“A Lion does not concern himself with the opinions of sheep.” – George R. R. Martin

So, what is a Lion?

Simply put, a Lion is a depiction of strength and leadership. A symbol of devotion and nobility; of wisdom and grace. An icon of stoicism and self-mastery. Unaffected by circumstances or the opinions of others. Self-assured. Virtuous. Protective.

In metaphorical terms, a Lion, at least for the purpose of this blog, is imagery ascribed to an esteemed individual, whether fictional or non-fictional, that one might conjure to memory when asked to describe a person or type of person whom he or she admires or aspires to emulate. For me, an example of such a person might be that of Braveheart’s William Wallace, liberator of the Scottish people under the reign of the great English King, Edward Longshanks, or Gladiator’s Maximus Decimus Meridius, (fictional) Commander of the Armies of the North and the Felix Legions under the Roman Empire. Rome’s Greatest General serving under Rome’s Greatest (non-fictional) Emperor, Marcus Aurelius, who happened also to be one of the fathers of Stoic philosophy, along-side others such as Seneca, Zeno and Epictetus.

For you, however, a Lion might be the image you attribute to someone much closer to you, such as your natural mother or father, or perhaps a best friend or a confidant. Whomever you attribute to the imagery of a Lion, I think we can all agree that that person isn’t of weak constitution, lacking personal conviction without a sense of morality or direction, bending knee to whatever Society deems to be the new norm for the 21st century or caving spinelessly to peer pressures.

And that is, I believe, where this discussion must begin. Because, while I may measure a Lion against the measuring ruler of my own moral convictions, yours might be measured using a different metric; but, whatever that metric, it is absolutely defined. And, since I cannot know the definitions assigned by my various, innumerous readers from all cultures and walks of life, I will proceed with my own definitions in the sincere hope that I encourage you to explore your own definitions without taking offense to the places in which mine may differ from yours.

May the court of public opinion look favorably upon my words as they proceed throughout the course of this blog absent concern for political correctness, cancel culture, or, its opposite, the pursuit of the praises of men. But, rather, in honesty, truth and conviction, in the hope that for the millions of parents out there — struggling to find a balance between the barrage of woke, Liberal ideology feeding a hatred for truth as traditionally defined, relegated toward an anti-American, radical agenda and a desire to raise a child that doesn’t melt like a snowflake under the slightest pressure — you can find solace in knowing that two-trillion dollars spent on leftist propaganda hasn’t worked on me. And if you’re actively seeking a site such as this one, I’m guessing it hasn’t worked on you, either. This is a place where likeminded individuals can strengthen each other in traditional, American values, as we discuss the perils and pitfalls of raising strong, independent, free-thinking children in the new world order filled with snowflakes, unicorns, and sheep.

As we proceed in the exploration of this topic, I will make references to various historical and current figures, both fictional and non-fictional. I will make reference to religion, philosophy, science and literature. I hope to discuss controversial topics such a political power, racism and inequality. I believe that to fully understand any topic, one must be willing to consider differing views originating from vastly different walks of life. And, while I may not personally embrace every one of the views explored in the pursuit of deeper understanding, my hope is that you may glean benefit derived from the weighing of thoughts opposed.

An example of a controversial topic we will be discussing from various angles is the topic of violence and its place in modern society. It’s moral or amoral nature and whether one should instill in their children the ability to visit violence on their own behalf or on behalf of another. As the widely respected author of the book, The 12 Rules of Life, Dr. Jordan Peterson, puts it, “A harmless man is not a good man. A good man is a very, very dangerous man who has that under voluntary control.” Friedrich Nietzsche said it like this: “Hilarious are the weak who think they are good because they have no claws.”

Please don’t misunderstand my purpose in exploring topics such as violence on a parenting blog. I am in no way advocating for raising bullies. Nor am I seeking to normalize the violence plaguing our society. I hate senseless violence, and it is with that understanding that I acknowledge that, with the hatred of senseless violence comes the acceptance of the fact that, in contrast, pacifism is hypocrisy. As bestselling author Jack Donovan puts it in his Journal entry entitled, “Violence Is Golden”, published in his book, “A Sky Without Eagles”, Mr. Donovan makes the point that pacifism is taking the stance of moral superiority while hypocritically being willing to rely on the Government and police to visit violence on their behalf. Shifting the burden to the Government or the police might seem to be the appropriate response to violence within a civilized society, but as the saying goes, when seconds count police are minutes away. You are and need to be capable of being your own first responder.

What I am advocating for, is teaching our children to stand up against tyranny from the top down as well as the bottom up, in all its forms. This requires the ability to do violence while having that ability under voluntary control. Or, as Tim Larkin said in his book, “When Violence Is The Answer”, “Violence is almost never the answer, but when it IS the answer, it is the only answer.” Mr. Larkin gives a number of real-life examples of times when would-be victims became, instead, Lions, who unleased even greater violence against their would-be attacker in defense of their own life or that of another. This is the violence for which I advocate discussion. That which ends an otherwise unchecked evil perpetrated without cause or remorse against the innocent.

But, with all things, there must be balance. And there can be no better example of such as the warrior who rises off blood-stained hands to become vulnerable to his adoring children; or to shed tears with a cherished friend experiencing hardship; or to simply dance like nobody is watching with the love of his life. As John Lovell famously coined, to be a warrior poet.

Lastly, I intend to dedicate a large portion of the focus of this blog to the discussion of how to raise children in a pro-gun household. How to explain and defend the 2nd Amendment and, by extension, protect the remainder of the Bill of Rights, as well as discussing how to introduce children to the safe handling and use of firearms, both recreationally as well as defensively. In just the two and a half decades since I graduated high school, I have seen our culture shift from a time when high school kids drove trucks onto campus with rifles and shotguns mounted in the cab, and school shootings were non-existent, to where we are today, where firearms are forbidden, even demonized, yet school shootings happen multiple times per year. A terrible reality that, I believe, stems from fatherless homes and Progressive-Liberal ideology that undermines traditional family and American values, while glorifying and enabling crises of mental health. This blog is in direct defiance to that ideology, and it will remain so, unapologetically.

And, with that I will conclude the first of what I hope will be many deep dives into examples of men and women as well as boys and girls who would be asked to become, themselves, Lions in the face of evil and uncertainty, at the cost of mockery and exile in the court of public opinion and often at great threat of physical violence or death, as we explore the principals of what it means to raise lions, not sheep.

Sincerely,

Elijah Cain

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