Update on my last entry

From this article...

An Olive Branch man will not be charged in a Monday afternoon shooting that sent a carjacker to the hospital.

Shelby County Sheriff's Department spokesperson Steve Shular said Keith Gray, 44, would not be charged in a shooting that occurred after his elderly mother was carjacked in the driveway of her Olive Branch home Monday.  The carjacking led to a chase between the Gray and her alleged attacker, which ended with the carjacker being shot.

Glad to see the Shelby County Sheriff's Department used some common sense in this matter.

What a great story

So most of you know that crime in Memphis is out of control.  I've blogged about it.  My friends have blogged about it.  It's on the news.  You also know that I live south of Memphis in Desoto County, Mississippi.  So I have the luxury of complaining about crime in Memphis and the privilege of living in an area with a much lower crime rate.  The reasons for our low crime rate are many.  Today, I will point out one that is a mentality of a lot of folks in my state.

IF YOU COME TO MY HOUSE WITH A GUN I WILL SHOOT YOU

From this story...

Police are investigating a carjacking that lead to a chase and a shooting Monday afternoon near Olive Branch, Mississippi.

The shooting happened in an area near the intersection of State Line Road and Riverdale Road in Olive Branch, Mississippi.

Investigators said 71-year-old Bobbie Gray was unloading groceries in the driveway of her south Shelby County home when a man approached her with a shotgun, demanding her car.

...

Gray's son Keith, who was inside her house, came outside when he heard the altercation. 

Seeing the carjacker pulling out of the driveway in his mother's car, Keith jumped into his own car and followed the man.  The pair traveled nearly three miles during the brief chase.

While driving, the suspect pulled a gun on Keith, who was also carrying a gun.  He fired at the suspect.

The carjacker veered off into a field, with Keith in pursuit.  There, both men jumped out of their vehicles. 

Keith approached the carjacker with his gun drawn and ordered the man to stay still.  When the carjacker moved, Keith again fired on the man.

...

Marshall Gray, Bobbie's husband and Keith's father, warned others to be cautious.

"Pass the word on," he said. "You never know the next person you're going to carjack may have a gun bigger than yours in their car." 

"What he did, I knew he would. He was trying to protect me," Bobbie Gray added.

 

AWESOME!!

This is exactly what I want thugs to think about when they think about committing a crime.  I want them to think, "If I do this, I might GET SHOT".

Keep in mind though that the story isn't over yet.  Mississippi has a "Castle Law" that would allow Mr. Gray to shoot the criminal while the criminal was driving his car.  However, the chase actually ended across the state line in Tennessee.  Where there is no Castle Law.  While I really hope it won't happen, there is a decent chance that charges will be brought against Mr.  Gray.  From this article...

Mississippi law may be on his side. Reporter Jason Miles looked up what's known as the "Castle Doctrine." It says force can be used in defense of a dwelling or vehicle. Whether that applies once you cross the state line is up in the air.

"We're going to be getting all the facts together to see if there are charges--it's just too early to tell at this point," says Shelby Co. Sheriff's Office spokesman Steve Shular.

It's pretty clear, the son's concern arose from fear. The same concern many of you might have.

"Especially if they say their mother with a shotgun to her head," says Shular.

But he says it would have been safer for everyone if the son would have called 911 and left the pursuit and capture of a suspect to the professionals.

"You have people that could have been put in danger--not only by these cars being side by side, but that weapon going off," says Shular.

 

One quick question for Mr Shular - How is calling 911 and waiting on cops who might or might not arrive working out for y'all?  Hmmm??

Marshall Gray should be considered a hero for standing up to protect his family.  I pray to God nothing like that ever happens to me, but I also hope that I would have the guts to take action like he did in that circumstance.  And that the LAW would be on MY SIDE.

Oh, and I have to throw this in there for the sake of Gary.  From that second article...

"The guy told the guy "you do that stuff in Memphis, but you not going to do that stuff down here!"

An honest politician

I never thought I'd see the day that a politician would be honest about what they really think.  But the day has come.  Here is a quote from Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm in this article:

"It's not just about me, me, me. It's about investing in Michigan," she said. "Where's the notion of the common good? It's been lost over decades because there's been ... this idea that it's your money, it's your money.

"What happened to, 'It's your schools, and it's your roads and it's your parks, your libraries?' "

 

That's right folks.  It's not our money.  It belongs to the government.  Don't be fooled.  Most politicians in your state and our federal government believe this too.  They are just too scared to say it in public.

In case you think the TRUTH is important

I'm sure most of you have heard, watched, or read something about the whole "Jena 6" fiasco in Jena, Louisiana.  It's made national news.  I'm sure no one will be surprised about this, but much of what you've heard about it is wrong.  As this article by a reporter for a Jena newspaper points out.  I'll post some of the most popular ones that I have heard here, but I recommend reading the entire article if you have time.

 

Myth 1: The Whites-Only Tree. There has never been a "whites-only" tree at Jena High School. Students of all races sat underneath this tree. When a student asked during an assembly at the start of school last year if anyone could sit under the tree, it evoked laughter from everyone present – blacks and whites. As reported by students in the assembly, the question was asked to make a joke and to drag out the assembly and avoid class.

Myth 2: Nooses a Signal to Black Students. An investigation by school officials, police, and an FBI agent revealed the true motivation behind the placing of two nooses in the tree the day after the assembly. According to the expulsion committee, the crudely constructed nooses were not aimed at black students. Instead, they were understood to be a prank by three white students aimed at their fellow white friends, members of the school rodeo team. (The students apparently got the idea from watching episodes of "Lonesome Dove.") The committee further concluded that the three young teens had no knowledge that nooses symbolize the terrible legacy of the lynchings of countless blacks in American history. When informed of this history by school officials, they became visibly remorseful because they had many black friends. Another myth concerns their punishment, which was not a three-day suspension, but rather nine days at an alternative facility followed by two weeks of in-school suspension, Saturday detentions, attendance at Discipline Court, and evaluation by licensed mental-health professionals. The students who hung the nooses have not publicly come forward to give their version of events.

 

...

Myth 5: The Fair Barn Party Incident. On Dec. 1, 2006, a private party – not an all-white party as reported – was held at the local community center called the Fair Barn. Robert Bailey Jr., soon to be one of the Jena 6, came to the party with others seeking admittance.

When they were denied entrance by the renter of the facility, a white male named Justin Sloan (not a Jena High student) at the party attacked Bailey and hit him in the face with his fist. This is reported in witness statements to police, including the victim, Robert Bailey, Jr.

Months later, Bailey contended he was hit in the head with a beer bottle and required stitches. No medical records show this ever occurred. Mr. Sloan was prosecuted for simple battery, which according to Louisiana law, is the proper charge for hitting someone with a fist.

...

Myth 7: The Schoolyard Fight. The event on Dec. 4, 2006 was consistently labeled a "schoolyard fight." But witnesses described something much more horrific. Several black students, including those now known as the Jena 6, barricaded an exit to the school's gym as they lay in wait for Justin Barker to exit. (It remains unclear why Mr. Barker was specifically targeted.)

When Barker tried to leave through another exit, court testimony indicates, he was hit from behind by Mychal Bell. Multiple witnesses confirmed that Barker was immediately knocked unconscious and lay on the floor defenseless as several other black students joined together to kick and stomp him, with most of the blows striking his head. Police speculate that the motivation for the attack was related to the racially charged fights that had occurred during the previous weekend.

Myth 8: The Attack Is Linked to the Nooses. Nowhere in any of the evidence, including statements by witnesses and defendants, is there any reference to the noose incident that occurred three months prior. This was confirmed by the United States attorney for the Western District of Louisiana, Donald Washington, on numerous occasions.

Myth 9: Mychal Bell's All-White Jury. While it is true that Mychal Bell was convicted as an adult by an all-white jury in June (a conviction that was later overturned with his case sent to juvenile court), the jury selection process was completely legal and withstood an investigation by the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. Court officials insist that several black residents were summoned for jury duty, but did not appear.

Myth 10: Jena 6 as Model Youth. While some members were simply caught up in the moment, others had criminal records. Bell had at least four prior violent-crime arrests before the December attack, and was on probation during most of this year.

 

This probably could be considered a "Yep, must be about race" entry, since race is the whole reason the Jena 6 craziness has gotten so out of hand.  But it's really just another way to show how the mainstream media pushes myths on us on a daily basis.  Sloppy journalism has replaced hard work and integrity in the media industry.  Truly a sad state of affairs.

Unbelievable

Well, yesterday Memphis had their mayoral election.  They re-elected Willie Herenton to his fifth term.  I just can't understand the mentality here.  Sure, Herenton has done some good things for the city over the last 16 years, but he's also done some very bad things.  People (and businesses) are moving out of the city by the busload, crime is out of control, education is the worst in the state (with Tennessee being one of the worst states in the country). 

Herenton's ego is so over-inflated that he doesn't even care about any of the problems of the city.  He does nothing about them.  He just figures he's popular enough to get elected no matter what happens.  And it appears he's right.  Apparently he can father illegitimate children, threaten city councilmen in meetings, and be investigated by the FBI yet still get elected as long as he makes sure Memphis gets a new sports stadium every term.  UNBELIEVABLE!

It also amazes me that only 38% of the people voted.  All the problems and no one cares to get out and cast a vote to fix them?  UNBELIEVABLE!

Even though I live in a county that has benefited from Memphis' breakdown, I still have to be in Memphis all of the time for work.  And Memphis is still the major focal point of the area.  So it is a reflection on the entire mid-south when Memphis suffers.  If things were turned around Memphis, my county would reap the benefits too.

People of Memphis, what are you thinking??!!  Clearly you aren't thinking at all.  UNBELIEVABLE!

The revolution kicks into high gear!

Yep, this is another Ron Paul post.  But it's a short one.  Big news today is that Ron Paul raised as much money last quarter as John McCain!  It's making the news across much of the mainstream media.  It's on Drudge Report.  It's everywhere!

This should help his poll numbers for sure.  Hopefully he won't be considered a "fringe" candidate any longer.