Today, we are facing despots in government, who, under the blanket of national security, are prosecuting "civilians" before a series of military tribunals. Contrary to military tradition, the U.S, Coast Guard is succeeding it its excess by declaring itself to be a branch of military that can arrest, carry on detention, prosecute, adjudicate and even punish civilians. Lt. Eric Shine is a case in point. Eric Shine is being charged with..... "being depressed." The 46-year-old former Merchant Marine and whistleblower is being hauled in front of a military tribunal and charged with nothing more than a state of mind, with no allegations of misconduct or negligence in his actions. Lt. Shine, has been subjected to years of harassment and legal proceedings ever since he wrote his reports on malfeasance of government contractors working on a ship on which he was an officer. Besides losing both of his homes, he has been stripped of his office and has not had the benefit of legal representation owed to him. Lt. Eric Shine's background reads as a packet of pedigrees: his father and brother attended West Point, he himself graduated with honors from Kings Point, the sister academy to West Point and Annapolis where his uncle attended.