“Call Your Parents, And Tell Them What I Said …. Now Get Outta Here!”

“Call Your Parents, And Tell Them What I Said …. Now Get Outta Here!”

On Thursday, May 9, 2024, I had the privilege of representing Legal Insurrection and the Equal Protection Project (equalprotect.org) on Ron Coleman’s “Coleman Nation” YouTube podcast, which is now out for your viewing pleasure.

Ron has interviewed a number of fascinating people in his 149 shows to date, and I felt a little humbled and overwhelmed by the invitation to be interviewed. I mean, I haven’t written a book like most of his guests, nor have I become a leader in my current field after decades and decades of practice like most of his guests. But, on the other hand, I’m probably his first guest that has commanded a nuclear submarine, and I’m sure I’m his first guest that got interviewed, or should I say eviscerated, by the Father of Navy Nuclear Power, Admiral Hyman G. Rickover.

You can watch the whole thing here:

I’m a little bit embarrassed, frankly, by how much time we spent on my background, and wish we had spent more time talking about the work I am currently doing for Legal Insurrection and the Equal Protection Project, but overall it came out pretty well, I think.

I am particularly happy about the line I delivered, completely off the cuff, about the “why” for my work with the Equal Protection Project:

“Racial discrimination is an evil that should be eradicated from the country, as called for by the United States Constitution.”

I am also happy about the statement I made about the “who” for our work with EPP:

“If these frat boys at the University of Alabama can push back on these antisemites who are building these encampments at these various colleges, why can’t we [meaning EPP], with our legal knowledge and legal capabilities, push back and try and roll back this tide that’s trying to overwhelm us with this pro-discrimination stuff.”

For those unfamiliar with Admiral Hyman G. Rickover, who had a tremendous influence on my development as a young naval officer, and the submarine force, here is a brief summary from the Naval History and Heritage Command:

Admiral Hyman G. Rickover, the father of the nuclear Navy, was born in Makow, Poland (then part of the Russian Empire), on 27 January 1900. At the age of 6, he came to the United States, settling in Chicago. Rickover entered the U.S. Naval Academy in 1918 and was commissioned an ensign in June 1922. Following sea duty aboard the destroyer USS La Vallette (DD-315) and the battleship USS Nevada (BB-36), he attended Columbia University, where he earned a master of science degree in electrical engineering. From 1929 to 1933, Rickover qualified for submarine duty and command aboard the submarines USS S-9 (SS-114) and USS S- 48 (SS-159). In June 1937, he assumed command of the minesweeper USS Finch (AM-9). Later that year, he was selected as an engineering duty officer and spent the remainder of his career serving in that specialty.

During World War II, Admiral Rickover served as head of the Electrical Section of the Bureau of Ships and later as commanding officer of Naval Repair Base, Okinawa. In 1946, he was assigned to the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) Laboratory at Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and, in early 1949, to the Division of Reactor Development, AEC.

As director of the Naval Reactors Branch, Admiral Rickover developed the world’s first nuclear-powered submarine, USS Nautilus (SSN-571), which went to sea in 1955. In the years that followed, Admiral Rickover directed all aspects of building and operating the nuclear fleet.

Admiral Rickover’s numerous medals and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Navy Commendation Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal. In recognition of his wartime service, he was made Honorary Commander of the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. Admiral Rickover was twice awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for exceptional public service. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter presented Admiral Rickover with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest non-military honor, for his contributions to world peace.

Admiral Rickover retired from the United States Navy on 31 January 1982, after more than 63 years of service to his country and to 13 Presidents. His name is memorialized in Rickover Hall at the Naval Academy, and two attack submarines, the now-decommissioned USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN-709) and Pre-Commissioning Unit Hyman G. Rickover (SSN-795). Admiral Rickover died on 8 July 1986 and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. The engineering honor society Tau Beta Pi named Admiral Rickover as one of the “Top Ten Engineers of the Twentieth Century” in December 1999.

You might also enjoy this relatively short 1985 60 Minutes piece, with Diane Sawyer interviewing Admiral Rickover on several topics:

Please check out my interview, above. I had a great time and Ron Coleman is a fantastic interviewer. Enjoy.

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