Paris Terror Attacks

My thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Paris this evening as they endure the on-going terror attacks that are taking place in the City of Light.

It seems like only yesterday we were following the terror attack at Charlie Hebdo and yet it will pale in comparison to what is now happening.

One of the central themes in my books is that of global terrorism. In fact, I wrote specifically about the threat France is facing in Queen's Gambit. It is something that I have experienced first-hand, as a member of the NYPD’s Intelligence Division, doing dignitary protection and threat assessments, and later as a 9/11 first responder.  While the threat is currently being played out in France, make no mistake that the entire world is a target.

We must begin to take the threat seriously.  This is not the time to be politically correct; worried more about the words we are using to describe the threat facing us, than we are of the actual threat.

I pray for the citizens of France and the thin blue line that is standing in the breach; the last line of defense between the wolves at the door and the sheep they are sworn to protect.

It is a shame that the only time we truly seem to appreciate the men and women of law enforcement is when we run past them, as they are running towards the threat!

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Interview by Elizabeth Simmons @ DigitalReadership

I recently had the pleasure of being interviewed by Elizabeth Simmons over at Digital Readership.

I enjoy doing these interviews because they not only allow me to reach a broader audience, but sometimes they pose really good questions that allow me to connect better with my readers. This was the case with Elizabeth’s interview. She went outside the routine questions and I think you’ll enjoy reading it. Check it out here.

If you’d like to stay up to date on the newest releases, then please like my Facebook page and feel free to follow me on Twitter.

Enjoy the interview!

Reflections on my Technology Break

As some of you may recall my trusty computer developed a hard drive meltdown that caused me to be off-line for several weeks. It was quite cathartic.

Over those few weeks I found myself actually involved in ‘doing’ things, tangible things, like cutting down tree limbs, physical labor, and engaging with my family. It was an interesting experiment. I don’t even think I watched all that much TV, because, at the end of the day, I was too damn tired from working. Then I went and did something dumb.

I fixed my hard drive.

Suddenly I was immersed back into the world of social media. There were emails to answer, authors to tweet, mind-numbing posts to ‘like’, and a 24/7 news cycle that seems  to be bi-polar on a good day, especially when discussing  political candidates….. Suddenly I felt my soul being sucked away again.

Honestly, it has been infuriating.

Not that I don’t enjoy hearing about what is going on in everyone’s life……….and who went out for a spiced frappuccino venti macchiato vanilla latte…… really, doesn’t anyone drink real coffee anymore? But I don’t.

I hate to be brutally honest, but these damn computers and smart phones have replaced TV as the 21^st century’s version of the idiot box. We sit here refreshing the page wondering if we missed anything critical in the last 32 seconds.  Here’s a news flash: You Did !!

32 Seconds of your life just went by, that you can never get back.

Heck, I’m getting posts from people I honestly don’t even know…….. Seriously, do I really have the capacity to take on someone else’s issues when I have my own to contend with?

Bottom line is that I’m a writer who isn’t writing, and that’s not good.

So here’s the thing, I’m going back to pretending that my hard drive is crashed again. I have a book to edit and publish this month as well as another I am working on. Then there is Thanksgiving and Christmas to get ready for, as well as a new year quickly approaching.

I’ll continue to write updates and post them on my blog, for those who are so inclined to read them. The way I look at it this qualifies as writing as well as giving me my computer fix.

Will I lose some friends / followers? Probably, that will fall under the category of C’est la vie.

To those who stay and actually check out the blog, I’ll try and keep it fun and entertaining.

Follow me on twitter: @Andrew_G_Nelson

I won’t be there, but when I am, you won’t miss anything new and exciting !!

A Murder in East Harlem - Police Officer Randolph Holder, NYPD

On Tuesday evening, the NYPD lost another hero, Police Officer Randolph Holder. He is the 4th NYPD Officer who has been killed in the line of duty in the last 11 months.

Officer Holder and other officers were responding to a reports of shots fired. At some point they encountered a suspect, who was fleeing the scene, and engaged in a gun fight during which Officer Holder was mortally wounded.

Officer Holder had emigrated from Guyana and was a 3rd generation police officer. His father and grandfather were both officers back in Guyana. Tragically, as news emerged that he had died from his wounds, some took to social media to applaud his death. As I read the commentary on some news sites I was sickened to see the vile remarks that some were quick to spew. However, the truth is that these insignificant wretches, and their opinions, mean nothing. They are nothing more than a minor blight on society, clawing and scratching for their fifteen minutes of fame.

I would not denigrate the memory of this hero, by giving their remarks another venue. Instead, I choose to remember the sacrifices of those lost. A legacy of honor and sacrifice that embodies the NYPD motto: Fidelis Ad Mortem

It is not how these officers died that made them heroes, but how they lived.

Unlike those who mock the sacrifices made by the men and women of this nation's law enforcement community; who hide behind free speech in order  to denigrate their service, the real heroes, like Officer Holder, willingly go into harms way to protect these cowards. We, as the majority, must never forget them and we must use our collective voice to drown out the rabble who seek only to divide and conquer this great nation.

God bless the sheepdog who protect us.

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." - John 15:13

Anatomy of a Political Letter

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a post entitled: How “Never Forget the Heroes of 9/11” turned into “Who?” In it I chronicled how Congress failed to permanently extend the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act which were brought up as H.R.1786 and S.928. 

It is amazing to me how so many of those, who have chosen to not sponsor either bill, were all too eager to wrap themselves up in the flag on September 11th and remind all of their social media followers to #NeverForget This included my local representative, Congressman Rodney Davis (IL. – 13).

Not to let things rest, I decided to contact him directly and ask why he hadn’t co-sponsored the House Bill. I anticipated a positive response, seeing as I know him personally, so you can imagine my surprise when I received the reply letter from his office. To be fair, I know that he didn’t write this letter, as I saw him in town, zipping by me on the road. That being said, his name is on the document so it lands in his lap.

The letter opens with him thanking me for taking the time to contact him about the bill. So far so good, but then it begins to go south. The next paragraph stars off with “As you may know” and goes on to tell me about the matter in question.  Of course I know about the topic, remember I contacted you about it. I don’t make it a habit of writing to people about things I don’t have a clue on.

Then we make a left turn and completely change the subject. The third paragraph has nothing to do about the Zadroga Bill, but he wants me to know how he stands with 1st responders. He proceeds to tell me how last year he introduced legislation that would “enable veterans with medical training to more easily pursue careers as EMT’s.”

HUH? How the heck does this have anything even remotely to do with what I wrote you?

I asked one simple question: Why haven’t you co-sponsored H.R. 1786, a bill that would provide much needed funding for health problems 9/11 1st responders are dealing with, and I get a reply that talks about an employment program? Are you for real? Who the hell do you have working for you in D.C.?

You see, this is exactly why nothing ever gets done in Washington, D.C., because politicians never answer simple questions. Ask them the price of milk, they tell you how they support cattle farmers in Minnesota. Then they wonder why the latest polling puts them in the low teens when it comes to approval.  Americans are sick and tired of the weasel responses, and overall lip service, they get from their elected representatives.

But the best line is the one in paragraph four in which he ‘assures’ me that he will keep my views in mind should the bill come to the full House for a vote? Really? You won’t co-sponsor it to improve its chances of reaching the floor, but you’re going to keep my views in mind should it. This from the man that sponsored H.R. 3745: Keep Your Chiropractor Act. 

Wow, we have thousands of 9/11 1st responders dying because they had the audacity to respond to the worst act of terror ever committed on U.S. soil, but, if the cancer doesn’t kill you, you can continue seeing your chiropractor. SMH

Paragraph five also gets an honorable mention for insanity when it says “if you are facing a challenge with a federal agency…” What like challenges in dealing with my congressional representative?

Here’s a news flash, you’re going to be campaigning to get re-elected soon and I can personally ‘assure’ you that I will sure as hell keep this in mind when casting my vote.

Update: On October 26th, Congressman Davis finally signed on as a co-sponsor of the bill. I guess you can get something done in D.C. with a little pressure !!

Follow me on Twitter: @Andrew_G_Nelson

Want to see Perfect Pawn made into a movie ?

There is a website called the IF List, which stands for the ImagineFilm list. The IF List is a platform for movie and casting ideas. Whether you are a fan, author, aspiring actor, or industry professional, The IF List lets you discover potential films and TV shows, make proposals, and gain popular support for the ideas you want to become reality.

The NYC based company was founded by life-long friends and business partners with a shared passion for movie ideas. Inspired by the concept of a universal database for casting, the founders spent over a year rigorously planning and developing the product that would become the Imagine Film List. The core team is made up of dedicated artists and thinkers who bring together experience from multiple disciplines, including product design, web development, filmmaking, storytelling, marketing, and brand strategy. The company is committed to building a valuable creative platform and resource for the arts and entertainment industry. In this role, they are backed up by a number of partners including Backstage and Studio 4.

My book, Perfect Pawn, is listed on the site and I am asking for your help. By visiting this link: Support Perfect Pawn, you are able to do three things:

1. Support Perfect Pawn’s efforts to become a movie development.
2. Select actors who you feel would best be suited for the main roles.
3. Write an endorsement for the project.

We have all read books that were so good, we wanted them to be turned into a movie. Here is your chance to do just that.

I would really appreciate it if you would take just one moment to support my book.

Sincerely,

Andrew G. Nelson

Follow me on Twitter: @Andrew_G_Nelson

How “Never Forget the Heroes of 9/11” turned into “Who?”

On September 30th, 2015, Congress failed to reauthorize the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act H.R.1786 and S.928. To say that I am a little upset would be a gross understatement. I am embarrassed that our elected representatives would turn a blind eye to those of us who continue to suffer to this day.

I am one of the lucky ones. My symptoms are insignificant compared to those suffering from horrific ailments, like my old NYPD partner who developed cancer of the appendix. On 9/11 we lost 23 members of the NYPD, since then we have lost dozens more. The same is true for the PAPD and FDNY. Countless more, from civilian survivors to construction workers, have also paid with their lives.

I need to tip my hat to a fellow named John Feal, who started the FealGood Foundation. John is one of the construction workers who responded to the WTC and lost half a foot as a result of his work. He and a friend of mine, retired ESU Detective Glenn Klein, along with many others, have led the fight to assist those who continue to suffer from 9/11 related illness. Likewise, I applaud comedian Jon Stewart for his stalwart support. I’ve never been a Jon Stewart fan, but he earned my utmost respect by not turning his back on us.

Congress had an opportunity to truly #Neverforget when the Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act came up for re-authorization. Certainly, based on the amount of tweets and Facebook posts that were made, by our representatives, on 9/11 about ‘never forgetting,’ you would have thought this was a no-brainer.

Imagine my shock when, on September 30th, it was not extended.

Unlike many things that originate in Washington, this program is run pretty well. So well that the program will be able to continue financially, at least for the short term, although most involved admit that some programs will begin to be affected as early as January / February. It seems inconceivable that those dealing with the medical hardships from the attack would be left out in the cold.

What happened to all those politicians who expressed their annual outrage and promised to “Never Forget”?

Several years ago, retired NYPD Lieutenant named Bill Dement Jr., wrote the book "Delay, Deny, Hope They Die: World Trade Center FirstResponders - The Battle for Health Care and Compensation."  Lt. Dement passed away in August 2014 from illness attributed to 9/11. After the re-authorization failed, the title seems to be more than a bit appropriate.

Perhaps someone should write one titled: We Were Heroes.

What saddens me even more, are the names of those who chose not to co-sponsor the bill. You would think that both sides of the aisle, republican and democrat, would have been eager to protect those suffering from the greatest terror attack in U.S. history. You would think, but you would also be wrong.

Honestly, I had expected the majority of the support for this bill to come from republicans. After all, they tend to rally around the flag and surround themselves with heroes. So who better to champion a cause like this? Apparently Messrs. Boehner and McConnell didn’t get the memo. No, those championing this cause turned out to be Mmes Maloney and Gillibrand.

Of the three current republican presidential candidates, only Lindsey Graham co-sponsored. Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio both did not. I have been an ardent supporter of Ted Cruz, but I can no longer support him. In fact, many republicans did not co-sponsor either the House or Senate bills. My favorite is Sen. James Risch (R – Id) who co-sponsored on June 22nd, then withdrew on June 23rd.

Imagine my surprise when I found myself in agreement with the likes of Senator’s Durbin, Feinstein, Frankel, Boxer, Warren and Schumer. I felt as if I was in an episode of The Twilight Zone.

I’d like to say that my own congressman, Rodney Davis (R-Il), someone whom I personally know, had co-sponsored the bill, but he didn’t. I’ll remember that come election time and I will remind a lot of my friends as well. Once again, I found myself surrounded by democratic members like Charles Rangel, Alan Grayson, and Sheila Jackson-Lee.

This has really hit home for me and is causing me to rethink my traditional support. I’ve been a republican since 1982 and had the honor of voting for Ronald Reagan. A lot has changed since then and I’m thinking now might be a good time to go independent. It’s time we start voting for the individual and not the party.

To be fair, this is just about those who didn’t sign-up to ‘co-sponsor’ the respective bills. Theoretically, someone could have chosen not to be a co-sponsor, but still vote for the bill. However, since Congress failed to act, how they would have ‘voted’ is a moot point. The truth is that these bills should have been given a straight-forward, up/down vote. Unfortunately, this didn’t happen. Why did the republican controlled Congress fail to act? The answer is: I don’t know.

Perhaps they were just too busy being politicians. Heaping praise on the 9/11 heroes, when the cameras were around, then turning a blind eye when the moment passed. Perhaps you should click on the links above and find out whether or not your representatives supported the bills. If they didn’t, ask them why not. The bills are currently in limbo, and require pressure from us to move forward.

Here is some fair warning to those up on the Hill, who waved the flag, said the right things, and claimed to support the ‘heroes of 9/11’……… Actions speak louder than words and we saw what you did when it mattered. Each and every one of you will come up for re-election and we will certainly Never Forget!

Update: On October 26th, Congressman Davis finally signed on as a co-sponsor of the bill. I guess you can get something done in D.C. with a little pressure !!

Follow me on Twitter: @Andrew_G_Nelson