Thread by @ThyConsigliori

John Minford, #SunTzu 4:8 & 9 "8 - Thus they achieve protection 9 - and victory intact."

[The pronoun ‘they’ refers to the Skillful Warriors of verses 4: 1 - 7.]

Translators. They're obviously a special breed, but, like others, you can't live with them, and can't live without them. Why is this two verses? For that matter, why doesn't Minford give us numbered verses? Giles did. It drives me crazy!

In case you're wondering, I have introduced myself and this project to Professor Minford, and he expressed no objection. We're not friends, yet, and do not know each other. I don't imagine he'll actually approve of my ultimate motivation, and he's under no responsibility here.

If he and I were friends, I'd be going, "John, old boy, what demon forced you to make what is obviously one verse into two?" And I'm sure he'd scornfully say something like, "Scopelliti, just shut up and write your commentary on both, and don't bother me with silliness."

Surrendering with resentful compliance, here I go.

Protection. Oh wait! I love this topic!! Thank you wise Professor! Protection. It is the basis of both mafias and government, and after all, who can tell the difference? You need protection. I strong. You pay. Pay now. Or else.

But, protection is precisely the obligation of every parent over every child, every village, town, state or nation's leader over his charges. Here's the problem. The natural need for protection, of the weak against the strong, makes the weak depend upon the strong. The stronger.

And then there's the great collective. Joining together, the weak can depend upon the whole, antelope in a tight huddle, sure, the old and weak may often fall on the onside, but if you're on the inside, you're safe from the lions and hyenas for now. Protection. It's complicated.

To be sure, Master Sun is referring to the Skillful Warrior who attains protection for his soldiers, and for his state. Oh, rewind, part of understanding today's tiny passage requires that we return to our opening verse, #SunTzu 1: 1. Let's go there now...

Master Sun said:

War is a grave affair of state; it is a place of life and death, a road to survival and extinction, a matter to be pondered carefully.

Returning to our verse today, the Skillful Warriors of old were masters of defense, and thus achieved protection of their troops on the field, their entire army, and of the state who's existence was on the line. If they achieved ultimate excellence, they protected the enemy also.

In America, our government has become the greatest, and worst mafia in history. How so? It is protected and covered by the remaining greatness of our founding. We have so much protection as Americans, by our laws and history, that it ends up allowing government vast cover.

No, that's not right. Lenin, Stalin, Hitler, Mao, Pol Pot, these dictators were the worst mafia leaders in history. Castro and Guevara, the list goes on. No, tempting as it is, our government is still far from the worst mafia. But, it is the one given most leeway, most cover.

Charged with the highest calling, it is without doubt, as it descends into mere mafia status, the greatest historical disappointment. Unless we make it great again. There is still time. At least, I believe there is. Don't you?

If we do have time left, it is solely due to the extraordinary efforts of just one man. Many helped, but without @realDonaldTrump, we'd be out of time. Picture that we're entering into the 3rd year of HRC's reign. Our great America would be on her deathbed. Gasping last breaths.

Time machine work again. 1789. Many of our founders were extremely frightened by the centralized power of this new government, but hoped they'd created enough checks and balances, and that the American people were independent enough, virtuous enough, to make it through intact.

Screech right back to right now, today. Like Master Sun's Skillful Warriors of old, we too must learn to protect what must be protected. The modern term we've established for this is Strategic Defense. Trump is its greatest master. We must follow his lead.

Allow me to express this in my own way. Each and every local elementary school is a state, and it must be protected, our children must be protected. We must never allow them to be stolen again. I'm not exactly sure, but the number 100,000 seems close enough.

And let me tell you what I imagine we require. Roughly 100,000 Sun Tzu caliber leaders of small, high-performance teams. Roughly, 1 leader and 8 followers for a total of 9 unit members. Yes, if we had such an army, it would help us win elections. But this is so much larger.

We might win elections for the coming 30 years and still lose America, NOT live up to the mandate to make Her great again. How? How many Republicans have we sent to DC, who ended up becoming Swamp Masters, happily made men in the government mafia?

Or, imagine we rooted out federal corruption, but left it as a cancer metastasized throughout the reach and breadth of our state and community government/crime nexus. Or even worse, bad laws and legal corruption spread rampant. Elections, even when won, are not enough.

And then there's our rotted-out judiciary. How will we ever bring honor back to the robes and gavels and power of our judges? A courtroom is a temple of power, and yet, I personally have heard scornful laughter in court over the idea of justice. The law is NOT justice, I hear.

As you know, the list goes on. How shall we learn to protect what must be protected? That is why we study as faithful students under Master Sun. That is why our hashtag - and please know the power of social media - is #SunTzuForMAGA. We need his help. We do.

To return to previous sections in our #WarForAmerica2020 and #SunTzuForMAGA series, don't forget to head over to @WarForAmerica21.

68 verses completed, 354 to go. And also, be sure to purchase John Minford's translation, here:

amazon.com/Art-War-Pengui…