Master Sergeant Clint Trial (USMC, Ret) is one of my favorite Americans, so I was quite pleased when one of my favorite small businesses, Black Triangle, decided to offer a CT t-shirt to raise money for the Third Option Foundation and Torn Warriors.
Here’s the story behind the shirt from Clint himself:
“A man will never excel at giving orders if he’s never questioned the orders he’s been given.”
I wrote this a long time ago. Probably around the time this photo was taken. It felt like the truth back then every bit as much as it does today.
I’ve always had issues with “authority figures”
…from as far back as I can remember, I always looked at authority figures with suspicion. I didn’t know why I was that way… seemed like that was just how I was designed. After 51 years of living, I think it’s all starting to make much more sense now. My healthy distaste for authority figures was not unwarranted.
It is this Marine’s opinion that “authority figures” are nothing more than an illusion created by men who crave power over others.
One might very easily point out the glaring contradiction in this photo… “uhhh but yeah man… if you hate authority figures so much then how the hell did you spend 20+ yrs in the Marine Corps?”
My answer is simple – because any good Marine who is worthy of leading other Marines is NOT an authority figure… he is a leader. And the difference between those two things could not be greater. Being led is a much different feeling than being forced to follow. A good leader will lead by example and mentor and guide those who follow. An authority figure doesn’t give 2 shits about any of those things. An authority figure says “Obey or else!” The Marine Corps I served in did an excellent job of weeding out authority figures and an excellent job of creating strong leaders. But like anywhere else in life …there are always those who slip through the cracks.. even in the Corps. When this picture was taken … that middle finger was aimed towards a few of those “authority figures”.
I post this somewhat embarrassing photo of myself because I can see how it is a micro reflection of how I feel about our current government. Only it seems the cracks now are massive fractures that have allowed a flooding of “authority” types into the halls of our most sacred American institutions.”
Available in Olive and Black, sizes Small through 5XLarge.
blktriangle.com/products/e4-mafia-shirt-w-clint-trial