da_opposition's Blog

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete...

Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, 'I love you' to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

If you don't send this to at least 8 people....Who cares?

                        George Carlin

Very scary situation, a city Police Officer in a gun battle with suspects, runs out of bullets and the suspect still had enough to continue his onslaught against the Officer. 

Why doesn’t city Police have more firepower?  Is it budget reasons or is St. Louis a city with not enough violent crime to arm their Officers better?  Recently the city Police dept. purchased 9mm carbine rifles for some Officer to carry in their squad cars.  The carbine rifle isn’t no more than mid caliber gun designed to be a little more accurate than the service semi-auto pistol carried by every Officer.  The 9mm caliber is considered a high speed projectile that won’t penetrate 1/2”inch into a telephone book at 25 yards.  The suspects are carrying assault weapons that fire ammo that can pierce a car’s engine block and go threw a telephone book at 50 yards.  This rifle is just an extension of their already ineffective service handgun.  

Saint Louis County Police armed their supervisors with AR-15 assault rifles which are more powerful than the city Police Rifle but still not as powerful as the AK-47 the preferred weapon of street thugs and standard issue to terrorist world wide. 

I understand the concern for civilian casualties by the use of high powered assault weapons; today maybe 100 rounds were fired with no casualties and suspects escaped.  When bullets start firing and civilians are present, I would want the trained Officer to able to out gun the suspect and end his rampage permanently.

Today reminds of an experience I had in 1993, over 100 shots fired, 1 civilian killed by gang members, one 7 year old shot by gang members and we where out gunned, Three Officers in my unit at the time including myself ran out of ammo, one Officer even used a thrown suspect’s rifle to keep them at bay from possibly killing us.   Any City or County Officer for that matter can at anytime be faced with the situation that happened today.  These dirt bags travel armed to the tee everyday, we need our Police Officers, Sheriffs, Security & Corrections people armed like LAPD, if they are to protect the nations most violent city.

Jaco report from Saturday Feb, 23 2008

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In his words on each candidate.

Words he used for McCain…

Maybe he had an affair maybe he didn’t, He might have used questionable judgment, Doing a favor for lobbyist, 5yrs P.O.W. Vietnam, Navel aviator, Son and grandson of US Admirals, It’s not like in the great scheme of things that he was getting people killed, Small potatoes, Slam dunk for nomination, Tested by fire, Substantial issues.

 More than likely he had affair, he cheated on his family, sad! Not uncommon among the good'ol boys. He used poor judgment not questionable judgment, the good'ol boy system is plagued with you scratch my back and I scratch yours mentalilty.  Better known as under hand corruption.  You prefer to say he did a favor.  In the scheme of things millions of Americans seem to be tired of the Good'ol boys and if they keep playing like they do more dirt is subject to come out.  Tested by fire, I have always respected the American military was disappointed I couldn't get my feet wet, you got to be kidding me that military means presidential candidate.  Our universities should be insulted by that, people spend too much on education to accept the hogwash!!!  I can expect to see a few more plane crashes, cars crashes, accidental shootings, attempted robberies that end in murder before this election is over.  I hear neither  Jaco or Shimkuss saying much that gave McCain any justice sounded like hogwash.

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Words he used for Obama… That is it, thin resume, Masterful speech making, First Black Kennedy, Too inexperienced for the United States, This guy who is a hope monger w/ messianic rhetoric, What do you got?, Where is the substance?,

 Thin resume' 8 years, one loss... I know of candidates who have had worse. So do you!  Masterful speech making, you sound jealous!!!  A clever tongue always draws real thinkers.  As for the black Kennedy line, they all dead but one. What hell kind of message was that?  I havn't learned much about the Kennedy men that would make anyone want to wear their shoes, there isn’t that much money in the world.  This guy, hope monger, messianic rhetoric, translates to this guy thinks he is Jesus or something.  I tell you one thing he sounds better than the POPE. 

 What you got? Where is the substance? You see it on TV, millions of supporters, a campaign that has opened the eyes of the good'ol boys.  This is a real test of time of the real traditional America screw ups.  Teddy Roosevelt would be kick ya'll in ya'll butts. Jaco, your news is not trustworthy sounds more to me like some repubilcan rhetoric.

Does the U.S. Government buy from China? Yes!  Office supplies, TVs, Electronics, Computers and so on.  No wonder they want to give us rebates, the savings they have made buying from China & Mexico.

Already I have a problem with american retailers selling foreign products, but to take a bigger look at it, the goverment has to buy foreign as well.  Office Max, Office Depot, products are 80% made over seas, and were does the government spends, mega millions on office products?  China & Mexico!  

Now I'm hearing that soldiers don't have supplies and ammunition. Have we lost that much manufacturing that we need to buy military supplies and ammunition from over seas? I want to know. Maybe Fox or Jaco can report this for us.  I want to know are the materials used for helmets and vest manufactured made by american blood (pride) for our soldiers?  I think Clinton and Bush sold us out.  Jaco, who did it? Let us know.

I have very little experience with Latino people so I have yet make an opinion on them other than what the media shows us and tells us about them entering the country by the 1000's.  It's been about about 8 yrs since I've reviewed the FBI's most wanted on a local and nationwide level on a regular basis..  Today I thought I would do just that, and what I found kinda surprised me.

Latino's are nearly 10 to 1, blacks and or whites most wanted in the United States.

http://www.fbi.gov/wanted/fugitives/cei/fug_cei.htm

How did this happen, is it not happening here locally so we don't see it, or do the local media refuse to cover it.  I know several violent occurences that involved latino's against latino's; a wedding were both side cut and stab each other till no one could stand. That happened in northwest county.  I'm not sure of where the latino popluation lives, but I don't believe we are being made aware of the crimes that involve our communities.  I will do more research to support my theory and post it here.  Please share your thoughts.

Has fox got a little two hip for thier own good? Do we as bloggers influence them?  Comments they have made support some the identifiable hate mungers that bring hate  to the site daily. 

Who ever was responsible for airing the opinions of bloggers should be fired, in fact I demand that they be terminated.  Since when did blogs become mainstream news?  Since when did public opinion become needed by a news stations to report a story.

Obvious it's about money, I notice more and more advertisers on the blog pages now and maybe your selling out your community to more advertisments.  That does seem to be the way of the land, in this good'ol US of A.  I do believe you guys need to take two steps back and get grip on your purpose.  Promoting hate on Federally governed air waves is not it.  I do believe the FCC needs to be made aware of this and your handling of the entire Kirkwood incident.  As Management of FOX 2 you have inflicted just as much damage as the man behind the trigger, check you systems of checks and balances, I hope that your promotion of hate was just a mistake of one and not the decision of many.  I do believe your viewers deserve and apology,  Bloggers should not have that much power, Not on our public or private airwaves. 

What a day, just finished roll call, I got my squad car and about to take to the streets.  Now it’s about 0930 and I’ve been riding the hoods for about 2 hours no calls to go on I guess the creeps are still sleeping.  As I pull over to watch this stop sign that’s frequently violated by almost anyone, my cell phone rings, its one of my friends who tells me his car got stolen last night and that the perps burglarized his house while he and his wife were sleep and they stole his keys along with several other household items.  I immediately call a few of my buddies who work in other areas and advise them to be on the look out for the car.  It wasn’t even 20mins and the car was spotted by an Officer who patrols a neighboring area and he is now in pursuit of the vehicle and they are heading my way.  As the pursuit enters my area I can see sparks coming from the stolen vehicle as it hits high areas in the pavement nearly becoming air born.  I radio all units to back off because the pursuit is destroying my friend’s car.  Everyone complies and we combine our efforts by concentrating patrols in the area. 

About 1100 I spot the vehicle occupied by two and I hit my lights and siren in an attempt to curb the vehicle when driver steps on it and the pursuit is on once again.  I radio my location and one of my fellow Officers joins the chase behind me.  After several blocks of speeding the passenger door of my friends vehicle opens and the brake light come on.  I know they are about to bail.  As I get closer now I see both doors are open and I radio all units my location and that the perps are about to bail.  By the time we get to the next street corner they bail and the car keeps rolling and strike a parked vehicle were it stops.  I give foot chase.  I can hear my fellow Officer behind me panting as we are running top speed.  I’m just about 20 yards behind the suspect driver when I observe him run into home with the front door open.  Being in hot pursuit and never losing site of the suspect I enter the house behind him with my weapon drawn.  The house is a part of a two family flat which is straight thru unit as I look to the back door I see a woman with her kids in hand going out of the back door, as she exits she points to the bathroom door, letting me know that is where the suspect is hiding.  At this time two other Officers arrive and we approach the bathroom, I yell to the suspect to come out and he doesn’t respond.  I alert the other Officers that I’m going to kick the door open and they acknowledge.

As I kick the door in the suspect puts his hands up and walk out, I advise him that he is under arrest and as I attempt to place cuffs on him he tries to bolt thru us and make an escape.  I grab the suspect from behind and slam him thru the cocktail table then I pick him up and smash his head into the nearest wall then again I ride him hard to the floor ramming his head into the hardwood.  The suspect starts yelling ok, I give then I give him one more thump to the back because this arrest is personal.  As the Officers reach to pick him up I kick him in the rear as hard as I can with my jump boots.  Before hauling him off to jail he was identified as a known 17 yr old local drug dealer who may have trading drugs for the car.  Turns out he didn’t know the lady who lived at the house he entered and he caused 2,000 dollars worth of damage to the ladies home. 

Was this officer justified in his attack or did he over react in a situation he took personal??? 

I remember my grandpa telling me what to do every day of my life until I left his home at the age of 17.  As much as I disliked his dictatorship over me, I learned why it was needed.  The sad thing is, like Kevin Johnson inside and outside my grandpa’s house I had guns and drugs within a hands reach. 

As I child I was told every day to stay away from the bad crowd.  In grade school I played in the jazz band, in high school I played in the marching band, I had lots of interest.  As a child of course the curiosity of the unknown will draw you in every time.  I believe 90% of urban black children are and will be exposed to guns, drugs and sex before they turn 11.  I had fired my first gun in the air at the age of nine and I was not on a shooting range or in the woods, it was more likely in gangway between houses.   At this same I age I witnessed my first dead body shot to death on the sidewalk just out side the local corner store.  At this age I was caught in the middle of violent gun battle while bike riding my neighborhood with friends.  By the time I was ten I had my first encounter with a police Officer patrolling my neighborhood and he told me “I will kill your little azz” if didn’t go home.  In middle school and High school many of my schoolmates from my neighborhood carried guns to school and various other weapons.  It didn’t make the news back then no one cared.

Marijuana was always available to kids in my neighborhood as well as other illegal drugs.  Many of the older guys 18+ would not let guys my age smoke cigarettes or drink alcohol in front of them but now that has changed.  Now we see 5 year old children under the influence of all types of narcotics.  Must be the devil….  People in my community during the 80s use to always tell me of things I could not do….  I could not be cop and shouldn’t want to be, I could not be pilot or a doctor because white people won’t let me, and these were people who I looked up to, neighborhood adults and older siblings of friends.  I didn’t learn that I could actually be a cop until I was 25.

At the age of 15-20 the years of 1985-90+ nearly every neighborhood in the city of StL had young black youth selling or using drugs, Crack Cocaine & Liquid embalming fluid a.k.a Whack.  The drugs dealers socialized together from time to time to brag on cars, clothes, guns and women.  Drug users strategize on how to get more money for more drugs.  There were guys my age in my neighborhood who needed help counting money; as much as 500,000.00 dollars.  An 18 Years old with a half a million dollars.  This type of money was being collected by drug dealers in nearly every city community.   I believe nationwide every city combined within 5 days of crack dealing, more cash was produced than any casino in the world.  For many it was a dream come true to have so much money, but nothing to do with it.  The most any one could do was buy jewelry and cars.  Eventually these guys would get indicted for the cash & drugs especially if they spent over 10k on a single purchase.  I remember hearing of this one guy who tried to purchase a helicopter.

No one could predict the impact this period of time would have on our communities nationwide. This is when many kids began to growing up without parents because so many were on Crack.  This is the time when the Crips and Bloods would influence many kids coming from this generation.  Today the effect is still there, young black kids chasing ½ million dollar dreams and parents still trying to stay high.  We hoped that some rap music would get the message of the damage caused by the past; but just like anything else it got smeared by greed and the almighty dollar.

No excuse:  Even though many people try to say this is a hard life, I have only seen it as life; now that I have survived that part of it I have learned there is more life for me.  Only a person who didn’t grow up in the hood would say this is a hard life because for most people who grow up this way it’s just plain LIFE.  

I give all my thanks to GOD and my Grandparents that I have not been in a situation like that of Kevin Johnson or the Juvenile who killed the city cop, I do believe that any of the 90% can yield the same results if they were in those two guys shoes.  Unfortunately the hood is the training ground for more killers to come.  Kevin Johnson's execution would only mean revenge and there thousands of familes who want the same revenge for thier loved ones.  And there are thousands of familes who will meet the same fate.  Let us Pray! 

What purpose do Cops serve?  I imagine many of you have different views depending on lifestyle, race, economic status etc...  How do you define Serve and Protect. 

Do police prevent crime anymore or did they ever?  Is law-enforcement a reactive agent; meaning, done after the fact?  After a law is broken the Police will attempt to enforce it.  Will the public better serve themselves now that concealed weapons are permissable?   

Why is law-enforcement just a job for the police? Why was citizens arrest put on the law books but no longer encouraged.  How hard is it to stop a hardened criminal and do you think you can do it?  Why does it seem that more people are getting away with crimes like bank robberies , car thefts and burglaries.

Do cities still have reserve police?  Why did the city get rid of it's reserve unit?  We still have volunteer fire fighters why not volunteer police?

Lot's of questions... Please share yours thoughts.