The LuLac Edition #2305, December 23rd, 2012
ON SECOND THOUGHT..........
I’ve been thinking of the National Rifle Association’s news conference the other day where they wanted to start a program to put an armed person in every school. At first (and I said this on TV) I thought it was a good idea. But on second thought, where will it end? Gun massacres happened in churches, malls and movie theatres. Are we going to put armed guards in every one of those places? Like Osama Bin Laden with his 911 attacks succeeded briefly for taking away our basic, convenient freedoms, will not this idea do the same? An armed guard, even two won’t be able to stop a madman with a gun that could fire off multiple bullets in less than thirty seconds whether it be a school, church or movie theatre. Plus the head of the NRA who used the trite line worn out on FaceBook by millions before he even said it, “The only way to stop a bad man with a gun is a good man with a gun” is problematic. Who are the good men? And women? How do we sort this out?
The conservative movement repeatedly talks about “taking away our freedoms” by the Obama administration. But in a real sense, this latest tragedy as well as the NRA response to it might really endanger our basic freedom of movement. Are we as Americans who bridled against inconveniences and invasions of privacy at airports willing to live in armed camps if we take the NRA suggestion to its logical conclusion?
40 YEARS AGO THE IMMACULATE RECEPTION
We were getting ready for Christmas and as usual in the hustle and bustle before our Christmas on DeWitt and Cliff Streets in the unction, there was football on the TV. We had on NBC which at that time ran all the AFC Conference games. It was a close game pitting the Steelers and Oakland. With about a minute and a half left, the Raider’s Ken Stable threw a touchdown pass giving Oakland a 7-6 lead). My father was sitting on the sofa watching the game and I was crossing over into the kitchen from the parlor. Franco Harris scooped up a pass intended Barry Pearson, a receiver playing in his very first NFL game. Under intense pressure, Quarterback Terry Bradshaw changed course and threw the ball toward Halfback Frenchy Fuqua. Fuqua collided with Jack Tatum and as he was falling to the ground the ball sailed upwards from the velocity of the hit. Franco Harris who was blocking on the play saw the ball in the air, snagged it on the run and ran into the end zone to give the Steelers a score of 13 to 7 after the extra point.
To this day the play is still talked about. Steelers broadcaster Myron Cope dubbed it “The Immaculate Reception” and NFL Films has dubbed it as the number 1 play in NFL History. From a pop culture standpoint, it changed the way the NFL promoted itself (you have to watch the game till the end when rivals collide) and made Franco Harris an instant celebrity. IN my mind, this play planted the seed for the now 24 hour cable network saturation of sports in America. 40 years ago…..today, here is that magnificent play.
posted by David Yonki @ 11:07 AM
5 comments
5 Comments:
Dave
In Tampa and Hillsborough County we have an Officer or Deputy assigned to every school. The program is called "School Resource Officer" and they are trained to be effective in a school setting and participate in classroom presentations and curriculum support.
The one assigned to our school is fully armed and parks his car in the front row closest to the main entrance. That too is fully outfitted.
They are in constant contact via their radios/repeater set up and have shortened the response time for 911 calls, fire alarms and such.
At Freedom High School I worked with an officer who saved the life of a teacher suddenly stricken with a severe heart attack. The same high school made the news when the SRO got wind of a Columbine style plot and arrested the kid the day he planned on carrying it out. You may have read about his sentencing recently. Many more "situations" are addressed everyday. They are done quietly and professionally.
There are very plain guidelines these law enforcement professionals must operate in but my guy knows that if ever he must make a decision between me and " a bad guy" he is to take his best shot(s). There is comfort being able to make that decision ahead of time.
“The only way to stop a bad man with a gun is a good man with a gun” is NOT problematic to law enforcement professionals Dave. Your usual common sense may have been affected by your disdain for the NRA and the stereotype so often associated with it members.
I read the Krauthammer article another poster referenced. Glad I did. You should too.
Twig
Dave,
Pre Christmas trivia.
Do you know the local connection to one of the best and most enduring Christmas tunes of all,WALKIN IN A WINTER WONDERLAND?
IN RESPONSE
Pre Christmas trivia.
Do you know the local connection to one of the best and most enduring Christmas tunes of all,WALKIN IN A WINTER WONDERLAND?
YES, IT WAS WRITTEN BY HONESDALE NATIVE RICHARD B. SMITH WHO WAS IN A SANITARIUM RECOVERING FROM TUBERCULOSIS ON THE WEST MOUNTAIN OF SCRANTON. THEY SAY THE FACILITY WAS LOCATED ON NORTH SEKOL ROAD ALONG THE SAME STREET THAT WWDL FM WAS ON. I HEARD HE WROTE IT LOOKING OUT HIS WINDOW AS A TRIBUTE TO HONESDALE. BTW, IF YOU WANT THE BEST CORNED BEEF THIS SIDE OF NEW YORK< VISIT ROMAN'S DELI ON THE MAIN STREET THERE.
Sorry, I forget the name but I got a corned beef on rye from a little deli in Edwardsville. It is located on the same side of the street as the police station and just up the street a short way. Sorry I can't think of the name of it but my sandwhich was excellent.
Dave, I agree 110% on the subject of guns and where will it end. So if we keep bringing guns into the picture of our daily lives the question will have to be answered will we end up a police state of America?
Than I want to here the so called conserative answer to that one.
Why cannot we have a little give and not take all from the NRA. Lets do the proper teaching of our children on the viewing of these horrific video games they all play.Than we can also have some type of control of these assault rifles and large ammo magazine. Which both are not needed for hunting and protecting our families in our own dwellings.
Maybe these guys are just preparing for the ZOOMBIE invasion. What a mind set!
If we start the arming of all the security folks at schools who will foot the bill for the higher liability insurance that school will have to have? You guessed it.
Not putting a price on the saving of lives but it has to be paid by someone.
Maybe the teachers union in PA will give a little of the wages that some of these teachers make back to the school districts to pay for the training of the armed security guards.I also heard the talk of arming the teachers. WOW, I wonder what the next contract talks will be if that ever happened. With the teachers union reps. asking for more monies for the armed teachers.
It goes on and on. Just like the one school board member from a district said about going right out and buying assault rifles and giving them to the security in the school building.
I do not see this as the correct and only answer to our present problem.
I also do not see the politicians coming to any agreement on this one at all.
This will go on and on for God knows how long.
Maybe we can solve the fiscial cliff problem by placing HIGHER taxes on the sale of assault rifles and all that goes with them like we have cigarettes.
Just a thought.
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