Category Archives: Commentary

Vote

I was so proud to vote today. Why? Because I saw people from all walks of life. I saw Muslims, Somalis, Mexicans, South Americans, all skin colors, all faiths, in wheel-chairs; I saw first time voters, elderly voters, immigrants, people dressed in suits, shorts, flip flops; all patiently waiting in line to vote. No fighting, no screaming, no pushing; just proud Americans choosing and using their right to vote. I cannot lie, I had watery eyes with emotion and strengthens the fact that I am proud to be an American no matter what issues of race, culture, economic means, sexual identity, religious background, crime, drugs, and terrorism that we are faced with every day. If I could have filmed my wait in line I would have because this is what being and American is about. Please vote and feel the pride and experience. I could care less who you vote for, I do care that you vote. Please do!

Four separate Amendments – the 15th, 19th, 24th, and 26th – even use the same powerful language to protect it: “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged . . . .” Of course, like every other constitutional right, the right to vote is subject to reasonable restrictions. Nevertheless, it’s just as much a constitutional right as any other embodied in our Constitution.

Source: Constitutional Accountability Center, http://theusconstitution.org/text-history/1621/yes-there-right-vote-constitution

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Choices between corrupt or non-corrupt because all politicians are corrupt

Sadly a people that don’t have choices between corrupt or non-corrupt because all politicians are corrupt and the one’s that truly are not corrupt, I assure you, you’ve never heard of them! So we are not really accomplices but rather just trying to decide which is better a gun or a knife!

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School Board Proposes Issue 57: A Three-Part Ballot Issue

No!, No!, No! – Get your house in order first before asking for money! There is tremendous waste in our Columbus Public School System and we have a severe inefficiency on how citizens are taxed in order to fund our schools. Perhaps explore how to better secure funding! Myself I have no problem in assisting our public schools even though I do not have children but hell no should I have to contribute more of my tax dollars to support families having 4-6 kids. There should be a method to tax on families with children and not on property taxes. It’s not a fair distribution. Additionally I shouldn’t have to pay more taxes when housing developers come in and build 100 family units and not have to pay anything for the increased infrastructure to build these developments and then a tax levy to support a new school that now has to be built because of that new development. Tax that development or make the developer create a fund to pay for that inevitable new school. It’s only fair and sensible.

School Board Proposes Issue 57: A Three-Part Ballot Issue

http://kidsohio.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/CCS-Proposed-Ballot-Issue-57-Guide-4-pager-FINAL-090116.pdf

Heroin Zombie Parade to Columbus City Council – 10/31/16

We could get a really cool zombie parade tomorrow in front of Columbus City Council if we just go out today or early tomorrow before the sun comes out and round up all the heroin junkies hanging in the alleys, bushes, vacant buildings, passed out in front of businesses or our school yards and parks. We could get tons of free needles provided by our outstanding city and can even get free Naloxone to keep these zombies stable while we put them in the tons of free grocery carts that clutter our alleys, parking lots, or recycling centers. We then just have to wheel them downtown just in time for council meeting. We’ll parade them around – all will be happy! Great community involvement round them up and leave them in the shopping carts in front of city hall. Yeah that’s the way. <Smiling smugly> Happy Halloween!

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Hope Over Heroin gathering brings hundreds for addiction help to Dodge Park

Obviously we need tougher initiatives stopping the dealers especially when you can realistically state on average at least two houses (mostly rentals) selling on each street thru out the Columbus Westside. We need tougher Judges in putting the dealers away. I understand we have overcrowded prisons but we need to think outside the box on handling these dealers. Heck, I’d ban them from living in the state. Ship them out. LOL, sarcasm aside, if you make the product harder to obtain, people addicted to these products will be forced to reevaluate what they are going to do and hopefully seek drug counseling services. Once here Counseling services need to step up and not focus so much on the stopping of the addiction but to find out what circumstances mental or otherwise have caused the addiction to begin with. This opens up a whole other door about providing adequate health and mental services for everyone as truthfully we all have been raised in an addictive society with doctors and the pharmaceutical industry pushing drugs down our throats from the day we are born. It takes a strong mind and character from the onset to maneuver around this constant bombardment from the doctors, pharmaceutical companies and especially the daily barrage of advertisements encouraging us to take pills for everything from gas, pain, too much hair to too little hair. Unfortunately, not everyone has this strong mind and character for a variety of reasons – Why? Perhaps if we find out, we can finally curb this and all drug epidemics!

Hope Over Heroin gathering brings hundreds for addiction help to Dodge Park
By Mike Huson
The Columbus Dispatch • Saturday August 20, 2016 5:08 AM

When Christina Littler learned last week that she nearly lost one of her legs due to an infection that had set in from repeatedly plunging syringes into the back of her right knee, she knew she had to make a change.
She knew she had to kick her heroin addiction. And she knew she would need help.
“I’ve been to rehab seven times,” Littler, 25, of the Hilltop, said. “But this time I have to. I’m going to die. And I need to be here for my 2-year-old daughter.”
She joined several hundred Ohioans Friday at Dodge Park in Franklinton for the first of a two-day “Hope Over Heroin” event, a faith-based gathering that offers freeheroin-addiction support to the public, along with food and live music.
Hope Over Heroin launched in summer 2014, after more than 14 deaths from heroin overdoses in a single week in Hamilton County in southwest Ohio, according to the group’s’ website.
That year, 2,531 Ohio residents died from unintentional drug overdoses, a 20 percent increase from the year before, according to an Ohio Department of Health report. Heroin accounted for about 47 percent of those deaths.
Since then, the Cincinnati-based movement has gone mobile, bringing its mission to end heroin addiction to cities throughout Ohio, as well as parts of Kentucky and Indiana.
The Rev. Jeff Leslie, of Judah Tabernacle on the South Side, joined other pastors and volunteers onstage Friday to offer hope and motivation to the crowd.
“We want the community to come to the awareness of the epidemic of heroin that is here, and offer the opportunity to get freedom from that and not have to stay in that condition,” he said.
To Leslie, faith in a higher power offers a powerful partner on the road to recovery.
About 30 churches participated in the Dodge Park event, helping connect addicts with on-hand representatives from 35 rehab and detoxification services.
Access to resources, however, wasn’t restricted based on spirituality or religion.
Ohio Addiction Recovery Center CEO Josh Butcher was there, offering his organization’s non-faith-based services to recovering addicts.
After eight years of sobriety from heroin, Butcher said he appreciates the importance of assistance in recovery, regardless of its connection with spirituality.
“In recovery, it’s about helping another addict, so if I see someone struggling, I’m going to give them the tools for the knowledge that I have,” he said. “Whether they decide to use it is up to them.”
Littler, who is not religious, huddled with volunteers for a group prayer after being blessed near one of the four large baptismal pools by the stage.
She said she plans to again attempt to detoxify and rehabilitate at a center in Gahanna starting Monday, this time, with the Lord watching over her.
Hope Over Heroin will continue Saturday at Dodge Park, 667 Sullivant Ave. The event, which begins at 7 p.m., will be preceded by a prayer march and memorial at 5:30 p.m.
mhuson@dispatch.com
@Mike_Huson

Suboxone for Heroin treatment

Something to think about regarding the heroin epidemic. In 2013, Suboxone sales brought in $1.55 billion. That was more than sales were for Adderall and Viagra combined in that same year.

Suboxone in itself is addictive and available only by prescription. So yes, let’s get people off illegal heroin use and get them started on free Suboxone! The pharmaceutical companies will bless you when your health insurance carrier has to cover it!

An irony, most heroin users were former prescription pain addicts (yes from the pharmaceutical companies) until it became more difficult to get it!

The pharmaceutical companies ALWAYS win.

https://www.thefix.com/content/suboxone-addict-you-never-knew-existed

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Traffic Stop while carrying concealed; What to do if you’re pulled over

These rules seem to be not followed. Reason? We feel that we shouldn’t have to be subjected to the rules and feel like a criminal because of one’s right to carry.

Nonetheless follow the rules and swallow your pride after all you wanted the right to conceal carry and applied and received the permit. Well follow the rules.

Traffic Stop while carrying concealed; What to do if you’re pulled over
Posted by Brandon Curtis, July 18, 2013
Updated on February 18, 2016 at 8:55 pm

Traffic Stop while carrying concealed; What to do if you’re pulled over

Tip #1: Hands 10 & 2, Dome light on

We are giving this the first spot because we feel it to be extremely important. The moment you are pulled over, the officer can and will notice any movement inside of your vehicle. It is better to remain still and calm with your hands on the steering wheel in plain site, and your dome light on to illuminate the inside of the vehicle. It is also a good idea to roll your window down the moment you are pulled over, so you do not need to reach out of site when the officer is at your window.

Tip #2: Advise the Officer

Our recommendation has always been the same, regardless of your state laws. Let the officer know that you have a firearm on your person. By doing this, you are being up front with them and this tends to portray you in a positive light. Obviously the reaction will vary from officer to officer, but our research shows that the majority of them are very welcoming of this information. The following phrase is commonly recommended “Officer, I want to let you know that I have a concealed carry permit in this state and am currently have one on my person. How would you like me to proceed?” Notice we said ‘have one on my person’. This is very important, as the last thing you want is another officer coming up on the other side of your vehicle and the first thing he hears is GUN. Additionally, asking the officer how he would like you to proceed offers them comfort and control over the situation.

Tip #3: Display Identification, move slow

You will probably, at some point, need to give the officer your Drivers License. The recommendation here is to provide your ccw permit at the same time. This verifies to the officer that you do indeed have your permit, and will more than likely make the process much smoother. Before reaching for your DL and permit, advise the officer of the location of your firearm. If you are like us, you’re carrying around 5 o’clock which happens to be the same general location as your wallet. Again, let the officer advise you if they choose to do so. If they don’t seem that concerned, make slow movements to retrieve your documents.

Tip #4: You are not being treated like a criminal

The #1 issue we hear is this: “Why should I have to tell the officer I’m carrying, I am not a criminal!” Remember this; the officer has no idea who you are, and just wants to get back to his family at the end of the day. With the nature of the job, there are inherent risks associated with it. It’s better to be safe than sorry and because of this, we feel that the above information is relevant and important. There are of course rare cases when an officer would go above and beyond the necessary steps and if your rights end up being violated, the process to rectify that should come after and not during the traffic stop itself.

Tip #5: Know your local and state laws

As with anything else firearm related, get familiar with your local and state laws. There are some states that require you inform the officer while carrying concealed, while others do not. Again, use your best judgement and proceed as necessary.

Always smile!

During my many interview processes with potential employers I always state that I always come to work with a smile, don’t engage in gossip, and always promote positive attitudes. Why am I mentioning this now? Because a single smile whether it be at work, in a grocery store, or randomly smiling at a person on the street in passing is contagious. It works! I do it a lot. Pass it on!

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Lawn mowing state of affairs

Well off to mow the lawn with headphones on listening to upbeat music with no news feed as to the state of our current affairs. A task with an immediate sense of accomplishment without comment to the clothing attire, accuracy of task, or grading as to how the task completed. It’s my output and my enjoyment to it’s success.

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Dallas Sniper Shooting against police.

“A coordinated strike on the Dallas police force.” – To me this is an act of terrorism and when all this mess finally sorts out, I will be totally ashamed of what our country has become if this turns out to be an act of a domestic group attempting to justify a domestic issue. Further I find it unconscionable that these snipers had to use a peaceful event to promote whatever agenda they were trying to accomplish. And further I sure don’t want to hear anything about BLM, gun control, politics, or police practices against citizens; this was clearly despicable and a disgrace to our nation!

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