LightHouse Dann Verner's Blog: Walking With Dann

What are your feelings about eating meat?

I am 90 percent carnivore and 10 percent vegetarian.

Pork #1 Poultry #2 Fish #3 Beef #4

(Now y’all made me hungry!)

The murder of National Guardsman Sarah Beckstrom and the serious wounding of National Guardsman Andrew Wolfe by Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan National refugee brought in to the United States via the “Operation Allies Welcome” emergency resettlement program has now put the other 200,000 refugees in an extremely dangerous situation.

An hour immediately after the shooting Donald Trump, more or less, declared what can only be called an “Immigration War” against the almost a quarter of a million Afghans who entered the country.

When the Taliban took control of Afghanistan the emergency evacuation of the Americans and the Afghans who were assisting them by the Biden Administration was chaotic and botched, the to say the least.

Thousands upon thousands of Afghan civilians who had assisted the American and Allied Military Forces were fleeing for their very lives.

They were certainly facing execution and/or unspeakable torture for assisting the Americans if captured by the Taliban.

Most were flown to third party countries for “vetting” before being allowed to enter the States.

However, many were brought directly into the country and were to be vetted upon arrival.

Like the evacuation, the vetting process was also botched.

Trump is going to punish all Afghans for the actions of one.

As expected Trump puts a hundred percent of the blame on Past President Joe Biden.

In this instance the blame is warranted due to the evacuation fiasco.

So now Trump has ordered that they all be re-vetted.

Rahmanullah Lakanwal was but one of almost a quarter million.

The reason behind his actions have yet to be discovered.

Was he a Taliban operative?

In Afghanistan he worked for the CIA for the duration of the war.

Knowing this I cannot see him having any allegiance to the terrorist Taliban.

It defies logic.

However, it has been revealed that Lakanwal’s work visa had expired and that had led to his not being able to continue working.

Then the snowball effect made matters worse.

His food stamps ran out.

He had become unemployed and could not feed his family!

Perhaps his reasoning for the attack has nothing to do with the Afghan War or the Talibans.

Perhaps his reasoning for the attack had everything to do with the shame he was feeling for what he probably perceived as failing his family.

Perhaps he simply “snapped“.

BELIEVE ME WHEN I SAY THAT IN NO WAY WHATSOEVER AM I ATTEMPTING TO JUSTIFY LAKANWAL’S ACTIONS OR THAT I AM DEFENDING HIM IN ANY WAY!

I MOST CERTAINLY BELIEVE THAT HE DESERVES THE FULL WRATH OF THE AMERICAN JUSTICE SYSTEM!

My concern lays with the almost a quarter of a million Afghans who HAVE NOT COMMITTED A CRIME since arriving in the United States.

Afghans who are proud to have come to the States and who want to live in a Democracy without persecution.

With Trump’s hatred for Joe Biden and his extremely obvious bigotry against all non-white people I have fear of what he may do.

To date, since the vetting process was started upon the initial arrival, they has been fifty-five Taliban discovered and dealt with.

Mind you, discovering just one is one too many, fifty-five out of two hundred thousand shows that the process does work sufficiently. The main problem with the process is it’s lengthy timeline.

If the Trump Administration decides to deport even one refugee they will be sentencing them to death or worse.

They would be arrested, imprisoned, tortured and executed.

Man, woman or child will make no difference.

I pray that the American people do not allow all the refugees to be judged and possibly punished for the actions of one.

I refuse to believe that Lakanwal’s murderous rampage was motivated by anything connected to the Taliban terrorists.

Hopefully the American people will understand that the majority of these refugees are proud proud to be living in the States.

That they were honoured to work along side of and with the Allied Forces against the Taliban terrorists.

The American people are well aware of the high cost of living due to the Tariff War.

I am sure that they are aware that the shame of not being able to feed your family can do weird things to a man’s mind.

Any man.

No matter what colour his skin is.

AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE, IN NO WAY AM I ATTEMPTING TO JUSTIFY LAKANWAL’S ACTIONS OR DEFEND HIM.

Lakanwal ambushed and viciously attacked Guardsmen Beckstrom and Wolfe.

Two youth who were proud to serve their homeland.

Two young souls that were only doing there job.

Lakanwal deserves the full punishment of American Law.

Including the Death Penalty.

But, the other Afghan refugees do not deserve to be punished for his actions.

There are two types of people on Earth and I cannot handle the three of them.

(Just saying ……)

Do you ever stop and take a genuine look at what is actually happening in your world?

I am not talking about the politics of dancing through your neighbourhood.

I am speaking about everything you see, hear and interact with during every millisecond of your existence.

The perverbial “Stopping to smell the roses.”

When was the last time you simply stopped and surveyed this high tech, high energy, highly inflationed, highly strung society we have constructed?

If you cannot answer this question without hesitation then I suggest you take that “pause” asap.

Our lives have become a cascading overload of stimulation.

Comparable to a runaway train barreling down a mountainside heading to the heart of a city.

We have been purposely ignoring the Engineer’s blaring horn.

That locomotive is gaining momentum as city center nears.

This world we have constructed is a scary place.

The blame for the fright lies in our own laps.

In our bank accounts.

In our Mortgage Brokers accounts.

In our cowardness.

And definitely in our fears.

We stole “childhood” from our babies. Replacing it with technology and “Social Media” (Antisocial Media?)

Today’s youth live in a world that few of my generation are capable of understanding.

My generation experienced the invention of the radio, the television, the modern automobile and all the other wonders birthed during the industrial age.

We witnessed music’s metamorphic transformation from gospel based bluegrass to Jim’s Hendrix’s teeth chewing out “The Star Spangled Banner” at the Woodstock Festival of 1969.

We watched as our youth, both male and female, went into a frenzied blitz of pure excitement as four lads from Liverpool stepped off a British plane onto American soil.

That singular moment may well have been the catalyst of the changing of society as we had known it to be.

Perhaps being the day the downfall of “family structure” took its first steps.

Before the coming of the modern era, everyday life was far simpler.

Psychologically wise.

In the physical sense life was hard. Anything and everything we needed or wanted was “earned” – “worked for”.

Nothing came easily or without cost.

A copper penny was just as valuable as a gold coin.

Unlike today’s world.

We didn’t have multiple credit cards in our wallets. Nor did our homes have multiple mortgages. Belonging to the bank more than to families.

If we were blessed to own an automobile it was paid for with sweat stained dollars earned off the backs of hardworking people.

In today’s world we simply apply “on-line” for yet one more “loan” or extension to our “line-of-credit”.

It is suffice to say that the average person’s accumulated debts will become the unwanted inheritance that their loved ones most definitely did not wish to receive.

The lucky families are the ones whose relatives had afforded life insurance. (I often muse as to why we do not call those policies “Death Insurance”. For logic dictates that in fact it is a death benefit.)

The accelerated lifestyle of today has come with a conglomerate of costs.

Affecting all aspects of life.

We, literally, have become far too busy to find and enjoy moments of relief from the onslaught of modern day technology, financial stresses and worries.

Rarely do families share time with each other.

Time has become a commodity. A luxury that few can afford to waste. A luxury that has become a yoke of extreme stress upon our shoulders.

My question to the cosmos is,

“What is the rush?”

Why do we accelerate at full speed to be the first in line at the next red light?

What is the sense of us having a brake pedal if we are never going to depress it?

All this hurrying and stress has affected us, being “society”, in every possible aspect of living.

Society has lost its social foundation. The foundation that was built on trust, care, neighbourliness and cooperation.

Answer me this,

“Do you trust your neighbours, your government or your doctor?”

Better yet ask yourself this,

“Do you or can you ‘trust’ yourself?”

These were trick questions, for if you just asked yourself them then the answer was a hard “No”.

Stop and take a preliminary gaze at the world that surrounds you.

Taking notice of the numerous and often chaotic things about you.

The rush of the crowds on the busy streets.

The amount of complaints you hear from friends and strangers alike.

The military tensions happening worldwide. The numerous conflicts those tension based conflicts have caused.

The constant pressure to “earn more, spend less”.

The look of defeat on the faces of your fellow countrymen.

The brown haze that distorts the beauty of sunrise and sunsets.

Even the strongest of steel has a breaking point. When that break happens the consequences are severe.

This train is almost at the end of its track!

The resulting collision will be catastrophic beyond compare.

I pray that I do not come across like some hillbilly conspiracy theorist preaching the end of days, but I truly do believe that the end of days is coming.

I do not mean that the end of the world is soon to arrive.

I am referring to the end of “society”, this chaotic form of communal life, as we know it to be.

Albert Einstein once stated that there will come a time of man where we will be capable of developing technologies that work but we will not have the capability of understanding “why” said technology works.

(Oddly, Artificial Intelligence just came to mind.)

I fear that time has arrived.

The average person goes through life with rarely seeing the reality surrounding them.

They are trapped in the “tunnel vision” of the robotic trances of basic survival.

“Wake, Breakfast, Work, Lunch, Work, Pick up the children from Daycare, Supper, Bathe said children, Sleep and Wake to daily repeat the ritual of existence.”

What’s missing from the above list?

EVERYTHING!

Including living life itself.

Where is the time to cuddle with your loved ones after a long hard day of work?

Where is the time to gently caress your partner’s hair as your bodies succumb to relaxation?

Time has become such a commodity that no longer can you take that long relaxing bath, but rather you must take a “quick” shower.

That often supper must depend upon “Uber Eats” due to the lack of time in your schedule to prepare a proper meal.

We have allowed cable tv to become obsolete and with it we have lost the winding down of our hectic day while watching a “family” show with our “family”.

Those precious moments have become obsolete as, although we sit in the same room, we all are living in our own created realities.

Momma no longer plays bass. Now she “FaceTimes”.

Daddy no longer plays fiddle. He now plays “Digital Blackjack”.

Junior no longer bangs on the drum. He prefers to “TikTok” away his evenings.

Sister no longer sings. She prefers to lip sync along side “YouTubers”.

I am as much entrapped in the same world as I spend my evening manipulating this “iPad”.

I see a massive change coming soon.

We cannot continue to exist while ignoring how greatly we are “not” existing.

We can no longer ignore the present level of corruption within most governments.

We can no longer ignore the military tensions between nations such as Russia, China, India and the newly formed “Divided States of America”.

Tensions that I strongly suspect will soon escalate into war. Possibly Earth’s third and final World War. (There will never be a “fourth” world war.)

Take for instance the chaos that has consumed the once great “United States of America” since Donald J Trump arranged for Elon Musk to rig the electoral computers in Pennsylvania during the last American election. Something they both publicly and readily bragged about on election night.

The fact that Americans applauded both Trump and Musk when they admitted doing so says volumes about the society we have created.

Look at how one nation’s group of redneck, rampaging, uneducated, followers of their “Shepard”, (the MAGA’s), devotion to their obviously “demented”, narcissistic, pedophile wannabe dictator has affected the economy of the entire world.

The MAGA followers are the epitome of the definition of “Sheeple”.

Sadly, in my opinion, the damage they have done to American society is non-repairable.

When, and if ever, the American people decide that enough is enough, the previous United States of America will be obsolete.

It will be the “Divided States of America” . Divided into at least two, possibly more, new nations.

The division and hatred that the corrupt Trump administration has created between American citizens has forever changed not only The States, but more importantly, the way the rest of the world perceives of their country.

Not to mention all the other countries, many of which were once American allies, the Trump administration has attacked economically and, in some instances, militarily. (That’s a topic for other days.)

“What is the answer to stop this madness?”

The damage and chaos is great, too great!

We have no choices left to make the changes in time to save society as we know it.

There is too much happening in too many places to too many people.

It will take decades, perhaps centuries, before mankind evolves enough to achieve such a goal.

We are in the position of either all nations laying down their arms and demilitarizing their society and then work together to build a better more Utopian world or wait for the total collapse of life as we know it and rebuild using the lessons learned from the mistakes of our past.

That is ….. if we survive this present danger.

Time will tell.

Many nations and groups are doing their best to try and stop the train before it jumps off the rails.

An admirable but unrealistic endeavour.

The train is getting closer.

And,

We all know well that ……..

“Runaway trains always crash .”

What are your two favorite things to wear?

My “Che’ Guevara” hat and my black jeans

If only the ocean could come visit me

Being far away for visits to the Sea.

A childhood spent upon the shore

Nature’s splendor an open door.

Missing the rhythm of cascading waves

The Siren’s song from windswept caves.

The eerie rumble of the foghorn

The scent of sea salt in the morn.

A childhood spent upon the sandy bank

Recalling stories of pirate ships sank.

If only the ocean could come visit me

A happier man you would see me be

If only the ocean could come visit me

What technology would you be better off without, why?

Cellphones

It is difficult to get solitude when you wish for it because everyone expects you to answer your calls or texts no matter what you are doing.

Look at these two beautiful faces!!!

“Is not that not the look of ‘Love’ times two?”

They are the faces of my precious “Pringles” and her same-litter sister, “Ruffles”.

They were ten years old last August the 19th, 2015.

They are “Chorkies” – A “Chihuahua/Yorkie Terrier” mix. Mommy, “Ginger” weighed eight pounds on the best of days. Daddy, “Prince” was medium sized. Perhaps 15 to 20 pounds.

‘The genetics of the canine species amazes me!’

Pringles weighs the same as her Mom.

She also inherited her Mom’s “Chihuahua ” bully attitude.

She will hide her emotions under the cloak of aggression.

The larger the opposing dog the more aggressive she becomes.

(I often joke saying if she were a liquor she would be ‘Tequila’.)

Ruffles weighs the same as her Daddy.

She has inherited the same terrier like characteristics that her Daddy has.

Rarely barks, but constantly alert.

Extremely emotional and faithfully devoted!

(Ruffles is “beer” in comparison to Pringles being Tequila.)

Pringles and Ruffles have never been separated. Never!!!

I even insisted, and the vet agreed, to neuter them at the same time, side by side in the Operating Room.

They have never been in one of those damn torture chambers many pet owners call “The Crate”.

Pringles does not like cold or wet weather at all! She will demand to be taken back inside. Immediately. Ruffles, on the other hand, would stay out in the rain or snow all day long if I let her.

Over the past decade I have been Blessed with having shared many loving moments with these to “FurAngels”.

I can honestly tell you that they are seventy-five percent of the reason for my surviving battling this damn cancer these past seven years.

They always know when I am a little too sad, or scared, or angry, or ill from treatments.

Whenever I feel any of these they glue themselves to my hip. Refusing to leave my side for any reason.

Here are a few pics taken over the years …..

I had to share this info about my girls with you.

I had to share the unconditional love they share with me unconditionally.

I thank the Creators everyday for them bringing these two gorgeous creatures into my family and my life.

If you have a dog in your family you will understand.

THE GREATEST THING ABOUT THE LOVE YOU WILL RECEIVE FROM A DOG IS THAT IT IS “TRUE”, IT IS “FOREVER”, IT IS NEVER “FAKE”.

The main and most important difference between mankind and dogs is that, unlike humans, dogs know nothing about deceit, lies, adultery, hatred or fake emotions.

We people could learn much from our dogs.

I am grateful for every moment I am Blessed to share with my Pringles and Ruffles.

What’s the hardest decision you’ve ever had to make? Why?

The most difficult decision that I have ever had to make in my life was to write my son’s, Jordan, life story.

Jordan committed suicide on Christmas morning, 2019 in a town called “Black Diamond” in Alberta, Canada.

Every single keystroke was accompanied with a thousand tears.Writing it was the only way I could get through the reality of his death.

The proceeds of his biography go to suicide prevention and awareness.

https://a.co/d/amwmmsR

Punishing all the people of a certain “race” for the actions of one individual is not morally , politically or sensibly correct or proper!

I am speaking, of course, about the November 26, 2025 attack in Washington, D.C. upon two American National Guardsmen, Andrew Wolfe, 24, and Sarah Beckstrom, 20.

The Guardsmen were attacked by an Afghan National named “Rahmanullah Lakanwal”.

Lakanwal was brought into the United States via President Joe Biden’s “Operation Allies Welcome”. An Afghan “resettlement” post war program.

Approximately 200,000 Afghans, who assisted American Forces and their allies during the war, were granted asylum in the United States. For their protection from persecution from the Taliban once the States withdrew from Afghanistan and the Taliban took control.

If they were to have remained in Afghanistan the Taliban definitely would have put them to death or imprisoned them for life for having assisted the United States and allied forces during the war.

One man, out of two hundred thousand Afghan Nationals, for reasons not yet known, decided to drive from Washington State across the country to Washington, D.C. and attack the two guardsmen.

One man out of two hundred thousand refugees!

From day one of the initiative there has been controversy concerning the vetting process of the “Operation Allies” group.

The emergency of the situation and the short time to act on getting them out of Afghanistan raised many questions regarding the vetting process.

Due to that ongoing controversy this shooting has now become a “political debate”.

Especially with the MAGA supporters supporting President Donald J Trump’s very public hatred towards past President Joe Biden and his administration. Blaming them for things that often were “fake news” and/or outright false.

Lakanwal’s victims will soon become political pawns.

Tools for those with ulterior motives fuelled by greed and narcissistic hunger for power.

It has already begun, with President Trump ordering a complete “re–vetting” of EVERY AFGHANI in the United States. Including those already vetted, those that came in through other programs and those refugees whose applications are awaiting processing.

Trump has also ordered a ban on all Afghan’s entering the country.

While the cold hearted politicians, both pro and con, stand on their soapboxes and proclaim their “greatness”, Guardsman Wolfe lays, fighting for his life, in the Intensive Care Unit in “Critical Condition”.i

Guardsman Beckstrom does not get that chance of recovering.

Sadly, Guardsman Sarah Beckstrom lost her fight and she passed away an hour ago.

She only twenty years old!

The animal that took this youth’s life also lays in the Intensive Care Unit in critical condition.

I PRAY AND HOPE HE SURVIVES!!!

I PRAY BECAUSE HE DESERVES TO BE SENTENCED TO LIFE WITH NO PAROLE!!!

I PRAY THAT HE LIVES TO BE VERY, VERY OLD!!!

He does not deserve the quickness of the “Death Penalty”. He deserves a long life in a six by eight prison cell.

Because of him the families of Guardsman Wolfe and, especially, the family of Guardsman Beckstrom will forever be carrying the heavy heartedness of grief.

Because of Lakanwan every Afghan refugee has to fear for their lives.

Fear that they will be forced to leave the United States and face certain execution by the Taliban.

In many ways this is political, but the politics of it should not be used to grandstand against the Afghan refugees who risked their lives and the lives of their families to assist the CIA and American military in the Afghanistan War.

We cannot allow for the lives of Beckstrom and Wolfe to be in used as political cannon fodder.

We cannot allow for the punishment of all Afghanistan people for the actions of one rogue terrorist.

If an American person was to commit such a crime should we punish every American?