Who I am and what I hope to accomplish in my writings

 Hello readers. I am John Gottlied. I understand that you may be wondering who I am and why I am writing this column. I have no expertise or academic certifications that would qualify me to write a column. I am not a political partisan or pundit. I am not a role model or example for anyone. I am far from perfect. I do not claim to be exceptionally wise or intelligent. I am not rich, famous, or successful.

I am a Christian and a proud American. I have always been interested in faith and religion. I have spent time studying many different religions and have attended several different churches in White County. I am the middle child of five and the oldest of two sons. I am a divorced father of three children. I am the grandfather of a beautiful autistic grandson. I was born in Maryland. My family spent five years in Florida and five in Texas before settling in Sparta. I attended Findlay Elementary for sixth grade and graduated from White County High School, in 1986. I played sports, was in band, wrote songs, played chess, and performed in drama. I worked for several local farmers growing tobacco, picking up hay, and milking cows. I worked for Walmart, Hardee’s, Lowe’s, and several different plumbing companies, in Tennessee and Georgia. I have been collecting disability for about 16 years. I spent 21 years in the military. I served three years in Germany and visited most of Europe. I served in the 101st Airborne Division and went through Air Assault School. I spent nine months in the Middle East during Operation Desert Shield/Storm. I have been on every continent except Antarctica. I have travelled most of this country. Everywhere I went, I talked to the local people and observed their daily lives. I realize our nation has never been perfect, but I have never found another country better positioned to strive for perfection or that offers more opportunity to succeed. I consider myself to be a Constitutional-Libertarian-Independent. I believe in limited government, personal responsibility, and respect for others. In presidential elections, I voted Republican in every election except three. I voted for Ross Perot twice and Barack Obama once. Current public figures I admire include Rand Paul, Tulsi Gabbard, and Jordan Peterson. I am a critical thinker. I have never accepted something as right just because I was told it was. I question everything and form my own opinions. Sometimes I am wrong and am not afraid to admit it. I am willing to discuss, defend, and change my opinions when I feel it is appropriate.

Now that you know about me, let me tell you what I hope this column will become. Because I know that I am in no position to tell others what to believe, my intention is to offer my opinion on topics and provide you with information and ideas to consider. I hope that you will question the things I write, do your own research, and form your own opinions. I understand that people will sometimes disagree with me, and that is fine. I might even be convinced to change my opinion. My family and friends often disagree with me and try to change my mind. Occasionally, they succeed. My goal is not to indoctrinate you or to spread propaganda. I want to present topics and opinions that encourage you to think for yourself. I will strive to make this column entertaining and informative. I hope you will enjoy the column and engage in the discussion.

Lastly, I would like to thank The Expositor for giving me this opportunity, my friend Troy Smith for recommending me, and most importantly you, the reader. I hope I justify your faith in me. I hope you will give this column a chance, you will consider what I write, and you will think for yourself.