“The policy of the American government is to leave their citizens free…”

April 10th, 2012 | Author: Dr. Ross Riggs

Thomas Jefferson was a conundrum in his personal life, his life of faith, and on slave ownership. He is viewed as a racist, yet he had a lengthy relationship with a mixed race slave, fathering six children with her. Jefferson held views of limited government yet, while president, he orchestrated the Louisiana Purchase and war against Barbary pirates without Congress or the states’ involvement in the decisions.

Would Thomas Jefferson have carried a NRA card in his wallet? Would he have been seen sticking a ‘Guns Rights’ bumper sticker on his horse-drawn carriage? I confess that after the support the NRA gave for Indiana legislation on their ‘Castle Doctrine’ widely reported to give citizens the right to shoot police entering their home when they ‘believed’ the officer was acting illegally, I was ready to toss my NRA membership in the trash. Since then, more accurate reporting shows that the bill was in response to a difficult state supreme court last year that denied fourth amendment rights to homeowners and that even with the section on police officers, it is supported by the Indiana Sheriffs’ Association and the Indiana Chiefs of Police Association. But, I digress. What about Jefferson’s attitude toward the 2nd Amendment and how it plays out with current gun control hysteria in today’s White House?

I will share with you here some quotes and you will see they each have a direct correlation to the current battles with the Executive branch of our federal government concerning the 2nd Amendment. Pres. Obama is on record that he will require registrations by gun and ammunition manufacturers to make tracking of both easy and direct. Gun ownership under the UN Small Arms Treaty, being touted by Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and President Obama, would effectively outlaw U.S. citizens from owning most of the typical handguns, rifles, and shotguns that are enjoyed by hunters, gun enthusiasts, and those seeking to save their own life. Thomas Jefferson had an opinion. To make his point, Jefferson quoted Cesare Beccaria the Italian author of On Crimes and Punishment.

Laws that forbid the carrying of arms…disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes… Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man.”[i]

Consider the points that Beccaria and Jefferson make here. First, laws that make carrying a firearm illegal, only disarm those who are not criminals! In other words, the bad guys now have all the guns! The good guys have lost their primary protection for themselves and their families, if this type of legislation is applied. Opponents argue that Jefferson and Beccaria wrote at a different kind of time in American life. That is very true. Crime rates have skyrocketed since those early days! The folly of out-lawing gun carry laws is so incredibly obvious, there should not need to be paper wasted here on it. I wonder what Jefferson would say to Hilary Clinton, since both were/are Secretary of State responsible for foreign policy, not national policies like gun control.

Allow me more of an explanation than a confession here. When the Carry Concealed law was first in the House here in Ohio I was still Chief of Police for Louisville, Ohio. A ‘friend’ I had not met yet asked me to go on record supporting the new CCW legislation and I told him I could not. My reasoning was two-fold. First, I feared that state standards for training would be poor. They have made it at a satisfactory level; though it still depends a great deal on getting the right instructor. Second, I told this gentleman that anything that could cause my officer to hesitate for a split second could cost them their lives. If they sense trouble and then see a gun carried on a person, their first instinct is to draw down, move to cover, and order the subject to not move. If he moves toward the gun, he is getting shot. But what if he was reaching for his CCW credentials? Now, a ‘what if’ scenario is stuck in this cop’s head, he hesitates; the subject pulls a gun and fires. I’m talking then to a widow and some small kids who just lost their dad. Those were my concerns.

The legislation passed, and, so far, no tragic accidents in Ohio that I am aware of that involve police officers. YouTube and others went ballistic (pun intended!) about the guy stopped and threatened to be shot by the Canton Ohio cop for being ‘too stupid to breath’ because he had a gun and the cops didn’t see the Permit Card he was holding out the window the whole time. Everyone came to the side of the ‘citizen.’ But, that citizen was in the worst part of town, worst time of night, had a prostitute and her pimp in his car, had taken pleasure from the prostitute in his car and there were drugs in there too. Not the kind of guy I want having a CCW permit!

This thought brings me to my second quote to consider because ‘rights’ require responsibility.

“The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it.” 

This is the first quote we will consider that is believed to be fictitious, at least as from the point of being said by Thomas Jefferson. There appears to be nothing in print for this quote prior to 2007. Could it plausibly have been uttered by Jefferson knowing what we know of his life and times? First, Jefferson, according to historians, was a very strong Republican which meant that he desired strong state government versus federal government. Jefferson preferred that the federal government steer as clear from interfering in the everyday lives of its citizens as possible. Read the fictitious quote again. From everything I have read about the well-read, former Ambassador to France, Secretary of State and President; I believe he would have agreed whole-heartedly with it. We shall do it service and not list Jefferson as the source.

How about the title quote for this article?

 “The policy of the American government is to leave their citizens free, neither restraining nor aiding them in their pursuits.”[ii] 

This particular quote, according to American Revival is correctly attributed to Thomas Jefferson. Think on the ramifications of taking seriously what Jefferson is saying there. The policy of our government is to leave citizens free. The government is not to prevent them from their pursuit of happiness or help them. Certainly, Jefferson refers only to those pursuits that do not impinge on the rights of others, nor break the law.

However, the entire concept of Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid… can those be covered by “provide for the general welfare” part of the Constitution? Depends on how you define ‘general’ and that is too big an issue to get into here. What about auto maker bailouts? Jefferson, I believe, would turn over in his grave if he heard that whole fiasco and how now the Obama White House is touting how much the bailouts turned the country around. Of course, no mention is made that it was Pres. Bush that began the bailouts and told Obama he should continue them. Such is politics. Can you grasp how Jefferson would see these social programs and financial bailouts as gross over-extensions of Executive and federal power not provided for in the Constitution?

“When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”[iii] 

This particular quote is correctly credited to a Thomas, but not Jefferson. It was Thomas Payne who wrote this, most likely part of the Federalist Papers at the beginning stages of the Revolution. Perhaps the worst fear today is that the government has grown so large that the citizens can no longer direct its course. As it runs, like an over-sized Albatross screaming, “Mine, Mine, Mine, Mine!”[iv] All we can do is watch it reach the precipice and fall headlong over the edge, the birds not even aware of the danger of death. The government no longer fears the people but rather it manipulates and sound-bites them to death until the fiction stands like a strong symbol of truth. It is now that every conservative American citizen needs to educate themselves on the issues, talk up the strategies of the key players, read and understand, then share your views with friends and neighbors. It is not usually a question of ‘can you’ as much as it is a standard of ‘will you.’

Finally, for my cop readers who have loyally come to the Police Blotter to get some kind of an idea as to what you can expect in your neighborhoods, the SCI team has been working to piece together how the unrest in Syria will impact you. Those of you in larger metropolitan areas, especially with a lot of mixed neighborhoods or closed hoods that are intersecting with one another with competing races, this time the tables are turned. We are looking for your help. Here is what we need:

If you are in racially diverse neighborhoods, identify for SCI who the groups are. Syrians and Iranians? Chileans and Italians? Jews and Arabs? Whatever the case might be, we at SCI would like to know from you, when you have identify the groups:

• What is the key ‘hot button’ topic that will set the groups off …

• Against the other?
• Within their own group?
• What, if anything, has settled it?
• If it continues, what are the things that have been tried and failed?

• Do you see Constitutional issues at play where you are?
• What are they?
• Have either the federal or state government tried some kind of program?

The best responses, as determined by our elite panel of judges (assuming the answers are in before my granddaughter’s pre-school finishes for the summer) or an alternate set of ‘not-so-elite’ judges will confer awards. We want to reward those of you who have been faithful readers, so get your answers in. Even if you are not a beat cop, but you are seeing things that provide you with answers for the above questions, you are eligible.

You can reply directly through the ‘Comments’ part of the Blog.

[Dr. Ross L. Riggs www.docriggs.com www.security-consulting.us www.globalsecurityconsulting.us]
_________________________________________________

[i] http://jpetrie.myweb.uga.edu/TJ.html accessed 08/April/2012
[ii] http://www.americanrevival.org/quotes/forefathers.htm accessed 09/April/2012
[iii] Ibid.
[iv] Disney-Pixar ­­Ice Age the movie

U.S. Foreign Policy and the Beat Cop:
The Truth Behind the Headlines 

 

April 9th, 2012 | Author: Dr. Ross Riggs

You are working your beat…. Patrolling the streets as you have been doing now for what seems like a lifetime. You know every sound, especially the late night and early morning sounds that you can hear for blocks. Summer nights get hot and even with the air on in the car and your window open enough to hear the dogs barking, perhaps alerting you to a prowler, or to hear the sound of glass breaking, you recognize the sounds of normal. During the day, you know who you will see in that next block, on the corner. He is there every day. Maybe he’s a drug dealer you have busted a dozen times or maybe an elderly war vet looking for help. Whatever the sights and the sounds, it is your beat. You know it so well because it has become part of you, good and bad. As you think about your beat, ask yourself: ‘When was the last time the U.S. Secretary of State came out to ride along and see how things were going?’ Ridiculous. ‘When was the last time any U.S. Secretary of State called you prior to your shift at roll call to ask if there was anything you needed to help your shift on your beat go better?’ Nonsense. ‘When was the last time you received a letter, personally signed by the US. Secretary of State, asking you: “How things could be better on your beat?”’ Never going to happen. “Why? What does the Secretary’s role in world affairs have to do with my beat?” you ask. Everything.

Because of the way the current administration has ignored the issues in Mexico and the U.S. Southwestern borders, major Mexican drug cartels are now directing the street drug operations on your beat. Do the amounts of drugs and the sources of those drugs impact your job? Absolutely. The violence that has been transplanted north of the border is criminal. (Pun intended).

Is it possible that America’s planned withdrawal from Afghanistan on a set date, already announced by the Administration, influences the already heated relationships between Muslims and everybody else on your beat? No doubt about it.

These are just two simple examples. Do you really believe that anyone at that level of government cares about how you have to listen to some clown on the street bad mouth the U.S. military and tell you that you can’t do this or that because America is too weak and you have to listen to that garbage every day? No, of course, you don’t. So what can you do about it? Why even think about it because it just irritates you that much more and your doctor is already on you about your stress and your wife just told you that you come home from work in a negative mood. (She probably doesn’t use those exact words.)

The point is that you can do something about it! You do not have to listen to that garbage mouth guy on the street. If you choose not to just turn and walk away, you can ask him when it was that he cared enough about his own freedoms to serve in the Armed Forces. You can ask him when he had the courage to actually stand up for freedom or, for that matter, even vote! But, wait. Maybe you can’t say that because you quit voting three elections ago! You figured it didn’t matter. It does matter. It matters a great deal.

Maybe you have to get angry before you get involved? Of course, you are already serving your country as a cop and for that you should be proud. Chances are that you are a veteran, too. You should be proud of that. You cannot stop there. When the righteous no longer care enough to become involved in the political process, only the unrighteous will be. You should be writing your congressional representatives. Write your state representatives, too, it will shock the daylights out of them to hear from an ‘ordinary’ person for a change! It is a national campaign year and already the commercials and media hype are enough to turn you off of voting forever. That is all the more reason to be involved. One of those people who are jamming your airwaves will be the next Commander in Chief and will pick the next Secretary of State who, as has already been shown, impacts your daily patrol! Perhaps you are one who has to get angry to get involved. Anger turned inward is destructive. Anger turned outward is vile and ugly. Anger turned upward in prayer returns as wisdom.

Watch the link of this criminal vandalism against the graves of our WWII veterans by a disrespectful, ignorant mob of apparently non-Christians, non-Jews who present themselves as pathetic follows of Islam. (I personally know dozens of young Muslims and none of them would do what you are seeing done in this video, so don’t go throwing your anger at just anyone for what you are about to see.)

Muslim mob in Libya vandalizes Christian & Jewish WWII Tombstones

Angry enough now to get involved? No? OK, try this cartoon on for size.

Now, first things first, you must take that anger and turn it which direction? Upward, right. In prayer. Oh, you say you haven’t prayed for a long time, wouldn’t be sure how to? Not a problem. Have you talked to your patrol partner about how you feel on these issues or maybe another cop? Maybe you are one of the few who has even talked to their spouse about how they feel. Now, if you have done that, you can pray. God, the Father, the Bible tells us is ‘leaning forward, anxious to hear your prayers.’ He wants to talk to you but it is best if you start the conversation. Pretend you are on patrol and He is sitting in the seat next to you and just start talking. (Not to spoil a secret, but when you are on patrol… He is right there with you every day already.) So, tell your Partner, (capital P is out of respect for who God is as a holy and righteous God, He has earned it and deserves it), how all of this makes you feel and ask Him for wisdom. The Bible says that the third king of Israel, Solomon, asked God not for riches or fame or victories but wisdom and that pleased God so much that He made Solomon the wisest man that ever lived. You and I are not going to be a Solomon but God will give us wisdom.

Now, take that wisdom and get involved. Local politics, state issues and maybe, particularly this year, get involved in national campaign issues. Investigate all the candidates and what they say. Send them a letter or e-mail and ask them to clarify what they mean when they are playing the ‘fuzzy answer’ card. Share with others what you are learning about the candidates and get on a couple of newsletters. If you consider yourself a political conservative or just a good American, you might be interested in following Senator Ron Paul’s blogs and newsletters; he seems to have his finger on the issues and knows what he is talking about, at least most of the time. (I would have said that ‘Good American’ and ‘conservative’ are inter-changeable terms; but to keep this argument where it needs to be, I must admit that I truly believe anyone who takes an active role in understanding the issues and voting his conscience or his faith is a great American regardless of political stripe. Just remember though I said ‘takes an active role in understanding the issues.’ That is crucial.)

Personally, I hope you are a person of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. That is me, DocRoss, saying that, not HSN. If you would like to but you don’t know how, contact me, I will help you. The point is not just a political one or about improving your beat, but about changing your life here and the one after this one for eternity, which means forever and ever. It is also about understanding correctly the relationship Christians have to come alongside and help the Jewish nation of Israel. That is a longer conversation. We can do that, too, if you like. You cannot avoid getting involved if you want to make a difference for yourself and your beat.

In the three departments with which I have been a cop, each one had one older sergeant who was as negative a man as I have met. I have no other appropriate term that adequately describes them except they all fit a certain mold, whatever that is in your mind and I bet you just thought of someone just like that on your department. They come as standard issue. I am pleased to tell you that one of those eventually came to know Jesus Christ as Savior and his negativity disappeared and you could never meat a more pleasant man.

One great example of another that I will never forget (and I have been retired for a dozen years now). This fellow would argue you into a corner over the Ohio Lottery. The Lottery had, maybe still has, a show where they pick the winning numbers. When the State would announce that there were no winners, he was adamant that they couldn’t know that because… (Wait for it, this is too good to miss and don’t jump ahead of me)… they couldn’t know that there were no winners because he hadn’t checked his ticket yet! Do you really want this guy casting a vote for the next leader of the free world and you don’t? If for any other reason, when you think your vote doesn’t count; you could at least be cancelling his out!

Much more importantly, you are making your voice heard in a democratic Republic. That is worth fighting for and even dying for. So many already have. Please, gain wisdom, get involved.

Stay safe.