Who at the White House do you want answering the phone at 2 a.m.?

“Who do you want answering that 2a.m. call to the White House?” Remember that add by Hillary as she campaigned against Obama? Well, that call came. It came on September 11, 2012.

State Department 2a.m. phone: “Ring! Ring! Ring … Ring!”

                “Hello, State Department 2a.m. phone. What’s up?”

                “We are under attack! Send Help!”

                “Who is this, please?”

                “I’m the Ambassador in Benghazi. We’re under armed attack, send help!”

                “I’m sorry but Secretary Hillary isn’t available. This doesn’t sound like a diplomatic issue anyway. You need the Commander in Chief (BHO) to make the decision to send troops. I’ll transfer you.” Click.

White House 2a.m. phone: “Ring! Ring! Ring … Ring!”

                “Hello. White House 2a.m. phone. What’s up?”

                “We’re under armed attack. If you don’t send help we’ll be overrun and murdered!”

                “Who is this, please?”

                “I’m the Ambassador to Libya. I need to talk to the President (BHO).  We’re being attacked by terrorists!”

                “Are you with the State Department?”

                “Yes, you twit; I told you I’m the Ambassador to Libya. We are under armed attack. We need military help ASAP!”

                “This sounds like a State Department issue. Please call Secretary Hillary. Besides the President (BHO) has an early flight to the west coast for a fund raiser. Oh, wait, if you need military help, you should call one of the Military Services. Would you like their numbers?” (Sounds of gunfire.) “I’ll transfer you to the State Department’s 2a.m phone.”

Which one do you want at the White House to answer that call for emergency response to a crisis anywhere in the world? Neither one is the answer!

A Beautiful Mind at Work

What a Beautiful Mind. The Arkansas Governor (Beebe) may be the smartest guy in the room. Faced with an estimated (by the ‘Pew Center) one billion dollar outlay for more prisons over the next ten years, The  Governor pushed through the Democratic Legislature an expenditure saving  bill that no longer required “Non-violent” criminals  (outlaws) to serve time in jail. (Thus saving his pledge to the public to further reduce the sales tax on groceries, one presumes.)

                The apparently assumed solution to this saving of a billion dollars—add more Parole Officers to handle this increased workload, but require the non-incarcerated felon to pay for his own room and board. Unbeknownst to the unsuspecting public,  it was not even necessary to add additional Parole Officers and their associated costs. The Parole Board had a policy that allows parolees to just fail to report and there is no effort to track them down. After their parole time expires, their records are closed as “Parole Completed.” A beautiful bureaucratic solution to a budget dilemma: don’t spend money on either end. Don’t incarcerate them and don’t bother to track or chase parole violators. No Money spent on either end and the problem solved—what a beautiful mind at work! 

                “What?”

                “Well, there is that, the prospect of increased crime. But hey, The Gov. has his own private Arkansas State Police detail to protect him. Plus the ‘Pew estimate topped out at only 8,000-10,000 additional freed felons (un-incarcerated outlaws) on the streets. Hardly a number to get all riled up about. Besides, they’re non-violent outlaws, you wimp.”

               "What?"

               "Well, yes there are those few reported incidents of one of these "un-incarcerated outlaws" subsequently committing a violent crime. Yes, so one or two did murder someone. But hey! We are just starting this program."

                 No wonder the 2013 Republican Legislature eased up on permitting private citizens to become armed for their own protection. Apparently they desired to at least give us a fighting chance.

Why is Officer Hastings on Trial?

Why is Officer Hastings on trial? We hire and train men and women to protect us from society’s meanest and worst, as well as from the "non-violent" outlaw. When a cop does answer the call in the dark of the night and gun fire erupts and an outlaw falls, society calls for some retribution against the cop. Why?

                A terrified citizen calls 911: “Burglary in progress. Send the cops!”

                Officer Hastings, first responder, arrives in the dark, to answer a citizen’s call about “outlaws” at work. He sees three men doing their unlawful deeds and, at risk of his own life, steps out and tells them “Stop!” True, the scene becomes murky. Three outlaws are in a moving vehicle; the officer stands exposed—literally a deer caught in the headlights—in front of the moving vehicle. Are they armed? Will they shoot? Will they run him over? Will they surrender?

                Surely the Police Training included  such information as: a running human can cover 20 feet in 2 seconds; a moving vehicle can cover over a hundred feet in 2 seconds. Standing alone, in the dark, Officer Hastings has less than two seconds to make a decision: dead cop hero, stop the outlaws, or let them go free to continue their career of crime. He fires.

                The result—a live cop and three outlaws now under police custody. Tragically one dies. Even more tragically, he was a teenager. Officer Hastings knew not their age, and in the dark, probably nothing else. He only knew that three outlaws were driving a 2,000 pound deadly weapon and in a horrific two seconds concluded they were moving forward to murder him.

                Why is Officer Hasting on trial? Maybe I’m prejudiced—I respect cops and their willingness to put on that badge every morning and go out to face society's worst, risking of their lives for me and mine.

Serial Shooter Loose in Little Rock?

            A second shooting of a very suspicious nature occurred Thursday night in Little Rock as reported in the December 3^rd Arkansas Democrat-Gazette newspaper. What wasn’t even hinted at was the possibility that there might be a serial shooter loose in Little Rock. Neither the police spokesperson nor the newspaper mentioned this possibility.

            Of course it is possible that both the newspaper and the police lacked the perspicuity to make the connection between the two shootings. More likely is the probability that they didn’t publicly focus on this danger of a serial shooter so as to not unduly alarm the citizens. But we have all seen sufficient TV CSI type programs to know that more than six similarities between a series of different criminal acts is a pattern that is statistically unlikely to be accidental or coincidental. Therefore these two shootings’ similarities are tantamount to proving that these crimes are the actions of a serial shooter.

            Careful reading of the newspaper’s report reveals a striking similarity in the “modus operandi” of the two shootings. First they both occurred late at night; during the darkest hours. Secondly both victims were subjected to attempted, but botched, armed robbery efforts. Thirdly both victims were shot in the leg. Fourthly both shootings occurred in the same area: southwest Little Rock. Fifthly, both victims had secreted themselves in a secluded location just prior to being shot; an alley and a park.

            And the most telling and compelling similarity between the two crimes, both victims were engaged in the same act at the time of their “Victimization”. Both victims were answering a call of nature, so to speak. The newspaper’s description was more vulgar and graphic; but perhaps it is best to use its exact words so you can for yourself conclude that the shooter was indeed the one and the same person. The shooting occurred “while he was urinating” (each of the victims).

            There are many lessons than one can learn from this. One is to avoid secluded places during the darkest hours. Another is that this particular shooter aims low. There may be other lessons to learn, I’ll leave that level of detailed analysis to the reader.

           

Monday November 28 was a Great Day in a Promising Year!

            Yep, this past Monday may well have been the best day of this year of 2011. The year started off very well when both U. S. Senator Blanche Lincoln and U. S. House Representative Vic Snyder were not sworn back into either the Senate or the House of Representatives. One had resigned rather than face the humiliation of a crushing defeat at the poles from irate citizens. The other, a long time and continuing resident in Virginia, was trounced by a more conservative Arkansan who actually lived in the state. A rather novel approach to residency based on Mrs. Lincoln’s example.

            Next it was with great relief I have witnessed the House of Representatives squelch every new dumb idea from President Obama. Our Founding Fathers knew what they were doing when they made our government have three separate branches on the non legal side. Failure to compromise to allow more spending and new taxes to support a fraction of the spending just doesn’t seem to be the brightest idea that I’ve heard, especially when the deficit is about 1.5 trillion annually and over 15 trillion total.

            But I digress from my topic. The reason that this past Monday may have been the years’ Topper was that it was on this memorable day the Barney Franks announced that he too was going to resign rather than face an ignominious defeat in his newly redrawn voting district! Of course there will be fall out from this. Freddie Mac may actually have to make loans that are valid and such things as that. But what the heck, there is always a price to be paid for progress!

            Good Bye Barney; say hello to Mayberry! 

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.

“3 in month found with guns at LR airport” was the headline!

            The above was splashed across the local paper’s front page on November 3^rd as if LR was suddenly being invaded or subject to some type of terrorist’s conspiracy or supremacist’s plot.

            The report’s details later revealed that since January 2010 to date that 16 folks were arrested for attempting to board with a handgun out of 4 million passengers in that same time. My calculator can’t carry out that many decimals, but it is a very, very small percentage. Of course the paper made a big deal out of the fact that three folks in one month during this period was significant to something or other. Implications, who knows what they were trying to stir up, but a little research just may explain the sudden up-tick.

            In early 2011 the Arkansas legislature passed into law that non-violent felons will no longer go to prison; they will be put back out onto the streets of Arkansas. Folks, that’s another 6,000 to 10,000 felons per the state’s own numbers that will be just wandering around loose among the rest of us. That alone is sort of scary to some.

            Add to that the fact that this spring the LR city directors were traveling around the city espousing support of the new sales tax vote by revealing that it took police 5 to 10 minutes on average for the police to answer a “Shots fired” call and up to 20 minutes in west LR. Not information from our civic leaders to exactly makes us feel more secure. After passing the tax increase it is hoped that the average response time, after a 911 call is placed, for a “shots fired” incident will be 5 to 10 minutes. So on average you will only have to entertain the miscreant for 5 to 10 minutes until the police show up.

            These two facts alone may help to explain why more and more citizens have secured Concealed Handgun Carry Licenses. In fact 108,000 Arkansans now have such a license. Turns out, that’s GOOD news for you and me. Why, you ask? Well in the UK where handguns are banned, the majority of home break-ins occur while the occupants are at home. Why, you ask? Because the crooks in the UK know that the homeowner won’t be armed but will be available to point out all of their secret hiding places under duress of threats and actual torture.

Not so here in Arkansas. Per statistics recited in David Kopel’s book The Samurai, The Mountie, And The Cowboy, a study of US criminals revealed that they were more frightened of encountering an armed homeowner than a cop. Ergo, they try to break into your home when you are away.

Sad to say, that doesn’t excuse the action of the LR Sixteen. All were arrested, their handgun confiscated, their CHCL confiscated and sent to the State Police, and they were probably fined. Per Ms. Martha Moore, one of The Sixteen, $1,500.00. There is an old “Shootist” proverb: “Stupidity should be painful.”

To their credit, all of The Sixteen expressed embarrassment at their forgetfulness and the stupidity of what they did. No attempt to blame their upbringing, parental abuse, lack of economic opportunity, etc. Nope, they stepped up and admitted their act was stupid and that forgetful isn’t an excuse before the law. And since all were CHCL holders, all had attended a class where such “non carry” places like churches, courthouses, schools and airports were covered.

Despite their pain, monetarily and reputationally, you have to be sort of proud of them. First for arming themselves to help make the new Arkansas safer for all of us, and secondly for ‘fessing-up’ and taking their punishment like a man. That’s probably why they passed the police background check in the first place; they are good solid folks that we can depend on to be responsible for their own actions, and they will probably never be forgetful again. We can only hope that the state police will be forgiving and after a short time reissue their CHCL.