Didn’t I write one of these year end review articles just the other day? Man, it sure seems like it! The task this year would be to include not only this past year but the first decade of the 2000 milenium as well. Sorry folks, I’m not that good yet nor do I want to ramble on about what has gotten us to this point in time. What Iam going to try to do is take a fresh look at a handful of topics from a cop’s perspective that are coursing through history and will definitely be with us into 2010. Think of it as our society marching along with our eyes closed or asleep if you will to the consequences of these trends. Waking up, or opening our eyes to reality, would be the first step in correcting destructive, counterproductive results. So enjoy the effort and let me know what you think!
Number one – by a long shot – is get government out of our lives, especially the economy!!! I mean now, today, immediately! Can I state this any more plainly? Probably not. In my lifetime I cannot remember a time when my U.S. Government tried as hard as it is now to control more aspects of my daily life. The current list is truly impressive: interference in open market practices, the taking of private property for “public purposes” (Kelo vs City of New London, Conn.), a truly onerous tax burden on those who embody success and a gifting to those who haven’t discovered the secret of striving, openly bullying tactics directed at hard-working, God-fearing citizens, tyrannical decision making in the health care field, the appointment of czars and burearcrats who have a history of hostility toward our country’s core values and principles, proposed restrictions on free speech… Need I keep adding to the list?
So, you may ask, how does the government do when it tries to run something? Here’s the short list to answer that question. The economy – in deep recession with unacceptably high unemployment. Medicare and Medicaid – hopelessly in debt and nearly bankrupt. Social Security – also hopelessly in debt and bankrupt. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac – bankrupt. The Postal Service – bankrupt. Amtrak – bankrupt. All of these live on our tax money to stay alive, otherwise they die later today. What you have here is a consistent record of failure. And you are actually contemplating turning over the health care system to the government? You must be dreaming!
Number two (and closely related to number one) is the shocking lows recorded in our public ethical behavior and the acceptance of lying and deception in the conduct of public business. This deep rooted problem is a little less obvious unless you keep track of the following. Can you ever remember our law making bodies using such battering ram tactics as we’ve seen this past year to push through costly pet projects at grossly inflated costs (the Economic “Stimulus”) or a highly flawed health care “reform” which will provide us with lowered levels of care and permanent systemic bankruptcy resulting in unacceptably higher taxes? Since when does the Congress and the media back a piece of legislation totaling over two thousand pages which nobody has thoroughly read or properly debated? Does it surprise you that the American public currently has a historically low opinion of Congress and its performance, as well as approval ratings which have never dropped faster in U.S. history for a new president? Aren’t you doubly outraged when you learn that hacked e-mails clearly show beyond any reasonable doubt that the lying, cheating and openly dishonest manipulation of “scientific data” extends to the now discredited scientific community and it’s foisting of the fraudulent “global warming” debacle? All of these trends are intended to do one thing, dear reader, and that is to intentionally decieve and deprive you and me of God-given liberties while turning control of our lives over to some government czar or bureaucracy that you or I have never voted for or approved the existence of in any way. Think about it. Another wake up call for sure.
Are you offended yet? Are you waking up? I hope so. You should be.
Number three – a morally relativist media pushing a “progressive” secular agenda down the throats of citizens everywhere (remember the global reach here) who do not think, worship or embrace the reprehensible personal conduct displayed here. The media have largely succeeded in creating an atmosphere in which the outrageous is accepted and glorified (remember Nadya Suleman and her unfettered fertility or the idiot couple Richard and Mayumi Henne and their creation of “Baloon Boy”?). Do you buy into the use of children as props in a self-centered, narcissistic play for attention and a moment in the media spotlight, however perverted? What does it say about a society that openly displays and glorifies moral bankruptcy and destructive behavior? On balance, why doesn’t the media focus attention on the hundreds of courageous female police officers now completing their academy studies and accepting prominent and highly dangerous roles with the Afghan police, facilitating searches of locations where women are present and depriving the Taliban of yet another shield for their deadly agenda? Bet you haven’t heard much about them? I hadn’t either. Or how about the continuing heroism on display daily throughout Iran as that society spills blood in their streets to throw off an illigetimate and tyrannical government? To their credit, there is some coverage of this story but that coverage often fails to link these events and their significance to the support of world wide terrorism and material and financial support for the deadliest splinter groups operating in many corners of the world today. This on-going fight for a society’s freedom might actually be the number one news story today in terms of its future significance for world stability. The obvious bottom line here is not a morality based on what we want at the moment, but instead on that which embraces timeless principles of positive conduct which have proven to be constructive down through the years.
For the fourth and last point that I wish to make, allow me to borrow from the personal experience exhibited by one Mr. Gregory J. Oras, 37, of Oldsmar, Fla. This jackass decided that he needed a ride to his local bar. So, what do you think this professional bonehead does? To answer that question, click on the following link and have yourself a good laugh!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34629983/ns/us_news-weird_news/from/ET
Mr. Oras is this year’s posterboy for what is wrong with American society today.
And last but not least, allow me to say “Many Thanks” to some of the brilliant essayists that I continually borrow from throughout the year. Their work is light years ahead of mine and I respect very much their penchant for succintly expressing thoughts that swirl through my head everyday. A partial list includes Thomas Sowell, Star Parker, Dick Morris and Eileen McGann, Rich Lowry, Jay Ambrose, Debra J. Saunders, Mark Steyn, George Will, John Stossel and many others. You have blazed a trail that I only dream to follow. Thank you…
To each and every one of my Copcorner.net readers, I also say a special “Thank You!” for your support and feedback. I wish each and every one of you a happy and prosperous new year. Until 2010, all the best…
Tim
Since we last spoke, it has been a truly brutal time. The recent cold-blooded murder sprees actually began on Halloween night and have continued right up through yesterday morning. At times such as these, I feel that it is up to law enforcement professionals like myself to search for and discuss possible answers to the “why” for such horrific events. I find that even as I deeply grieve for the families of the murdered victims, the healing process has already begun. As I have stated in past articles, the task for us is to learn as soon as possible the lessons from such unspeakable tragedies. In this article I will add my voice to the many others who are trying to make some sense out of these times. Please bear with me.
Due to the similarities in the Washington state incidents, please allow me to first discuss the Fort Hood incident.
While it is true that thirteen members of the United States Armed Forces were murdered in cold blood on November 5th, 2009, and thirty others were wounded, I feel strongly that wrongheaded political correctness was the primary cause of these casualties. During that event, an Army major named Nidal Malik Hasan opened fire on unarmed service members in a deployment processing area of the base. Understandably, chaos ensued. It was only through the true heroism displayed by two civilian police sergeants, Kimberly Munley and Mark Todd, that there was not even more bloodshed. The question is asked daily throughout our nation: how could a U.S. serviceman do something unheard of like this? The answer might be something some people may not want to admit.
Over the past several years, I have come to agree with many political and social observers that an attitude of non-confrontation or non-intervention has pervaded Western society, that is the United States, Europe and most other free countries. This pervasiveness reaches from the highest levels of government into the daily life of the family. It encompasses work life, school settings and the ever present media. The decided tendency of political correctness eliminates almost all personal accountability and delineates so called “protected classes”. The definition of something deemed “offensive” has been rewritten to mean something not “liked” by almost anyone, regardless of its actual veracity based on indisputable reality.
Based on preliminary reporting, I believe that it is clear that the Fort Hood shooter, Hasan, is nothing more than a foreign terrorist acting in concert with international jihadist goals. While he was born in the U.S., Hasan’s premeditated actions in preparation for November 5th bely any semblance of loyalty to his native country. It has already been established by preliminary investigation that Hasan repeatedly engaged in anti U.S. rhetoric while studying and working in a psychiatric capacity for the Army. His pronouncements have supported the sworn enemies of the U.S. and he has verbally praised jihadists who were successful in killing U.S. troops and other “infidels” around the world. Numerous such incidents involving Hasan had been documented by his superiors. Hasan had also come to the attention of Homeland Security and intelligence community monitors for his repeated contacts with a known supporter of terrorist activities, Anwar al-Awlaki. In a moment of incredibly muddled thinking, all of this added up to Hasan not being deemed a threat. In accordance with this conclusion, Hasan received hands off treatment and was transferred to the jumping off point prior to his scheduled deployment, Fort Hood. He was considered an example of “diversity” in the modern Army despite his protestations about his deployment. What a foolish, nonsensical approach to clear danger signals. Firmly entrenched political correctness in American society provided the cover needed for Hasan to carry out his atrocity. I invite anyone to provide a credible argument to the contrary.
In contrast, the killings of Seattle Police Officer Timothy Brenton, the wounding of trainee Officer Britt Sweeney and the ambush deaths of Lakewood Police Sergeant Mark Renninger, Officer Ronald Owens, Officer Tina Griswold and Officer Greg Richards may be due to one of the surest historical killers. But before I go any further, please alow me to offer my deepest personal condolences to each and every relative, friend and colleague of all of these victim officers. Once again, my gut burns with grief over their loss and I pray that their respective killers will be brought to justice and will recieve their just due.
Again, allow me to reiterate that my intention here is to save lives by taking a hard look at what actions or inactions may have contributed to this tragic loss of life. When conducting patrol operations in the field away from the relative safety of the station, the mindset can only be geared to one thing: hypervigilance. While one officer may have his eyes on a report, a computer screen, a ticket book or be performing some of the other all-absorbing tasks dictated by modern day policing, any other partner officer must act as cover. That is, the covering officer’s eyes must constantly take in all nearby physical movement, account for where surrounding people come from and ultimately go to, and have a learned awareness to capture the unusual, the out of the ordinary in the nearby surroundings. While this is counter to the generally relaxed behavior of everyday law abiding citizens, as a police officer this skill must be learned in order to see a threat at its earliest and furthest point. This affords the maximum time possible, often still only seconds, to process the existence of a threat, formulate a response and implement that response. I believe that this learned habit of hypervigilance is the most important officer survival skill.
It is sad to say that this skill must be practiced in every public venue at all times, whether seated inside of a police vehicle or in our second home, the coffee stop. Because we are constantly in the public eye, it is not difficult to imagine how a determined killer can at first watch us from a distance, then stalk us at close range resulting in an ambush. We should never allow this to happen. May we always honor the lives of these heroes by practicing hypervigilance each and every shift. Pass it on.
Please learn and live. Until next time,
Tim
Hi everybody! Happy Halloween! Now don’t get scared, it’s just me back with my October offering. This month, I’m borrowing again. With the kind permission of the writer, Michael Brown, I would like to present a short yet complete definition of what it is to be an American. I think that you will find the description to be current for our times yet timeless in our traditions. I display a framed copy of this in my home. Again, with Mr. Brown’s kind permission, here is “What Is An American”. Enjoy.
WHAT IS AN AMERICAN?
“An American is not delineated by a particular skin color or way of life. He is a person from many places, with many shades of skin; of different sizes and varied energies. He has a Master’s Degree, or he may never have finished high school. He may drive an expensive automobile, or perhaps he relies on two mules to carve his living out of the earth. But regardless of what he is, lacing the different physical features together is a bond of strength in tradition which exemplifies the American way; a way which opens the doors of opportunity to all peoples who may knock upon them. An American has a spirit which was born when the bells tolled of independence, and which has released the adrenalin of his nation time and time again when its existence was threatened by an aggressor.”
“An American does not view armed conflict as a means of getting what he wants, but rather as a means of protecting what he has. He is one who loves the very concept of peace for all nations, but will not hesitate to fight on the shores of others to protect his own. An American sees the knowledge of experience in his past, feels pride in the accomplishments of the present, and has hope for the future of the world, even when others would view the days to come with dismay. But a realistic American finds no gurantee of freedom or security in the future solely because he has always had it in the past.”
“An American recognizes the faults of his system and seeks to correct them through a process unknown to many nations. A process which does not promise absolute perfection, but one which allows for peaceful change if change is needed. That process is democracy, and an American holds that word so dear, that he stands ready at a moment’s notice to lay down his life for its perpetuation.”
“An American finds nothing at all unusual about getting cold chills when his flag passes in review, for his flag has always been a source of inspiration; when the smoke cleared over Fort McHenry, when its sheen was reflected on the sands of Iwo Jima, and when the colors glistened on the side of the craft which took the first man to the moon. An American sees nothing strange about getting a lump in his throat when the National Anthem is played, or weeping unashamed when taps is played for one who paid the ultimate price for his freedom. He realizes that the only thing that exceeds that price is the freedom itself. An American never forgets the indebtedness he has because of that sacrifice, for without it, his freedom would only be an unreachable concept in some philosopher’s mind.”
“A true American is the essence of pride in a way of life. What is an American, you say? He is fortunate… ”
As you can tell, I love this piece. I hope that it provokes you to think about your own definition and that you discover your inner pride reflected in our nation’s ideals.
As always, thanks for visiting Copcorner.net. We’ll visit again next month.
All the best, Tim
Hello once again Dear Readers! Happy Autumn to one and all. This month there is again something special for you here at Copcorner.net. Actually, two things. First, your favorite guest author, Mr. Jeffrey Haire, has contributed an excellent article on policing in a foreign country, specifically in Colombia. It is certainly a country that is frequently in the news and where policing is currently and has been put to the test for a long time. I’m sure that you’ll enjoy it.
Second, notice that Road ID has signed on as our first sponsor. Their products are indespensable for active folks like us. Please take a moment, click on their banner and check out their outstanding line of emergency identifications and other equipment. Nothing in their product line is expensive and you shouldn’t leave home without it, to borrow a very old line!
Welcome and enjoy this month’s article!
Security, Professionalism, and Restraint in Colombia, by Jeffrey Haire
I’ve been retired from urban policing for four years, yet still feel actively engaged in the issues that confront police officers. I follow local and national police issues and I am still fascinated by individual and group behavior.
Most cops with significant street experience become keen analysts of human nature and behavior over time. They become experts at human and situational assessment without a day of formal clinical experience, and their assessments take place in seconds rather than over a series of clinical appointments. It is a unique ability, and coupled with sound judgment and restraint, it is what makes police officers special in society.
I have traveled extensively internationally and have learned that police insights are universal.
I have visited Colombia many times in the last few years. The Colombian people are some of the hardest working and friendliest people I’ve met in my travels, yet they have suffered greatly. Historically, Colombians have been exposed to extreme political and narco-violence, as well as significant street crime.
In Bogota during the 1980’s and early 1990’s, it was against the law to wear a motorcycle helmet in traffic because helmets hid the identities of the armed assassins, sicarios, who roamed the city on motorcycles. Women could not wear earrings on buses or in the street without fear of having their jewelry torn from their ears. It was necessary to attach your purse or handbag to a latch of your chair in bars and restaurants, and using a taxi was a complicated process of recording and reporting plate numbers and confirmation codes before entering the cab. Robberies, kidnapping and criminal justice system corruption were rampant, and Colombia was on the verge of becoming a failed state due to a weak central government and the proliferation and influence of the drug cartels.
Traditionally, Colombians could not rely on the police. Security, la vigilancia, was the pre-eminent theme in Colombian life. The private security industry that emerged to fill the void was multi-layered and omni-present. The security guard at the McDonald’s in the resort city of Cartagena carried a shotgun, but also helped clear tables. Hotels employed squads of plainclothes and uniformed guards. Even very small businesses pooled money to employ guards to patrol their block.
That climate has changed dramatically in the last 10 years, largely due to the courage and determination of Colombian President Alvaro Uribe. With American financial assistance from Plan Colombia and U.S. State Department aid programs, Uribe has transformed Colombia into a stable society with a strong central government and a growing economy. With the financial aid, and Uribe’s personal fortitude, military and urban police training was increased and the urban security situation was greatly improved.
The Colombian criminal justice system was overhauled and law enforcement professionalism and training was emphasized. The major narcotics cartels have been shattered and the guerilla groups such as the FARC and the ELN have been largely marginalized. Today, Colombia is a vibrant, educated, and modern country with a thriving international and domestic investment climate.
On a recent visit to Pereira, Colombia, I was having a morning coffee at Café La Florestria in the business district adjacent to the cathedral. Pereira, population 450,000, is a thriving manufacturing city west of Bogota.
As I chatted with the barista, there was a commotion just outside the open door. The young woman ran to the front, looked down the sidewalk and ran back behind the bar, yelling to me in Spanish, “Cuidate, Cuidate!”
I got up from my table near the door and cautiously stepped outside. 20 feet to my left two campesinos had squared off——- each swinging a machete. If you’re from the countryside, carrying a machete into town is not a big deal, but this was a righteous sword fight taking place on a crowded street. People were running and screaming. I hated to waste a good cup of coffee, but it was time to go.
As I exited the cafe to the right, a man in a white polo shirt and khaki slacks walked calmly past me towards the fight. He approached the first combatant from the rear and placed him in a headlock. Simultaneously, he pulled a black revolver from his waistband and pointed it at the second suspect, who was about 6 feet away.
“Sueltelo! Sueltelo! Sueltelo!” he yelled at the second man, while restraining the first man by the neck. The free-swinging suspect seemed enraged at this intervention, and advanced on the man with the gun.
Expecting “shots fired”, I retreated back inside the café and braced for the inevitable.
No shots. The man in the polo shirt simply shuffled backwards with his restrained suspect in a sort of improvised salsa move.
Sueltelo!, he repeated several more times as the attacker advanced.
The bizarre dance moved down the sidewalk. “What’s he waiting for?”
Just as the attacker prepared to lunge, two unarmed municipal police officers in green uniforms, approached the suspect from behind, each grabbing an arm, and wrestled him to the sidewalk. It was over. No shots, no injury. Both men were quickly escorted to the main square and packed into a police truck.
“Increible!” I remarked to a man standing next to me on the sidewalk. “Si, muy calmado”, he replied, complimenting the man in the polo shirt.
This incident lasted probably three minutes from start to finish and was professionally and heroically handled by an off-duty Pereira police officer moonlighting as a business district security guard. The guy acted with a cool head, bought time until his companeros stationed in front of the cathedral could respond, and prevented a tragedy.
I don’t believe this scenario would have played out the same way in the past. The Colombian people and their security forces had been exposed to extreme levels of violence, and, over time, this exposure had affected their responses to crime and disorder. The poor and rich alike became victims of the poorly trained national and local police as well as the paramilitaries. I think that historically two extremes existed in Colombian policing, either indifference in response to crime, or unrestrained force in dealing with political opponents or criminals.
The Colombian transformation under Uribe is comprehensive. The commitment to improving the criminal justice system and abiding by the rule of law has had dramatic results on national and local law enforcement, and on the Colombian psyche.
I believe the Pereira officer’s instincts and restraint demonstrated a level of training and professionalism that police officers everywhere should aspire to reach. “Bien hecho, amigo.” Jeffrey Haire is a retired police officer from Torrance, Ca. with a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University.
Greetings Dear Readers! Once again, national events have handed me my topic for July. I seem to go around all month thinking up and then dismissing ideas for my articles. Then, all at once, an event takes place that wipes all of the other ideas off of the drawing board, so to speak. This month’s was a no-brainer, literally as you shall see.
I have been a working police officer for longer than I care to remember (see Let’s Get Started!). I work in a region that is one of the most diverse in the world, Southern California. I work in a suburb of Los Angeles. Now, you can’t get any more diverse than that. It is a daily test of tolerances, understandings and various personal skills. I’m not tooting my horn as some sort of racial expert but I want to take a moment to reiterate my credentials to write an article like this. When an individual seeks employment in law enforcement in Southern California, serving the public means serving everybody, regardless of race, creed, sexual preference and any other type of characteristic that you can think of. If you don’t accept this, you’re in the wrong type of work.
In my career, I have initiated thousands of consensual encounters, which is how the law defines the Cambridge situation. On countless occasions, I have had African American citizens confront me in a similar manner as in this incident. The stops that I am referring to were largely traffic stops, subject stops and investigations as a result of information reported by citizens who thought that they were witnessing criminal activity (Cambridge). I was a field training officer for several years and was charged with teaching rookie cops who to stop and the legal reasons for the stops. As a veteran cop swimming in such an environment every day for twenty plus years, I feel that my take on the Cambridge incident may have some value. See what you think and then decide for yourself.
At face value, this incident seems like a complex one. In actuality, it isn’t. I am going to examine this incident from the point of view of the three principles: Professor Gates, Sergeant Crowley and Barack Obama. These three men all played central roles either to their credit or to the detriment of understanding this incident. I have words of wisdom for each of them. Others played periferal roles after the initial reporting of this event but I won’t deal with them here. In no patricular order, let’s discuss Sergeant Crowley’s role first. What did he know at the moment of truth? He monitored a broadcast over his police radio that two men appeared to have used force to enter a house. As you know, dear reader, most people use their key to open the front door of their house without too much trouble. Right off the bat, the “reasonable officer” (a legal term used to define a generic officer’s processing of information) would pay attention to this application of physical force to enter a residence. This reported fact is in and of itself very unusual, even suspicious. Next, the officer copied information that these two men were seen carrying backpacks. Even though countless citizens carry backpacks in their daily lives, in this case, the combination of force used on the door of the house coupled with their possession of backpacks raises the level of suspicion to that of “reasonable suspicion”, the first step in any criminal investigation. Burglars commonly carry something in which to place and remove property stolen from the location, such as jewelry, electronics, money, silverware or many other small items of value. So as Sergeant Crowley arrives on scene, he knows all of this and is already thinking that something suspicious may be occurring. Some legal experts would argue that these facts when taken together rise to the next level of suspicion which is “probable cause”, indicating that criminal activity has occurred, is occurring or will occur.
As Sergeant Crowley makes his initial visual assessment of the scene, he finds an open front door and two men inside of the house, both wearing jackets. Again, the reasonable officer, taking into account that which his five senses tell him, sees jackets and knows that jackets hide weapons, specifically handguns. Due to this observation, he must be very aware of his officer survival. Again, he is acting prudently and I’m sure cautiously.
Next, Sergeant Crowley initiates conversation aimed at ascertaining the identities of the two men in the house and their reason for being inside. Again, dear reader, keep in mind that the sergeant has never met either of the two men before and does not know them from anybody else in the city. (Don’t make the mistake of looking at these facts in hindsight as a fair assessment calls for you to evaluate them as the event unfolds, not days after. Remember this.) Sergeant Crowley’s questions will seek to answer two immediate questions: who are you and what are you doing inside of this house. After those two things are verified, then there is time for pleasantries, but not before.
Based on what I’ve read, Sergeant Crowley is an eminently trained officer, very well schooled in race relations and racial profiling. All that aside, I will state that what happens next is a racial issue. However, is it a “profiling” issue, as the exploitative news media constantly reports? No, it is absolutely not. Sergeant Crowley was investigating a set of facts reported to him by two women watching the use of force applied to a front door of a residence. He was doing his job as a sworn protector of life and property.
What happens next is open to conjecture. The content of the verbal exchanges between Sergeant Crowley and one of the men inside of the house cannot be verified. This is inexcusable for any working police officer to have happen to him. Here are my words of advice to Sergeant Crowley, and to every working cop. Carry and activate a digital tape recorder for every public contact. To my knowledge, Sergeant Crowley did not tape this encounter. If that statement proves to be inaccurate, then I will gladly stand corrected.
Police officers are public officials. As such, citizens do not enjoy any right to privacy in their interactions with officers. Where I work, most officers have carried and utilized recorders for many years and it is a great benefit to all involved, not just to officers. When everyone’s demeanor is recorded, there is no doubt who the aggressive party is or the type of inflammatory language that may have been used. On countless occasions I know that citizens have come into our station and made formal complaints against officers attacking their demeanor and professionalism. The supervisors who are charged with handling the complaints generally have listened to the tape of the contact beforehand and have been able to address the issue factually. The citizen is also put on notice that he/she is in the process of filing a false police report which could turn around and lead to their being charged and prosecuted. Audio taping is invaluable in today’s policing environment. If Sergeant Crowley was not using one, he should have. Then, this incident would have had about a five minute lifespan and the errors in judgement described below would not have negatively compounded this issue.
Next, let’s look at the other half of this mix – Professor Gates. Unfortunately, from all that we know and all that has been reported from various sources, it is the professor’s demeanor and self-characterization as a victim of racial profiling that has driven this deplorable incident. This is really a shame. When a fair minded person examines even a snippet of the verbage employed by Gates (Racist! Do you know who I am? This is what happens to black men in America! I’ll see yo’ mama!), one is struck by the strident personal attack leveled at Sergeant Crowley. One would ask, for what purpose? Was Gates attempting to intimidate a police officer investigating possible criminal activity? Does Gates think that he’s somehow above the law? Does Gates not know that a citizen has a duty and responsibility to cooperate with any lawful efforts of a police officer in the commission of his duties, such as crime investigations? Does Gates not know that it is a misdemeanor to delay, obstruct or hinder an officer in any way in the commission those duties?
Only Professor Gates knows the answers to these questions. However, taking his words and actions together, it is apparent that he acted in an inflammatory manner and created a mountain out of a mole hill. If I am in the place of Sergeant Crowley, the first thing that I ask of Gates it that he produce valid identification, that is ID issued by the State or Federal governments. Once Gates produces that, and I check to make sure it isn’t fictitious (it’s another misdemeanor to possess fake ID), then the incident is probably over and the two men can behave like human beings. However, the verbal escalation attributed to Gates as described in this incident only served to inflame and prolong the contact, producing the childish behavior that the country now mulls over. This prolonged tirade leads Crowley to ask for additional officers and ultimately to Gates’ arrest.
I have only one piece of advice for Professor Gates. Next time, why don’t you just show your legal ID? This failure to comply with a simple logical request by Crowley lead to everything that followed, to the detriment of everyone involved. Simple cooperation with the police was a no-brainer. But obviously, in Gates’ state of mind, there are other issues that preclude him from acting rationally when he is asked to account for himself, as we all are from time to time. His reactions to this situation were deplorable and I actually feel sorry for him. I will leave it up to the experts to account for his behavior as I have already given him my simple words of advice. Gates also owes a “thank you” to the two citizens who saw what was going on at the entrance to his house and reported it. I ask Professor Gates this question: what if the two men seen at his doorway were actually burglars? Do you not want to live in a neighborhood where citizens actually look out for each other? I would argue that his words and actions are counter to a healthy neighborhood environment.
Now, for the third player. This is none other than Barack Obama. Here too, I find his post event words to be highly deplorable and far below the honorable office that he now occupies. His statements were totally inappropriate for someone with such awesome responsibilities. As an attorney, he should know far better than to offer specific comment on something about which he didn’t have all the facts. This is my third no-brainer. Don’t weigh in, especially if you’re the president of the United States, if you don’t know what you’re talking about. Feel free to utilize the phrase “no comment” in situations about which you are uninformed and that may be highly inflammatory. Then maybe the next day you won’t have to backtrack and be caught publicly mumbling something about “carefully calibrating” your words. Your failure to realize this lesson might just cause unneeded fuel to be poured on some unfortunate fire in the future, causing great harm to the country that you serve. I would ask that you take my advice to heart, Mr President.
As always, dear readers, think this through for yourself. Your comments are welcome.
All the best, Tim
In today’s world, history is a discarded key. This planet’s present day dwellers seem to have attention spans measured in nanoseconds. That’s if something newsworthy is even noticed and half way absorbed in the first place. People today, especially in the United States and even more so in the South Bay area of Los Angeles where I work, don’t seem to notice much of what is happening in other parts of the world and definitely don’t care much. I don’t think saying that is much of a stretch. I base my claim on numerous daily interpersonal encounters and in monitoring the subject matter being discussed in my general area. You know, just listening in on the buzz. International events are waaaay down the list.
More importantly, the impact of those missed stories on our world and on each of us are completely ignored. These largely affluent Americans only absorb what the tabloid media (I’m being very kind here) spoon feeds them minute after minute, hour after hour and day after day, often without a break. Case in point is the recent non-stop baby pablum-type reporting surrounding the sudden death of a pop singer – child molestor. This is the best recent example of what a joke the “press” (as they used to be called) or media has become. You can expect this story to be perpetuated in the coming weeks and months, virtually non-stop. You will see round the clock coverage of the death of someone who lived a life of off the charts excess, childish indulgence and sexual perversion. Like so many in the “entertainment” industry, he was propped up by drugs, both prescription and illicit. He hardly represented someone who should have been held up as any sort of icon and yet the populace is in full-fawning mode. It is the best example yet that American society is fast becoming a joke.
While this non-stop fawn fest has been in full swing, the bigger world has not stopped. Elsewhere, this singer’s passing is hardly noticed. There are events of much bigger import unfolding every minute.
Dear reader, please indulge me for a moment here. What follows are three short words. Please try to pronounce them and think about them. Neda Agha Soltan. Strange sounding aren’t they? And much more importantly, what do they mean? What language is that? How did you do on my little test? Can you say them? Try repeating them, many times if you will. Try memorizing them. When I reveal their meaning, they could very well become words of awakening in your life and in many others’ as well.
If you have been paying attention to the world stage at all over the past few weeks, you should know that presidential elections were held in Iran, a key society in the present ages old crisis in the Middle East. (Ok, elections. In a middle eastern country. So? Where’s he going with this?)
In the complicated context of the Middle East crisis, the country of Iran represents two divergent conditions, which are almost impossible to reconcile. First, the country is ruled by an extremely repressive religious oligarchy (rule by a few), fanatical in nature and ideologically unyeilding. These hand picked brain washed men are appointed, nobody elects them (but you just said there was an election?). They are religious clerics or often called mullahs. Their iron fisted rule is by decree only, with death awaiting those who do not get with the program. Hand in hand with this elite religious governing body is a civilian or secular government, sometimes elected but not always. The recent election was for the office of this secular presidency. This is the only facet of public life in which the Iranian people can have a voice. On June 12, 2009, millions of everyday Iranians did just that, voted for their choice to head up the secular government. This simple act of voting is a moment of truth and magic for those who live day to day beneath the boot of repression. Standing in long lines to vote and then doing so often inspires deep celebration by the powerless Iranian people.
Iranian society is generally well-educated, hard working and middle class. The standard of living is well above average for the region. Many Iranians travel and have attended university outside of Iran. In many ways, it is a modern society ruled by a vestige of the past. Iranians are vibrant, open people who generally look favorably on western society. This is reflected in their manner of dress, their entertainment choices (that may not be a good thing) and in their willingness to participate in peaceful international life. However, the actions of their government are another story.
In recent years, Iran has proactively sought to exert it’s influence throughout the region and the world. However, it has suffered from the words and actions of it’s current president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. His behavior has been the basis for sanctions imposed by a weak United Nations and has pushed Iran into international isolation. The Iranian economy is in shambles. Shortages are common despite billions in oil and natural gas revenues. This opposing direction has caused deep disaffection among the Iranian populace for many years.
Prior to the election, there was much celebration and hope that the results would reflect the general wishes of the everyday Iranian. Huge numbers of people voted, both in cities and in the countryside. The election was rightly viewed as a moment of opportunity, a chance to elect someone else to the office of president who would move Iran in a different, more productive direction and reintegrate the country into the international community. When the results were announced, that hope and optimism were crushed by the announcement that Ahmadinejad had been re-elected. The widespread shock became disbelief and quickly resentment and anger. The voting tallys announced by the authorities were clearly fraudulent. It quickly became obvious that something large and important had been stolen from the Iranian people. How could this have happened?
Initally, crowds poured into Tehran’s streets, chocking traffic and effectively halting commerce. Emotions were sky high and the populace wasted no time in voicing their protests, which were generally described as peaceful in both the domestic and international media. By many counts, upwards of one million people were present, vocal and wearing something green, the color of the government opposition party. Many carried signs, often in perfect english stating “where is my vote?” and “our legal president is M.H. Mousavi” among others. Looking closely at the people holding the signs reveals that these are everyday people, many women included. They are predominantly youthful but there is plenty of visible gray hair. These are not the black clad anarchists who commonly provoke violence at the yearly WBO or IMF meetings. They are everyday Iranians, looking very much like you and me.
Then, suddenly, something changes. Shots are fired from the direction of the police into the crowd.
Remember the three simple words that you learned earlier? Yes, Neda Agha Soltan. They are a name. The name of a beautiful young Iranian woman shot in the upper chest area who graphically bleeds out on a Tehran street while efforts to stem the bleeding fail.
After you read my article, please go to YouTube and punch in her name. But be forewarned. It will not be pleasant at all. You will see her lying on the pavement in a large pool of blood. Her eyes will appear to look directly at the camera before thick blood emerges from her nose and mouth and pools in her left eye. Even with the blood on her face, one can tell that she was beautiful. Very moving, very haunting.
Neda is but one of at least several dozen protestors killed during almost two weeks of protests. Protests for what? The Iranian people simply want what we have, and so take for granted almost every day. They want to vote in free elections, assemble in peace, speak their minds, raise their children and conduct commerce, peacefully. Their government will not allow any of this and will kill them if necessary to control daily life. This will not end here, fortunately. Freedom is by far the strongest collective human emotion found anywhere. The days of the current Iranian government are probably numbered. The desire to live free cannot be crushed forever. Though many more just like Neda will probably die, eventually an illigetiment government will fall.
Neda Agha Soltan will become a symbol for that coming time. Her haunting image will live on in the hearts and minds of all decent peace loving Iranians. She has been dubbed the Angel of Freedom. How appropriate. I would ask each of you readers to look further into her death, understand why it is of incredible significance in our world today and remember her and her family in your prayers.
One last thing. Never, ever take for granted our own freedoms in this country and never miss an opportunity to stand with others in this troubled world who seek what we have. Neda was truly one of us, and it is the same with millions of others. Understand what has happened on that street in Tehran and never, ever forget it.
On a very somber note, all the best. Until next time,
Tim
Hello again, dear readers! Sorry that I missed you last month. I like to write near the end of the month, hoping to comment on anything last minute. However, family issues crowded out my writing time in late April, so I missed one effort. Things like that are going to happen in our busy lives so I’m back on track this month and ready to continue.
This month I am going to comment on past events which I consider very significant for law enforcement and society in general. I hope you find my viewpoints interesting.
The Passing Of A “Giant”
First and foremost, I have been remiss in not aknowledging a man almost completely unknown in our country but who singlehandedly developed the most effective personal self-defense philosophy and tactics in the history of mankind.
His name was Helio Gracie and the man has left a truly indelible mark doing his life’s work. As a young man in Brazil, Mr. Gracie began refining a personal fighting style when he was introduced to elements of self-defense originating in Japan. He quickly realized the value of combining the two styles and the now world famous Gracie Jiu-Jitsu was quietly born. For him, a man of slight physical stature, it was of the utmost importance to be able to consistently defeat an opponent who was larger, heavier and possibly more athletic. Also, the amount of time needed to defeat that opponent became irrelevant, as a fight could last much longer than the classic punching match that most combatants engage in and are often decided in seconds. Mr. Gracie created his own fighting rules and yet fought without rules, if that makes any sense. His self-defense philosophy has been truly revolutionary.
Those of us in and out of law enforcement who have studied Gracie Jiu-Jitsu quickly came to realize just how devastatingly effective it is as a fighting style. While one does not roam the streets looking to fight with anyone who comes along, just knowing how to effectively defend one’s person leads to a far happier life. The sense of intimidation disappears and is replaced with a quiet confidence, almost playfulness, knowing that the outcome of a violent physical encounter will be in your favor.
I have had the pleasure of being friends with two of Mr. Gracie’s dynamic sons, Rorian and Royce Gracie, and was one of their first handful of students in the mid 1980’s when they first arrived in Southern California. I cannot say enough about these two gentlemen and the other members of the Gracie Family who I have had the pleasure of meeting. Now that we are all beginning to accumulate the years, the torch has been passed to the sons who now teach full time and are continuing to spread the word.
In my own way, I would urge anyone who is considering learning self-defense skills to go immediately to Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. You will tap into a family’s life long dedication to passing on the most effective fighting techniques known to man. And girls, this goes for you as well as for the guys. Never again feel intimidated by an oversized opponent, whether the encounter takes place on the street or in close quarters such as a bar. You can tap into this wealth of knowledge by going to www.gracieacademy.com.
In today’s entertainment market, there is much attention paid to these MMA cage matches. Well, just remember that the original fights were completely dominated by the Gracies fighting in their pure style. Nobody could touch ‘em. Also keep in mind that what you see now is a far departure from what the Gracies teach. Stick with the winner, stick with the original.
Mr. Gracie peacefully passed away on January 29, 2009 at his ranch in Brazil. To you, Mr. Helio Gracie, I wish you Godspeed and all the pleasures in paradise. Your life’s work is complete and your name will be carried forward by your family and your students. RIP my dear friend.
Another Tragedy in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Just after completing my article in March on the murders of four of Oakland’s finest officers, we were hit with the incredibly tragic news that three Pittsburgh Police Department Officers were also shot and killed on April 4, 2009. This department had never had three officers killed on one call before. This was a truly shattering experience for another police agency.
Officer Paul Sciullo III was the first to be shot as he entered the doorway responding to a family disturbance call involving a mother and her son, the shooter. Sciullo’s partner, Officer Stephan Mayhle tried to help him and he too was fatally shot. A third officer, Eric Kelly, had rushed to the scene while heading home from his just completed graveyard shift and was fatally shot as he attempted to rescue the two downed officers. Another unbelievable set of circumstances for all of us to try to sort through…
I can never remember a two week period filled with more grieving and sadness than the period between the Oakland and Pittsburgh tragedies. I was walking around in a fog that would not go away. And keep in mind that while everyone was focused on these two extraordinary events, there were other officer deaths occurring in other parts of the country which are not documented in this space.
In law enforcement, one never knows how and when the next officer death will occur. The only sure thing is the word will. We know that all too well. It is not my intention to keep track of each one as it occurs. There are other more capable web sites doing a great job with that sad task. My purpose in commenting here is to make sure that the heroes who gave their utmost to preserve public safety and confront threats are never forgotten. Also, any lessons that us survivors can take with us in the field tomorrow may prove valuable in saving more lives.
Belatedly, I would like to express my deepest condolences to the families, friends and professional colleagues of Officers Kelly, Mayhle and Sciullo. My heart has been bleeding with yours over the past few weeks. Their heroism will truly be missed in today’s world. RIP.
See you all next month. Until then, all the best.
Tim
Dear Readers, this is a very tough one. In the year that I have had Copcorner.net up and running, no article has come harder or caused me more pain to try to write. I ask you to take that into account as you read this. There will most likely be follow up postings on this incident, but today’s is coming at you straight from the heart. Frankly, I have had deep personal difficulty dealing with this and it may taint my efforts. If you note that, please cut me a break, at least just this one time. In trying to write from the “everyman” cop point of view, the emotional toll from mutliple officer killings can be overwhelming. Eventhough I have been going about my job the past four days after hearing this news, it has been very tough to hold it together. I won’t b.s. you on that. My resilience as an individual law enforcement professional has been tested to the max as well at that of our extended peace officer family.
There will be no tactical review here. That is best left for the use of force experts and professional homicide investigators, which I am not. I will also not engage in second guessing, speculating or perpetuating unconfirmed information. Whatever I present here will have a connection to verifiable investigative sources, or else I won’t present it. The reality is that an incident of this magnitude has many, many facets and effects on many levels. It will be my intent to deal with a few of these facets on my level, which I know best. And I am sure that some of you readers might take exception to what I write about these officers’ murders, but so be it. As always, I will skip the sugar coating.
When I first heard this news, I had just entered our afternoon watch briefing. I had been off for a couple of days and like many other people, I had been following weekend sports instead of news. I immediately spotted everyone else there wearing the black mourning bands across our badges. Someone walked up to me and handed me the roll of black tape and scissors. I asked “Oh my God, what happened?” The answer was, “haven’t you heard? Four officers got killed in Oakland.” (The fourth, Officer John Hege, had just died after being removed from life support by his family a short time earlier.) I immediately blessed myself, bowed my head and began praying, right there in briefing. Words cannot begin to express how hard it was to not begin crying. And keep in mind, I’m not a cryer.
I immediately felt totally drained, mentally and physically. The incident was discussed only in general terms so that everybody there could know what kind of incident it was, or in this case incidents. Without making any judgements whatsoever at such an early moment in the process of understanding, we began trying to glean learning points which would be the lasting legacy to us from the four dead officers. As I’m sure each officer in that room did, I immediately placed myself in those officer’s boots and began playing the tape in my head of what it must have been like and what my decisions and actions might have been at those critical moments. What did they know, what had they seen or heard, how had they processed that information and then decided on the actions that were taken?
When the Good Lord calls one of us home, the rest of us must learn from it as soon as possible. This is our agonizing, ongoing and endless task from the first day that we decide to become peace officers.
Over the next couple of days, I watched many hours of television news accounts, internet video and read countless on-line articles. I was looking for some consistency in the information. How had it really happened? We can’t really depend on media services to tell us the story. Nor would Oakland supervision necessarily know exactly what happened in such a short time of looking at their own incident. That’s just how it is. These incidents involve a large number of people, both law enforcement and civilian witnesses, and every person viewing events of this unspeakably horrific nature processes what they see, hear and feel about it very differently. Viewing the public killing of municipal police officers is a deeply life changing event for everyone involved, even remotely, so the bringing together of pertinent facts is a monumental and far from perfect task.
In my opinion, the investigation of on duty officer deaths is the ultimate test of one’s professionalism. Remember, the task is to determine how and why one of your own family members has met a violent death. Ask yourself, how would you function at such a time as that?
On Saturday, March 21, 2009, four Oakland Police Department Officers were shot and killed in the line of duty. A fifth was wounded, though not seriously. What an incredible couple of lines to write! Two officers were attacked during a traffic stop, an enforcement action taken by officers in our country thousands of times a day. Two more officers were ambushed while attempting to locate the same killer who had barricaded himself in his sister’s apartment, a short distance from the traffic stop shootings. In a typical work day, this operation is much less common.
As all of us know, the traffic stop is possibly the most dangerous contact in police work. Even the criminal and civil courts have repeatedly affirmed this. Also, building searches present a very high risk, especially when the suspect that is being sought has just murdered two policemen. These both have the potential to become nightmare scenarios in their own right. These Oakland policemen faced both of these scenarios within a short time frame and near phyical distance with truly tragic results…
The reality of modern day society is that there are literally tens of thousands of criminals walking our streets who have spent many years in prison and have committed crimes again or violated terms of their supervised parole in some other way. When the courts issue arrest orders to bring these hardened criminals back in off the streets again, our brave peace officers are the ones who are charged with locating, contacting and re-arresting them, all within the law and department policy. Many times, as in this tragedy, random circumstances make it so that the criminal finds us first. At that very moment, we must sort the pertinent facts out, react properly and effectively, and do the will of the courts. The criminal may have made the decision very early on to never, ever submit to the power of the state and allow him or herself to be rearrested. For many of them, it is simply kill or be killed. They see no other options for their miserable lives. They know that their next contact with police will end their freedom, possibly for the rest of their natural lives.
In this investigation, we will only be able to speculate because the killer has been killed. His mindset will be the subject of my next posting. However, again I ask you to be patient as there are much more pressing tasks to deal with.
Later today, funerals will be conducted in the East Bay area for Sergeant Mark Dunakin, 40 years of age, Sergeant Ervin Romans, 40, Sergeant Daniel Sakai, 35, and Officer John Hege, 41. Officers from around California and the country will have traveled to Oakland to be present and to stand with our extended family in this dark hour. I only ask that each reader, when you learn of this incident if you haven’t already, please offer a prayer in your own way for each of these brave men and especially for their families and colleagues on the Oakland Police Department. A very difficult job has been made incredibly more difficult for each of them. May God bless each and every one of them…
Thank you for being there, Dear Readers.
Tim
Hi everybody! I’m back at it! Better late than never, right?
This month on Copcorner.net I am presenting the second essay submitted by my friend and current events writer Mr. Jeffrey Haire. This one is also timely considering what we are seeing due to the economic downturn. Again, I believe that his insightfulness and keen eye for developing trends in society will be readily apparent. The place names included in this article are in the South Bay area of Los Angeles County, an affluent yet mixed social and economic fabric on which to base these observations. I trust that you will enjoy Jeffrey’s current essay as well as his future contributions. Enjoy, and feel free to comment!
Urban Decay and Incivility Drive Fear of Crime, by Jeffrey Haire
Social disorder and rampant incivility impact crime rates as well as the fear of crime. The key to preserving our communities may be paying attention to the little things.
“The Broken Window Theory of Urban Decay” was set forth in an article in The Atlantic Monthly in 1982 by political scientist James Q .Wilson and criminologist George Kelling. Broken Windows examined fear of crime vs. actual crime rates, police \ community relationships, and various police social experiments to reduce crime. Wilson and Kelling observed that “community disorder and crime are linked in a developmental sequence”, and “. . . . that the key to social decay is a rising level of disorder that residents fail to challenge in time.” It’s an interesting and relevant piece not just for cops and sociologists, but for anyone who is a community stakeholder in an era of high foreclosures and abandoned properties.
“Broken Windows” became a metaphor for community decay. Once the first window is broken and not repaired, it follows that other windows will be broken, and the community goes downhill from there. Graffiti, uncollected trash, abandoned cars, shopping carts, and people loitering define the level of disorder until it becomes apparent that no one cares. The community suffers psychologically, and the result is apathy and despair. The fear of crime becomes prominent. Because of these hopeless feelings, landlords don’t make repairs, city agencies aren’t notified of infrastructure problems, vandalism spreads, and property values and businesses suffer. Can this happen in our communities?
For twenty five years, “The Broken Window Theory” has been the cornerstone of progressive policing efforts nationwide, and we are fortunate in the South Bay to have community- based policing philosophies implemented in most of our police departments.
Community decay begins with minor transgressions that go unchecked. An example is the situation that existed in the 1990’s in and around Alondra Park. For years, Alondra Park had accumulated “broken windows”. There was widespread disorder and petty crime because the word had traveled that this was tolerated; more serious criminals were attracted to the area because basic municipal codes weren’t enforced and community stakeholders were absent.
Alondra Park, after years of inattention by authorities on minor code violations, was rendered unsafe for use by local residents. The large parking lot bordering north Torrance and El Camino Village became a non-stop circus of parolees, drunks, thieves, and the mentally ill. Property values dropped in the neighboring communities and families moved away.
It took a concerted community-based effort by the Torrance Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and local homeowners’ groups to reverse the level of decay and lawlessness in the Alondra Park area. Enforcement actions for drinking, camping and littering were conducted; parking regulations were enforced and the perception developed that people did care. The fear of crime was reduced, measured by fewer calls for police service, the absence of vagrants, and the renewed presence in the park of ordinary, law-abiding citizens and families.
Another interesting concept relating social disorder to crime is the “incivility hypothesis”. Criminologists, as well as politicians such as Tony Blair, have come to believe that pervasive social incivility, the open displays of discourtesy, rudeness, profanity, and other coarse behaviors, contribute not only to the fear of crime, but to actual violent criminal activity. A local example is the recent brawl at the lifestyle wing of the Del Amo Mall, which left many in the community surprised and shaken; however, the antecedents of the event become obvious once one examines the general level of incivility of the crowd that evening.
The actual crime rate at Del Amo Mall is low. Rather, it is the fear of crime, based on such displays of incivility that may be more significant to shoppers. It is the subjective fear of crime that determines how freely people live.
How do we ensure civility and decorum across communities? These values were traditionally taught in the home, and reinforced in our schools as good citizenship. Popular culture has eroded these values over the last generation, and today I believe that it would take a national campaign, such as the programs promoted by the governments of Singapore, Malaysia, and Britain to establish courtesy and decency as core national values.
We enjoy a high quality of life in the South Bay due to our responsive city governments, proactive police strategies, and communities that still share consensus on what behavior is disorderly and unacceptable. In order to preserve our quality of life, and reduce the fear of crime, we must be constantly vigilant for any signs of decay or disorder——- “broken windows” in our communities.
Many thanks to our guest author this month, and to you, dear readers, for checking out what we have to say here at Copcorner.net!
See you again soon! Until then, all the best!
Tim
Hello again, Dear Readers! Happy 2009 to one and all! This month, I am going to present material that for the first time yours truly did not write. I am presenting an article by a very well respected retired police officer in the South Bay area of Los Angeles County. Jeff Haire was not only a line officer for twenty years, after retiring he earned his Master’s Degree in Psychology from Pepperdine University. When he worked the streets, Jeff was known as a very intuitive, hard working and extremely intelligent officer. He knew how to approach crime problems of all types in his beat. What set him apart from the vast majority of uniformed personnel in law enforcement was his unrelenting follow up to these problems. He didn’t just “handle the call” as so many of us do, he put in place the long term solution to the problem that caused the call to the police in the first place. He was the embodiment that the “Broken Window Theory” has tremendous validity (much more on that in future articles). He has always exhibited a very keen eye for the workings of society. This article has appeared in several other publications and I proudly present it to you here on Copcorner.net. I hope you enjoy the perspective and I hope it inspires you, as always, to do your own thinking on the subject. Enjoy!
America needs a moral makeover
Our current national economic problems are not simply the result of market forces, political policies, or greedy brokers. Rather, our predicament is the logical culmination of the American morality and lifestyle of the last fifty years. We have been living a largely unhealthy lifestyle of materialism (based largely on credit), combined with a mindless emphasis on individual expression. These obsessions have corrupted our business and personal lives and weakened our nation. We’ve become too materialistic and amoral to be a positive example to the world of a nation living in prosperity and peace.
The South Bay area of Los Angeles is a microcosm of our national pursuit of materialism, and the obsessive desire for personal expression.
I grew up on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, south of Los Angeles, in the mid-sixties when things were relatively clear in regard to behavior and family and values. There was the Vietnam War, drugs, feminism, inflation, and the sexual revolution, but Americans were generally still respectful of others, and, we still seemed to share a collective understanding about what was good—and what was harmful behavior— to one’s self, the community, and to the nation. People were more careful and conservative in their behavior, cautious to how they were perceived by others. Moral behavior was fostered by family and church. Despite the turmoil of the sixties, Americans generally behaved according to moral guidelines of respect for others, honesty, hard work and self- discipline, and our prosperity grew because of this.
By the 1980’s, a national theme had developed that “each generation should be better off than the previous”— a theme that turned out to be unsustainable and created unrealistic expectations, and credit problems, for many people.
In the early nineties, I noticed that things exploded in regard to personal spending and personal expression. Both these issues seemed really important to people, whether it was buying real estate or cars, getting tattoos, or having a “lifestyle”. I noticed it first with the late baby boomers, and then with their children. South Bay kids were showered with material goods (in keeping with the “better than my childhood” philosophy); yet, personal discipline and values seemed to be missing. I often heard “boomer” parents state proudly,” I’m going to do things differently than my parents.”
We are seeing the results of that now. Many young people today resent their parents for giving them everything. Permissiveness breeds contempt in children, and this is evident to me in the many South Bay teens that are angry and openly defiant of their parents. Parents found it easy to provide material things, yet difficult to provide the boundaries and discipline that children need (and expect) growing up. Discipline at home and in the public schools largely disappeared in favor of a more permissive style of parenting and education.
Personal expression has become terribly important at the expense of the normative behaviors of respect and rule observance. Traditional educational performance in our universities has been traded for emphasis on “personal experience”. All these changes became common in the early nineties and coincided with the affluence of the technology boom, and the Clintonian themes of personal gratification, personal expression, and acceptance of diversity.
How did all this happen? Since the years following World War II, Americans have lived in relative affluence without any true national challenges or crises that demanded significant personal sacrifice. World War II was the last time Americans had a moral consensus on a national goal, and worked together to achieve it. Without true sacrifice or challenge there is no context for the affluence which the last two generations have enjoyed. I am not sure that this current generation could handle a challenge as significant as World War II, or even agree about what is morally right and wrong.
Today, morality seems to have become less important than financial success and personal achievement, and one can see how this has affected business ethics, as well as personal behavior. Lack of self- discipline is reflected in excessive spending and borrowing, as well as in the corruption of people in government and financial institutions. Now, we are paying the price.
Institutions collapse without a moral foundation.
How do we turn this around? Sadly, I believe Americans will have to face a crisis more serious than 9/11, or the current economic downturn, to restore our greatness. This next, great challenge will require a collective return to personal discipline, selflessness, and sacrifice. We must reject materialism as a way of life, and stop celebrating individual expression at the expense of all else in society.
The nation we need— a nation of caring, honest, and responsible people— can only come from the collective commitment to living a moral life.
Jeffrey Haire
Author is a retired police officer with a Master’s Degree in Psychology.
As always, your comments are welcome here at Copcorner.net.
Until next time, all the best.
Tim