Monday, June 10, 2013

The names

After Friday's shootings in Santa Monica, we will remember the name of John Zawahri for a very long time.  Likewise with the names of his brother, father, Carlos Navarro Franco and his daughter Marcela Franco and the still unnamed woman in her 50s who was murdered on the SMC campus (her name is known, but has not been officially released. 

Here are some more names:

Demetri Damon Forcey
Markai Jamal Brown
Anthony Roland Bucknor
Kenny Jermaine Fulks
Keyonta Muhammad Fulks
Theodore Melvin White
Brandon Deandre Myers
Edward Sanchez
Devin Smith

What they share in common is that all were victims of a homicide in L.A. County during the month of May.  All but one died from a gunshot.  We don't know their names because they didn't die in a multiple murder in what's considered a safe part of town.  Where did they die?

Forcey - Jefferson Park
Brown - Florence
Bucknor - Exposition Park
Fulks - Van Nuys
Ansari - Vermont Square
White - Leimert Park
Myers - Vermont-Slauson
Sanchez - East LA
Smith - Long Beach

There are safe, affluent pockets in three of those areas, but for the most part they are places I would avoid unless I was forced to be there for a business engagement or to visit a place I wanted to go to very badly. 

We're searching frantically to find a solution to prevent what happened last Friday.  Why aren't we searching for a way to stop these other killings with the same fervor?  Do you remember the name Karen Toshima?  If you're old enough and have lived in Southern California long enough, you do.  For those who don't, this will give you a snippet of what happened but you'll have to sign up to read the entire article:  http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,966768,00.html

The shootings in Santa Monica come a little over a quarter-century later and we still have the same issue.  Any murder in a "safe" area draws attention while murders in the "unsafe" areas draw little if any.  The haves and the have nots.  Now a multiple murder is automatically going to get much more attention from the media.  That doesn't mean the basic concept isn't valid.  When homicide was running rampant, rather than get the details on the news, we'd be told "in Los Angeles, nine people were the victims of homicide over the weekend" and then the news anchor would move on to the next story.

Maybe that's part of the problem.

* * *

Had a serious attack of the "I want" monster yesterday.  I was out running an errand and I stopped by 7-11.  Oh how I wanted just one 11 ounce bottle of V-8.  The monster tried to justify, rationalize or anything else to get me to buy one bottle.  Except that in my mind it was screaming that after a week without any, I *deserved* two bottles to celebrate my achievement.  The twisted logic of the monster was apparent.  So I didn't even walk down the aisle of the 7-11 where they keep the V-8.  I got what I was there for and left.  Sorry monster, you lose.  At least on that day.

* * *

Both Edward Snowden and PFC Bradley Manning swore an oath to protect the secrets of our nation.  Some are trying to claim that their actions in violating those oaths is not a crime because the "orders" they were following were not legal (mostly the defenders of Manning are making this claim).  They are incorrect. 

However, the question is moe complex.  Is someone who has knowledge of a crime that they fail to disclose to authorities an accessory after the fact?  Quite possibly.  Having knowledge that a crime was or will be committed, and knowing that their inaction would assist the criminal in evading detection; is the textbook definition of being an accessory after the fact.  Is this a sufficient defense for the violation of disclosing classified information?  That's for a judge and jury. 

* * *

This Date in History:

On this date in 1692, Bridget Bishop is hanged as part of the Salem Witchcraft Trials
On this date in 1854, the first class of midshipmen from the U.S. Naval Academy graduates.
On this date in 1898, Marines land on Cuba during the Spanish-American War.
On this date in 1935, Dr. Robert Smith takes his last alcoholic drink and with Bill W, founds Alcoholics Anonymous.
On this date in 1940, Norway surrenders to Germany.
On this date in 1940, Italy declares war on France and the United Kingdom.
On this date in 1944, 15 year old Joe Nuxhall becomes the youngest person to ever play in a Major League Baseball game.
On this date in 1947, Saab produces its first automobile.
On this date in 1977, James Earl Ray escapes from prison, but is caught on June 13th.
On this date in 1977, the Apple II goes on sale for the first time.

Famous Folk Born On This Date:

Sessue Hayakawa
Hattie McDaniel
Saul Bellow
Judy Garland
Nat Hentoff
Maurice Sendak
F. Lee Bailey (not the guy who played "Gorgan" on TOS)
Mickey Jones
Shirley Owens
Jurgen Prochnow
Dan Fouts
Andrew Stevens
Eliot Spitzer
Jeanne Tripplehorn
Elizabeth Hurley
Bobby Jindal
Tara Lipinski
Leelee Sobieski
Kate Upton

Movie quote of the day today is from "The Firm" since it's Ms Tripplehorn's birthday:

Avery Tolar: Do you think l'm talking about breaking the law?
Mitch McDeere: No, I'm just trying to figure out how far you want it bent.
Avery Tolar: As far as you can without breaking it.

#2

Tammy: Mitch sent me to tell you the plan's been changed.
Ray McDeere: I didn't know there was a plan.
Tammy: Well, that's good, because it's been changed.