Posted on 05/15/2003 10:07:28 PM PDT by Havoc
The sound of a grenade is not something one is exposed to on a daily basis. I heard my first one earlier this evening as I browsed the web. I opened my front door to investigate and found my block covered in red and blue lights and well armed policemen.
Mostly hovering a few doors down, a major drug bust was happening. I put on a pot of coffee and went outside to peruse the goings on. Swat had been called in and enough squad cars to effectively shut down the entire block. The words "Search warrant for 1010" rang out over the police P.A. for about 5 minutes while the home was surrounded and subsequently invaded.
I stood on my lawn for a while just watching. In the night air, I found it necessary to go after my jacket, smokes and some of the fresh brewed coffee that I was sure was ready by this time. Neighbors gathered in my yard and we chatted with the officer standing perimeter nearby. You've never seen people so happy to see police doing their job, nor officers happy enough to be doing it.
This neighborhood and my street in particular has had a great deal of traffic for a 'quiet' part of town. It appears quiet to the unknowing. But when the traffic begins, people stay inside. A neighbor's boy had been shot in his own yard then dragged in his house and robbed some time ago. "They come to your door, knock, put a gun in your face and rob you" one neighbor stated. "Everyone's afraid. It's good they're doing this.."
The effects were immediately noteable. Others on the block stood complaining and perhaps wondering when the explosion at their door would come - followed by the serving of a warrant. One can hope it will be sooner than they can prepare for. The police were professional and handled the situation well. A force to be proud of.
It was a drug bust. I was a spectator rather than a journalist; so, I didn't get the numbers, merely the reaction and the general view. And I made a friend. I talked for a while with an officer on the street and found we knew some of the same people. We graduated two years apart and from the same school. This is a guy not even working narcotics - just there to lend a hand. And did a good job IMO.
As swat prepared to leave, vehicles that regularly visited our street only for a few minutes at a time rolled up on the scene, did abrupt u-turns and sped off. Time to go finish dinner.
As I sat at my computer once again trying to enjoy my steak, "Booom". Another concussion grenaide. Hooaah. I put my contacts back in, got my gear back on and found my new friend standing perimeter again. A few more houses down, the floor was littered with bodies in cuffs face down on the floor while swat secured the location and detectives moved in. Nice time to chat and get to know the officer better. Great guy - hope I see him again when I can buy him a cup of joe. He turned down fresh brewed at about 10:30 - "I gotta sleep sometime tonight," he grinned. understandable.
The scene has cleared now and no shots fired - no injuries other than prides of those who have dealt drugs and terror to the neighborhood seemingly without challenge up to now. They aren't the only ones and I doubt they'll be the last. I know little of the goings on other than instincts and what I've heard from the neighbors. Tonight I learned more about my surroundings than I thought I could in 4 hours. And I reinforced my understanding of just how screwed in the head libertarians are on this subject. They see a "harmless drug" and discount the damage done by those who push them. But then, one defends what one generally likes despite the protestations that they don't use.
Because of the actions of a lot of cops just doing their duty, a lot of good people are breathing and sleeping easier tonight. Hats off to KPD! The war on drugs came to my street tonight. And I'm glad it was here - though I'm sure some will attempt to disposess me of the notion that these druggies are bad. The real bad guys are the boys in blue, they'd proffer. Patent nonsense, the real bad guys are the druggies and those who enable them and rally to their cause. I wonder how many libertarians and democrats went to jail tonight.. I too will rest easy.
Sheesh! I was going to guess Gary!
Bull. The problems we have are due to a group of people wanting money and power that is satisfied by pushing drugs and carrying weapons to enforce their dealings. The laws are not the problem. The lawbreakers are the problem. If you want to shovel that crap, you'd best shovel it elsewhere. I've no place on my doorstep for it. If you were here, I'd introduce you to the elderly couple next door and to the rest of the block. You'd be doing good to get away without getting the tar beat out of you peddling that crap to people who know better!
Maybe next to you.
You have pulled all the pot heads out of the woodwork.
Have fun!
ROFL! I could not care less, unless they are running a retail operation near me. The SOB's come and go all nite long and they blow their damn horns all thru the night.
They toss beer cans and wine bottles in my yard and keep my dogs barking until they get hoarse.
I would like to take a few out myself, but I don't need the hassle.
That is what the cops are for. If it was up to me I would bust them for illegal business operations in a residential area. Who gives a crap what they smoke.
Stay Safe !
The crap you're shoveling is the nonsense that crime occurs because of laws. BS. Terrorism doesn't occur because there are laws against it. Nor will it go away if we legalize it. It isn't a matter of economics - it's a matter of mindset. And drugs do not induce a mindset condusive of good behavior. Legalizing them will not change that. Nor will it change the damage done to families and communities by drugs. You're argument is a fallacy filled copout designed to play falsely against reason and make the idea sound good.
As for my neighbors beating the crap out of you - perhaps if you'd lost family and friends, had a loved one shot or been mugged in your own home, you'd understand the passion. Your passion appears to be drugs. I've no illusions that you can get past your love of drugs to see the sense of them being illegal. All most of you care about is yourselves and your selfish wishes to be doped up regardless of the effects on everyone around you. To hell with everyone else - right. Your rights end where mine begin. That's why we have laws. That's why you're supposed to abide by them. Without them I could rape your wife and get by with it - (not that I would, some of us just have some morals, don't ya know). But then there would be fewer rapes and less damage done by rape if rape was legal, right....
Tell you what, don't deal with the parallel cases. I know you can't see them and won't address them anyway. It screws up your argument to focus so much on all it's weeknesses. And besides, it ruins your rosey fantasy world of how things would be perfect if everyone behaved the way you'd like. Deal with it. Don't do the crime if you can't do the time.
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