No Leadership in Black Communities

[dan k.]

They are at it again in Ferguson. Who can blame them? There is no leadership in their own communities and in the media and Federal Government. Really, turn this into a racial thing? C'mon Wake Up!

Race baiting has grown old and I am tired of it. Stop listening to these Leaders and move forward!!!!

[Ken Lago]

Of course its not racial, or excessive use of deadly force, those things ended many many years ago. Police is very efficient at policing themselves and dishing out a fair punishment to officers that do wrong, they are sensitive and always respect peoples legal rights. As example, the man who recently was brandishing a toy gun he had taken off the shelf in Walmart and was shot dead by the police was a obviously a serious treat to everybody around and couldn't be talked out of killing everybody there. Another is that 12 year old who only days ago was killed on the playground, again! brandishing a deadly toy gun. Police in this country have the right to shoot and kill anyone they want because after all they put their live at risk everyday that uniform goes on, and if they get caught stepping over the line they get a well deserved paid vacation. After all they are a government agency so we can trust them, right?

[Dan R.]

Never heard about the Walmart thing.

The kid on the playground had the orange toy indicator muzzle removed from the toy, thus making it not readily recognizable as a toy. In stressful situations, many things happen to the human body: increased adrenalin, time distortion, tunnel vision, loss of muscle dexterity among them.

There is a reason it is the law to have an orange indicator on a toy gun. Teach kids to respect the law. If the orange indicator was on the toy, a 911 call would have never been made. We would have never heard about this, as it never would have have happened.

Are cops perfect? no. That is no reason to paint every officer with a wide brush after an incident. Why not judge them by the beat officer who gave a homeless man his boots?

Police have an extremely difficult job to perform day in and day out. Every day they must be on top of their game, no room for a slack day. I would challenge anyone to walk a mile in those boots. Not an easy gig.

The common misconception is that an officer's duty belt is worn to protect the citizenry. In fact, it is for the officer's protection, first and foremost.

To sit back and harpoon police is to feed into the whole dividing of America. It is just like race baiting, imo. We all have the same thing at stake, public safety.

Ken, you have lived all over the world. Is there a safer country, with more opportunity for you and your family than the USA?
If so, I would assume that you would prefer to be in the best place for you and your family.

[Dan R.]

What would one call the reaction to the decision not to charge Officer Wilson?
What if that was your business that was burned and looted?
Who is to blame for the the decay of that town?
Who is responsible for the crippling of that community?

The instigators are responsible, the race baiters like Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and the other radicals. They fly in on private jets, tell the community and imported haters that they must make a statement, then fly home to posh mansions to smugly feel better about their 15 minutes of fame. What sick people. Wanting something for nothing. Jesse Jackson is the king of racial blackmail in Chicago. He has enriched his family through his bogus Operation Rainbow "charity". Stealing from the poor of his community in the name of racial equality. What leadership? Sad indeed.

This isn't the police, the man or some mythical force destroying that community. The population themselves (and some radical mercenaries) are destroying other's property and openly stealing in the name of justice. Is this the type of neighbor anyone would want, regardless of race color or creed? Not me.

[Darryl Miller]

To paint all law enforcement officers with a broad brush to say they are all corrupt is one of the stupidest and asinine things anyone could say. My father was in LE and I have a brother that is going on 23 years of full time service. Yes, there are some bad apples. You will find that in all aspects of life. How many times have we members of the SFA bashed the hacks that are in our industry? We all know they exist. Hell, that's one reason this organization was started. How would you like it if all of us in the stone business were labeled HACKS because of them???

Rule of law. HA! For some it only exists when it pleases their own interests and can be cast aside when they disagree. The proper course of law took place in Ferguson, MO. If you don't agree, hey, be glad you live in a country where you have that right. I didn't follow the road in law enforcement. I started to, but soon realized that it just was not suited for me. How often do you hear the media or any left wing liberal praise police officers for all of the good they do in their communities? You never see that in the national headlines. A lot of departments hold fund raisers for numerous charities throughout the year. We want to be known for being the best in our industry for our individual markets, how about we start rightfully respecting and showing appreciation for the men and women that go to work each day to protect us!?!? Who are you going to call if your business is broken into, or burnt to the ground? Al and Jesse won't be there for you.

It makes me sick to my stomach when people claim that all police are above the law and get a free pass because they wear a badge. Natural born citizen or not, if you can find a better country to live in, MOVE! Let me know when you start packing and I'll come help you!


Rant over. Peace to all.

[Ken Lago]

Safer? Absolutely. More opportunity? probably not.

I came to this county with a wide open mind and no preconception, the 17 years living here have given me the opportunity to develop an opinion and I should be able to express it if I wish, citizen or not. Also, when I wish to move my family elsewhere I will (Thanks Darryl! I'll remember your generous offer when that day comes )
In general US people are not very different from other people around the world, racial biases exists EVERYWHERE, however, its more intense here and something most white people don't like to acknowledge openly.
I DO understand that police here face different challenges than other western countries, due to the extremely violent criminals who all carry guns they are more than willing to use. A police officer in the US is killed in the line of duty every 3 days, I understand this and is 100% in favor of law enforcement, BUT! I think they could do a lot better if they change their ways of handling many things.
Serpico is an example of what happens to honest police officers that turn in the bad apples. of course there is many honest officers but how many of them have the guts to follow Serpico's lead?

[Dan R.]

Ken, the combination of all things considered must signify that this is the best place for your family.
To make a broad statement that police should do some things better is pretty vague. Don't highlight problems, offer solutions. That is real thinking, not just opinion.

My dad (RIP) used to say "opinions are like a-holes, everyone has one and they all stink, except for mine".
I try to remember this phrase to help me tolerate the low information opinions.
It always does the trick and makes me smile.

[Ken Lago]

I'll make a list later Dan, gotta go template now

[Dan R.]

Ken, you always make me smile!
I always love to hear your perspective, like it or not.

[Ken Lago]

Thank you Dan, gent as always.
After thinking about it on the drive back to the shop, I've decided to do what you advised me to do when political discussions come up.
Never too late to learn eh?

[Darryl Miller]

Ken, I'll be glad to help you if you need it, but let's not make that any time soon.

[mark s]

I am supportive of LEO's. However, I have had the recent experience of watching my daughter, who is in her 3rd year as an LEO, slowly but surely adopt an arrogant and disdainful attitude toward everyday folks (black or white).

I believe this is the result of spending much of their working hours, every day, with criminals, low lifes, or regular people behaving exceptionally stupidly. The reaction is understandable. What's not understandable is that this attitude seems to be SOP for law enforcement in general instead of them recognizing it and doing whatever it takes to prevent it.

Any one of us can have a day or time when we behave exceptionally stupidly. What we don't need on that day is some cop with an attitude making the whole thing worse.

[Kowboy]

This is a very interesting read:

http://www.amren.com/features/2014/05/c ... -defender/

[Chris Mills]

Thank you Dan, gent as always.
After thinking about it on the drive back to the shop, I've decided to do what you advised me to do when political discussions come up.
Never too late to learn eh?

[politefab]

I honestly believe that its maybe 1% or 2% of the officers that give the other 98% a bad name and I am supportive of law enforcement.. HOWEVER I am not in support of frivolous laws that in the end cost tax payers a fortune.. I think that as a whole our system is in need of a serious overhaul reserving prison for those that deserve it. If you watch the news on any given night it just seams as though the world is falling apart. Its not we have had a steady drop in violent crime over the last 20 years. you would never know it by watching the news FEAR is a great motivator.

here are some of my ideas

1-legalize all drugs. use the proceeds to create treatment centers (REAL TREATMENT) people that are going to do drugs are going to do them. Prison does not solve the problem it just makes it worse. When the get out the are convicted felons so no one will hire them. So its back to selling drugs to support there habit.. take the money and power out of the hands of the cartels and use it to help people with addictive personality's cope with it and be as productive as possible.

2- Make people accountable again cops and citizens alike

3- FUND THE SCHOOLS.. we just cut another $100 million dollars from our school funding in this country shameful.. this subject is near and dear to me and I could go on for hours about this. you want to change this country education is where it starts but its the last thing any one talks about. If people want to riot and take to the street's it should be over education budget cuts.

4 make the punishment fit the crime.. I sat front and center at a trial where a man was charged with 35 felony counts of child rape the things he did were punishable by death. I sat there dumbfounded while the judge gave him a 7 year sentence. Last week he was a free man again!! there are quite a few people in prisons across America serving life sentences for being caught with weed 3 times.. our idea of justice is fowled and all the billions we are wasting on keeping non violent offenders in jail could be going into our schools.

[Kowboy]

Its not we have had a steady drop in violent crime over the last 20 years. you would never know it by watching the news FEAR is a great motivator.

The FBI disagrees: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/gov ... ipitously/

As to why, the second to the last link in the article above is very interesting.

[H. Adkins]

May change some minds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qE7DtMtymyU

[Ken Lago]

A tazer would have solved all of those situations, so no it didn't change my mind.

[Dan R.]

It is far easier to reflect from an armchair than be in the moment. I have never had made a mistake using 20/20 hindsight.

Maybe the answer is more respect for authority, then complain. Not vice versa.

[Ken Lago]

Or maybe its time to change the do or die policy, you never know it may work but you wont know unless you try.

[Kowboy]

It is far easier to reflect from an armchair than be in the moment. I have never had made a mistake using 20/20 hindsight.

Well, Hell has officially frozen over. Kowboy and Dan R. are in agreement.