Michelle Obama Catches Flak by Bill Crimi – 2/22/08

“This is the first time in my adult life that I am proud of my country” is the statement made by wife of Presidential hopeful, Barack Obama for which she is catching a barrage of flak. Republicans and other anti-Obama pundits were especially quick to jump on the slam-wagon following Michelle’s statement at a rally for her husband, this week.

Many people seem to feel as if she was displaying at least an ungrateful attitude towards her country, in light of it providing assistance to her in her quest for a higher education, and ultimate success within the legal profession. Others have accused her of being un-patriotic. A number of complaints are being voiced, obviously by people who are twisting her words, or having heard a twisted version.

One case in point was an emotionally charged individual who stated, “I’m tired of people dumping on America…If she doesn’t like it here, she should leave…” Another false representation of her comment comes from those who are misquoting her, claiming that she said, this is the first time in my life…Of course, it is common for people to miss-quote, miss-hear or not hear at all.

Michelle has responded to the negative back-lash attempting to clarify what she meant, by stating that, she was referring to American politics. Generally…if she was proud of all our political processes, political candidates, elected officials, political decisions, etc….that would bother me. It would bother me that the wife of another American President, was as much a bubble-head as most seemed to be in our recent past.

On a good note, it appears as if the media has chosen to drop the issue rather quickly. Yesterday, this story was at the top of the news…today, hardly a word of it has been given press. They have focused more upon accusations that John McCain might have had a tryst with a young Washington lobbyist. Sex sells more newspapers, and attracts more viewers to news programs; McCain and speculation about his sexual exploits will remain in the news, far longer.

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New York City Cop Shoots Baby

By Michael Mann - Feb. 2008

Patrick Venetek, 24, reportedly has been a New York City Police Officer for less than two years. Assigned to Manhattan’s 1^st Precinct, he is a United States Army veteran, who served in Iraq with the 800^th Military Police Brigade at Abu Ghraib prison.

About one week ago, the young officer was sitting in his darkened, Brooklyn apartment, preparing his service weapon for cleaning. The apartment was dark because the utility company (Con Edison) had recently turned his electric service off. The light cast from the window was faint…too faint…Patrick failed to see the round still sitting in the chamber of his gun. Somehow, that round was engaged by the firing pin, sped through the barrel, penetrated the floor, and went into the arm of a little boy.  

This incident serves as a stark reminder for police officers to never get so comfortable with their weapons, that they forget it may turn against them in a single moment of careless, relaxation. The consequences of this officer’s action could have been tragically worse…a child could be dead…a grieving family could have had their heart’s wrenched from within their chests.

Now, the fact that a New York City Police Officer was paid way too little to sufficiently pay his bills and keep his electricity on, lends thought to another sad reality…the Mayor, and City Hall is partly to blame…they have a child’s blood on their hands too. With rents averaging $1,500. dollars, car payments $300. dollars per month, insurance easily the same, and all the other gigantic bills a person faces on a month to month basis, the meager $25.000 starting salary for a police officer is a crime in itself.

Sure the salary raises to about $32, 000. per annum after six months, but that is what many police agencies in other areas ‘start’ their recruits at…and, those are locations where the cost of living is considerably lower. Let us take that thirty-two thousand dollar salary and break it down to take home pay. Minus an easy to encounter 35% loss off gross, that leaves a sap with $21,000. Take rent payments of $1,200. per month away from the net, and that leaves $7,000. Seven thousand dollars minus 3,000. in car payments equals a balance of $4,000. Deduct vehicle insurance of $2,500. to arrive at a dismal $1,500. The phone bill sets one back another $600., leaving $900. dollars. Feeding yourself for fifty-two weeks could easily cost $2,500…Hmmmmnnnn…lets see…Gee, we are already $1,600. in the red for food…and the electric bill needs to be paid…

Shame on ‘Billionaire’ Mayor Bloomberg and his mean-spirited cronies…shame on the Police Benevolence Association for allowing their police officers to suffer like this…Nuff said.

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