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I have a difficult confession to make. In 2016, I was very reluctant to vote for Donald Trump. However, when it came to ‘crunch time’ I ended up voting for him more because of the two things he wasn’t, rather than what he was; he wasn’t a career politician and he wasn’t Hillary Clinton. In my 45 years as a voter, I’ve developed a pretty jaded opinion regarding career politicians. Simply stated, I don’t trust them. As for Hillary Clinton? Well, she’s Hillary Clinton…no need to elaborate on that...
There’s so much happening that it’s hard to pick a topic. I’m going to take another ‘shotgun’ approach and paraphrase conversations I’ve had with friends and family over the past two weeks. There’s a lot going on! The Presidential Debate was a debacle. While I proudly support President Trump, I was disappointed with his performance. I think he let his anger and frustration get the better of him. I also think though, that his anger was somewhat justified. It seemed to me that, at times, he was...
I first met my friend Bob in March of 1984. I was the FNG (Google it…I can’t write the definition here!) in Metro and Bob was an assistant squad leader in SWAT, which for me at the time was the epitome of what I aspired to be. Bob impressed me from day one. He was easy going, friendly and an absolute professional. Bob is an Oklahoma cowboy who joined the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) in 1972 after serving in Vietnam. Over the years, I got to know Bob really well and we developed a clo...
Two weeks ago, I threw myself a whiny little pity party because I was a little discouraged. I want to say thank you to all the wonderful people who called and wrote letters and emails encouraging me to continue writing this column. I needed the kick in the pants! Thanks! A friend sent me a “meme” via email last week that I’d like to share because it cracked me up. It was a political cartoon that had two separate panes. The first depicted the Republican symbol of the elephant holding a micro...
When I first started writing this opinion column, I thought it would be fun and challenging. I was right about the challenging part but wrong about the fun! I had something completely different in mind for this week’s topic, but feel compelled to share my thoughts. I was talking with family and friends about this whole writing process the other night. I came to the realization that it’s just not that much fun. I guess that’s probably my own fault. When I take on a project, I go full bore. I don...
I have a sign in my bar that says, “Beer; Helping white men dance since 1885.” I bought that sign because I love the humorous truth in that statement. I know I can’t dance and anyone who has seen me try will support my claim. However, give me a beer or two and I think I’m Fred Astaire (a buddy of mine swears that I once won a dance contest while trying to make it to the bathroom, but I don’t remember that!). I looked at that sign the other day and wondered how it would be received by the so call...
As I watched and read the news this last couple of weeks, I came to a disturbing conclusion; I don’t care anymore! I’ve been following the situation in the cities of Chicago, Portland, New York and Seattle (to name only four) pretty closely because of all the “civil unrest,” and realized, I just don’t give a damn! That’s a hard admission for me to make. People that know me well from my law enforcement background (particularly those I trained/supervised) will be shocked that I made such an adm...
Looking back, I’m often amazed at where and when I’ve learned some of my most valuable lessons in my life. In early 1981, I was working south Los Angeles in 77th Division. My partner and I handled a call that, although pretty routine, taught me something important. I’d like to share an abbreviated and, somewhat sanitized, story of that experience. We received a call to, “See the man. Family dispute at (can’t remember the address).” In the early 80’s, what is now called a domestic violence incide...
There’s been a great deal of discussion about racism lately so let’s visit that topic a little differently. I’ll explain from my perspective. Unlike many who are offering their opinions, I didn’t just visit or read about racism in a particular area…I lived and worked in such areas nearly my entire life! Before I continue with this true saga, I want to point something out. Somewhere along the line, the term “racism” has come to mean “White people against everyone else.” I can comfortably state...
Several people have asked me my thoughts about the death of George Floyd from a law enforcement perspective. I thought about that and realized that, because of my experience, I initially looked at that video much differently than most people. I hope I can explain this effectively. I want to make something abundantly clear before I explain my thoughts. I believe that what happened to George Floyd was a tragic, criminal act. None of the thoughts I’m about to share are intended to minimize what hap...
I recently started running again and it’s hard to describe how good that has made me feel, physically and mentally. I guess I should back up a step and explain that calling what I do “running” is being especially generous with the word. My wife and I laughingly call what I do a “wog.” Something between a walk and a jog. It’s hideous, but I’m moving forward so I’ll take it. My journey with exercise has been long and mostly ugly! Growing up, I was the chubby kid. I was always picked last for...
The past two weeks have been pretty crazy in Washington, D.C.! Previously classified documents were declassified and released. Other documents that were never meant to see the light of day were discovered. Collectively, these documents have revealed a pattern of conduct, by a certain group in Washington, D.C., that should disturb all Americans… regardless of political affiliation. It’s impossible to discuss all of this in the space allowed so I’m going to summarize the best I can while issui...
The only thing we have read about or watched in the news for the last month or so has been about the coronavirus. I understand that it’s the media’s job to keep us informed, but it seems that none of what we read or watch is very positive or uplifting. So, I decided to do a little digging, trying to find something upbeat to talk about. It turns out that, despite what we might think, there are some pretty positive things coming out of all the problems. People across the nation are getting rea...
m a month working in Seattle. I got there just in time to be in what the media has referred to as “the epicenter of the coronavirus in the United States.” The media response to this virus is extensive and, in my opinion, potentially dangerous. I recognize that the coronavirus is quite serious, but I also believe that the constant reporting is a hazard. I’ve seen this happen before with the AIDS epidemic. I’d like to try to explain my opinion by drawing a correlation between what happene...
I often hear politicians speak and just get angry at what I’m hearing. That happened last week when I heard Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer threaten Supreme Court Justices Gorsuch and Kavanaugh. He was addressing a crowd and talking about the fact that the Supreme Court had agreed to hear arguments on a Louisiana case regarding abortion. It’s important that the reader understand, Schumer wasn’t talking about a Supreme Court decision. He was talking about the fact the court was hearing the c...
A friend made a comment about this column the other day that really resonated with me. She said that she and her husband really enjoy the column and have had some great conversations after reading it. Obviously, I was pleased to hear that they enjoy the column, but it was her comment about the great conversations they had after reading it that meant more. For me, that’s what it’s all about. I think that the ability to have those discussions (particularly the tough ones) is a dead, or at min...
After the Mueller report was released, I wrote a column where I expressed the opinion that D.C. Democrats were going to squander an opportunity to move forward and work with President Trump. Unfortunately, I was right. They chose to continue their efforts to discredit President Trump and pushed forward two incredibly weak articles of impeachment. Last week, President Trump was acquitted of both those charges. Not surprisingly, those who support President Trump are delighted with the outcome,...
Last week I saw a news item and video that showed a police officer being attacked and kicked while on the ground wrestling with a person he was trying to arrest. No one intervened to help the officer. I’ve also seen recent videos (plural!) of police officers in New York getting buckets of water thrown on them as they were trying to do their jobs. These are just two recent examples of behavior that demonstrates a disturbing and dangerous lack of respect for law enforcement. Now we are again s...
Last week I attended my youngest granddaughter’s graduation from Marine Corps boot camp. This was my second military graduation this year. In September, my other granddaughter graduated from Air Force boot camp. I wrote about that graduation in September. In that column, I wrote about my takeaway from the ceremony and the benefits of military service. I don’t want to belabor the topic, but there’s more to be said about the young people choosing military service. Both of my granddaughters were...
Last Thursday night I watched the Baltimore Ravens stomp the New York Jets. The Ravens are a powerhouse this year and the Jets, well…not so much. I knew before the game started that the Jets were going to lose, but I watched anyway. The Jets players knew they were going to lose too. You could see it on their faces as they stood on the sideline. So why would I watch the game if I was so confident in the outcome? Simple… I love football and it’s entertainment. It’s the same reason I sometim...
As I write this, I’m sitting in a hotel room thinking about Thanksgiving two days past. I’m in Seattle for work and not sure how long I’ll be here. Being in Seattle has made me very homesick, but it is also what caused me to reflect on all that I have to be thankful for. I know this column will appear in the Ledger a full week after the actual Thanksgiving holiday, but I still feel compelled to share my thoughts. This may ramble a bit! Being in Seattle for an extended stay has made me reali...
I’ve been following this whole impeachment process against President Trump pretty closely and I think he’s handling it all wrong. I’ll explain my reasoning below, but first let’s develop a little background information. This whole impeachment threat, as far as the Washington Democrats are concerned, comes down to what is called a “quid pro quo.” Here’s Webster’s definition of a quid pro quo: something given for something else.In a nutshell, the Democrats feel that (during a telephonic conversati...
Last week was Red Ribbon Week at our schools. For those that don’t know about it; Red Ribbon Week is a national drug awareness program aimed at educating students about the dangers of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. The program began in Southern California after the 1985 torture and murder of DEA Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena at the hands of a Mexican drug cartel. The program has been taught in our nation’s schools since 1987. I was at the high school last Thursday to help with the Elks Lodge’s...
In my last column about the “Impeachment Circus,” I made a statement that I think I should clarify. In that column, while discussing information sources, I stated, “I don’t care where the information comes from if it’s credible.” When I reread that sentence, it dawned on me that some readers might mis-understand my meaning and believe I was willing to rely solely on questionable information sources. Also, I think the issue of credible information sources is going to be in the national spotlight...
As a buddy of mine used to say as we watched the lunacy around us every day, “The hits just keep on coming!” That sort of lunacy is happening again in Washington, D.C., and as usual the Democrats are leading the charge. Some friends were encouraging me to write about the proposed impeachment hearings the Democrats are pushing. I considered an in-depth discussion but quickly realized that it just wasn’t possible in such a brief format. There are just too many moving parts. As I see it, this...
