Believe It...Or Else!
Today's post will not be focusing on a global or even a national aspect, but rather a lot closer to home. That would mean we're going to be taking a journey through the wonderful state (one of three out of our fifty, that is still financially viable) of Indiana.
First off, I am NOT a "Hoosier". Never have been, never will be.
I am from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania...I only LIVE in Indiana.
(think of it as a long-term, lend-lease thing)
I'm not going to compare Indiana to Pennsy, for in some ways, it would be unfair to BOTH states. Pennsy has it's good points, as well as it's (two) bad ones. Unfortunately, Philadelphia is ONE of those bad points. Our very own CRADLE OF LIBERTY is one of the worst cities TODAY to live in. Our founding fathers are turning in their graves as Philly is coming unravelled like some cheap sweater.
Pittsburgh isn't fairing much better.
But, this isn't a post about Pennsy...it's about Indiana.
And we're going to be looking at some rather unusual "activities" here.
With that said...let the "fun" commence...
** A 26 year old Gary Indiana store clerk was killed in broad daylight as witnesses stood by, did nothing and kept on shopping.
Here is the link for the story:
http://cbs2chicago.com/local/Convenience.Store.Clerk.2.1047612.html
And here's a link for another story with security cam footage:
http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/06/police-seek-help-id.html

If you will note (in the video), the store owner was NOT black, but both the perps AND the shoppers WERE.
Sign of the times?
Bad economy?
Ethnic rite of passage?

Cultural Diversity?
I'll let you decide.
What I will say, is that we are living in a time of growing APATHY. I've spoken to this (here) many times, but here is a CLASSIC example of such "behavior". This is JUST like the man who was struck by a car in Connecticut and left in the street, as passersbys did NOTHING.
Now, you could say that people were FEARFUL for their OWN lives, and perhaps, there is a ring of truth to that, but when did we become such a society that helping one's fellow man in distress meant less than buying a damn Snickers bar or Gatorade?
And yet, there apathetic bastards would be the SAME ones crying "foul" should THEIR "little angel" be the one on the receiving end of a store owner's gun. Who speaks for the store owner, gunned down needlessly by a bunch of black street thugs?
The local justice system?
Don't make me laugh.
This is unbelievable.
Which brings me to my next story.
** A Fort Wayne man will get a "do-over" because of a mistrial when one of the female jurors was approached by a man outside the courthouse and told her "Hope you sleep well tonight".

She took that as a threat, told the other jurors, instead of notifying court officials, compromising the "objectivity" of the jury, thereby forcing the mistrial.
Again, we're dealing with a black thug gunman, with more bravado in the magazine of his weapon than in his pants.
Here is the link to THIS story: http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20090618/LOCAL03/306189995#
Suffice it to say that the judicial system is in sad shape, but it's not like I've belabored this point before, is it?
Apparently, Fort Wayne cannot escort jurors to and from the court hearings (like to their vehicles).
But, city officials can spend a ton of money to build new ballparks that really aren't needed, AND not wanted by a majority of the taxpaying populace (behave yourself, Bob...stay on topic).
Time and again, we see intimidation of jurors, all for the sake of dragging a case out , costing way too much money, when what is needed is a more efficient method of trial by jury. Our Constitution grants all of us the right to a SPEEDY trial...so what the hell is so damn speedy about forcing mistrials and appeals out the ass, year after costly year anyway, hmm?
Again...you make the call.

My thoughts are strictly my own.
** A farmer in Steuben County found more than FOUR HUNDRED young marijuana plants growing in, of all places...his CORN FIELDS. He discovered the plants as he was spraying nitrogen in the fields, about 3 miles south of Orland, Indiana.
Investigators found potting soil, fertilizer, and believe the 15 inch tall plants were grown indoors, then transplanted to the fields within the past week. They also said that the method of planting (to ensure proper irrigation) led them to believe that the person responsible for planting the pot in the corn fields KNOWS something about doing this, and has most likely done it before.
The street values of that many MATURE plants would be considerable.
Sorry folks...that's one batch o' pot that will NOT be coming to a town near you...LOL.
** If you plan a home invasion or burglary, the FIRST rule-of-thumb is to NOT leave an article of YOURS at the crime scene, because the police JUST might be able to find you a lot sooner.
Such was the case when two Kosciusko County men robbed a house near Atwood, Indiana this week.
When the homeowner sacred them away, one of the men left behind a credit card. Police tracked the men down to a Warsaw gas station less than a half hour later and took them into custody.
Yes, indeed. Another case of "arrested" development.
Lastly...there is always crime, and unfortunately, there might always BE crime, but that doesn't mean we turn a deaf ear, or a blind eye to it. Those that often do wind up becoming victims themselves, and THEN, there is such a cry heard, that one would think this is something new, and that "suddenly" society has become EVIL overnight.
Got news for them all...EVIL is going to be around for a while, so we'd best get used to it, or at least...acknowledge it. There ARE evil people in the world; the ones who would kill you for the lint in your wallet, let alone anything you have of value.
And every one of us has to ACCEPT that fact, like it or not.
We never know when we will be "tested", and that alone is enough to cause many to just halt in their tracks, unable to function normally. many others just become desensitized to it all. They see so much of it on TV and in the movies, and even with video games, that this is just "another episode"...until it strikes CLOSE TO HOME.
Still, we can go about our lives, knowing evil is lurking nearby, but we can be AWARE of it, and that awareness is our first, BEST defense against it.
Or...we can do nothing, and let people like that Gary, Indiana store clerk become just another statistic, and go about our apathetic lives.
Like I said...our choice is always simple.
Believe it...or NOT.
Stay safe out there, America.