Government Failing Those on Road

Politicians focus on seat belt laws and left-hand lane driving, choosing to ticket and fine those offenses but when it comes to effectively punishing dangerous crime, they fail miserably.

Drinking alcohol is a freedom until one hurts another with their body, a weapon or a vehicle. Then your freedom is over and you get arrested, go to jail and if there is any justice, prison. You kill someone then you just forfeited your freedom for the rest of your life. The victim isn’t getting out of death after a short while. There’s no reprieve for them or their loved ones. You just gave them a death sentence.

If you wreck someone’s body and they live you go to prison and work off the financial debt at minimum wage. If you never pay it off you never get out.

Harsh? Certainly. Could I be guilty or my loved ones be guilty one day and face the consequences suggested? Certainly. And as horrific as it would be, the punishment would be just.

It’s time for politicians to quit faking their way through their terms, quit enacting laws that over-govern on less-than-necessary issues and start devoting their time to saving people from crime.

Ritter Makes Right Move

Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter did the right thing.

His decision to veto a firefighters union bill protected the city, it’s citizens from losing leverage, being held hostage on some level down the road. Firefighters, just like any public servants don’t need power; they work for the common good and should not have the ability to drive hard bargains.

Those whom serve — from firefighters to police to teachers, whomever, all are critical members of a community and truthfully, woefully under-compensated. They are deserving of more income, more benefits but those positions, within society, just don’t earn that sort of money. It’s wrong.

What needs to happen but never will is for politicians to accept less, sometimes far less so the people who do the most good — civil servants — can be rewarded well in relation to their contribution to society.

Beheading Doesn’t Deter Psychopaths

The question surrounding the beheading of a sexual offender for his horrific behavior is not so much about the the cruelty of it but rather is the punishment a deterrent.

The answer is no.

The reason why is the reality that logically thinking, morally based people don’t do such heinous acts so them seeing a beheading has little to no deterrent effect. Psychopaths, however, true deviants who don’t see victims as human, don’t feel any sense of empathy, don’t care about warnings or punishments. They are self absorbed, live in their own worlds and will do as they please, no matter what you or the law says.

So while it is a relief that this offender was caught and will offend no more, jailing him forever would have been a more painful punishment for him (if not the victim’s family) because it would have given him time to suffer punishment and a lack of empathy himself, even if not as brutal as what he inflicted.

Warning Sirens Blaring Before Murders

Notice how the legal system “works.”

Many people noticed Philip F. DiLeo was dangerous and were frightened for their safety. Nothing is done.

Then look at this story.

An inmate threatens judges and action is taken.

Assumption: judges peace and safety are more valuable to society than the commoners.

Not lost in the stories is that the inmate made written threats but if people are expressing fear and inquiring about the legalities of buying a gun and seeking restraining orders you’d think law enforcement would at least do a background check on him and interview him.

The law wanted to react as opposed to do preventive care. It didn’t work. It cost two innocent people their lives. What’s also alarming is the law is not consistent in its’ behavior. Book some time in a criminal law court, connected to a family law situation, and see the mere mention of fear, used frequently as a manipulative tactic, earn swift judicial action.

Two people are dead due to a psychopath and a society that could not protect them.

Ignore this and see it happen again.

The solutions are out there. Will lawmakers find them. Will we expect them to, demand it of them?

Parent and Son Deserving of Prison

Any parent that decides to protect their own child when that child has committed any atrocity, from rape to murder, is psychologically ill, a deviant and a criminal, outrageously selfish and protecting only their own (family) interests.

In the case where Alex Pachecho killed and abused 13-year old Kelsey Shannon, mom Michelle Pachecho should be charged as an accomplice and serve prison time along with her son, Alex.

The hurt the victim’s family is feeling must be seriously compounded now.

You’d be surprised how often families cover for the heinous acts committed by family members. What’s ironic is how loud and angry they would be if the tables were turned and their family was affected.

Bottom line — self interest conquers the overall good of society.

Teachers’ Poor Choice of Action

In this country we have the freedom of speech and if legal, the freedom to choose how we act. Teachers in the Boulder Valley School District took that approach with a sick-out.

However, not attending school, leaving administrators scrambling to provide educators for children was the wrong manner in which to protest.

It was, with all due respect to teachers and I greatly admire my children’s instructors, wrong.

You don’t just not show up when children are depending on you. If you want to protest meetings with the school district, go for it. But bailing on children makes teachers look bad.

That is a tough profession and I love how my children have benefited from their education. I always thank their teachers throughout the school year when I notice the progress.

Frustration, I understand but find an a tactic that is more appropriate and leaves the students out of it.

What does it say when adults are willing to use students as leverage on other adults. The psychology of that is shocking and revealing. Maybe the administrators, school board, government is banking on teachers to not act that way but it’s up to someone to do the right thing and find better negotiating tools.

Respect, Rights, Protection Still Not All-Inclusive

All people deserve respect, civil rights and protection from abuse.

All people deserve the same rights.

Not special rights, but equal rights.

If two adult people of the same sex wish to love one another, that’s their human right. The government should neither restrict or empower it. Stay out of it. As Thomas Jefferson once said, “the government that governs least governs best.”

A question to be asked is why do couples only receive rights to benefits? We’re o.k. with married couples receiving benefits, now gay couples are being afforded the same right but single people or divorced people do without?

Where is the moral outrage on that one?

It doesn’t exist.

Chirp, chirp.

The excuses given are the often the same ones previously used to deny gay couples benefits. It’s discrimination.

In the end, agendas run the government on nearly all domestic policy. Agendas come from the media influence on people, the powerful lobby groups and the wildfire that ensues.

Colorado is hoping to be seen, or sees itself already as more evolved. Decrying discrimination, angry at hate, it does a good job. It just has to make sure in it’s emotional growth that it doesn’t exclude certain people nor set precedents for an anything-goes society.

Angry Politicians Miss Bigger Picture

Colorado democrats have a right to be upset over a man who misrepresented who he was and what his life experiences were but the party should consider tempering their anger due to three critical missed points.

Rick Strandlof, executive director of the Colorado Veterans Alliance, scammed many with his claims of Marines’ military service and bravery in Iraq, while stumping for candidates in 2008. The findings that Strandlof was lying about it all are hurtful, outrageous and disgraceful but the democrats should watch what they say right now.

Why?

First of all they should have checked the background of anyone who was going to be such a focal point in leadership. This failure lies on party heads not Strandlof.

Second, politicians often don’t mind defrauding the people in either legal ways or in an immoral or illegal manner but when they become the victim, it creates the sort of anger normally associated with the citizens they represent.

And finally, Strandlof, while a mentally disturbed individual who likely was overjoyed by pulling off the grand ruse, is mentally ill. That’s not an insult, it’s a diagnosis that’s already been made by professionals. He’s sick. He’s spent time in a mental institution and his behavior outside that facility shows he is still failing the challenges of acceptable societal behavior.

The Democrats are much more worried about embarrassment and their image than they are facts, failures and deceit perpetrated on others.

Sharpe Rewarded for Dominant Career

Former Broncos’ stalwart pass catcher Shannon Sharpe has been elected — to the team’s Ring of Fame — a worthy reward for a stellar career as a player, leader and winner.

Sharpe was a dependable and big-play receiver over the middle from his tight end position. He was a college standout at Savannah State but was drafted late. Dan Reeves got him started with the Broncos and the rest, with talent and hard work, is history.

Sharpe won two Super Bowl titles with Denver and one more as a member of the Ravens.

He was a winner who played with supreme confidence and along with the likes of John Elway, Terrell Davis and Rod Smith, was part of an offensive juggernaut.

Sharpe was a glue guy in Denver. His combination of talent, preparation and production earned his respect, even if you didn’t like his high RPM mouth. His competitiveness was contagious. His drive is something that many talented players who fail to live up to expectations lack.

Sharpe was special. He had it all. For his time, he was an elite player and soon he will add a Hall of Fame bust to go with his Ring of Honor recognition.

Colorado Law Only Helpful if People Seek Information

Infection rates in hospitals are a known problem and should be public knowledge. A new Colorado law mandating that hospitals disclose these rates, however, is only helpful if patients or loved ones of patients seek out this information, determine reasonable risk and make quality decisions with the facts at hand.

In the past before media stuck its’ nose in everything and published it online, in newsletters, morning news and cable TV as well as newspapers and the nightly news, we weren’t educated as a society about how dangerous hospitals can be to our health. Now we know that people sometimes come out of hospitals more sick than when they went in or they go in and shockingly die not only due to malpractice but also to embarrassing hospital cleaning practices.

It’s not the information it’s what we do with the information that will make a difference in keeping us healthier and preventing needless sickness and death.