep would much rather have the sheepdog cash in his fangs, spray paint himself white, and go, “Baa.” Until the wolf shows up. Then the entire flock tries desperately to hide behind one lonely sheepdog.

The students, the victims, at Columbine High School were big, tough high school students, and under ordinary circumstances they would not have had the time of day for a police officer. They were not bad kids; they just had nothing to say to a cop. When the school was under attack, however, and SWAT teams were clearing the rooms and hallways, the officers had to physically peel those clinging, sobbing kids off of them. This is how the little lambs feel about their sheepdog when the wolf is at the door.

Look at what happened after September 11, 2001 when the wolf pounded hard on the door. Remember how America, more than ever before, felt differently about their law enforcement officers and military personnel? Remember how many times you heard the word hero?

Understand that there is nothing morally superior about being a sheepdog; it is just what you choose to be. Also understand that a sheepdog is a funny critter: He is always sniffing around out on the perimeter, checking the breeze, barking at things that go bump in the night, and yearning for a righteous battle. That is, the young sheepdogs yearn for a righteous battle. The old sheepdogs are a little older and wiser, but they move to the sound of the guns when needed, right along with the young ones.

Here is how the sheep and the sheepdog think differently. The sheep pretend the wolf will never come, but the sheepdog lives for that day. After the attacks on September 11, 2001, most of the sheep, that is, most citizens in America said, “Thank God I wasn’t on one of those planes.” The sheepdogs, the warriors, said, “Dear God, I wish I could have been on one of those planes. Maybe I could have made a difference.” When you are truly transformed into a warrior and have truly invested yourself into warriorhood, you want to be there. You want to be able to make a difference.

There is nothing morally superior about the sheepdog, the warrior, but he does have one real advantage. Only one. And that is that he is able to survive and thrive in an environment that destroys 98 percent of the population.

There was research conducted a few years ago with individuals convicted of violent crimes. These cons were in prison for serious,
predatory crimes of violence: assaults, murders and killing law enforcement officers. The vast majority said that they specifically
targeted victims by body language: Slumped walk, passive behavior and lack of awareness. They chose their victims like big cats do in Africa, when they select one out of the herd that is least able to protect itself.

Some people may be destined to be sheep and others might be genetically primed to be wolves or sheepdogs. But I believe that
most people can choose which one they want to be, and I’m proud to say that more and more Americans are choosing to become sheepdogs.

Seven months after the attack on September 11, 2001, Todd Beamer was honored in his hometown of Cranbury, New Jersey. Todd, as you recall, was the man on Flight 93 over Pennsylvania who called on his cell phone to alert an operator from United Airlines about the hijacking. When he learned of the other three passenger planes that had been used as weapons, Todd dropped his phone and uttered the words, “Let’s roll,” which authorities believe was a signal to the other passengers to confront the terrorist hijackers. In one hour, a transformation occurred among the passengers – athletes, business people and parents. — from sheep to sheepdogs and together they fought the wolves, ultimately saving an unknown number of lives on the ground.

There is no safety for honest men except by believing all possible evil of evil men. – Edmund Burke

Here is the point I like to emphasize, especially to the thousands of police officers and soldiers I speak to each year. In nature the
sheep, real sheep, are born as sheep. Sheepdogs are born that way, and so are wolves. They didn’t have a choice. But you are not a critter. As a human being, you can be whatever you want to be. It is a conscious, moral decision.

If you want to be a sheep, then you can be a sheep and that is okay, but you must understand the price you pay. When the wolf comes, you and your loved ones are going to die if there is not a sheepdog there to protect you. If you want to be a wolf, you can be one, but the sheepdogs are going to hunt you down and you will never have rest, safety, trust or love. But if you want to be a sheepdog and walk the warrior’s path, then you must make a conscious and moral decision every day to dedicate, equip and prepare yourself to thrive in that toxic, corrosive moment when the wolf comes knocking at the door.

This business of being a sheep or a sheep dog is not a yes-no dichotomy. It is not an all-or-nothing, either-or choice. It is a
matter of degrees, a continuum. On one end is an abject, head-in-the-sand-sheep and on the other end is the ultimate warrior. Few people exist completely on one end or the other. Most of us live somewhere in between.

Since 9-11 almost everyone in America took a step up that continuum, away from denial. The sheep took a few steps toward accepting and appreciating their warriors, and the warriors started taking their job more seriously. It’s okay to be a sheep, but do not kick the sheepdog. Indeed, the sheep dog may just run a little harder, strive to protect a little beter and be fully prepared to pay an ultimate price in battle and spirit with the sheep moving from “baa” to “thanks”. The degree to which you move up that continuum, away from sheephood and denial, is the degree to which you and your loved ones will survive, physically and psychologically at your moment of truth.

We do not call for gifts or freedoms beyond our lot. We just need a small pat on the head, a smile and a thank you to fill the emotional tank which is drained protecting the sheep. And when our number is called by the Almighty, and day retreats into night, a small prayer before the heavens just may be in order to say thanks for letting you continue to be a sheep. And be grateful for the thousands, millions of American sheepdogs who permit you the freedom to express even bad ideas.

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16 Comments »

Grumpy

February 9th, 2008 at 12:00 pm

CJ, Sheep are an interesting bunch. They are DUMB, STUBBORN, FEARFUL AND REBELLIOUS. What a mix! These characteristics just make the task of the “sheepdogs” all the more difficult. The “sheepdogs” have an unwritten agreement between them. The older ones have the responsibility of showing the younger how to fight the wolves, smarter, not harder. The younger have the responsibility of maintaining a willingness to LEARN and APPLY what they have learned in how to fight the wolves.

WARNING! When we use the term “older sheepdogs” and “young sheepdogs”, we must be VERY careful. These terms are not chronological terms, but experiential terms. Example, you may have a sheepdog (human), age 35 is actually an “old sheepdog”. Then on the other hand you may have another sheepdog (human) age 65 is actually the “young sheepog”. This principle overrules things like “Rank- Time and Grade.”

Ray

February 10th, 2008 at 5:51 pm

Well written and I hope that whoever I send this two will take the few minutes to read it. Thanks Grumpy for a lesson on how we should feel about our country.

Hal O'Leary

February 11th, 2008 at 12:58 pm

Just one question for Grumpy. What happens when comes the wolf in sheep’s clothing, and the sheep dog is either ignorant, dumb or sides with the wolf? To have used 9/11 as an example suggests that Grumpy himself may indeed be one of the sheep.

February 11th, 2008 at 2:02 pm

Hal O’Leary,

If you ever notice the sheepdogs are always just extensions of the shepherd. But the sheepdogs also work on their networking skills between each other. If the sheepdog was as ignortant or dumb as you suggest, he wouldn’t be there. The Sheepdog who “sides with the wolf”, the shepherd catches him and takes into the flock and kills him openly.

As I read your comment, I believe you are totally clueless about the present situation in this World.

February 12th, 2008 at 11:47 pm

Dear Grumpy:
Clueless about the present situation in the world? If you are not aware that the wolf is Dick Cheney the evil bastard that is responsible for 9/11, you are either simply one of the sheep or one of the sick people who know better but choose to abet the crimes of this administration.

February 18th, 2008 at 1:02 pm

Hal, before I make this comment, let me state right up front that my views are not sponsored by nor the opinions of the VA Mortgage Center. You, sir, are a complete idiot. I don’t normally call my commenters that, but then again most of them are smart enough not to say idiotic things like “Dick Cheney the evil bastard that is responsible for 9/11.” That is perhaps the most ignorant statement ever made and you are truly ignorant for repeating it.

The people that caused 9/11 are/were extreme Islamic terrorists. This is fact. You are an idiot. You really should have your head examined if you TRULY believe that. Hell, your hero Bill Clinton even disagrees with you!

February 28th, 2008 at 7:33 am

CJ – Nicely said! I’d go so far as to say that Dick Cheney is a sheep with his head in the sand.

Hal – What color is the sky in your world?

March 29th, 2008 at 3:55 pm

I doubt if Grumpy will read this so long after the fact, but I can’t help responding to one of the most stupid people I have had the misfortune to encounter. The fact is that the FBI wanted poster for Osama bin Laden does not include 9/11 as one of the crimes for which he is wanted, because there is no “hard evidence” on which they could get an indictment.
And. where on earth did you get the idea that Bill Clinton was my hero? He, my stupid friend. is one of the wolves along with Bush and Cheney and the rest of the evil zio/con cabal.
I only hope you live long enough to realize what an idiot you have been to believe the greatest packl of liars that ever lived.
And DF, the sky in my world is a sodden grey because of the inability or simply stupid refusal of people like yourself to recognize evil when you see it, which means that you and Grumpy may be as the old Chinese proverb refers to. “You cannot awaken a man who only pretends to sleep.”

August 10th, 2009 at 10:06 am

Dear God, yet another article on the internet where self-proclaimed pseudo-intellectuals can scoff derisively at the ’sheeple’ and feed their egos by feeling like society desperately needs them.

Sure, there are people in this world who would do you harm, given half a chance. Sure, I have a great many respect for law enforcements officers and anyone willing to make morally justified actions BUT the rest of the article is just plain ridiculous. Classifying the entire population into three groups? Come on. It gets even more ridiculous when one group represents ‘the bad guys’, one represents ‘the meek, stupid and naive’ and the alleged *minority* represents the intelligent, savvy, brave and morally-correct men and women who are all that stand between the sheep and the wolves.

Just out of curiosity, and this is where we will see how much of this article is based on fact and how much on simply appealing to your audience by writing what they want to hear:
How many people who have read this would identify themselves as a sheepdog?

My point exactly.

ModernThomasPaine

August 15th, 2009 at 2:48 pm

There is a reason that Border Collies and sheepdogs are among the smartest dogs in the world. Looks like ‘D’ and ‘Hal’ have totally missed the point. But that is the point….sheep don’t get it.

They are used to living in flocks, and jump and skitter about as a flock without any direction or plan. They need to be led and protected and ‘D’ and ‘Hal’ are two obvious sheep that wouldn’t know the first thing about being a sheepdog or a shepherd for that matter. I have had the privildege of spending the last 22 years in the Navy as a SEAL and just recently retired with my limbs intact, albeit pretty beat up.

The last 8 or so years have been very challenging for our country, our military and our law enforcement personnel. We have learned a lot of lessons in blood and through trial and error, but we are a better nation and a better force for protecting the sheep like ‘D’ and ‘Hal’ because of it.

Trying to ‘explain’ LCOL Grossman’s analogy to these idiots is a complete waste of time, but that is the nature of sheep. In spite of themselves, we love them and protect them because being a good sheep (read: positive contributor to society) isn’t a bad thing. And being an arrogant prick of a sheep like these two commentator is just par for the flock. Don’t worry, us sheepdogs/shepherds get it and take it for what it’s worth. And no matter how much inane ‘baaa-ing’ people like ‘D’ and ‘Hal’ do, we will just laugh to ourselves and continue the job, because a lot of our families are sheep also. If we were selective in who we protected, the fabric we call society would begin to unravel into a dog eat dog, eat sheep anarchist world.

I love a good fight and have had the great privilege working with the finest soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines and LE, to have help send many bad guys to their graves. Once you taste blood it is greatest feeling in the world, and this ‘old sheepdog’ will certainly miss that fight, but thank God there are a whole new group of sheepdogs to take our place and protect idiot liberals like ‘D’ and ‘Hal’.

One last thought….I bet ‘D’ and ‘Hal’ have never done anything for this country other than complain their whole lives. And I bet they think because they were ‘born’ here, that they have ‘earned’ the right to complain….just like the rest of the sheep.

Theserf

October 13th, 2009 at 2:51 am

This is by far one of the most insane articles I have ever read. It sickens me you are actually in the military. It shows just how insane and out of control law enforcement in general has gotten. I love guns but you have serious issues. I would hate to be you as your mind is severely warped either from the brainwashed training you received or some other life event that happened. Absolute insanity and I just pray you are not the norm in the military because if you are I want a refund on my tax dollars and definitely do not want any help from you or anyone like you. Frankly Id rather die from a “wolf” then be protected by someone like you.

Please dont bring up 9-11 or Columbine in your mindless rant. Seek help and I truthfully mean that.

ThomasPaine some of those great military you talk about have been raping and murdering innocent “sheep” over in Iraq, Afghanistan, even back with MyLai, so this whole article is completely pointless and shows the insanity of the current military system. This world would be a lot better place with about 1/100th of the military. As well wasnt it you idiots who made all of these bombs in the first place? Wasnt it the US Military who designed the Atom Bomb? Wasnt it the US military who killed innocent people when they dropped those bombs?

Protecting sheep? LOL – when have they ever? There causality count for out does anything positive they have done. Frankly ill take my chances with the terrorist and bad guys. I wish I could opt out of having my taxes go to people like this.

October 13th, 2009 at 2:58 am

On top of all that whats sad is most of you dont even realize that YOU are the problem. Wrap your mind around that.

Look up the death count of terrorist, then look up the death count of US military against innocent citizens in just about any country at this point.

So I ask who do we actually need protection from?

Also please do check youtube videos of some of those great soldiers running around Iraq like a bunch of 12 year old kids in a candy store.

Tyre

December 24th, 2009 at 6:13 pm

I really am sickened by reading some of these posts. Theserf- to actually make the comment, “Frankly ill take my chances with the terrorists and bad guys.” only exposes your ignorance.

I am an LEO, and we get intell every day that would make you cringe. You don’t have the slightest idea what has been stopped from happening in our country because of military and law enforcement that you will never read about. And if you actually believe that acts of terror are not getting stopped because you have not read about it, it only reiterates ignorance.

What, exactly, are you talking about when you say our troops are raping and murdering innocent people in the middle east? Do you have any proof or are you just spewing liberal rhetoric from some website? And please don’t bother quoting anything from CNN…that’s not proof by anyone’s standards.

Did the US military invent the atom bomb? No, we didn’t….we were just the first to employ it. Was it tragic? Absolutely. Did it save more lives than attacking Japan? Absolutely.

The “causality” count far out does anything positive? Really?! You actually believe that?! Travel to Western Europe sometime and take a look around. Then talk to some survivors of WWII. Heck, speak to veterans of WWII here. Go to Iraq, and talk to some of the torture victims of Sadam and his regime. Check with South Korea, or Bosnia. Spend some time in Kuwait.

Don’t bring up 911 or Columbine? Screw you. You belittle and disgrace the memory of those horribly events, as well as the survivors and the families of the deceased, by trying to make them a non-issue.

Who do you need protection from? Unfortunately, as is all to often the case with people like you, you need the most protection from your own ignorance. Just ask any of the people you so casually spit on…they know all to well.

Are there bad law enforcement officers? Yes, unfortunately. Are there bad soldiers? Yes, unfortunately. Are they few and far between? Very much so. Are you going to find video on Youtube of soldiers and police doing, what appears to be, bad things. I’m sure. I’m also sure that what went on before the video started rolling, and after, would have a lot of bearing on what happened in the video.

Police and soldiers are just as human as everyone else. We are held to much higher standards however, and we should be. But people like you seem to think that we should be perfect, or we can’t be police or soldiers. Not going to happen. There are definitely situations that require someone to be dismissed, and they should be. But do not for one second think that when you see video of a soldier “…running around Iraq like a bunch of 12 year old kids in a candy store.” that that means they are not good people, or soldiers. You try living in their boots for a month, and then tell me what they did wrong.

Finally, since you would rather take your chances with the terrorists and bad guys….just let all the law enforcement in your area know how you feel. Then, if someone ever does kick in your front door to burglarize your home, and find you there, they won’t come running when you call 911. Then you can have your wish, and take your chances with the bad guy. Liking guns and being willing to end someone’s existence, are two totally different things. If you think you can do it as casually as you made your comment, then I’d say you are no better than anyone you just trashed on this page.

Viking

January 9th, 2010 at 11:04 am

I also classify myself as a Sheepdog after nearly 26 years military service as a soldier, two combat tours, and a second career as an Emergency Responder. To my fellow Sheepdogs on here – These whiney pathetic individuals who are degrading the sentiment expressed in the article and the posts you have made (as I am sure they will do mine) have most likely never served anything but themselves, and coffee at Starbucks. The entire “Sheepdog Concept” is beyond their grasp and something they will never understand as they are incapable of independent thought related to self-preservation. They are not Sheep, but rather Sheep Dung. Hang tough brothers, without the Sheepdogs, the flock would be eaten by the Wolves…epecially the weak whiney ones who come here to deride who would go first due to their inherent genetic weaknesses.

Blatant evil

January 20th, 2010 at 5:29 pm

First of all, this is great, I absolutely love it, and while I’m only 15 years old and don’t have the training of even a decent sheepdog yet, I hope to some day in the near future. What is really terrible about the present situation is that there is no motivation for people to go beyond the level of sheep. Sure,a certain degree of predestination may incline some to be sheep, wolves, and sheepdogs, but in reality, if people actually had to fight for their lives, the only people to be alive would be the sheepdog, and subsequently, all who came about after that would be raised in that mindset. Now, I’m an Evangelical Christian, but Darwin and the rest of those kooks were right about one thing: survival of the fittest, and to a certain extent, natural selection (think of both in context). If people actually had to do something in their life, they’d have to do it well, or die. I do not doubt the perfect usefulness and good in not having a choice to be a sheep. Not all are physically capable. But, the key word there is Physically capable. What really makes me mad are those who are perfectly healthy with a strong will,mind, and body given to them by God, and they waste it, letting it atrophy as the life of a heartless sheep. Oh, by the way, I have sheep. They are’t necessarily stupid, but they don’t think through any decision before making it(if they touch and electric fence they go forward, not backward…). I think this was stated in the article, but real sheep don’t have a choice, and are naturally defenseless and ignorant, but people have a choice, and to wallow in ignorance and uselessness just shows how little care you have for anyone else. As always, there seems to be an infinite number of things to say on this subject, but I’ll stop here.

Blatant evil (not so evil, just blatant)

Lou Cooper

January 29th, 2010 at 2:44 pm

Great article. Great opinions. You have to admit, serving and being privy to the intel on the bad guys sure helps to put things in perspective. You cant blame the ignorant entirely for being kept in the dark, because that’s how the intel is designed: to NOT be shared.

This should be a mandatory read daily, or weekly, or monthly, for a LOT of people, if not all. Hell, even I learned something from it. None the less, these are the facts of life!