Friday Roundup: Criminal Justice Crimes, Gun Control in its Full Glory, Another Isolated Incident & More
- One of the two best legal blogs out there, Grits for Breakfast, talks today about creeping overcriminalization, the decline of mens rea, and the unbalanced push for more security at the cost of liberty. My own contribution to this discussion comes in the February issue of D Magazine, which will hit the stands in late January, and it looks at the growth of the nanny state in Dallas.
- Ron Kirk’s appointment is a good sign Dear Leader is not a total moonbat on international trade, but there’s a lot of territory between here and the final judgment. The real test will be whether his boss tries to force other countries to abide by ridiculous American labor and environmental laws.
- Another question via Grits: “The single best solution would be to mandate an “open file” policy in every Texas jurisdiction (right now it’s done at the discretion of the local DAs and county attorneys) so that defense counsel could have access to the same police reports, witness statements, and other documents the prosecutors get to see. That system works wonderfully in Tarrant County, where these files are kept online and defense counsel can access files on their cases via a password that lets them see everything in there.” The question is, why isn’t that SOP?
- Here’s why gun control won’t work – “His weapon was recovered at the scene and later determined to be stolen during a separate offense in Terrell, according to police…” — and why it’s never smart to go out socially naked. (Nice shooting, btw.)
- A 12-year-old in Galveston is the latest “isolated incident” of police misconduct, getting roughed up for her troubles by plainclothes officers and arrested at her school despite police errors every step of the way. (Via Radley.)
- Driver with a baseball bat attacks someone who cut her off on I-30. Is she a woman? Why, yes she is.
Tuesday Roundup: Leppert Wants a Hotel Bailout, Russ Martin Off the Air & More
- Mayor Tom Leppert’s hat-in-hand visit to DC was more embarrassing than I thought. According to the folks at “Citizens Against The Taxpayer-Owner Hotel,” Leppert asked for pork to pay for the $550 million convention center hotel project. Anne Raymond, whose heading up the opposition to the hotel project, was at no loss for words. “Following in the footsteps of failed Wall Street banks and automakers, Leppert’s request for federal funds for a hotel bailout illustrates exactly what a money-losing venture this would be.” Saving grace? Leppert’s just one in a long line of city mayors lining up at the trough for a feeding.
- One of the movers behind the brilliant DISD grading policy — the one where you get to retake tests until you pass and homework can’t be counted against you if it would lower your grade — is leaving.
- I’m betting the firing of Russ Martin isn’t going to go over well in the short or long term. His fans are uncommonly committed, and I just don’t see yet another sports radio station making much of a dent in The DFW.
- Yeah, see, that’s pretty much going to have the opposite effect.
Open Carry for Texas? Yes. For Me? I Don’t Know
First, let’s be real clear and get this out of the way first. I don’t think the federal, state, or any other government body has any proper power to restrict free people from owning or bearing firearms of any sort. I have a concealed handgun license, but philosophically it bothers me I had to get a license to exercise my natural right.
Guess where I had that concealed.
That out of the way, there’s a movement afoot in Texas to change the law to allow open carry — that is, in a rig that’s visible instead of concealed. I support the movement and the change in the law, but I’m not entirely clear on what I think of open carry for me.
Think about this. After decades of anti-gun propaganda we’ve gotten to the point people call the police when they see ordinary people carrying handguns or long guns anywhere short of at the shooting range. Possession of a gun is considered “suspicious” activity by police. The burden of proof and innocence falls on the ordinary person exercising his rights. How is that right? So one of the ideas behind open carry is that it will get people used to the idea that ordinary folks bearing arms is no big deal — which it isn’t, by the way. And that’s why I like open carry in general.
There are two schools of thought on open carry for the individual, and here’s where I’m conflicted. One says open carry may be a deterrent sometimes, but as often as not it’s a big target on your chest if you’re ever somewhere there’s a bad guy about to do bad things. They’ll go after you first. I don’t know that I entirely buy that — bad guys like the path of least resistance — but I do like keeping my own status low-profile just because I don’t like drawing attention. Outside of print. That is, pretty much if I’m in public, I’m going to be armed, but I don’t see why anyone on the street has to know that.
Shoot-me-first vest
On the other hand, this is Texas, and eight months out of the year it’s t-shirt/shorts weather. It can be difficult to conceal a primary handgun and backup on your body, and damn if I’m wearing one of those “shoot-me-first” vests. There have been days I would have preferred not to worry whether my sidearms were showing. And come on — it’s just unfashionable to pair a heavy leather belt with shorts and flip-flops.
I definitely want the option. I’m just not sure I’d take advantage of it.
Thoughts?
Friday Roundup: Beggars Want to Be Choosers, DISD Funding & A Friday Feelgood
- So if you’re getting affordable housing subsidized by taxpayers, who are you to complain about where it is? What, exactly, is wrong with locating all the housing for low income people in one general area? Why should you get to demand subsidized housing in a nicer neighborhood that someone else worked hard to move to? Look, it’s not a politically correct fact, but the reality is low income neighborhoods have higher crime rates. That’s not to say low income earners are more criminally motivated — it’s just there are more criminally motivated people in the low income demographic. So centralizing low income housing seems smart on two levels. “The group has argued that most of the local apartment complexes financed with housing tax credits are in urban areas with high concentrations of poverty, crime and blight.” Chicken or the egg?
- DPD gets new uniforms with embroidered badges and plastic buttons. Good in terms of dry cleaning cost savings, but the worry is with the number of cases of people impersonating police to stage robberies, home invasions, and roadside rapes — will this complicate things?
- Given its well-documented troubles, why is DISD helping fund million-dollar parks?
- Dear Leader apparently has a litmus test for appointees that baffles even his supporters, and is a window into his soul on the issue of Second Amendment rights.
- Why am I a shameless cheerleader for free enterprise and big business? That’s why.
Tuesday Roundup: Dallas Goes A Begging & More
- There’s something inherently disgraceful about Dallas officials lining up to stick their snout in the federal trough. And if Dallasites aren’t willing to pay more for the Trinity River project, why should taxpayers in Maine, Georgia, and Nevada? How is this their responsibility?
- Most biology teachers in Texas don’t see any controversy in teaching evolution mainly because they actually understand evolution. The rest use The Flintstones as a teaching aid.
- Buy on rumor, bury on news.
Friday Roundup: City Council Junkets, DISD Audit, Stockpiling Guns & More
- Rod Dreher hit a bulls-eye a few weeks ago when he said that when city council members talk about wanting to make Dallas a “world class city” you better hang on to your wallet.
- DISD warned the audit won’t be positive. Oh, you think so, doctor?
- I’m sorry. I love my fellow gun owners. But any of you just now getting around to stockpiling instead of working on it six months ago — you’re on your own. That’s like buying a stock when it peaks.
- Because I’m usually so hard on how shallow TV news is in The DFW, fairness demands I give props for good watchdog stories. Take a bow, Jack Fink.
Tuesday Roundup: Electile Dysfunction, Jurassic Park, Pit Bulls & More
- Want to know why today’s contest is between just Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-AARP? My buddy Radley tells the story of how the system is gamed, and the only way to win is not to play.
- ProTip: This is not the best city in which to practice home invasion.
- “Whether we apply it toward bringing back dinosaurs or taking care of real needs on this planet is another question.“ Or? Or, sir?!! The two are inextricably linked. It’s science.
- Try not to be surprised that this is the guy who owns the pit bull that attacked that lawyer in South Dallas yesterday.
Monday Roundup: Boobies, Hinojosa’s Easy Problems, Girls With Guns, Lawyer v. Pitbull & More
- I oppose both McCain’s and Obama’s plans to meddle in the health care industry. But there’s no reason this treatment shouldn’t be supplied to every American woman who wants it.
- You go, Ginger Allen. I certainly know the setbacks I’ve faced in my life have been because I’m just too damn good looking. My Adonis physique makes it a double whammy. (Ginger is quickly becoming must-see TV news in my book. Her gritty journalism and tenacious reporting are bringing us stories that make a real difference.)
- Not to pile on, Dr. Hinojosa, but when you say, “If I had to choose between solving academic or financial problems, I would choose the latter, because financial problems are easy to solve, academic achievement is not,” then how did we get to this $84 million financial problem? I’m sorry, but this doesn’t fill me with confidence in you being the man to execute the rather worthy Dallas Achieves initiative.
- More women are hunting, especially in Texas. Giggity.
- A pit bull did not give Ken Molberg due professional courtesy. (I kid, I kid. I’ve met Ken, he’s a great guy, and I wish him a speedy recovery.)
- Dig deep if you can. Don’t forget the animal charities. They’re the ones who can’t take care of themselves. [/soapbox]
- “No political motives.” Riiiiight.
- And lastly, Betty Culbreath, a longtime Southern sector leader, weighs in on my previous post about why the idea for a multi-jurisdictional government master plan for the Inland Port is a Bad IdeaTM.
The Allen Group came to Texas with their idea. Every time someone came with an idea for the Area it got knocked down by Dallas Politics, remember the Texas Speedway, now in Fort Worth, the cargo Airport now called Alliance and on and on we go.
The new Master Plan was about control of the development, the water. It’s all about the power over the Allen Group. If you have a new plan in control of the water and other essentials needed for development, the Allen Group will be at their mercy.
While You Laughed, I’ve Been Preparing. The Zombies Are Here.
(Older pic; iPhone notably absent)
People laughed. They sneered. They nodded smugly and dismissively. (But nodded approvingly at my breath.)
And yet for years I’ve carried this <— as my standard load out every time I leave the house. Why?
Because I knew IT would happen. And IT’S happening now.
Zombies. The dead have risen in Dallas County. Good luck, suckers.
Who’s crazy now?
Thursday Roundup: BailoutSleuth Rules, Lots of Guns, Halloweenies & More
- Mark Cuban has something going right here with his new blog: a close-up look at what’s happening behind the federal bank failout. Skip to here to see all the fun stuff the government won’t let you know about how the $850 billion is being spent.
- “Huge cache.” Or as we call it in my casa, the “hall closet.”
- Pro Tip: When stealing cars, try not to steal a cop’s ride. Are we clear, Eminem?
- Yeah, call me a cynic, but somehow I’m not believing the Dallas chapter of ACORN.
- There’s a special hell for people who take a fun holiday like Halloween and turn it downright creepifying.
- I’m punting on this one. Yeah, but no, but yeah, but…
Personal note: Since October 1, I’ve written close to 14,500 words for print publications — features, columns, and magazine briefs. I’m just about out from under water. This may have been my best freelancing month yet. Here’s to November being just as busy, which will mean a very Merry Christmas indeed.