Stupidity Should Be Painful

            It was reported by the Associated Press in the Arkansas Dem-Gaz on Friday Dec 2, 2011 that one Rolando McClain had been arrested in Decatur, Alabama. It probably made the news because he is currently playing line backer for the Oakland Raiders and had signed a 40 million dollar contract last year..

            Nevertheless there may be something to learn from this incident so here are the reported details.

            Earlier this year Mr. McClain reported “someone in Decatur shooting at his vehicle. However there wasn’t any indication the two incidents were related.”  (It is a wise move to always report incidents to the police. This may help Mr. McClain in his subsequent defense, however tenuous the connection to this current altercation. Bravo for Rolando!)

            The police reported that the unnamed “victim suffered injuries to his head and face during a fight and was bleeding when the police talked to him. The victim told officers that following the fight he crawled to his car.” (This would indicate that he had taken a good ‘lickin’ and probably deserved it for engaging in a fight with a 240 pound pro linebacker. One should avoid such encounters is my best advice. Ergo, run for your car first and don’t have to crawl for it later.)

            “The victim told officers that following the fight, he crawled to his car. He said that when he reached his car, Rolando McClain produced a pistol,” (shootist’s call this ‘presenting’), “and aimed it at him. He said that while he was still on the ground, McClain walked over to him and put the gun to his head. He begged McClain not to shoot him and that McClain took the gun away from his head, held it next to his ear and fired it.”

            “McClain was released on $2,000.00 bond and has been charged with: assault, menacing, reckless endangerment, and firing a gun inside the city limits.”

            So what do we learn from this other than to avoid fights with professional football players outside bars late of the evening? First, if you’ve won, don’t pull your weapon out. Secondly, unless your life is in danger, don’t fire the gun! (I would call all of the criminal acts listed by the police as ‘piling on’ so to speak. After all, do they really need to add ‘firing a gun inside the city limits’ to all the other charges?)

            Since this occurred in Alabama Rolando will probably escape with a hefty fine and probation; unlike poor Plaxico Burress who spent a year in the slammer in NY for shooting himself accidentally. Also unreported was who started the altercation and was Rolando just an overzealous ‘Good Samaritan’ intervening to stop some bad business. (I might run this one past my defense lawyer).

            Still “Stupidity should be Painful” and Mr. McClain was stupid on at least two counts in the above, and luckily the victim was unarmed as he had a legal right to shoot to kill Mr. McClain. That would have made Mr. McClain stupid on three counts, not that he would have cared any longer.