There are times when the responsibility to post outweighs the discomfort of sharing those things which make one uncomfortable,…because it is the best to illustrate the theme of the missive. And I’m afraid today is one of those days. Yesterday morning I had treated myself to breakfast at the little diner owned by Herman Talmadge III (the same folks who own the Tara façade). I was leaving the diner to head back home to get busy on my schedule for the day and as I jumped into my old Chevy Blazer and pulled out onto 19-41 to head home, in my haste forgot to “put on” my seat belt. Well, within a mile of the diner I was spotted “unbelted” by a Henry County Police Officer who pulled out of his hiding place and “lit me up” as he attempted to give chase. Knowing that I was cornered and my short crime spree had come to an end I reluctantly pulled into the convenience store parking lot to receive my punishment. The young black officer (I note his color because it seems as though some folks think that a black Policeman is as rare as “hen’s teeth”) was cordial and very well spoken. He explained to me that I was supposed to wear my seatbelt and then took my license to make the necessary notations. In a few minutes he came back and in the same professional way handed me my penalty for my time on the wrong side of the law…a ticket to be paid to the local officials at the County. He also explained that I was welcome to take the charge before a judge (yea,…right) and argue my innocence (but the problem is that I wasn’t innocent). A number of years ago I had the responsibility via my oath to the State of Georgia to hold forth the rule of law via my job at the courthouse. There were many times each week that I explained to an individual that they, “had the right to remain silent…” the words that many of you know due to watching too many Police dramas on television or being “perp walked to the paddy wagon”. The point of the matter is that the officer yesterday did his job as he should and followed the rule of law in a very professional manner, and I was caught by the same rules I myself have proclaimed…and I therefore have no complaints…other than I don’t want to pay the fine. But over the last few years there has been a move afoot to “smudge” the lines of the law so that right and wrong are more of a subject to interpretation than a standard. Kind of like the batters in baseball who try their best to destroy the white chalk of the batter’s box to give them an edge,…but find that the edge cuts both ways and there is now no way for them to argue against a pitch as there is for it. The book of Romans says that “the law was our school master to bring us to Christ”. In other words the laws of God were put there so that there would be no doubt that we people could not do it on our own. But whether you believe the Bible and the Ten Commandments or the Code of Hammurabi (the first record of civil law) you must agree that without standards lawlessness is the result and lawlessness brings death and destruction every time (note the world of the middle east). Next week we have an election and I will vote for the Republicans without question…not because they are or have always been right, but at present they are the only group that still believes that the Constitution is our rule of law. No, I will not elect them and leave them on their own for I believe they are as reckless as a playground full of 3rd grade boys and girls…constantly in need of direction and supervision. But maybe after a term or two of the leadership and common sense of “we the people” the folks we elect to watch after the ship of state can once again be trusted, but not until they learn to buckle their seatbelts and follow the rules that regular folks have to deal with every day. I’ll see y’all on the off ramp.
Posted on: Wed, 29 Oct 2014 14:35:57 +0000
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