Former CSM of Delta Force and author, Tom Satterly, is one of the longest and youngest to have served in the most elite and secretive Tier 1 special forces branch of our military.  Tom has completed thousands of ‘capture or kill missions, assisted with the capture of Saddam Hussein, and fought in the Battle of Mogadishu depicted in the movie, Black Hawk Down. But along with being one the deadliest men in the world, Tom has made a lot of enemies. Enemies that want him and his family dead. So you can imagine the dismay of Tom and his wife Jen, when they were exocriated on social meida by anti-gun media crusader, Ken Toltz, after posting a video of Jen legally shooting an autmatic weapon with the best professionals in the business. Toltz is an opinion contributor for Huffington Post, The Hill, and Times of Israel and went on a  tirade which not only put on full display the contempt of the anti-gun lobby, but also gives us rare insight into the hell these military families really endure from threats and criticism domestic and abroad.

After Satterly post a video on his wife, Jen, shooting an automatic weapon on LinkedIn, Toltz comment:

“Pretending firing high-powered firearms is a  recreational activity like hitting golf balls on the driving range, sends exactly the wrong message.  Sure the NRA loves your video, but for family members of victims who met their death at the wrong end of a high-powered firearm wielded by a civilian out to commit mayhem, this post is a tremendously insensitive act.  Do you remember what happened to concert-goers in Las Vegas a few years ago? Do you have the guts to take this post down?”

After this comment, Toltz continued to rant via private message not only to Tom, but also Jen, about how to use their platform the way he thinks they should.  He never bothered to gain understanding from The Satterly’, which an opinion editor is supposed to do. But their response to Totlz’ criticism is  something every American needs to sit up and pay attention to.

The reason the Satterly’s posted that video should be everyone’s business who benefited from Tom’s service. It’s bad enough Tom will never get to retire because for the rest of his life, he will have to fight the mental and emotional battle post traumatic stress (PTS) causes him daily after over twenty years of war. A battle that also affects his wife and children and that compelled The Satterly’s to start a stellar foundation, All Secure Foundation, to help special forces veterans cope with this battle. While coping with PTS is bad enough, what many don’t understand, is that they sometimes still endure a physical battle against potential terrorists who still want him and his family dead.

That video wasn’t just some gun toting enthusiasts letting it rip, though it was completely within their rights. It was a message to anyone who wants to cause harm to Tom and his family.  Jen Satterly explains what most don’t know in this edited for length response to Toltz:

“Did you know we have had threats against his life – my family’s lives as well? Threats against my children who live in this home who are completely innocent, yet have a parent who gave everything to this country including his emotional, mental, and his physical health due to the hell that is war. If you haven’t lived it, breathed it, bled it — you simply have zero idea. No clue. I worked alongside Special Operations embedding in military training exercises for nearly 4 years — I was side-by-side with these men as they try to sort out the torture within, far greater than any enemy has put them through. Have you been to the sands overseas and seen children strapped with suicide bombs holding their mothers hand as they, in tears, push the button? Can you begin to imagine that such people live to do that to women and children? I didn’t at first because I wasn’t in it. News doesn’t talk about that, nope.

I have never watched my friends bleed out in my arms crying out for their mothers, but my husband has more times than he can count.

These evil people, the ones who want nothing more than to see Americans and really anyone who gets in their way killed for their beliefs and their power aren’t just overseas. As you sit in your chair in your relatively safe room, there are terrorists in your town, schools, and neighborhood who want to harm, and kill you! Wait, they don’t know you, they don’t care about you. My husband and his family, well we’re a whole different story.

One day three years ago such a person showed up at my house with my 11 and 13-year-old upstairs. 5 blocks from a police station. They were playing games and having lunch. Normal Saturday right? No. This man showed up with the intent to blow us to bits. To not only kill Tom but to kill all of us. The FBI and National Security were in our living room for weeks. Wonder what that did to my mental health and the mental health of my family?

So, sir, the message I send is very clear. If you show up at my door again to rape me, behead me, and do the same to my children that I will meet them with the same force they will try to show me.

My husband didn’t just pay the price for your freedom, sir, I have paid plenty for it as well. And so too have my innocent children and the countless other Special Operations families who also live in fear.

There is no glorification of a weapon in my video. If you knew me for half a second you would know I have been a major supporter of stricter gun laws and regulations. I have been a voice for it in fact.

This country believes we have the right to defend ourselves. Can you begin to imagine what will happen if the guns are removed from my house? How would I protect myself when another terrorist shows up at my door? What should I do then sir? It’s the same reason I take boxing, for defense. Protection against those who want to kill us.

Also, I can’t believe you compare our military trained members to violent mentally ill people! That makes no sense to me.

And if people in my town who are watching us, stalking us, wanting to kill us see that I can protect and defend my family, then amen.

Of course I am so incredibly sorry for victims of gun violence. I too have stood with them. I too have heard them cry. Maybe more than you have. It’s daily for me, sir.

You need to go after the healthcare system that constantly fails us, especially regarding mental health. Our leaders who ignore the root of the issue instead of the result of it. Or video game companies — I hope you have messaged the makers of Call of Duty, Halo, etc and reached out to such celebrities as Matt Damon, Clint Eastwood, Marvel, DC  etc. Man do they have the eyes and ears of the world.”

And there it is. The reality many of our men and women face for serving their country. CNN reported in 2015 that terrorists were hunting the names and addresses of our military and their families. Hugs and compassion is not going to stop a terrorist from hurting these people. But you not what will? The same security that our politicians and Hollywood stars are afforded, but that is often not extended to even our veterans who deserve to do nothing but live in peace.

After sending that message to Toltz, his response: “Please use your platform with compassion and determination.” I guess that says it all.

 

– Jamie Hope and I am national contributor for American Thinker and formerly Human Events.