Thursday, May 19, 2005

Protect yourself

What I am about to say will sound harsh, cruel, and uncaring...oh well.

Source: ""An entire family has lost its ability to assume that when we walk through the door of our own homes, we will be safe there,
...
...
Lefkow petitioned the lawmakers to continue to "make judicial protection a priority." She pointed out ways to protect those that enforce the rule of law and keep society from becoming one based on "right being defined by might.""

Judges deal with the worst of society. The put away murders, robbers, and those who would do regular people harm. Their job is vitally important to maintaining a civil society, but they are no better than you or me.

Judges have the means and the cause for protecting their selves, I do not think judges should get special protection (though I would be sympatric to a clear and present danger, of course then again I would be sympatric to the police protecting anyone who could present a clear and present danger, such as a death threat) and I do not think that they should receive exemptions from gun laws that you and I have to abide under. The people of America should not be forced to subside security for a judge, just because they do not want to take responsibility for their own protection.

"She urged rapid distribution of the funds Congress has appropriated for home security systems for judges.

"Now that the funds are there, I ask that members of this committee make clear to the director of the Marshals Service its intent that this money be distributed to the judges in the field as quickly as the judges can make arrangements for installation," she said."

I hate to say it, but if granny or you husband or rather both would have had guns and training this story might have turned out a little differently. If you would have had a dog or a monitored alarm system, things might have turned our differently.

Instead of looking at what would have turned out differently if the state had provided you with 24 hour protection or had just doled out money to you (to do something common sense should have told you to do anyway), you should take a look at what would have turned out differently if you would have taken responsibility for your own safety.

"Lefkow picked up on Durbin's theme, saying the "fostering of disrespect" can only encourage violence against the judiciary."

Disrespect...ehh. Get a gun, dog, and good alarm system with security cameras at YOUR OWN expense, not on my taxpayer dollar. You are nothing more than a public servant who wants the feds to take care of you. She needs a government agency to tell judges to install an alarm system.

What pissed me off the most is that congress is paying judges to put home security systems in their homes. Don't we do you pay them enough already? I have no idea how much a judge gets paid, but I bet that it is a fairly nice wage. With that money I could probably afford a nice alarm system, some serious guns, and some serious training.

I did some more research on this issue and found out that the "Senate Appropriations Committee has earmarked $12 million for their [federal judges] security".

I do not think the facts warrant spending money on the protection of judges. According to Lefkow's own testimony, the number of attacks against judges or their families since 1978 is only 4 with 5 deaths.

I will finish with Lefkow's own words.

The first is rapid distribution of the funds for home security systems. Obviously, had the Lefkow family had such a system at home; this horror could have been avoided. We judges are grateful beyond words to this Committee and the Congress for authorizing this appropriation so quickly after this latest tragedy. Now that the funds are there, I ask that members of this committee make clear to the Director of the Marshals Service its intent that this money be distributed to the judges in the field as quickly as the judges can make arrangements for installation. As recently as last Friday, May 13, I was spotted and harassed in a restaurant in downtown Chicago. Had that harasser had a gun, I would be dead today. There is no time for bureaucratic delay.

Lefkow you did not deserve the horror that happened to your family, but I hope you realize that you did nothing to stop it either.

Cube

update: Others agree.

1 comment:

Sandcastle said...

If we are going to go to these measures, why not use taxpayer money to protect people that have less and are more likely to get attacked. How about hiring a few builiding security guards in low income neighborhoods. Or at least some kind of passive surveillance systems for street corners in high crime areas. If you want to spend my money on this crap at least put it to good use.