Every once in a while, okay maybe a little more often than that, a news story comes on television and the response from elected officials is just ridiculous. In this particular case they were discussing the death penalty here in Maryland. Presently Maryland does have a death penalty, although it has been on hold for several years, and at least one group is filling for an appeal of this statute. This has become somewhat of an annual appeal. No matter which side of the question your sentiments lie on, a statement was made by a elected official that I found ridiculous and incredible. This man was saying maybe we could meet in the middle on this. We could abolish the death penalty, with an exception. If you were a mass murderer, kill at least four people and have the intent to kill more, then the death penalty could be invoked. Say what ? Killing just three people isn't a capital offense, but four is ? Well, your honor, my client did kill three people but had no intention of killing anymore. And he will testify to that ! He intended to wound the other thirty five.
I can only assume the loss of one life isn't as grave (no pun intended ) as the loss of four or more. What I wonder about is how you reach such a conclusion ? I further wonder why you would even make such an asinine statement in the first place. Incredible. Well, I'll let that one pass by without any more thought. I'm positive no one would take that proposal seriously.
In other news, a six year old child has been suspended from school for pointing his finger at someone and going " bang bang. " The school administration has deemed this as a serious act and entered it as, "threatening to shoot other students", on his permanent record. I can understand talking to this child about not doing that, but suspension from school ? A statement like that on his permanent record ? Seems a little over the top to me. The parents are outraged,as they should be,but others are supporting this action. Another just incredible reaction or should I say, overreaction. I must assume the school counselors can't handle this situation. I know my Mom could have. She would have explained it to me very carefully, and followed that up with, " just wait until your father gets home ". I would have become immediately aware that that particular action was not acceptable behavior. In short, I wouldn't do that again.
You know I'm beginning to believe we are just over thinking things just a bit. It really isn't all that complicated.
I can only assume the loss of one life isn't as grave (no pun intended ) as the loss of four or more. What I wonder about is how you reach such a conclusion ? I further wonder why you would even make such an asinine statement in the first place. Incredible. Well, I'll let that one pass by without any more thought. I'm positive no one would take that proposal seriously.
In other news, a six year old child has been suspended from school for pointing his finger at someone and going " bang bang. " The school administration has deemed this as a serious act and entered it as, "threatening to shoot other students", on his permanent record. I can understand talking to this child about not doing that, but suspension from school ? A statement like that on his permanent record ? Seems a little over the top to me. The parents are outraged,as they should be,but others are supporting this action. Another just incredible reaction or should I say, overreaction. I must assume the school counselors can't handle this situation. I know my Mom could have. She would have explained it to me very carefully, and followed that up with, " just wait until your father gets home ". I would have become immediately aware that that particular action was not acceptable behavior. In short, I wouldn't do that again.
You know I'm beginning to believe we are just over thinking things just a bit. It really isn't all that complicated.
"..response from elected officials is just ridiculous." "You know I'm beginning to believe we are just over thinking things just a bit. It really isn't all that complicated." - Ben Reichart
ReplyDeleteMaybe the response isn't the only thing "ridiculous"; may that "elected official" is more ridiculous. We have a patent on "ridiculous officials" here in Texas; Maryland shouldn't try competing. Once, twenty years ago, a high level Washington D.C. official told me that the government would only be interested in citizens dying depending on how many would be expiring and whether they would be all in one place or scattered. Maybe that's the guy you had on television !!! I found that he spoke the truth. If you harbor any doubts check any disaster; its the body count that excites politicians but only if the deceased manage to accumulate. Its true for traffic deaths, gun deaths, flu epidemics or terrorism. Individuals don't count unless they aggregate to some magical number. Stalin said that the death of one might be a tragedy but millions is a "statistic". Politicians are only interested in numbers.
A six year old kid playing cops and robbers or cowboys or Indians had better be discreet. Such play is best done in the privacy of a backyard or indoors !!! The outrage of the parents will not be taken into account. The kid is now labeled by his "permanent record". The more people worried about their "permanent records" is just what we need; that will solve a host of problems (except for real ones). People watching people without the ability to judge with common sense. The kid is learning early.
I believe the problem is not "overthinking the problem". The actual problem is what passes for thinking. Few people seem to be able to think with critical analysis calling for evaluation of a situation first to see what might be problematic and then searching for an appropriate solution comensurate with the problem. Citizens in Maryland (and elsewhere especially here in Texas) are electing and following the fools who do no thinking. Its all reaction no over thinking involved. Thought before action might be a solution ........