A Sign Of Our Times...
There are names we remember throughout our lives....and others we too soon forget.
People that made some sort of impact...a difference if you will, in each of our lives are the ones we tend to recall with clarity and fondness.
Your parents, relatives, friends, mentors...all those folks, and many more are the ones that manage to touch our lives in ways that we could never envision.
And then there are people we recall because of their notoriety...ones that have caused untold damage to society, by their actions.
Then are are those people that NEED to be remembered, and are all too often not.
Now I'm going to mention a name, and see if you have ever heard this name before today.
JEREMY HENWOOD.
Sounds American enough, right?
How about Marine Corps Reservist Henwood?
Or how about Officer Henwood of the San Diego Police Department?
We getting warmer?
This story unfolded over TEN days ago, but it needs to be shared, and I know I didn't see any coverage of this around our city.
*** Officer Henwood was basically assassinated as he sat in his cruiser back on 6 August evening, when a black Audi pulled alongside and one Dejon Marquee White unloaded a shotgun into Officer Henwood.
(shades of Danny Faulkner of the PPD)
Here's a link to the story:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/aug/06/police-officer-shot-in-head/
Now some of you might have heard about this, and those of you who are LEOs definitely heard something, or may have even attended the funeral.
But to everyone else, THIS is what is passing for CIVILITY these days on our streets, and THIS is the result of that lack of such things like MORALITY, ETHICS, and RESPECT.
Here's a link to a followup story with background on the shooter:
http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/127226128.html
It appears this shooter had a CRIMINAL PAST...gee, 'ya think?
And he was on the dole from our very own government...imagine that.
THIS is what you get from generational dependency on government sponsorship and an entitlement mindset...and it ain't pretty, folks.
Thanks to government programs, we was able to stop being homeless, and get an apartment (paid by you, no doubt), AND a car (a freaking AUDI, no less...), AND obviously a SHOTGUN and ammunition.
The perp HAD a job (once) but was convicted of grand theft when he stole a TV from SEARS back in 2006.
Earlier this year, he was convicted of reckless driving and petty theft (sticky fingers, hmm?)
And yes, we WAS killed (brought to natural justice) by San Diego police after a brief chase.
Curiously enough, there WAS an active warrant out for Mr. White hours before his death for failure to pay a fine resulting in a failure to pay a bus or trolley fare. And naturally, his "family" couldn't believe he'd do such things...
(( *rolls eyes* ))
And here is a link to the story about the funeral of Officer Henwood:
http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/127224008.html
This officer and marine was a HERO...period.
I never even knew the man...BUT, I know what he STOOD FOR.
And that's good enough for me.
Here is but ONE example that makes a person worthy of the word "hero":
http://www.wtkr.com/news/wtkr-act-of-kindness,0,6596072.story
Just hours before his death, Officer Henwood bought cookies for a boy in a McDonalds...just because he could. It was the right thing to do.
And the boy (when interviewed later) says he will always remember that.
And maybe, because of that small, but selfless act on behalf of Officer Henwood, THAT boy will NOT wind up like Dejon Marquee White...and he will become a productive member of his community, and a testament to the life of Jeremy Henwood.
Our streets are nowhere near AS SAFE as we remember them, that's for sure.
And our police can only do SO much, and only be so many places at once.
Most all the time, they are RESPONDING to crimes either in progress, or ones that have already occurred.
It takes MANY eyes to see everything...one person (or even a few) cannot hope to do it all themselves.
That's why EACH of us has to step up and do what WE can to make our neighborhoods safer.
If that means we get CCW permits...fine by me.
Responsible gun owners don't COMMIT crimes...they END them.
Along that line, Virginia restaurants have seen LESS crime with people being allowed to carry IN such establishments...who knew?
And the state with the LOWEST crime rate and the ONE state where you DO NOT NEED a permit to carry a firearms really surprised me.
It's VERMONT... (I was thinking maybe New Hampshire - they do have a cool slogan - LIVE FREE OR DIE)
Our police are being tasked like they have NEVER been in the past.
And because of the LEVEL of violence on the streets, officers are choosing to leave the department, or seek a safer venue (many times in other states). Notice I said the LEVEL of violence. It's not about the frequency of the crimes, because we're being told that crime IS going DOWN (and so are far too many officers) .
Yet, when you have AMBUSHES for police officers, "set-ups" that place officers into fatal funnels, or even a drive-up shooting, you have to question the people behind the crimes, as well as society's ignorance to such things.
We cannot become THAT desensitized, that we "allow" such things to happen to good people...to heroes.
A man makes it through THREE tours in the Middle East, and gets shot in his patrol car on a street in San Diego.
Something's not right there.
San Diego was once declared America's Favorite City (1978)...I know, because I spent some time there that year.
It's a fantastic place, or at least it USED to be.
You watch the sun set behind Coronado Bridge, or watch a sub put out to sea from the overlook at Cabrillo Point (as well as see whales migrating), or tour Balboa Park, it is BEAUTIFUL.
Hell, many of our cities used to be nice...like Philly.
But we have allowed the wrong people a free pass for too long, and now they EXPECT even more.
When we start allowing felons TOO MANY second chances without any type of REAL reform to take place in their lives, we are just ASKING for more scenarios like what happened to Office Henwood.
And we should NOT allow that to continue...period!
As LEOs, you know the score out there on the streets, or at least you SHOULD know.
Always remember that the MOST innocent call could be your last one, unless you're AWARE, and looking for telltale signs that something's hinky.
NEVER take anything for granted out there, and stay focused.
That goes for the law-abiding CITIZENS, as well.
LEARN to know your surroundings wherever you are or happen to go.
Practice SITUATIONAL AWARENESS...it can (and often does) SAVE YOUR LIFE.
We don't need to be losing our HEROES...not this way...not any way.
It's time to make the criminals pay, and not those who would become victims.
When we can start to make the CRIMINALS the REAL victims on our streets, the better off we will ALL become, and rest a lot easier at nights.
My sincere belated condolences to the Henwood family and to his brothers and sister-in-arms.
Godspeed and Semper Fi.
And for all of you out there in the world...
Be well, make a difference to someone, and
Stay safe out there, America.