Good Sunday America! Dallas here, I just want to have as much of a one on one chat you can have on this platform. Running this account has been a joy and sometimes crushing burden. I honestly never thought we as a nation would be here, now.

I also never thought that this account would become as important as it has. I always viewed it as a counter voice, a talking head cable guy pulling back the curtain for you.

#COVID19 changed that. Looking back I can see and pinpoint the shift in my personal attitude.

We started our with joking around a bit. “Don’t use the P word” to the first in the nation stat on the US death rate.

Publishing that stat was sobering and told me that just got real. It also caused a mindset shift that has been hard on some in my personal life.

And it’s this that I really want to talk about. Those of us with disaster experience/ above normal first response experiences/ front line solders all in our daily lives have a overly laid back personality. This is because the “threat level” of daily life is well 0.

You manage yourself and care for those around you but real action rarely if ever, rises to a level of either we all get this right or we’re all dead.

Well, we are now at that level. And if you’ve noticed, some of us are mentally different from our normal state.

There is no longer time for false platitudes and an idea of niceties. I and others are now speaking in a new language. Complete emotionally less honesty. When you ask me how I’m doing, I’m not going to say “I’m Good” even though I’m not.

If you ask me what I think about something, I will tell you and why I think that. Often it’s perceived as being brutal and not taking the other persons feelings into consideration.

Why do we make this shift? It’s because in times of true crisis you have to know...

... exactly where everyone is, physically, mentally and what they can or cannot do.

As a society, this is extremely hard to comprehend and function under. It’s a true team dynamic that many will never experience.

Personally, it has cost me a few relationships.

Relationships that I loved. I still love those ppl and will welcome them back after this but they will never see me the same again. In their mind I will never be the guy so laid back that I’m regularly asked if I’m high.

This is secluding and why soldiers and first responders feel far closer to their “Team”. The team can see each other for for who they are and know what they can do for each other and those around them.

The Greatest Generation has that name because they are the “Team”.

Ppl who served and the civilian ppl all went through this mental shift of truth telling, honesty and true care for each other because they knew if they got it wrong, they all could die.

The US is coming to that moment again. But there are factions that want to...

...Maintain the old ways. This is because for better or worse the top of leadership in this country has not made this mental shift. We do not have brutal honesty, true concern and caring and a team first attitude coming from the top.

So, about you and me. I’m not going anywhere but if you ask me, I will tell you that I had to take a day of mourning, that you’re being a selfish dick for wanting to go out and that I do think you look great but get a shower.

I expect you to tell me the same.

And in doing so, we will build our team and make it through this, together, alive and hopefully closer. I value you and need you in my life.

In a long winded way, I guess what I’m saying is, the ppl responding to this need you and they need you to understand...

... That their shift in personality is because the team is in danger and you are on that team.

Love you all and I miss your fucking faces. -Dallas