Re: Very bad news today in RMS's extended modelling community of Lancaster PA

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Ah yeah. Kinda knew how that one was gonna come out. Killed a cop and his dog? Ain't no way he's gonna get a day in court.
And good on the cops for the solution, too.
Frank

On Mon, 02 Oct 2006 22:32:51 -0500, Gray Ghost wrote:
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Always assuming of course there is 100% certainty this was the guy they wanted. Satisfying though it often is, vigilante justice carries certain risks..
Rob

OK....lets review. The guy was hiding under a fallen tree very near the spot where one officer was killed, one wounded, and a police dog was also gunned down. The suspect would not show himself when directed. He was seen pointing his gun at the advancing police officers. What would you have them do; put down their guns and ask him pretty-please to not shoot them, put down his gun, and come out whenever he feels he's ready?
There's no rule of law that says the cop has to take the first bullet just to make sure the perp was really intending to shoot him.

Just for the record, I hadn't heard anything about this incident until the posts on this group.
On Tue, 03 Oct 2006 19:43:40 -0400, Bill Woodier wrote:
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That's certainly ground to treat him as extremely dangerous, and shoot him. Blazing away as described earlier still seems excessive though. Presumtion of innocense (to the earlier shooting in this case) should still apply, and he should have had his day in court if feasable.
Mind you, this character definately qualifies for a Darwin award. Getting into a gunfight with a bunch of understandably enraged police officers is terminally stupid.
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If anyone draws a gun on anyone else, he has no grounds for complaint if his apparent target shoots him first.
Rob

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I'll bet beans to bullets (heh heh) that he had his day in court on several occasions prior to the murder of the policeman and the K-9 officer.
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Indeed, the gene pool went up a full inch when this guy took a dirt nap.
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Amen.
WmB

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Mystery solved - turns out he was a sicko molester from way back and wanted more. The big question now is whether he was copycatting the CO incident and if so, what we're going to do about it before the next one starts having bad dreams.
WmB

WmB wrote:
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How do you know when that could happen? We can't put all of us in jail. He sure didn't show his wife any signs although I'm sure she'll spend the rest of her life wondering if she missed seeing something.
I hope something distracts the newspeople soon. I have no idea what's happening in the rest of the world because the locals and all the Philly stations aren't giving it a rest. Even the fricking commercials aren't any relief as most of them around newstime are political. And it's getting awfully dirty on the airwaves!
On a related note, I hope they don't let Foley off because of 'alcohol'. That would be the height of stupidity. I also hope they come down hard on any of those who should have put a stop to him because they knew he was odd. Doing otherwise makes them no better than those bishops who let predator priests slide.
Bill Banaszak

Bill Woodier wrote:
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    I think it was Elmer Keith who used to write a column on hand gunning for the old "Guns & Ammo" magazine who said: "For serious social work you can't beat a .45".
                        Bill Shuey

William H. Shuey wrote:
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I love that line!

Mad-Modeller wrote:
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    The thing that bugs me is, a number of former pages have been interviewed and several said that they were warned about Foley when they started the program. If that's so, then some on the other side of the Isle also knew about his "problem". So why did they wait till now to make a stink?? Oh that's right, it's just before an election!
                        Bill Shuey                         registered cynic

"William H. Shuey" wrote:
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There's no doubt that the other side is going to make hay on this but I agree that some had to have known. The whole rotten group should resign without regard to party affiliation. Few of them will be missed as the Congress as a whole doesn't possess a spine to speak of.
Bill Banaszak

There seems to have been considerable toleration of unethical, immoral, and illegal behavior by members of the Senate and House by other members on both sides of the political aisle over the years. It makes me wonder if any normal, moral, hard-working, law-abiding people go into politics or if they are ALL just a bunch of greedy, me-first, self-serving, egotistical, morally bankrupt walkin' talkin' rectums.
I know I probably have my rose-colored glasses on but, these people are supposed to represent US, not themselves. They all seem motivated first by what's good for them, then by what's good for their particular party, and finally, if they get around to it, what's good for the American people. And sadly, a good bit of the blame lies with us, the voting constituency. We keep voting these jackals back into office.
I think term limits of two terms for both the Senate and House would not be a bad thing. True, it wound reduce the experience level but it might not be a bad price to pay since it would also reduce the impact of the greedy, dishonest, power-hungry, etc, etc. It would also provide an avenue for getting rid of them, even when we, the voters, don't have the guts or common sense to vote them out ourselves.
OK, rant mode off.

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The only time in my life that I wrote to a member of Congress was in support of term limits. I wish I had saved the response. A patented, canned response that was well cited with legal precedence and blah blah blah why the congressman disagreed.
He towed the party line during his terms in office, maintaining the status quo when so much more was needed (and still needs) to be done by a real mover and shaker. From day one he was just this old figurehead that could be counted on to vote accordingly and maintain the status quo - just like his predecessor. And wouldn't you know it, his retirement was hastened when the opposing party in the state legislature (the majority) remapped his district and put it in play - if only he should he should have a miscue. To which he obliged with an ill advised campaign remark that forced him to abandon his re-election bid.
But not before tapping a figurehead successor who seems to understand that his number one job is to... ... be counted on to vote accordingly and maintain the status quo.
Sound like sour grapes? This congressman was from the party I support!!!!
Term limits: Good enough for the POTUS, good enough for 535 men and women who would be the most powerful and influential people in government.
WmB

Bill Woodier wrote:
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I'd go farther than that - term limits, and a repeal of congressional immunity from prosecution. If they can't make laws they can live by, then let them suffer the consequences just like the rest of us.

I suppose I would agree with that as well. The original immunity from prosecution bit was enacted, if I remember correctly, in an attempt to prevent an elected representative from being detained for the purpose of keeping him/her from attending a session and, particularly, a vote. So, here is another example of what was once probably a good idea being morphed into what so many of our elected legislature view as a get out of jail free card.
I've about had enough of the partisan politics, putting the good of themselves and their party (again, either party) over the good for the country and its legal citizens. I think it's time these folks become real people, answering to the will of the people that put them in office (both parties). They've legislated themselves so many perks, fat retirement plans, pay raised and other sweet deals that they think they're some sort of royalty. There may be a few exceptions but most of them have become so self-serving, untouchable, and arrogant that they have become disconnected from their constituents and only care about us when election time rolls around. Maybe it's time to make them accountable to the lies and promises they make to us at election time.

Bill Woodier wrote:
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Sounds like Australian politicians ,maybe ALL politicians are tarred with the same brush so to speak.

"Kevin(Bluey)" wrote:
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There does seem to be a certain type of person attracted to the job. Wish there was some way to tell those apart before they get into office.
Bill Banaszak, MFE Sr.

I got it! If someone is deliberately running for political office, they must be a scum bag. Don't vote for them! ;~)

Bill Woodier wrote:
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I think there should be a non binding "None Of The Above" available on the ballot for every office, ballot proposal, etc...
The candidate who gets the most votes still gets elected to office but it would send a pretty strong message to said newly elected official that while he/she got 40% of the vote and his/her opponent got 10%, there's still 50% of the electorate who felt that neither candidate was worthy.
Just my $0.02 worth...
Jay Beckman Chandler, AZ

Speaking once again to the header of this thread, should you desire to leave some message of condolence you may try at wgal.com or lancasteronline.com. Just follow the directions to the appropriate links on the pages. The TV station said tonight it has been getting messages from all over the world.
And, in a momoent of rare sanity, that Kansas 'church' that likes to picket military funerals decided not to try that here at the young ladies' funerals. Apparently the State Police couldn't guarantee their safety. Not from the Amish as they've done something very rare in this world. They've forgiven the killer and invited the wife and family to at least one funeral.
Sometimes one gets annoyed with the Amish as they attract clueless tourists and clog the roads with buggies. It's been an education in watching them deal with this tragedy. I don't think I'd have the strength to carry on as they do in the face of something like that. I for sure would have trouble not hating the person who did the deed. If any group deserves the title 'Christian' they certainly do. They live it everyday.
Bill Banaszak