In Smalltown, Missouri, there is a city employee - let's call him Joe. Joe is a legal gun owner, and occasionally transports his gun inside his vehicle. When he's on duty, he leaves his pistol locked up in his personal vehicle, in a city-owned parking lot.
Smalltown has a mayor who fancies himself to be A Big Deal. Joe and Mayor Bigdeal occasionally have a difference of opinion. While it's not advisable to advertise that difference of opinion with the official who is your boss, it does happen.
Most recently, said difference of opinion resulted in a phone call to the police, and Joe being arrested for concealing a weapon on city property.
Joe spent a night in jail, and faced criminal charges involving a weapon. If convicted, Joe would also face the loss of:
- his job,
- his weapon, and
- his hunting privileges.
The city attorney was cooperating in this process, up to this point.
Then something happened. Somebody talked. The Board of Aldermen got involved.
They asked questions.
They called upon the city attorney. And - gasp - FACTS began to be revealed.
Those facts, in short, were these:
- The city has no ordinance against weapons in personal vehicles, on - or off - city property.
- Approximately 75% of city employees carry concealed weapons.
- Most of those weapons are actually brought into the city's property (a building, in this case), where those employees show their weapons off to other employees.
- These weapons have occasionally been left in the break room.
- It has even occurred that the supervisor had, in his possession and inside city-owned vehicles, a personally-owned weapon.
- The mayor reasonably should have known this.
- The police should have known this.
- The city attorney should have known this.
- The mayor is a jackass, and NONE OF THIS SHOULD EVER HAVE HAPPENED.
Joe is now considering his options.
6 comments:
I am a police supporter in general and in particular..
BUT (you heard that coming, right?)
There should be a special level in hell reserved for officers who arrest people on nonexistent laws and for political reasons.
Joe should get a lawyer even if he agrees to let it be forgotten. A verbal agreement will be conveniently forgotten by the city. How do I know. Lebanon, MO. It' not the same city but at least Lebanon has a new mayor now.
I think Joe needs to teach this city a lesson it will never forget or try to repeat on someone else.
This is what is wrong in America, we are always told to forgive and forget; there is no accountability anymore. Without accountability for wrong doing there is no true repentance or change.
*sigh* Why oh why does this sound like a high school spat to me... geeze louise people can we grow up and act like adults!!!
"Joe" should demand a public apology - front and center. Sadly his only recourse is to tell them he'll sue if they don't. I hate that.
He could let it go, but then they will look for something else. Oh what the hell, they'll look for something else anyway.
*sigh* Like I said - High School. BAH!
I read somewhere, not sure where, that the Bible tells us to "turn the other cheek" but nowhere is it said to turn the other cheek twice.
The reputation of Joe was smeared if not openly (local smear rag or talk shows) then by word of mouth.
Joe's recourse could be to agree to forget the whole thing (be politically correct) or Joe could sue and most likely create an environment of distrust/dislike.
Joe also could insist on going through with the legal proceedings against him in order to clear his name and put the onus probandi on the prosecutor and thus on the mayor.
There comes a time when bullies must be faced and made public.
Actually, Meadow, the Bible tells us to turn the other cheek when we persecuted for being Christian. In all other regards, self-defense is acceptable.
There are practical concerns, such as Joe wanting to keep his job & feed his family.
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