Taylor Smith shared a post to Ben Kennedy's Timeline.
Thought you'd appreciate this
Jason Smith
I needed to write this to process what happened, and defend a man I considered a friend.
The Old Cowboy
Our family called Southern Utah home for 14 years, I wi...ll never forget the red rocks, stark desert and unbelievable sunsets of that tough and untamed corner of the world. Southern Utah is a place where one can still see “real” cowboys, men who work the land, run cattle and ride a horse to work, they are as tough as the rocks and unforgiving landscape of the Southwest.
The Old Cowboy
Our family called Southern Utah home for 14 years, I wi...ll never forget the red rocks, stark desert and unbelievable sunsets of that tough and untamed corner of the world. Southern Utah is a place where one can still see “real” cowboys, men who work the land, run cattle and ride a horse to work, they are as tough as the rocks and unforgiving landscape of the Southwest.
Roughly 4 months ago I ran into one of those cowboys in an office building in Cedar City, Utah while working as a sales rep for a media company, I first heard his boots click-clacking down the hallway, he was a small framed wiry fellow wearing denim jeans, dusty boots and a denim jacket, one look and I could see that this was a man who had spent his entire life in the desert sun and was no stranger to hard work.
He looked up with a smile, extended his hand, asked me for my name and when he found out I was raised in Virginia said “ oh yes, Virginia; the cradle of American Liberty” - I was instantly impressed as not only did he speak highly of my native state, but the cowboy also knew his history. We talked for about 20 minutes and he spoke of freedom, liberty and natural rights, he was warm, genuine and one of the most intelligent people I’ve ever spoken with- not the stuffy PhD type of intelligence, but a man who was wise because of work, wise because he was self-taught and wise because he was humble.
I remember the old cowboy telling me something that I will never forget; when I mentioned to him that the future didn’t look too bright in America, especially for freedom and that I was a bit worried about what may lay ahead for me and my family, he looked me straight in the eye with a piercing, yet kind gaze and said “I’m so thankful and excited to be alive at this time in history, isn’t the future great”? and then he said “ YOU where born for this time- its YOUR time to be here on this earth,your future is bright- isn’t that exciting?”
We exchanged goodbyes and I walked away with a new friend, having the feeling that I had just spoken with greatness, and a humble man who knew why he was on this earth and above all loved liberty and loved to share that passion with others.
I never saw the old cowboy again, our paths wouldn’t cross in that future we discussed-but I thought a lot about our meeting and conversation, it gave me hope and I came away from our chance encounter a better man. The cowboy was just the type of person who inspired you in a quiet way, and left you with the impact that only a man who cared deeply about others could leave.
The cowboy’s name was LaVoy Finicum.
Over the last week I have grown weary of those in the media who have demonized a very, very good man, I feel a duty to defend my friend LaVoy Finicum, from those who never met the man, yet claim to know his motives and desires. I don’t know what happened out on that frozen road in Oregon, and in full truth the only person who does cannot speak anymore.
I do know the world lost a Husband, Father, Mentor, and voice of Liberty that day.
LaVoy was as good a man as I’ve ever met, and I don’t say that lightly, a man’s character is carved in his face, posture, and in the light in his eyes, and that old cowboy’s eyes were full of light and character. Anyone who met the man face to face could see that.
There was a time in America where we valued men who were willing to die for liberty and freedom, I grew up just a stones throw from the historic St.John’s church in Richmond Virginia, where in 1775 a fired-up Patrick Henry gave the speech, and the 7 words that he would forever be famous for; “ Give me liberty, or give me death!”
Patrick Henry was a man who wasn’t afraid to die for liberty, and what he believed in.
Henry was rightfully lionized for his bold stand on freedom, Americans recognized the value in a man willing to die for his beliefs, America used to be strong because it valued men willing to die for principle.
Today lesser men take keyboard pot-shots at a man who would have given them the shirt off of his back, changed their flat tire or invited them to his home for dinner.
So, if you (blogger, reporter, media host,) are writing negative stories about LaVoy after his death, please know that you are a coward and a person of low moral character - you didn’t know the man, I did- however, because I knew the man, I’m confident that he would still consider you a friend, and after meeting him you would have known that you just met greatness.
Knowing this truth makes me smile through the loss of a friend, gives me hope for the future and confirmation that America can still produce great men of resolve and character.
Ride on Cowboy, ride on.
He looked up with a smile, extended his hand, asked me for my name and when he found out I was raised in Virginia said “ oh yes, Virginia; the cradle of American Liberty” - I was instantly impressed as not only did he speak highly of my native state, but the cowboy also knew his history. We talked for about 20 minutes and he spoke of freedom, liberty and natural rights, he was warm, genuine and one of the most intelligent people I’ve ever spoken with- not the stuffy PhD type of intelligence, but a man who was wise because of work, wise because he was self-taught and wise because he was humble.
I remember the old cowboy telling me something that I will never forget; when I mentioned to him that the future didn’t look too bright in America, especially for freedom and that I was a bit worried about what may lay ahead for me and my family, he looked me straight in the eye with a piercing, yet kind gaze and said “I’m so thankful and excited to be alive at this time in history, isn’t the future great”? and then he said “ YOU where born for this time- its YOUR time to be here on this earth,your future is bright- isn’t that exciting?”
We exchanged goodbyes and I walked away with a new friend, having the feeling that I had just spoken with greatness, and a humble man who knew why he was on this earth and above all loved liberty and loved to share that passion with others.
I never saw the old cowboy again, our paths wouldn’t cross in that future we discussed-but I thought a lot about our meeting and conversation, it gave me hope and I came away from our chance encounter a better man. The cowboy was just the type of person who inspired you in a quiet way, and left you with the impact that only a man who cared deeply about others could leave.
The cowboy’s name was LaVoy Finicum.
Over the last week I have grown weary of those in the media who have demonized a very, very good man, I feel a duty to defend my friend LaVoy Finicum, from those who never met the man, yet claim to know his motives and desires. I don’t know what happened out on that frozen road in Oregon, and in full truth the only person who does cannot speak anymore.
I do know the world lost a Husband, Father, Mentor, and voice of Liberty that day.
LaVoy was as good a man as I’ve ever met, and I don’t say that lightly, a man’s character is carved in his face, posture, and in the light in his eyes, and that old cowboy’s eyes were full of light and character. Anyone who met the man face to face could see that.
There was a time in America where we valued men who were willing to die for liberty and freedom, I grew up just a stones throw from the historic St.John’s church in Richmond Virginia, where in 1775 a fired-up Patrick Henry gave the speech, and the 7 words that he would forever be famous for; “ Give me liberty, or give me death!”
Patrick Henry was a man who wasn’t afraid to die for liberty, and what he believed in.
Henry was rightfully lionized for his bold stand on freedom, Americans recognized the value in a man willing to die for his beliefs, America used to be strong because it valued men willing to die for principle.
Today lesser men take keyboard pot-shots at a man who would have given them the shirt off of his back, changed their flat tire or invited them to his home for dinner.
So, if you (blogger, reporter, media host,) are writing negative stories about LaVoy after his death, please know that you are a coward and a person of low moral character - you didn’t know the man, I did- however, because I knew the man, I’m confident that he would still consider you a friend, and after meeting him you would have known that you just met greatness.
Knowing this truth makes me smile through the loss of a friend, gives me hope for the future and confirmation that America can still produce great men of resolve and character.
Ride on Cowboy, ride on.
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