Hello, Team Room! I’m back. I know it has been a while, and for that, I apologize. I have been (trying to) write a book—boom!—working my fire job every third day, taking care of more kids than I knew I even had, and churning out my usual articles for SOFREP. I know, I know, everyone is busy, and you do not want to hear excuses, but still, that is why I have neglected you all.

So, I wanted to address the hullabaloo that has descended upon us here at SOFREP—specifically, on BK and myself—following our articles in the last few days in which we partly addressed the Ben Carson West Point controversy. BK wrote this one, and I wrote this one.

First off, though we here at SOFREP profess to be apolitical, as a website (editorially speaking), that does not mean that we do not have individual opinions on candidates, officials, military leaders, or anyone else, especially when it comes to military matters. What it does mean is we do not weigh in and support certain candidates, as a website, or mindlessly spout political talking points for a particular political party, despite the fact that some have recently accused us of doing just that.

We authors will never shy away from addressing topics such as this Ben Carson/West Point dust-up, specifically because we all have strong and informed opinions on such topics. We know you, our members, do not want us holding back, and we know that you are smart enough to read our opinions and see them as just that: our opinions. We know that you’re intelligent enough to disagree with us coherently when you do not see things our way, and you do! We genuinely appreciate that.

So, to dig deeper into this Carson issue and the accusations against us that suggest we are “regurgitating the mainstream media hit piece” on Ben Carson, that is simply untrue. Both BK and myself—independently—read for ourselves the Politico piece on Carson’s West Point story, and I read for myself the relevant passage in Carson’s book, “Gifted Hands.” We both came to the same conclusion that Carson, at best, embellished his offer of a “full scholarship” to the U.S. Military Academy. At worst, he lied. Candidates do it. Hell, we all do it at some point in life. When we do, we deserve to be called out on it, and if we are grown-ups, we admit to it.

My big problem here is the flat refusal of some Carson supporters to admit to themselves that he did anything wrong, and the reflexive instinct to defend him at all costs. I do not like when Clinton supporters do that, and I do not like when Carson supporters do it, either. It is intellectually dishonest. All he (and his supporters) need to do is admit that he is wrong, and move on.

Now, are parts of the media often biased against Republicans? Yes. Are parts biased against Democrats (Fox News being the most prominent, and most-watched, in America)? Yes. Will those biases continue, seemingly (and depressingly) forever? Yes. Should Carson, if he hopes to be president, suck it up and deal with it like everyone else does? Yes, he should.

So, as I said, keep your comments, criticisms, and critiques of our writing coming. We truly do appreciate them. Just do not accuse us of being mindlessly biased or willfully ignorant of mainstream media tendencies. We most assuredly are not. We think for ourselves—as everyone should, and as you intelligent folks already do—and draw our own conclusions. They will not always jive with your personal views, but that is okay. We are all adults here. Thanks again for being Team Room members!

Fru, out.