Saturday, April 28, 2012

Say cheese!!

I have often wondered what my mug shot would look like. It all depends on the crime I guess. You can't help but to look into the eyes of people and wonder exactly what was going through their minds the instant that shutter clicked. A moment frozen in time that most everyone would like to forget, with the possible exception of Charles Manson. You would think, it might be a moment of personal reflection. A little sadness, a little remorse, a little self pity, a blank stare looking off into space, wondering where it all went wrong. You would think. But, alas, we know that isn't the case.
Some look just happy to be there.
Some are saying, "Fuck you I did it! What are you gonna do about it?"
Others lose all manner of self control and succumb to their situation.
Some are still drunk from the night before...
...while a few are still trying to use their "skills" to get out of a ticket.
Then there is the confused...
...the too cool for words...
...and the, "I am still running for re-election so let's make this a photo-op".
And some? Well some look like aliens from another planet.
I am sure though, that if I were to find myself in the uncompromising position of having to pose for a police mugshot, my expression would look something like this poor person, only without the long blond hair, the tank top, and the mascara running down my face. But until we find ourselves in that position, we can either wonder forever what we would look like in the pain of the moment, or pose in front of the mirror, practicing for that inevitable day. Wait, everyone else does that too, don't they?

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Accountability 101

Where has all the accountability gone? When I was a kid, I did stuff. And when it was bad stuff, my parents held me accountable. One of my favorite things to do in the winter, was to climb up on our roof, and huck snowballs at the passing cars. As it was, it was harmless enough. I didn't pack rocks in the middle of them, I didn't use ice chunks, and my aim and distance were bad enough that if the offending orb of packed snow crystals did make it in the vicinity of a passing car, it usually splattered harmlessly on the pavement behind, with the faint wisp of tailpipe emissions hovering over the once proud snowball saying, "Haha, you missed." Usually.

Until one day my trajectory and sheer human strength came together as one and exploded on the windshield of an unsuspecting motorist. "Yes!!" I must've shrieked triumphantly. I don't remember exactly what I shrieked. But I do remember the joy lasting about a second and a half, as the guy slammed on the brakes, backed up the car, and got out. I did what any kid would do in that situation: I hid behind the chimney. "You don't think I see you up there?" he hollered. What was he going to do? Climb my roof? Worse. He rang the doorbell and ratted me out. To this day, I have the very distinct memory of my father coming home from work that night, dragging me down the block to the guys house, and watching smugly from the sidewalk as I sheepishly rang this guys doorbell and apologized. But the lesson stuck. I believe, as do most people, that you should be held accountable for your actions.

Fast forward to this morning, reading about some kid shot to death, lying on the front stoop of some guys house he intended to rob. He and 2 buddies tried to force their way into this persons house. They had a gun with them. They meant business. But a funny thing happened next: so did the guy inside. And when the thugs tried to break into his door, he shot one of them. So there the dead guy lay, with a gun still in his hand. And the poor kids mother, now faced with the grief of losing her son had this to say: “He wasn’t in no home invasion.” Really. A convicted felon's corpse is lying on the pavement of someone else's house, with a gun in his hand, shot by the home owner. There were multiple witnesses. And I ask, where is the accountability?

Rewind exactly one day. A group of parishioners are banded together on the steps of their church in unity over the recent spate of killings in Chicago. Now I don't know how many of you out there care, or know, but as far as murders go, this year has been bad in Chicago. Really bad. Let me quote a few of them here. “I wish the violence would stop because they’re taking away our loved ones and it is horrible.” And, “We’re tired of our children being killed, we’re tired of our children being gunned down." The first quote says "...they’re taking away our loved ones." Who are "they"? The second quote says "...our children being killed..." The answer is right in front of them. "They" are "our children". They grow up with no discipline, no fear, and no accountability. The parents, though faced with the enormous challenge of raising a child in the killing fields of northern Illinois, are failing in their job to raise honest, law abiding citizens. These kids need someone to show them the right way to be a human being. But if the parents won't hold themselves accountable, what chance do the poor kids have?

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Just one term will do.

I normally like to let the nuances of a previous topic sink in for the better part of a week before I launch myself cruise-missile style into my next rant. Cut me off in traffic? I'll tell you about it. Diss my Bears? You are going to get an earful. And as it is today, touch on a hot potato like this, and you'll hear from me. But I'll keep it brief.

One of my favorite political rants is the election system. And most specifically, the "re"-election system. Bottom line, if you are a sitting member of congress, or the presidency, you should not have the opportunity to run for re-election. Too much time is wasted worrying about what the voters will think, instead of, I dunno, actually running the country. But don't take my misguided word for it. Would the words of the president himself actually do?

At a recent summit in South Korea, this exchange was overheard, " 'On all these issues, particularly on missile defense, this, this can be solved but it’s important for him to give me space,' Obama said referring to Medvedev’s boss, Vladimir Putin. 'This is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility.' " Right. Not exactly damning. But what is Obama actually saying here? That he can't negotiate or converse openly in an election year? Hmmm, why would that be? But it gets better. In actually trying to explain his remarks, he says it again by remarking that he was trying to make the point that he couldn't conduct "thoughtful consultations" in an election year.

There you have it, straight from the presidents own mouth, that he can't fulfill the duties of his office with other world leaders in an election year. What more proof do we need that this is a flawed system? 200 years ago, our presidents did not have to worry about exit polls and approval ratings. They served their time, and then went back to their lives. Mexico got it right, one six year term, and no re-election. Is it so much for American citizens to ask that we elect a president that will actually be a president for his full term, and not a candidate for half of it?