Looking for expert advice

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
If you are sick, where do you go for advice?

Right. The commode rinse cycle is better.

Most people will say a doctor. Some will say a pharmacist and others will turn to advice from a friend or relative. Would you call your congressman and ask for advice?

Lemme reconfigure this matter. Under what circumstances would you call your congressman and ask for advice?

For the hugely vast majority of people, the only time they call and ask a congressman for help is when they are dealing with some government agency. Some will call and ask for advice when they are in over their heads. A very few will call and ask for advice about pretty much anything.

Lemme rephrase this a bit. What do you trust Congress to do?

Ahhhhhhh. Considering Congress' now ranks behind spiders ans snakes in public opinion polls, I suspect the answer to the last question is: NOTHING!

Ok. I now ask you this. If you want advice on a certain situation whom would you go to? By whom, I mean a classification of people. Doctor, lawyer, plumber, electrician, etc. The person you call on would certainly depend on the what advice you need, right?

All right. Say you want advice on how to control crime and make your community safer. Whom would you go to? Would a Chief of Police or Sheriff be a good choice? I suspect most people would agree. If you do not agree, then I ask where would you turn?

Here's a quote for you from a book I'm reading. You fill in the blanks.

"Mail in surveys are seldom accurate, because only those who feel intensely about an issue are likely to respond, but the provide the best information that we have on police officer views. A 2005 mail survey for 22,000 chiefs of police and sheriffs conducted by the National Association of Chiefs for Police found that 92 percent believed that law-abiding citizens should ________________ ______________________________________________. Sixty percent thought that a national ______________________________________________ will "reduce the rate of violent crime.: The Southern States Police Benevolent  Association surveyed its 11,000 members during June of 1993 (36 percent responded) and reported similar findings: 96 percent  of those who responded agreed with the statement "People should have the right to_________________________________________" and 71 percent did not believe that stricter __________________________________________ violent crimes."

(multiple words per blank)

Before I fill in the blanks, let me tell you a substantial percent of Congress disagrees with this. Congress, whose only experience with crime is committing it, does not believe the Thin Blue Line.

Who will you side with?

Before I fill in the blanks, let me add this information. In course of my career as a journalist I have known, spoken to and interviewed nearly 20 Chiefs of Police and Sheriffs across the nation. Admittedly not a lot. I have no idea how many line officers I have interviewed over the years. More than 100 certainly.

I tell you each and every one of these men and women whom I spoke to agreed with the sentiments expressed in the above quoted paragraph.

In other words, the people who deal with crime in a very personal way each and every day of their life have a super majority opinion for a way to handle crime. A super majority. The experts say "This is a good way to handle crime." The people who make their living dealing with and arresting criminals say "You need to do this."

Now, will you do what they say?

Because I'm me, gonna make you wait until tomorrow to get the blanks filled in on that quote. I'm also going to tell you about how Congress efforts against what police recommend is racist and rooted in racism.