Category Archives: Crime & Justice
2nd Amendment – Right to Bear Arms?
The 2nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution seems rather straightforward to me: There is a purpose “Awell regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state…” and there is the expressed Right “…the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” So why does the nation’s Supreme Court ignore the purpose of this Amendment and grant “the right of the people to keep and bear arms”? Continue reading
Posted in Constitution, Crime & Justice, Government, Legislation
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Children Demonstrate Against Gun Violence
Children have a powerful effect upon adults because when they speak against injustices to parents, government legislators, and local officials we are amazed at how mature they are. We always underestimate the intelligence of our youth… But when some get in front of the press and many demonstrate en masse as they are doing and shout enough is enough of this gun violence, adults start to pay attention because they put we adults to shame for failing them repeatedly after each mass shooting… I am so proud of our young children soon to be young adults. As a matter of fact, many are now of voting age and are registering to influence our legislators. They plan to make a difference in upcoming elections. Continue reading
Posted in Constitution, Crime & Justice, Government, Legislation
Tagged Florida, gun control, gun violence, mass shooting, school shooting, student demonstration
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Shouldn’t Other Lives Matter too?
Recently there have been Blacks Lives Matter demonstrations throughout our nation due to the disproportionate numbers shootings of Black people by police. There have also been retaliation shootings and killings of law enforcement offices. Black communities for decades have complained that far too often law enforcement have used excessive lethal force (guns) targeting Black people… Continue reading
Another Mass Shooting at Orlando, Fl. on June 12, 2016
The mass shooting in Orlando Florida, where 50 innocent human beings lost their lives and 53 were injured was the worst mass shooting in America’s history. It is not relevant if these human beings were innocent children in school or innocent members of the LGBT community in a nightclub, none of them deserved to have their lives shortened this way. The mass killer used a semi-automatic weapon purchased legally because… Continue reading
Posted in Constitution, Crime & Justice, Government
Tagged 2nd amendment, gun control, guns, June 12, mass shooting, Orlando, right to bear arms, suicide
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Domestic Terrorism at Colorado Planned Parenthood Clinic
All mass shootings and killing should go under the category of Domestic Terrorism because that is exactly what they are, largely the indiscriminate killing of many people. There have been 294 cases of Domestic Terrorism in the US this year and no Foreign Terrorist action in more than 10 years. So why are we so paranoid about Foreign Terrorism when we have many real and active terrorists in our back yards? There are still many in the media and public that simply call these acts of terrorism mass shootings. Does this distinction mean that it is a Terrorist act if people are killed en mass by a foreign person or group but a Mass Shooting if done by a domestic person or group? Continue reading
Another Shooting at a University within One Week
Another shooting, this time at Northern Arizona University’s Flagstaff campus, took place yesterday when a gunman intent on killing many more than the one student he killed and the three he injured was maced and tackled by other students while trying to reload his gun. This could have very well turned into another mass killing in less than one week after the mass killing at Umpqua Community College. Continue reading
Another Mass Shooting this time at a college in Oregon
President Obama gave his 15th news conference on mass shootings since taking office on the recent mass shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon. 10 lives including the shooter were taken and 7 were wounded. I don’t necessarily blame the shooter who was in all likelihood mentally deranged. I blame our legal and legislative systems as well as our often warped sense of civilized social values for allowing him and other killers such easily access to guns. The gunman reportedly owned 13 legally obtained guns plus plenty of ammunition. Had people not had such easy access to guns many of these tragic mass and daily shootings would not have occurred and more would still be alive today. Continue reading
Another Mass Killing this time in Charleston, S.C.
On Wednesday June 17, 2015 nine human beings were massacred by a young White gunman at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church during a bible study. Though this mass murder received much press coverage, gun killings are all too common in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are approximately 81,300 nonfatal injuries and 31,672 deaths every year from guns. 112,972 people are shot in this country every year with a 28% fatality rate. Continue reading
100 Years from Now: The Complete Series
In the past year I have given some thought to what the future would look like a hundred years from now given the state of science today and the effects of global warming, diminishing natural resources, and a populations of over twice what it is today (population control will be in effect). One thing is clear, the word Sustainable will be far more than a buzzword. It will be a way of life. Continue reading
Posted in Crime & Justice, Economy, Education, Environment, Global Warming, Government, Life's Lessons, Personal Perspective, Science & Technology, Social Issues, Society
Tagged culural changes, future city design, future technology, Global Warming, holodeck, infrastructure, over population, shortage of resources
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100 Years from Now: Part 15 – Crime and Security
What can be said about crime and security 100 years from now? Keep in mind that in 100 years two significant and remarkable things will have occurred. Technology would become our willing slave meeting most of our needs making jobs obsolete and making us happy and content at the cost of privacy. But in 100 years privacy may not be nearly as important to us as it is today. Technology will also make committing and getting away with crime extremely difficult. Continue reading
Posted in 100 Years, Crime & Justice, Environment, Global Warming, Government, Life's Lessons, Personal Perspective, Science & Technology, Social Issues, Society
Tagged crime, cultural changes, future city design, future technology, Global Warming, holodeck, infrastructure, over population, shortage of resources
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POT Controversy
POT is becoming increasingly accepted in various municipalities and states throughout our nation, just as with many other taboo issues such as LGBT rights, as social acceptance standards and mythical perceptions are dispelled. It has been argued for decades that POT will lead to more serious drug use, but research has shown that this is no more true than alcohol leading to harder drugs. The medical harm and addictive effects of POT have been proven to be less than alcohol and cigaret smoking and highs experienced by users to impair their senses far less than alcohol. It is time to decriminalize it and treat it just as we do cigarets and alcohol. Billions of dollars are spent annually on cost with no revenue opportunities that could better spent on education just enforcing senseless marijuana laws. Continue reading
Do American Juries Dispense Justice?
One major problem is that most jurors are by in large ignorant of the technicalities of law and trial procedures. Both the prosecuting and defense attorneys know this and try to use this ignorance to their advantage. They often appeal the the jury’s emotional sense rather than the legal merits of the case. It is a judge’s primary responsibility to make sure the two lawyers follow the technicalities of the law when the other attorney raises an objection. He does little to enlighten the jury of such legal technicalities leaving it to the two lawyers to spin the case in their favor. There are obviously better lawyers than others, so depending upon the ability of each lawyer a case can be won or lost based upon his or her skill at outmaneuvering the other lawyer and influencing the jury. Continue reading
How Blind is Justice?
Wealth is the root of all power. Mega wealth corrupts absolutely. Our civil justice system is supposed to be fair to all parties. This was the foundation of a justice system that equitably rendered civil judgements fairly and impartially (justice … Continue reading
Posted in Crime & Justice, Government
Tagged civil trials, justice, power corrupts, powrful corporations, the average citizen
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Capital Punishment
Capital Punishment is a topic that I have personally struggled with most of my life. If a person were to deliberately take the life of one of my loved ones would I want vengeance? One of my core values is … Continue reading
Posted in Crime & Justice, Morality Values, Social Issues
Tagged an eye for an eye, capital crime, closure, compassion, execution, forgive, killer, love, murder, New Testement, Old Testement, victim's loved ones
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Crime and Punishment – is it Working?
The way we in America deal with people that are consider socially unacceptable is to make up laws against then turning offenders into criminals. A system exists to deal with criminals consisting of law enforcement arresting these individuals, trying them … Continue reading
Posted in Crime & Justice, Government
Tagged crime, Illegal drug trade, Incarceration, law, law enforcement, Prison, recidivism
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Traitor or Patriot
Whether Edward Snowden or Pfc. Bradley Manning are Traitors or Patriots for disclosing highly classified information to Wikileaks is either a matter of motives on their part or perspectives on the part of those casting judgment. To put things into … Continue reading
Posted in Crime & Justice, Government
Tagged cover up, government inequities, hero, patriot, traitor, Whistleblower
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Racism, Guns, and Vigilante Justice – The Zimmerman Verdict
The July 13th, 2013 acquittal of George Zimmerman for the killing of an unarmed black teenager has many of the telltale hallmarks of racism and vigilante justice. George Zimmerman, a white self-appointed neighborhood watch captain at the Retreat at Twin … Continue reading
Posted in Crime & Justice, Government
Tagged acquittal, Florida, Gated community, George Zimmerman, gun, justice, kill, law, Martin, minority, racial profile, racial tensions, racism, shoot, Trayvon Martin, trial, verdict, vigilante, Zimmerman
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The War on Drugs – Another Losing Battle
The war or prohibition on drugs has been raging since the early 1900’s but was not seriously addressed by the federal government until the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970 was implemented by the Nixon administration. During … Continue reading
Posted in Crime & Justice, Domestic Issues, Government, Social Issues
Tagged addict, addiction, crime, drug, enforcement, illegal, law, marajuana, medical, pot, social, traffic, war
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ouR Social Conscience 