Overreaction or bordering on the absurd

The author has previously spoken about juvenile crime in terms of school killings. However, recent events by "children" has caused me to question whether we are overreacting. It was brought to my attention that a seven year old child was suspended from school for one day because he drew a stick figure holding what appeared to be a gun. Am I missing something here? Are we so gun shy that any signs of playful aggression should be cause for concern? Can boys be boys? Was the the school district just enforcing its zero tolerance policy regarding this type of behavior? Should the parent (s) of this young boy have told him that any type of drawings depicting a weapon is unacceptable behavior? And finally, does this response play into our fear of juveniles? There are a lot of unanswered questions.

Excessive or justified force?

You make the call.



http://video.aol.com/video-detail/ucla-student-tasered-by-police-in-library/1546145005

Here we go again!!!!!!

Is this dejavu or have we read about this story before? Student gets pissed off; brings gun to school, shoots fellow students and teachers, and then "offs" himself. Yeah, I think I have heard it all before. Again, I must reiterate, mental health is a major concern in today's society and it must be addressed. Since when does a kid get pissed off and decide to kill people. Again, all the signs were there, but no one paid attention. How many more times does a person have to die before "we" treat this issue as a real problem? I guess it costs too much to spend money on health care. I guess our tax dollars are better spent fighting wars that we will never win. That is just my opinion...how about yours.

Defining your role in society; will you make a difference?

This post is not about crime and/or the criminal justice system. This post will be about personal responsibility to your fellow human being.

After some careful reflection it has become apparent that "we are not our brother's keeper." The level of selfishness being exhibited by our citizenry is appalling. Capitalism is riving our moral cohesion and the downtrodden are being cast aside. The average person can expect numerous challenges to overcome, but despair is not the answer. Life is about making decisions and living by them. However, bad choices are a part of life and have to be dealt with as well. Yet, I cannot find one person who wants to be poor, incapable of paying their bills or strung out on drugs. Everyone needs someone in a time of difficulty. As a part of the human race, what are you doing to make a difference? Let's hear your stories.




"Pick a piece of the social fabric that you can change and gauge how it fits into the bigger picture" Dr. BLR

Should ignorance be a crime?

Here we go again, another person's attempt at humor has gotten someone in trouble. When will enough be enough? Or when will people stop being so sensitive? Fox News personality Bill O'Reilly had dinner at a popular African-American restaurant in New York City with the Reverend Al Sharpton. The two unlikely dinner guest were meeting to discuss their points of view on a variety of topics. Their departure from the restaurant supposedly went without incident until Mr. O'Reilly went back to his news program and figuratively shoved his foot in his mouth. On live radio Mr.O'Reilly remarked (and I am paraphrasing) that he was shocked to realize that African-American restaurants were very similar to any other restaurant and that its patrons were well behaved. Okay, for some of us his comments may not be so offensive, but to others, he may have stepped over the line. Most of us have gone to restaurants and observed some rather rude behavior by people that we do not know. We make a mental note of it and even might speak out, but we move on. I say that we stop fueling the flames of bigotry and ignore these media seekers.

" Ignorance comes at a cost; how much are you willing to pay for it? Dr. BLR

National Security or too much big brother?

There are lawsuits abound regarding cellular telephone companies sharing "our" private information with the federal government under the guise of national security. The U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights provides American citizens with certain protections, but when does government cross the line? We have felt the long term effects of terrorism and have witnessed what inaction can do to our society. Should we give up certain rights to be protected? Can we trust that our government will always do the right thing?

"Before believing in anyone else, believe in yourself." Dr. BLR

Blue wall of silence vs. snitching...what is the difference

The controversy in the "hood" regarding snitching is causing problems for law enforcement. Criminals can sometimes bank on the silence of victims and/or witnesses to keep their mouths closed. Conversely, police officers rely on the maintenance of the blue wall of silence to cover up their transgressions. The differences may be subtle, but the ramifications of both are detrimental to our society. Is there a difference?

" Your reticence can cause someone their life; only you know if it's worth it." Dr. BLR