There's Rage and then there's...

The Last Psychiatrist discusses the Rape Tunnel. Specifically, TLP is interested in the commenters who expressed anger and suggested various acts of violence should be perpetrated on the artist:

I'm specifically interested in the third or so people who expressed these sentiments. Why so much hostility?

...snip...

If you're willing to agree that the [commenters'] sentiments are rage-- the irrational, out of proportion blinding hate that anyone else observing it thinks is pretty nutty-- then there's plenty to learn from it.

I'm not certain that the reaction has been irrational or out of proportion. The artist intended to push peoples' buttons, and he has done so. And in the relative anonymity of the interwebs, people have felt free to express the emotions his "art" engendered. That doesn't mean that anybody would actually DO anything about it. A lot of commenters have expressed a great deal of anger at the artist, but rage? I don't think so.

More importantly, why is this level of anger not directed at actual rapists? Years ago I lived near 180 and Broadway in NYC. That's a Rape Tunnel. If you go there there will be a guy waiting to rape you, sometimes they change shifts but there's always someone on duty. And they're hiring. Go there, get raped. EOM.

But no one is taking the A train north to kill that guy. In fact, you've basically accepted his existence, you've ceded that entire neighborhood to him. You don't like him, of course, but you don't hate him, you just put him out of your mind, you put that entire area out of your mind. Meanwhile, this artist, an ordinary man, who is only raping volunteers, who has not actually raped anyone-- that guy needs AIDS.

Who says that level of anger is not directed at actual rapists? (OK, maybe not in NYC, but Texas is a different story.) No actual rapist (to my knowledge) has publicly admitted/drawn attention to/bragged about his exploits on the interwebs, but if he did, I'd be willing to bet that a lot more than 1/3 of the comments would advocate removing said offender from society - immediately, permanently and with extreme prejudice. If no one is "taking the A train" to kill actual rapists, it's because that sort of action carries descriptors like "premeditated murder", for which there's a rather stiff penalty nowadays. It doesn't mean that we don't hate the rapist, just that the price of taking him out that way is too high. Nobody's taking the A train to kill the artist, either... it's just talk...er, typing.

Furthermore...

The reason you do not fear this artist and the reason you hate him is because you about him. You know how he talks, thinks, that he's an artist, etc. You may make incorrect judgments based on this information (e.g all artists are wimps) but it is that you created a coherent picture of him that is relevant.

The man on 180/Broadway whom you don't know at all is "a rapist," he has a right to that identity and you're not messing with it.

This artist isn't a rapist, he has no right to self-identify. How is he allowed to give himself so much power?

So we hate the artist for pretending to be something he's not, but we don't hate the rapist because he "is what he is"? Yeah, right. NOT. Anger was vented at the artist because he's a douchebag and a waste of good oxygen. Because he chose to represent what we really hate: the predatory criminal.

Diatribe, Part the First

This is the beginning of a journey through the Geeks past.

In the 80's I had been an EMT after getting my ECA in '79 and upgrading to EMT in '80 and had worked for a private ambulance service and been a volunteer with two different departments in the county based on where I lived and worked. One system where EMS and Fire were combined and one where they were separate. I was starting to burn out a bit on the volunteer thing. The paid service was mostly standbys at car races, motocross races, horse races, concerts and other special events with some transfers in between. I had also done some fill in work for the neighboring county EMS system. My day jobs had been mechanic, carpenter, roofer, truck driver and finally owner/chief cook and bottle washer of a welding and heavy truck repair shop. Guess I was trying to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up. Still haven't answered that one yet. Met a bunch of great people and had a good time at some of it. Miss some of those folks. Still in touch occasionally with a couple people from those days.

The burnout came from being woken up / interrupted for calls that were caused by someone doing something stupid and someone getting hurt because of it. Not always the same person. I did my best to help people but found myself more and more angry with the person who was the cause of it that started the whole chain of events and the fact that most of the time they were not being held responsible. I was also getting upset at the idiocy that followed.

Now, I will not say that I was/am perfect. Lord knows I had my fair share of stupidity and maybe more than my share. I tried to make up for it as best I could and have tried to keep that going.

Whether it was parents not being responsible for their kids or drivers not being responsible for their careless driving or what have you, I was getting a bit burned out by it all. As well, I was still trying to find myself. Soon would come an event that pretty much changed the course of my life. That will be the subject of Part the Second.

If ever the need for the Death Penalty

It is now!

WARNING NAUGHTY LANGUAGE TO FOLLOW!!!!!


Some Farging Ice Hole out around Lake Livingston SHOT A BALD EAGLE! The Vet School at A&M is treating it and it looks like they will save the bird but it will lose a wing and never fly again.

There is absolutely no excuse for this Ice Hole to continue to steal my oxygen. What in heavens name could justify doing this? Or, could justify allowing the steaming pile of crap that did this to continue to exist?

If I sound pissed off, GOOD, because I am. I just hope TPWD or USF&G catch this guy before any real Red Blooded American does. At least the goober would have a chance of surviving until he gets to trial. If an LEO who has sworn to give the "suspect" the right to continue to breath until after being found guilty by a jury of it's peers gets a hold of it. If it actually comes to its senses, they will turn up at a police station and beg to be put in protective custody. You'll notice I will not even give this bottom feeding shit sucker the satisfaction of calling them human because no human would do something this vile.

Call for LEO support

Texas Fred is one of my regular reads and a fellow Texas Blogger as well as a cantankerous sort I can identify with. Being a retired LEO he keeps up with the doings of other LEO's and has a call for financial support for a worthy cause. If you can spare a few bucks to help support our men in blue, wander over and make a donation to support The Police Unity Tour.

An Interesting Discussion

Another one of the things that prompted me to get into the Diatribe is an ongoing discussion with Bob S. at 3 boxes of BS. It seems that Bob and I are really on the same side just he is trying to better define the line of good enough. I am really enjoying the thought stimulus and discussion.

Head on over and take a gander at not just this thread but the rest of what he has to say.

Diatribe Part The Prequel

I've had a stream of thoughts bouncing around in the vacuum betwixt my ears for a while now and a number of recent events have sparked my renewed interest in making a blog post series out of them.

The main thrust is how I developed the attitudes and thought process I have today and hopefully bring some new folks into the personal responsibility camp because that is what a majority of it is. There will be posts that basically recount some of my past experiences that I recall to illustrate my point.

I welcome one and all to share the ride and feel free to chime in if you like. If I start to bore you, please skip through and come back because there may be some nugget of rambling gold in there.

I'll start by saying this is triggered by the idiots that I recently wrote about here that are defending a drunk driver (alleged) that darn near killed a cop. Certainly ended the officers career and she will be lucky to walk normal ever again. These folks are blaming the officer, department and saying the drunk (alleged) is a good person who just made a mistake and shouldn't / doesn't deserve to be punished and the people who want to see her punished / held accountable just need to shut up because they don't know her and how good she is.

Still a bit curious why a 38 year old male elementary school teacher was in the car driven by a drunk (alleged) 21 year old girl?

And recently while digging for paperwork in the safe I came accross my file of certificate originals including my first emergency medical certification from the Texas Department of Health as an Emergency Care Attendant from more than 30 years ago. That reminded me of why I got into then out of then into then out of then into then out of the public service gigs.

So, buckle up it's going to be a bumpy ride. I have been known to throw in some inappropriate sarcasm and obscure movie quotes just because I can.

QOTD

"Yeehaw, Yeehaw, this is Cledus Six Actual, I have good ol' boys out a-huntin', one round vee tee frag . . . ."

Shootin Buddy over on Tam's in response to the report that hunters being spotted outside the wire at PANTEX is what caused the nukyular weapons assembly facility to go into lockdown.

That right there is serious comedy folks.

All I could add would be "add twenty and fire for effect."

Carrying and Training

Over at Southern Female Lawyer there has been quite a kerfuffle over carrying of a firearm and the training requirements. The latest post has the promise to maybe stimulate some actual reason discourse over the matter. Only time will tell. After reading the discussion taht started teh whole mess and what has gone on since, I decided to go ahead and give my $0.02 worth.

Besides, she's hit a soft spot with a post of a recipe for Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies. YUM!

Stoopid Gun News

Ripped from this mornings headlines;
"POLICE: Arizona mom tries to trade daughter for gun"

This is just too stupid for words but I'll try. Mom was charged with unlawful sale of a child and solicitation to posses a weapon by a prohibited person. So, mom was a prohibited person, no stranger to the law and obviously not of very sound judgment. I however, would like to know what constitutes "Lawful sale of a child"? That's the way I read it, if she is charged with unlawful sale that implies there is a lawful sale. Instead of attempting to sell a child or something like that.

The next winner is;
"Drugs, Sex, Gunplay, and Death in Maine"

It seems a group of three guys got their rocks off getting doped up and playing Russian Roulette in one guys "Dungeon". Sorry but this just feeds the stereotype that guns are some sort of substitute or compensation. If these three guys wanted to play sex games in a dungeon, that is their own business but the gunplay was so far out of line it isn't even stupid. Trying to say it was consensual doesn't fly either. It is not legal to kill someone even if they ask/want/beg you to. So, using lethal force or attempted lethal force just because someone wants you to doesn't justify use of that force. The guy has been convicted and is now in sentencing as he rightly should be. His defense was that he checked the gun multiple times and that the victim was a thrill seaker who may have slipped a live round in the gun for the extra thrill.

Not gun related but CHIPS is confused as to why an 11 year old was driving a car during a crash that killed him, his little sister and Mom and put a family friend in critical condition.

And not a news story but on the way in to work this morning, misbeHaven and I had to wonder why there was a car driving east in the left westbound lane of the divided road we were on.

Mexican Gun Canard Part Whatever

So, Mexico has had is bloodiest day ever. 69 Drug murders in one day. Midway through teh article about all the drug related violence is this gem;

"I doubt Mexico can override drug use, especially since demand for the drugs, as well as all the money and weapons, come from the United States."

So we are still blaming the US for the guns used in this violence? Despite this being proved as incorrect. Never gonna let up are they?

There are Idiots in this world

The Facts;
Saturday night / Sunday morning as the bars north of campus are closing down, 911 receives multiple calls of a White Maserati with paper plates speeding and driving recklessly in the area.

Let's examine just that for a moment shall we? I know it is generalizing a bit but people leaving a bar at closing time are not known for calling 911 to report reckless drivers. So it would seem that the driver of said Maserati either was so off the hook that people were actually motivated to report this behavior or they were jealous of the car and wanted to get the driver busted. Either way, the driving had to have been something way out of the ordinary to get it reported by multiple callers.

While CSPD investigates, more calls come into 911 reporting cars racing in a neighborhood. Officers dispatched and as the first officer arrives in teh area, she is hit head on by a White Maserati with paper plates. The driver and three passengers in the Maserati are transported to one of the local hospitals for treatment as the CSFD is busy extricating the officer from her Crown Vic. Now, anyone who has worked on these can tell you the Crown Vic will take a pretty hard lick to intrude on the passenger compartment. Once the officer is out, she is airlifted to the Trauma Center at Scott & White Hospital in Temple in serious condition.

Now, one may assume that the Idiots of which I speak could be referring to the driver of the Maserati. Well, partially correct. The 21yo female driver was/is an idiot, but that is a rant for another time. She was a bartender and bar hopper in the area, the car was "borrowed" and she had friends in the car with her while she operated the vehicle without regard to the safety of others on a public roadway while she was drunk. She is a class A idiot!

But what I have to rant about are all the idiots who felt they had to comment on the story on the local TV stations website. (Not all the commenters are idiots but the idiots are what I want to comment on.) Starting with the first commenter who started with saying the CSPD needs to review and change it's response policies, procedures and training!?!?!?????

Just based on the facts as they were known at the time of the article, the driver had been reported for speeding and reckless driving as well as racing in a residential area and this moron immediately jumps the PD and Officer as a cause?

The others are a parade of idiots who have continued down a thread of, "she exercised bad judgment and made a mistake, don't blame her."

What sort of morons are these people?

These people are why our country is going to Hell and in a HURRY! She screwed up royally and has no place loose in civilized society. She has already shown her disregard for the safety of others to the exclusion of her own self satisfaction/enjoyment. A lack of respect for others lives and safety means she can not be trusted in public.

Now, after review of the dashcam and the results of her blood draw after the crash, she is charged with a second degree felony of intoxicated assault on a peace officer resulting in serious bodily injury. She is fortunate that it is not intoxication manslaughter or worse. Her "friends" are fortunate they are not dead.

And yet people insist on making comments like;

"This girl made a stupid mistake, one that most of us have made and got away with.."
-That somehow makes it alright?

" It's a terrible tragedy from all sides. Everyone makes mistakes. Ms. Ford was irresponsible, but also young, and I'll bet you she won't make this same mistake again. Mistakes are a part of being human and a part of growing up."
-Mistakes that can potentially take anothers life are not part of growing up. Personal responsibility is.

"I do not believe that at anytime did this girl mean to hurt anyone but if the police would crack down on the drunks leaving the bar or if the bar's got in to trouble for over serving this might not have happened."
-Again, it is someone elses fault? Personal responsibility is out the window.

"People are so quick to judge when they know nothing about whom they are judging."
-Don't need to know about her. The facts even just a few, point out that she acted without any regard to others safety and was very very very likely at fault in this crash not accident.

"All of your comments demonstrate ignorance and lack of education. Get a life. Go to school. Leave this young woman alone."
-Um, if she had taken herself out on private property, maybe it would be a private matter and she should be left alone. The FACT that she did this on a public street and endangered others makes it a public matter.

"The driver has been a very good friend of mine for 15 years and although she might have made a bad decision that doesn't take away from the fact that she is a very good person."
-Again, if she was a good person, she would have had some concern for the safety adn well being of others including her so called friends in the car with her. Instead if driving like a complete lunatic.

"Admittedly, I don't know the whole story, but it looks like the CSPD needs to review their emergency response policies and training."
-This is the one that got me and most others going. What kind of moron starts blaming the PD for a crash under circumstances that pretty clearly spell which way fault falls?


UPDATE:
I just had to add one of the latest comments to the list of IDIOTS.

"Why can't people understand that the Maserati did not belong to this girl. They are very fast cars and she did not know that and just lost control. I have seen many police vehicles speed right by me without lights or siren and hope no one pulls out in front of them because there is no chance of avoiding a collision. Thankfully Alex will recover, but jail time is not a proper punishment. Ultimately this was an accident, and accidents happen everyday. No one really knows who was at fault or the circumstances that may have caused it. Get well soon Alex!! "
-This guy is an idiot of the first order. This was no boating accident, to quote a great movie. It was an intentional act to disregard the safety of others in multiple ways and expose others to the dangers of her careless behavior. There are consequences for certain actions and this one should carry serious concequnces.

Happy Birthday

So, this is what greeted us when we got home yesterday. Born sometime during the day in the cold wind. Not sure what it is about our calves and cold weather. Last year we had two drop during the sleet/freezing rain. This year we are at record setting lows and high winds. There area a couple more that should be dropping soon as well. Have to see what happens to the weather for them.

"Large"? Assault Rifle

Just what the Hell is a Large Assault Rifle?

Various agencies are reporting a disgruntled worker shooting up a transformer plant in St Louis. The local paper and TV stations are reporting police locking down a 2 mile radius around the plant but Fox News starts their article with the description of the gun as a Large Assault Rifle and I am just too confused by that.

So, does this mean the guy is carrying a REALLY BIG rifle? IS an AR-10 a Large assault rifle compared to an AR-15?

New Years Post

What to rant about?
A good friend came to town Friday and is spending the weekend here at Casa De La Geek. Celebrating msbeHavens Birthday, New Years and our friends birthday. Watched Dracula and Wolfman (originals with Bela Lugosi, et al.) and the Resident Evil Trilogy. Boy if that hasn't led to some weird dreams.

Over the holidays, we've managed to clean out the barn, put in two new gates, haul off a load of scrap metal, replace the battery in the tractor, drill a number of fence post holes, remove/relocate/rebuild fence around the corral and paint in the kitchen. Still have much more to do including a whole bunch more fence to go with the new fence posts and gates.

NEW YEARS RANTS,
Last week we had a fatality on the main FM (Farm to Market Road for those outside of Texas) through our area. Person turning left waiting for oncoming traffic and negligent driver coming up from behind too fast and not paying attention. Pushed turning car into oncoming traffic killing occupant of oncoming jeep. Comments on the local TV stations website include people complaining that the public just needs to butt out because this is a family matter to deal with the person at fault, not anything that requires charges. BS! This was negligent criminal behavior on a public roadway that puts the entire travelling public at risk.

Previously I responded to a crash on this road middle of the night when a teenage driver lost control of his SUV, crossed over the roadway into the bar ditch, hit a culvert and launched the SUV end over end back across the roadway into someones yard. Ejecting his girlfriend and killing her. This was right around the corner from us so when the tones dropped I was there in a matter of a few minutes. As we worked to stabiliz and package the girlfriend up for air transport (she was still alive on scene), the boyfriend was pacing around screaming at the emergency workers for taking so long to arrive and that was going to end up hurting his girlfriend more. That right there sums up a part of why I got out. Every time I was called out it was because someone did something stupid and as far as they were concerned it was someone elses fault. Kid was arguing with a DPS trooper who was showing remarkable restraint when a relative showed on scene and talked him down till he was transported under guard.


SECOND RANT
Also last week, just up the county road from us someone(s) went on a rampage. They opened up the gate to the pen one of our neighbors used to hold his calves. Then they opened the gate to another field full of cattle. They continued up the road opening gates turning stock loose, found a gate that was locked so they threw a chain around it and yanked it and the fence down. Then when the reached a cemetary, they just drove over the gate to it.

It's not like this was a crime of profit. Not that I condone that type of crime either but at least there is some sort of understandable motivation behind it. Nope, this was just a malicious act of destruction by an idiot(s) looking to make trouble. We've had a number of cases of cattle rustling in our county this past year but this was not a case of that but just bein mean. I can only hope that the County SO catches them before one of the farmers does.