BITS & PIECES

© 2006 Chuck Klein

Some recent news events that need observation/clarification

1) Since the Air Force Academy started admitting females into the student body there have been a number of sexual attacks on female cadets. These "victims" have claimed that their commanding officers have, for the most part, ignored these reports and/or have refused to conduct serious investigations or punish the offenders. It seems to me that if we are training these officers to be the leaders of our fighting forces they - the female cadets - should have put up one hell of a fight if they were subjected to an unwarranted and illegal attack. In no reported case or hospital record did one of these "victims" get physical with their attackers. I mean, what are we training them for? If a cadet whined to her C.O. that they she was assaulted and this future soldier DIDN'T have cuts, bruises and/or broken bones, she's either lying or is a coward and thus not fit to lead others.

2) Has our government become so aloof and egocentric that they are now the epitome of George Orwell's Animal Farm? It seems that, tragically, an employee of the Hamilton County (Ohio) Job & Family Services was recently kidnapped from the parking lot of her downtown CITY office and then raped. The Sheriff responded by placing deputies at all CITY locations where County employees work. Criminals and crime might be rampant in Cincinnati, but it is not the function of government to expend taxpayer funds for the protection of special classes of people. How about the non-county employees who live and work in "dangerous" locations - shouldn't they also be provided with taxpayer funded special protection? Just because one is a government employee, doesn't make their life worth any more than those who don't work for the government. Maybe Orwell was right: "… some animals are more equal than others."

Perhaps, a better solution, for those county employees (and others) who feel vulnerable, is to seek the state certified training for carrying a concealed firearm - and then carry one.

3) Recently a Black Hamilton County (Ohio) judge sentenced a white racist to spend time in a Black church. That might be an acceptable use of alternative sentencing if he had let it go at that. However, the judge stated: "…you have to understand that you are at the whim and authority of a black judge." There, of course, was no repercussions. One can only wonder the fallout if the judge issuing such an outrageous statement, had been white and the offender Black.

4) Every year our legislators (local, state and federal) gather to pass laws. Now, after 225 or so years, there are more laws on the books than there are facts in the encyclopedia. For example, the book containing the Ohio traffic and criminal codes - in small print - runs to over 1400 pages. That's just two of the 22 titles and that's just for one of 50 states. Add local and federal laws, statutes, edicts, ordinances, etc., and well, you get the picture. Maybe it's time for a "KLEIN'S CONSTITUTIONAL LAW: The Constitution should be amended to say: For every new law, statute or ordinance - two must be repealed."

5) I am troubled when my fellow compatriots claim that GWB is violating the Constitution with his terrorist-activity wire taps. Aside from the fact that this is a very complex issue for which there is no constitutional language specifically excluding such tactics by the Commander in Chief during war time, these self-proclaimed champions of the Constitution are the same ones who insist on passing laws that violate those very clear and simple words: "The right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."