This Is A Bad Thing?

I’d like to thank everyone who fired off an e-mail in response to last week‘s column. Looks like I finally found a subject people are interested in. People from both sides of the issue sounded off. Whether you like it or not, there are a lot of us who support the idea of the cops having the equipment they need, when they need it. One lady pointed out that there are really two “gangs of five” if you include the Mayor with his veto pen. In her opinion, this particular “gang of five” couldn’t care less about the safety of our citizens or the cops who literally put their lives on the line every day of the week. She firmly believes this gang is made up of cowards who’ve caved into the political pressure. Hey, don’t get mad at me. Those were her words, not mine. I’m just the messenger on this one.
I know it’s hard to believe, but some of you didn’t agree with me. One guy was so bent out of shape he wrote just to call me a bunch of names. He proudly told me I was nothing but Brett Blackburn’s water-carrying, little bitch. I thought it was pretty rude but I’m getting used to that sort of thing. Hey, you have the same right to your opinion as I do. But if you’re that proud of the things you’re saying, you ought to at least sign your name to it. Maybe that’s just me though.
My favorite response came from a guy who calls himself PM (pizza man) Paul. Pizza man seriously disagrees with my position. No, he didn’t write to call me names. He took the time to list the things he disagrees with me about and the reasons why. We exchanged a couple e-mails after that. In the end I think we both realized, well at least I did anyway, that were weren’t all that far apart on what we want. It wasn’t so much that he doesn’t want the cops to have the helicopter if they need it. It’s the fact that the City has squandered millions of dollars on software. Again, don’t get mad at me, those are his words, not mine. Pizza man, you might not have wanted to use your name, but I most certainly respect your opinion and thank you for the debate. You Sir, are a worthy opponent.
I think pizza man has it exactly right. People are so worked up about the software issue that it doesn’t matter what the City Council does, they’ll be against it. I don’t claim to understand the software issue, in fact it’s so far over my head that I’ve never really tried to talk about it. I do remember Brett Blackburn voting against it in the first place. But when the Mayor vetoed it a few days later it was Brett’s tie-breaking vote that over-rode that veto.
Now you hate him! I’m wondering though, just how many of you have heard his side of the story? Have you talked to him? Or are simply parroting the same things you read in the news paper or hear on talk radio? Maybe you’ve formed your opinion based on the comments made from our very own County Commissioner Vic Miller? Have you noticed that he can do or say about anything he wants and still be the media darling? He can publicly belittle anyone who crosses his path, he can spend millions on almost anything he wants and the media still gives him a pass.
How about this? How about everyone involved forgetting about scoring political points long enough to do what’s right for our cops and their families. I know you don’t want to hear about this. But again, it’s going to cost us more over the course of the next five years to keep the old helicopter than it will if we buy the new one. How is this a bad thing?
Kevin McGinty can be reached at: kevinmcginty@sbcglobal.net