“That love of country and appreciation for our way of life, which was planted by my parents and family, really developed in me as a result of my experiences growing up with all of you. My upbringing, my friends, teammates and experiences growing up here in Eden Prairie, … my teachers and coaches, my friends’parents were all so influencial in my life. You all inspired me more than you know throughout my Navy career. Many times, during a mid-watch at 0330 standing Engineer Officer of the Watch or dodging fishing boats while driving the submarine at periscope depth around the South China Sea wondering why I was here, my mind would wander to a great memory from life at Eden Prairie High School. There were no better memories than an EP football game. Looking back at those nights, to me, that was the American Dream in a snapshot. The players on the field, the cheerleaders, the band, the dance team, the color guard, the students in the stands, all thinking this game or this performance or this date, all sharing an innocence of youth, is the most important thing in the world tonight. And regardless of the outcome the night, they wake up with optimism and belief that there own American Dream is out there for them to run down. If my submarine and our mission was contributing, in whatever small way, to ensuring others would be able to experience the same type of blessed upbringing I had growing up here and have similar fond memories; that was the motivation to get me through the watch.” A bit from a draft of a speech I gave in Eden Prairie for my retirement from the Navy. Following the shooting tonight at the Eden Prairie Homecoming game, I remembered this speech from 5 years ago and playing in an EP Homecoming game 30 years ago. It appears that “innocence of youth” is now over —- definitely over for my 3 nieces who were at the game. Is this progress? Is this Progressive success? Because the shooting tonight at Eden Prairie’s Homecoming game is a direct result of Progressive policies. For Eden Prairie, my hometown, 30 years of progress has turned a high school football game from a snapshot of the American Dream into a frenzied panic search for your kids after gun shots were fired, along with a 30% to 40% drop in Eden Prairie High School students ability to perform at their grade level in Math and Reading. This is not progress. And BREAKING NEWS: this is not because of METRO SURGE or COVID. This is a failure of Eden Prairie and Minnesota - a failure of the elected leaders, of our education system, of our legal system, of school boards, of city planners, of school principals, of parents, of teachers, of law enforcement, of students. So if we want to fix all this “progress,” look in the mirror , do something , and get off your ass to vote on November 3rd. Thank God tonight was not worse, prayers for full recoveries of those shot and all who were there. Godspeed to those who work to fix, improve and better our community … Go Eagles Go America, EP Eagle , Class of ‘96

. @JonJustice , @StarTribune out did themselves with the update “2 injured” - 2 injured during the evacuation? - 2 injured players, cause long medical felay, fans evacuated Are we talking sprained ankles, concussion protocols , nope 2 people got shot with guns at an EP FBall game. @StarTribune combines a special kind of stupid and bias to come up some amazing headlines,