Sharp as a Marble - It matters because it could have been me

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It matters because it could have been me

Nanny State , News , There's a law for that

JayG has a post up (along with a stunning graphic, if I do say so myself) regarding this lovely little story

Concerns about an Oregon Department of Transportation employee who purchased several guns after being placed on leave prompted law enforcement across Southern Oregon to step in.

Negotiators and a SWAT team from Medford police safely took a man — whose name wasn't released — into protective custody Monday morning in the 500 block of Effie Street, Medford police said in a news release.

It pisses me off to no end to see shit like this for a multitude of reasons. A SWAT team is not an appropriate response and the continued militarization of our police forces needs to stop. How the hell did the police know he purchased handguns so suddenly? Why focus on handguns when more mayhem can be produced with plain gasoline? And why does being put on leave (not being fired) warrant fully armed SWAT teams to descend on your house?

But what really just made the hair stand up on the back of my neck was the sudden realization that that could have easily been me.

At my last job (well, the one I had for 11+ years, not the one I held for a month before switching to my current gig), I left on my own accord. I was pissed off at the way things were going, and as I am wont to do, was pretty vocal about my displeasure.

When I put in my notice, a coworker who was in a position to know pulled me to the side. They told me that upper management had considered me 'dangerous' and a 'loose cannon' because they read my blog at some point and were 'afraid for their safety'. As if I'd piss away my entire life and the lives of my family by taking potshots at them. Those people meant nothing to me, I was simply unhappy with my career and didn't want to continue it.

But they didn't see it that way, now did they? To them, I was the 'unstable' guy and apparently their illogical discomfort would be enough to have me arrested for doing something I do anyway? Well, not that I have a lot of cash to be buying guns, but you get the drift.

This is why I got a chill after thinking about this for a bit. That could have been me. And then my life would have been destroyed over someone else's PSH.

Say Uncle says

On one had, could have diffused a violent situation. Maybe. On the other, that seems constitutionally suspect.

Which I disagree with vehemently. They could have diffused the situation easier and in no way in violation of anyone rights by simply observing. This is "Pre-Crime".

Could the guy go nuts and shoot up the place? Of course he could (made easier by the fact his former coworkers were most assuredly disarmed), but alas that's a fairly broad assumption that could be made about anyone.

posted @ 3/10/2010 12:31:55 PM

Incoming Links

that does it for today | walls of the city on 3/10/2010 4:22:47 PM

Comments

Aaron says:

on 3/10/2010 2:48:29 PM

I totally agree about the militarization of police forces. I've been through Medford several times, and it seems like a nice, sleepy little town. A quick bit of Census-by-Google reveals that its population is around 80,000. Why does a moderately sized timber town in South Western Oregon even NEED a SWAT team?

Rabbit says:

on 3/10/2010 4:07:17 PM

There are very few "out" gun people in my building, although we all kind of know who we are. I used to keep a .50BMG dummy round and a 40mm linked empty hull in my cube as desk toys. One morning when my next level guys were in town, I found them 'missing'. I learned later that one of them had taken them, to presumably have them 'checked out'. Guess I passed their test, as that was a couple of years ago.

I'm surprised I haven't been asked to remove my bumper stickers, although I've noticed some peeling has occurred before I started parking by the door.

Regards,
Rabbit.

Christina LMT says:

on 3/10/2010 4:58:33 PM

This bullshit reminds me of that movie "Minority Report". Yes, let's arrest someone BEFORE THEY FUCKING DO ANYTHING. Give me a break.

Stuart the Viking says:

on 3/10/2010 5:02:12 PM

I don't bother to hide the fact that I am a gun nut. I have worked with a few people who I know were uncomforable with that, but so far it hasn't caused me to loose a job... yet. Don't get me wrong, I don't shove it in peoples faces, I just don't go out of my way to hide it. Some people are just scared sheep.

My bigest fear as far as the popo coming to take my guns is my ex-wife or an ex-girlfriend deciding to "get back at me" by claiming domestic violence. All it takes is one restraining order (and they give them out like candy) and you have to turn in your guns. Right now I'm pretty safe, no girlfriend and the ex-wife is making nice nice, but you never know what will piss that woman off.

s

PhillipC says:

on 3/10/2010 6:00:27 PM

I left a comment on JayG's post that was wordy enough for one day, but I'm right there with you. I've been the 'scary' guy at a couple of places I've worked. You've met me, did I seem all that scary to you?

My point being, some people are so timid and fearful that anyone showing a little testosterone is something to be afraid of. So it could've been me, too.

Anonymous says:

on 3/10/2010 8:49:46 PM

I was let go from a job I held for three years because I used a pocketknife to cut a zip-tie at work. I'm not comfortable discussing the circumstances, but a friend in the company told me that I had been discriminated against. Seems the big boss had been nursing a grudge for some time.

Stuart's post resonates with me because I spent the next two weeks afraid that someone would try to fraudulently file a restraining order against me.

Justin Buist says:

on 3/10/2010 9:21:58 PM

How the hell did the police know he purchased handguns so suddenly?

I'm guessing multiple copies of the ATF's form required by dealers when somebody buys more than 1 pistol from them within 24 hours. Though I doubt the ATF would call local police to look into it maybe they do sometimes.

Like you I'd be a bit pissed if I found out somebody I was working for considered me dangerous. Doubt the current boss does -- I quit working for him back in 2002 to try new things and they didn't even bother asking for their key back. I handed it over to him when I let myself into the office a month after I left. I was there for company game night. :) Hired me back 4 years later too.

As a consultant I do worry what clients might think though. So far only one has brought it up. The next day the president of the company handed me a Taurus PT92 after opening up the FedEx box it was shipped in. No problems there!

Justin Buist says:

on 3/10/2010 10:11:58 PM

Nevermind that ATF multiple purchase notification requirement. I see that SayUncle and Sebastian already discussed how LE might have known about this and it wasn't eh ATF. My bad. That's what I get for not paying attention to stuff.

deadcenter says:

on 3/10/2010 11:31:07 PM

This sentence struck a chord with me, "Police are holding the weapons for safekeeping, but no criminal charges have been filed."

No crime. No arrest. No criminal charges. No adjudication of mental illness. No due process. Just the loss of private property. But they probably gave him a receipt, so it's okay?

Justthisguy says:

on 3/11/2010 10:01:40 PM

Dang, this kinda makes me shy away from my CafePress moneymaking idea. I had thought of designing a coupla t-shirts, one with the legend "Autistic Gun Nut" on it, and the other saying "Disgruntled Former Employee."

One can be disgruntled, and a former employee, and even armed, without being murderous.

Hey, we're humans, sometimes we have violent passions. Those of us who are grownups understand that we are supposed to control our violent passions and not let them run away with us. Who's riding this psyche, anyway?

Comments have been closed on this topic.