A View From The Gallery...
There is always evidence that humankind has it's share of rampant stupidity, just as it has it's share of cognitive insight.
So, I suppose we've got a fairly good handle on the whole "Yin-Yang" thing.
But, when it comes to CRIME, insight will always get tossed out the window...as will intelligence, courage, integrity, and otherwise honorable behavior.
Committing a crime is usually a DUMB thing to do,. I say "usually", because there are those "special" times that demand that something be criminally committed against other criminal elements to halt their behavior. That's not to say that two WRONGS don't make a RIGHT (although 2 Wrights DID make an airplane...but I digress), it's just that there comes a time when a message be sent to those that are making the lives of many more people a lot more angst-ridden then they're used to, and usually for no decent reason.
Now this is just *my* opinion, and shouldn't reflect what YOU feel, or how YOU should act.
I'm just from the walk softly and carry a BIG stick (and not be afraid to use it first and frequently) era.
Now...onto what's happening around in our little part of the multiverse.
** Another S/E side house fire happened yesterday, and it looks like yet ANOTHER CORNER PROPERTY.
Around 1415 hours, firefighters were called to a house at 5401 Standish Drive,where they found heavy smoke and flames from a bedroom in the single story structure. The blaze was brought under control in 20 minutes. Two occupants escaped without incident, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.
Now, living in a corner property does have it's share of "problems", from people and kids taking short cuts across your property (to avoid actually going AROUND a corner), to potential car crashes (and vehicles on your property as a result), to a "catch-can" for every type of refuse that can be dropped from a hand, or tossed from a car window.
And it's a damn fine location to break in or start a fire.
A corner property has a unique view of a neighborhood. You can see down both crosswalk streets, and can view most all the houses in at least three directions, if not all four.
If I were a drug dealer, I would sure want to have a corner property, rather than one in the middle of a block. Gee, maybe that's WHY drug dealers frequent CORNERS...
( 'ya think?)
I know I'm not alone when I say that ANY suspicious activity on MY corner will be called in to the FWPD.
And to "me", I define suspicious behavior as any that I BELIEVE to be detrimental to MY way of life, and my ability to live MY life.
If someone's "just hanging out" on my corner, that's LOITERING.
Some person might be a lookout for another house that does sell drugs, or is a gambling house in the area, and MY property is not going to be considered an "accessory to the fact".
These people best move along and find another place to "chill", or they can tell it to a LEO...it's that simple.
** There was a letter to the editor that demanded my "attention", and here's the link to the article:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20090813/EDIT09/308139903/1021/EDIT
Now, while Mr Strathmore makes some good points, he has to realize that not every, single public situation can be resolved in a "friendly" manner. People are just DUMB, sometimes, and a lot more today (than we've seen in decades past) have little of no respect for authority, some when they are "asked" to disperse, and there is relatively little compliance to the law, sterner measures have to be employed.
There was talk of OC spray being used to disperse people at the Three Rivers Festival, and to that I can only say I wasn't there, so I don't know the specifics, but I can state that whenever an aerosol agent is deployed, it's only totally effective against those it's designed to bother, and that MOTHER NATURE is at work here, so you can't control WHICH WAY the wind blows.
Innocent people can (and often will) be affected.
There is also mention of the police "abusing" TAZERS.
Again, there are situations that call for clairvoyance on the part of a police officer, but sadly, patrol cruisers do NOT come equipped with Fortune teller, Ouija boards, Tarot cards, or crystal balls.
Officers cannot automatically KNOW if a person is in a diabetic seizure or on some illegal drug.
Neither can they automatically KNOW what a person might be carrying under a shirt or coat (x-ray vision goggles are not part of ANY police quartermaster's inventory that I know of).
And many times, it's instinctual behavior on the part of an officer that makes the difference between them going home on their feet, or to the hospital on their back (or worse, heaven forbid).
We have an interesting case of "double-standards" running amok in this nation, an especially in our inner cities (although Washington, D.C. is FAR from exempt as well). And I will address that in an upcoming post, but for now, let's just say that something I call RESPECT is taking it on the chin because of this double-standard.
I have stated here all too often that a (reasonable) LAW...ANY law is only as good as the enforcement that backs it up, and that means that people...ALL people are subject to that law, or it means less than the paper it's been written on.
If you have a law, and people flagrantly ignore it, then either that law needs to be looked at and amended to properly explain what it means and how it will benefit EVERYONE...or that law needs to be dropped.
The same law needs to be enforced to ensure that everyone obeys it...no exceptions. We don't give some people a "pass" while arresting others for ignorance of that law.
It's like the old saying: "Actions Have Consequences".
Police do not arbitrarily select people to arrest...there is ALWAYS a REASON, never an excuse.
For people breaking the law, there is usually a MOTIVE, but not so for those enforcing the laws and ordinances in any city or town across this nation. LEOs are not under such dictates (nor should they ever be).
If people break a law, and manage to get away with it, they should not pat themselves on their backs, thinking it's OK to keep doing it. They SHOULD be thinking they got LUCKY, and that they'd best not do it AGAIN, for fear of being CAUGHT.
Unfortunately, many people are not running on all eight cylinders these days (or FOUR cylinders and electric motors for you green earthers out there), so there will always be those that thumb their noses at the law, and those who enforce it.
I've had a bad experience with ONE police officer, but had a helluva lot more POSITIVE experiences with police officers from many states, and all because I RESPECTED their authority.
Now if all this rhetoric sounds like some cheer leading session for the LEOS out there...so be it.
I am one of those oddballs that DEPEND on THEM to make sure I can conduct my life in as normal a manner as it was designed.
I also rely on my OWN abilities to "take care of business" until they can get here, should the need arise.
Are law enforcement officers perfect?
No.
Are ANY of us perfect?
No
So, like everyone else on this planet, the police CAN make mistakes, but I would go so far as to say that I would take THEIR mistakes over much of other peoples' LOGIC most days.
We freely give OUR money to cities and town to HIRE these men and women...so THEY can go out every damn day, leaving their families, placing THEIR lives in potential danger, hoping they get to return to those families each day or night, so WE can live with less fear than we would be able to without them.
Now, how many everyday people do YOU know who would do that?
And who ELSE would you GIVE your money to, in order to perform similar services?
Respect the authority YOU have paid for...
Respect the people who CHOOSE to put on the shield.
Just something to think about...the next time the police cruiser zooms by, lights & sirens on.
Think about it.
Stay safe out there, America.