Descent into Madness

November 26, 2014July 17, 2015 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / Leave a comment

I watched in horror as the City of Ferguson Missouri burnt nearly to the ground. The reason? People (80% of Ferguson citizens) outraged and at the urging of Michael Browns step-father set it afire. Why? The Grand Jury, after 3 months, of deliberation in concert with the FBI decided the evidence did not warrant an indictment of the police officer, Darren Wilson.

Now I support peaceful protest. Our constitution affords us that right. However, the peaceful protestors were run over and taken hostage by violent thugs. And yes, I will call them thugs. Twenty-five businesses were destroyed, more than fourteen people injured, and 60 plus people arrested. Prior to the decision Brown’s family issued a statement for calm but when the decision went against them, the mother threw a fit, and the step-father screamed “burn this bitch down,” instigating violence and acts of arson.

I understand the grief of losing a child to violence. But Michael Brown was no child. He was a 300 lb. man. And he was no ‘gentle giant’. He was a criminal and a thug.

The evidence showed Brown, who had just committed a crime including roughing up the proprietor, attacked the officer while he sat in his car. Evidence showed early witnesses were completely discredited and other African Americans came forward to tell the truth, because as one stated, he was ‘disgusted by the lies’.

But the family, the race baitors like Al Sharpton did not want to hear the truth and they sure weren’t interested in justice. They were out for blood, literally as demonstrated from the violence, bullets and acts of arson which ran through the night.

And today? Again, it’s criticism of the police force. Why didn’t they stop this. Well let’s see. They tried the first time and was accused of militarization of the city. The President in his remarks, shockingly made before he heard the prosecutor lay out all the evidence, half-heartedly called for calm. He then stoked the fires by making remarks like, “The police need to work with the citizens not work against them.” He and his minion Eric Holder have been complicit in stoking the fires of racism from the start.

And let us not forget Governor Jay Nixon who days after the incident and before any investigation was completed called for a “vigerous prosecution.” In addition, on the worst night of violence after preparing for the National Guard to be on hand, was no where to be found. He, the only one with power to send in the guard, could not be reached by anyone. So the city burned down. What a spineless piece of work.

When was the last time such a ruckus was made by the White House over Blacks shooting whites? Two cases in point: the black gang members who carjacked police officer Kevin Quick of Virginia and killed him. Or the New Jersey teenager Brendan Devlin who was gunned down by a self-proclaimed jihadist. Yet, the President remained silent as did good old Al Sharpton. Then the President went on to imply changing the police force with equal representation of whites and blacks would make a difference. What?! Really?

Police officers are in cities like Ferguson because they are laden with crime. Black on black crime. Let’s talk about that and grown men taking responsibility instead of trying to lynch an innocent man who simply did his job.

When you have a city laden with crime and men who refuse to exert themselves to change their lives by committing to an education and striving for excellence, their future will never improve. Putting them on the police force for political expediency will change nothing. Don’t bother giving me the song and dance of “Whoa is me, I’m underprivileged, poor, or discriminated against”. I don’t buy it. We have a nation of people who have crawled up from despair and poverty to make something of themselves. Even immigrants flood this country seeking to improve their life. Some walking hundreds of miles for the opportunities they seek. What have these men and women of Ferguson done to improve their plight? They destroyed the city and the very livelihood many fought so hard to build. One African American man cried as he walked through the rubble of his business, “How will I feed my family now”?

What is and has transpired in Ferguson is a crime and should be met with the full impact of the law. Those who instigated, rioted and destroyed businesses should be dealt with promptly. If it takes police in military gear or the national guard – do it, be swift and certain.

If the people of Ferguson want equal treatment, stop acting like thugs and criminals and start acting like people who respect the law. Act like you have sense God gave a goat!

When our society allows this kind of criminal activity, racial agitators like Al Sharpton with back door access to the President continue unabated, when newspapers, reporters and social media try and convict without evidence, when behavior is excused in the guise of violent protests for past or perceived wrongs – our country has descended into madness.

Enough, Already!

October 11, 2014October 21, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 2 Comments

DAILY PROMPT
Ready, Set, Done
10 minutes. You and your keyboard (or smartphone. Or tablet. Or pen and paper). No pauses, no edits, no looking back: it’s free-write time!

I’ve had enough. Our society, the country is off it’s rocker. Case in point, an article published by The National Review, October the 8th, regarding the “Gender sensitivity training of teachers in the Lincoln Public School system.

Training materials came from Gender Spectrum, an organization with the goal of, “Providing education, training and support to help create a gender sensitive and inclusive environment for children of all ages.”

Nebraska took it to the extreme, these training materials encouraged teachers to:

“Don’t use phrases such as ‘boys and girls,’ ‘you guys,’ ‘ladies and gentlemen,’ and similarly gendered expressions to get kids’ attention,”
“Create classroom names and then ask all of the ‘purple penguins’ to meet on the rug,” it advises.
Teachers are encouraged to hang signs on their classroom doors insisting that “all genders” are welcome while discontinuing the time-tested practice of lining boys and girls up separately before leaving class.
“Always ask yourself … ‘Will this configuration create a gendered space?'” the document says.”
Educators should prominently display photographs of gender-benders in the classroom, the new policy insists, and give students at least four choices when it is imperative that gender be determined (girl, boy, both, or neither).

Are you kidding me? As if our kids approaching puberty aren’t confused enough. According to the Intersex Society of North America (ISNA), between 0.1% and 0.2% of live births are ambiguous enough to become the subject of specialist medical attention. Did you catch that, 0.1% of the population!

Are we simply going to sit back and allow a minority of 0.1% erase the identity of our children and future generations? Because that’s what will happen. Erase male and female roles from our society? We might as well make eunuchs of everyone and have all future children fertilized in test tubes. Ridiculous!

In the guise of political correctness and inclusiveness, we as a society, afraid to speak for fear of being labeled, are allowing the tail to wag the dog. Shame on you Nebraska and shame on all of us who have remained silent up to now.

Enough already. If there is a child or adult with issues, by all means provide assistance. But, leave the rest the hell alone. Our society is screwed up enough.

Stay Safe, Officers

September 15, 2014October 20, 2017 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 2 Comments

I opened the newspaper this morning to another article discussing the “Militarization of law enforcement. “ This issue has become a national topic, discussed on every venue after a black unarmed teenager was shot and killed by a white police officer. What followed was nothing less than chaos. Protestors marched; chanted demanding justice while unchecked looters and provocateurs destroyed a city. Policemen outfitted in riot gear, clashed with the mob of protestors and looters. It was an ugly scene.

It is not my intent in this post to discuss the merits of the case. Whether the shooting was or was not justified is not up for debate here. I was not present and do not have the facts, as the protestors, news media and provocateurs did not. The facts of the case and the outcome will be decided, by our justice system.

I want to discuss the issue that has made national attention and, in my opinion, demonizing our police force, “The Militarization of the Police,” as it has been dubbed. Let me first say, I agree there are bad apples in every bunch. I get that. I am not suggesting all cops are wonderful. They are human, which makes them fallible just like the rest of us. So you’ll get no argument from me. If one breaks the law he or she deserves the same judgment and punishment as the rest of us.

Since the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act in 1997, the Defense Logistics Agency’s 1033 Program has given more than $5.1 billion in military equipment to local law enforcement agencies across the United States. In my own county our sheriff’s department has obtained a remote-controlled bomb disposal robot, personal protective and physical security enhancement equipment, (helmets, vests and body armor) and armored vans through military surplus. Gross/SHJ.

Daniel Gross of the Spartanburg Herald Journal did an excellent job giving an overview of the purchase, use, and need for this equipment by our law enforcement divisions. I applaud him and it was evident that both the Police Chief and Sheriff rely heavily on the 1033 program to help keep our officers safe. I applaud them as well. And, I have to agree with Sheriff Wright. Our officers wouldn’t have to gear up if citizens didn’t create chaos.

There was a time when we all respected authority. Parents could parent, teachers could teach and discipline, and kids knew when to sit down and shut up. They were not the center of the universe. There was a time when we all understood, life wasn’t fair, and not everyone won. It took hard work, integrity, and ingenuity. You learned how to be a good loser and better winner. There was a time when family meant more than the individual. A time when we grew up playing in streets after dark, knew all our neighbors, church and family were our foundation, and time we taught our children policemen and firefighters were our friends.

How dare we now demonize the very men and women who serve to protect us every day?

I’m not canonizing policemen, but I do respect them. They serve every day to keep my family and me safe. Each morning they wake up pin on their badges, strap the gun on their hips, and walk into the line of fire for us. Sometimes they make it home and sometimes they don’t. They go into places we wouldn’t be caught dead in, because it’s their job. They face down the hostile drunk, belligerent druggie, deadly gangbanger, murder, or thief. They talk the would-be suicide off the bridge, or the hostage taker into freeing hostages. They keep our kids safe from predators. Moreover, when the call comes like it did on 9/11 they don’t hesitate. They don’t just go in, they RUN in to save as many as they can.

They don’t rest. They loose sleep. They do whatever they can to bring those responsible to justice when necessary. Yes, sometimes there is a bad apple. Just like you and I, they are human. But I don’t see you or I getting up each morning pinning a badge to our chest and walking the beat to protect yours and mine. And until we do, whatever they need to keep themselves safe in this chaotic world we now find ourselves, where there is no longer a respect for authority. I say, “Stay safe, officers. Stay safe and thank you.”

Screw Political Correctness

January 16, 2012August 14, 2017 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 4 Comments

For me as a new writer, I love seeing my words in print. The endless learning process of how to structure a sentence properly, and tweak the grammar to near perfection, while annoying at times, nevertheless, has proven to be one the of simplest aspects of writing skills I’ve undertaken this past year.

The most difficult thing for me, about what it takes to be a writer, by far, has been and continues to be, silencing the ‘political correctness critic’ sitting on my shoulder, or perhaps, the ones surrounding me in my daily life.

The well-meaning spouse, sibling, friend, co-worker, employer, clergyman, community leader, or any of the sundry others who may read something I’ve written and react with a word of caution, a raised eye-brow, rhetoric, invoke ‘tolerance’, quilt, or sometimes down right tell you “I don’t think you should…” Think how that sounds… What would people think…say, or react?”

I find myself after writing an honest and powerful piece, second guessing myself and going back, tampering with what I’ve written, changing the tone, or the language to be more acceptable. I see their discomfort, a cringe, reaction, an intake of breath, or widening of the eyes, and through my inexperience, I let them manipulate me to change my words, to cow-tow to political correctness, to sooth their ruffled feathers.

But, here’s the thing …

I may be new at writing, a neophyte, inexperienced in the craft, but this I know for sure: If I am ever to be successful as a writer, especially in my eyes, my words must be authentic. Writing should evoke emotions. Sometimes the emotions will run the gamut from good, to bad, ecstatic to horror. Real life is much the same way.

There will be times my writing runs the gamut from good to bad to excellent (my prayer), but one thing I promise from this post onward, my words will be authentic, like it or not.

So, screw political correctness.