Got a Few Things on my Mind

Some of this stuff has been building up. Some of it is recent. We haven't had a COW* post in some time so you may have thought I've mellowed. No, I've just been practicing restraint.

So here goes:

 Dentist vs. Lion. You know the names. You know the circumstances. Unless you've been on another planet this week. Well, of course the dentist shouldn't have shot that particular lion. IMNSHO, nobody should be shooting any lion at all (or any other wild animal) unless it is for food or population control, so I don't think the dentist should be shooting any lions at all. People are incensed. Some are calling for him to be tortured or killed. Uh, I don't think so. Paying a huge fine (apparently he has plenty of money) or perhaps having to do community service in some relevant way, yes; but he doesn't need to have his life threatened because he did a dumb thing.

Dentist vs. Public Outrage. I've been meaning to rant about these goofy shrines that appear on the side of the highway or on a front lawn, you know, the flowers and stuffed animals. But I haven't gotten around to it. While I don't get it -- these shrines, I mean -- in general, I do kind of like this impromptu that has begun to appear in front of the dentist's office!

I'm peeved at those who are twisting this thing around. One news source noted that the dentist made a contribution to the Romney campaign. What the hamfat (as my late mother was wont to say) does that have to do with anything? And others are posting outrage that people are grieving the lion when they should be campaigning against Planned Parenthood. Hello? And other details of the dentist's life, details that normally wouldn't be known by his neighbors much less the entire literate world, are coming to light, details that don't have anything to do with a great big error in judgment vis-a-vis hunting. Come on, people: Focus!

The Candidates. Let's just say that some of them appear to be somewhat saner than others. And some supporters seem to have lost their presence of mind. An otherwise normally very bright friend of mine is crazy about Christie. And while no one has admitted it to me personally, apparently there are a whole slew of people who actually think that a certain reality TV star -- that's right, I'm not going to mention his name here -- who bears more than a slight resemblance to a lhasa apso should be our next Commander-In-Chief. My personal belief right now is that the election is Hillary's to lose and that's unfortunate -- not because she's an unworthy candidate, but because I would love to return to the years when I actually had reasons to think hard about which candidate -- the Republican or the Democrat -- would make the better President.

Police Officers. And please don't say "cops." I just think that is disrespectful. Yes, there have been a number of truly unfortunate incidents. And on the surface, some of these seem to have a racial component. But there's developed a sort of baby-with-the-bathwater mentality, collectively labeling all police officers as power hungry, racist, and other unpleasant things.

In my work as a hospital chaplain, there is not a shift that goes by that I do not interact with a police officer or two. Or more. Patients that come into the hospital as Trauma cases are often accompanied by police officers. Who are without exception, professional, courteous, helpful, concerned, compassionate, clear-thinking men and women. From several different police departments. I cannot say enough good about my interactions with these officers. I'm well aware that there have been some bad apples in the news. But these are definitely the exceptions, not the norm.

Okay. I feel a little better now. I'll get back to Alaska in the next post. Seriously.



*Cranky Old Woman