Detective Jason Rivera: Remember the Minutemen of Today

The Greek city-states called them “hoplite,” while the Romans just down the road called them “legionnaires.” The Spaniards used the term “conquistador,” while the French fashioned the term “musketeer.” Early Americans were lucky to have “minutemen.” while our English cousins made their stand at Dunkirk with “grenadiers.” 

As we look to honor Detective Jason Rivera of the NYPD, it’s important to keep in mind that it doesn’t matter how much we agree or disagree with politics in our society as much as it is to remember why we are able to have opinions in the first place. For almost 3,000 years, every major society that has been able to thrive has been blessed with those volunteering to serve the greater good.  

These volunteers have stood watch on the wall to keep the enemy out. Regardless of how rich our economy is or vast our resources may be, we will always need the nurses to heal our wounds, our paramedics to respond to our car accidents, and our police officers keeping the bad guys in check. 

Do not criticize those who made the choices you couldn’t make, and for those who did.

Thank you. 

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Some people say, “You only go around the world once.” But Nader Gamez can tell you that it can be done a few times. Nader has a wide background of experience in his upbringing, describing himself as “Basically a Chicago street thug combined with border town Texican and a side of Madison Midwesterner.” He graduated with a BA in International Studies from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, with a minor in drinking.

Since then, he has worked several law enforcement and correctional jobs starting with the Dane County Sheriff’s Office, the Waukesha Police Department, the Wisconsin Department of Corrections and Department of Health Services, and Mendota Mental Health Institute. He also competed in amateur boxing as well as with local rugby teams. Currently, he spends his time writing about his past successes and failures, showing future boxers the best ways to avoid a severe concussion, and striving to make the perfect spinach quiche.