Through The Lens Of Siriunsun's Camera

Insight

Rest In Peace, Freddie Gray

There is a reason why many police officers do not like to be photographed and recorded while on duty. It has a lot to do with evidence, proof, irrefutable statements to community, and with accountability. Police officers often are not fond of answering to the communities they serve when they abuse others, and in some communities, racism and bigotry replace the law. Freddy Gray's spine was crushed during an arrest in Baltimore, Maryland. He later died, and police in Baltimore have admitted that there wasn't actually a reason to arrest Mr. Gray. There are statements from five of his assailants, but one of them refused to cooperate, citing his fifth amendment rights against self incrimination. Fortunately, one of Mr. Gray's friends turned on his cell phone camera and began filming.

And, for your reading pleasure, here's a list of the names of the officers who were involved in Gray's untimely death. Rest in peace, Freddie Gray.

Abbie Hoffman Moment

In Case You Found Church Irrelevant This Sunday

Relisha Rudd Has Not Been Found

Relisha Rudd is still missing. She disappeared over a year ago, and the prime suspect is was found deceased, in an apparent suicide, shortly after. Is anyone still looking for her?

Bye-bye, Reverend Finn

The pope has accepted the resignation of Bishop Robert Finn, of Kansas City, Missouri, who pretty much got away with protecting one of his priests, Shawn Ratigan, when police came knocking on the door, search warrant in hand, requesting more information. After removing the computer requested by law enforcement and concealing it at another address, the court found him guilty of "failing to report" the crime and gave him "suspended probation". What a farce, and a mockery of justice! Shawn Ratigan had actually produced and trafficked kiddie porn while preaching the gospel, and Finn was more interested in protecting the kiddie porn, the kiddie porn producer, and the computer involved than in protecting his religion or the children involved. Sometimes, one simply has to take a minute to see christianity for what it so often is, and sleep in one Sunday morning.

Private Message

You know something, Rhino-ass? (you know who you are, too, and I know you will see this) When dozens of emergency vehicles are transiting a small town with virtually no population on the outskirts because a violent, unsolved murder has just taken place, expecting anyone to stop and pick up a stranger is absurd. Especially if the sheriff has asked everyone to avoid doing so, and to avoid driving through the area at all, if possible. Everything from rescue efforts to integrity of the crime scene could be compromised, and the sheriff was probably more concerned about public safety than picking up a whining rhinoceros who eats like a pig. I'd be scared to pick up a stranger, too, if someone had just gotten shot in front of my face. You need to leave everyone alone in circumstances like this.

If you want an easier train trip next time, try buying two tickets instead of just one. That way, both your ass and your face will fit where you sit. Avoid throwing trash everywhere, and leave everyone else's wallet alone.

The hairstyle looks better on this passenger, who also probably smells better than a certain whiney hitchhiker. All in all, a better seat mate, if one is travelling by train. By the way, I am sorry for your loss. 

Insight

Courtly Conduct Before Juries

We've been hearing a lot abut jury trials in the news, lately. We also, on a semi-regular basis, hear a lot about the press, social media, and the first amendment. But does anyone truly understand the sanctity of a jury decision, and the purpose of the protections of the same, both before and after the decision is rendered? Apparently, there is some misunderstanding, as a rather high profile case, that of the murder trial of Aaron Hernandez, ran a risk of dismissal shortly before the trial concluded because a reporter chased a vehicle transporting members of a seated jury in order to obtain pictures, names, and interviews!

What part of "do not sway, taint, or influence a jury" do these reporters not understand? Can they not see that when a defendant invokes his right to a jury trial, all involved parties count on an impartial jury? Before the jury has rendered a decision, this kind of crap can easily bias the jury and rob the defendant of his right to a fair trial. This is why judges are often obliged to invoke orders against discussion about cases by any involved party during trials. How can the court be sure that the jury was not responding to threats or bribes when deliberating the case if others have taken the liberties of influencing jury panels via outside conversation? This can lead to mistrials, miscarriages of justice, and convictions of innocent people.

One more thing this reporter attempted to do that was completely unwise was an attempt to photograph the jury while they were commuting to and from the courthouse. This was the reporter's excuse, as a matter of fact. He thought that merely snapping a picture of jury members was appropriate. He had not considered what might have happened if someone, somewhere had been dissatisfied with the verdict, and decided to use the information and pictures provided by the media in an attempt to gain some sort of vengeance on any member of the jury who could be identified. It seems that, thanks to social media and peer pressure in general, there is already enough temptation to "go with the flow" and do what everyone else is doing, and never do one's own thinking. In court, a jury is depended upon to depart from peer pressure and make it's decision as individuals, looking critically at the facts, not public opinion. Why should the media interfere with this process?

Abbie Hoffman Moment

What Goes Up Must Come Down

Many Amercans, at this point, think that there should be reforms made to the laws governing campaign financing for politicians running for office. From Fox News to Fact Checks, we end up with very little actual information and even less in the way of kept campaign promises and enterprising souls such as the Koch Brothers end up buying elections. Of the matter of corruption, there can be no doubt.....but does one ask for change by flying a gyrocopter into the no-fly zone over the Capitol and landing in the west lawn? Well, one person does. His name is Doug Hughes. And now he's "frustrated", according to Yahoo News, because his "message isn't getting out." Where's the eye-rolley when I need it?

What's wrong with joining one of the many committees devoted to reforming the campaign donations are collected and earmarked for various purposes? What's wrong with writing letters to representatives and lobbyists who have picked up that concern? Hughes hails from Florida, but if he is willing to travel to Washington D.C. to fly his gyrocopter toy in front of the Capitol, and get arrested while doing it, it would certainly not have been too much more difficult to travel to Kansas, instead, and find out how the scandal involving campaign loans between Governor Brownback and Jeff Colyer is going. Those two are under the investigation of a grand jury. The gyrocopter really didn't accomplish anything and most of us would not have associated the stunt with campaign finances or corruption. Hopefully, the next reformer will run for office himself, or write a book, rather than get arrested by flying a toy into a no-fly zone.

In Case You Weren't In Church This Sunday

New Moon Returns

It'll happen every time, too. 

Siriunsun's Art Gallery

Deanna Ambrose

Christian School Nurse Denies Service To Child

A Pennsylvania school nurse took it upon herself to refuse to treat a child because the child did not recite the pledge of allegiance to the flag while waiting in the nurse's office. The nurse at Wilson Middle School in Carlisle yelled at the student until she started to cry, and when the student tried to call her mother, the nurse refused to allow that, too. The nurse felt that because of the controversy about new laws concerning religious "liberty", it was her god-given right to refuse service to a child in attendance at the school where she works. Patriotism and devotion, expressed by mindless recitation of a verse with which many Americans do not agree. Nice. This is why Christians should be more like indoor house cats, and excrete their daily devotions in the litter box, rather than at work or around real people.

There are two problems with the pledge. One is that it states that this nation is "indivisible under god", when such a thing is no more possible than a nation being indivisible under Santa Claus, and the other is that the pledge ends with an affirmation that America sports "justice for all". Actually, many Americans do not get the benefits of justice, because while there is usually justice for those who can afford private attorneys, justice for "all" is certainly not a guarantee! Boycott The Pledge got involved on the child's behalf, and have contacted the school to request an apology for the christian nurse.

Insight

From The Lens Of Siriunsun's Camera

The Talented Goat Who Paints

The avante-garde in home decor......paintings by a goat! Kristin Wright, of the Albuquerque Botanic Gardens has encouraged the skill and talent of Bodie, a goat who enjoys abstract art. More art by the park's animals can be viewed at this website.

Abbie Hoffman Moment

When Should A School Notify Parents About Unplanned Absence?

A parent's worst nightmare; to have a child simply disappear. In Oregon City, Oregon, a sixteen year old girl ran away from home, instead of showing up for school one morning, and her parents were not notified of this until after 5:00 PM that day. Luckily, she was found, and now there is a local discussion in Oregon about the reporting of missing children when it concerns school. The awareness that stranger abductions culminating in murder usually feature the murder taking place within the first three hours of the abduction is key, here. Waiting until after 5:00 PM to file a report about a child who went missing hours earlier is an invitation to tragedy.

In 2011, Oregon passed a law, largely because seven year old Kyron Horman disappeared from school in 2010, that requires schools to notify parents when a child has an unplanned absence from school. The school board in the above case has, so far dodged questions from the public about whether 5:00 PM was too late to notify parents. A step in the right direction, however; is that the general public has taken notice of the potential danger to children and has begun to address it. Wouldn't it be a godsend if Marshall County, Kansas and USD 380 Vermillion, which employs the absurd and inane Tom Schroeder, who drops off children in random parts of Marshall County and does nothing but go home and eat dinner when they disappear, would show some civic concern about child safety, as well?

In Case You Didn't Bother With Church This Sunday

To Mike Slager's Filthy Mother

"I know they are grieving, just like I am grieving." The mother of a south Carolina cop who killed a man thinks she is grieving just like his family. I am offended by this. Listening to her words, in the video, I hear her express shock that her son was charged with murder, but not shock that he would aimlessly kill someone. She is upset because her grandchild will be born while her son is accounting for his violent, and most likely racist, behavior; but has not said one word about the personal impact on any member of the family of her son's victim. She's really shocked because she always expected her son to get away with whatever he chose to do, and she really thought the victim in this case did not matter. She is stunned that her own grandchild will do what she set the stage for him to do: be born with daddio in jail! If she had taken the time to teach her son values, morals, justice, and not to consider himself a privileged racist, her grandchild would not be in this position.

Mike Slager's disgusting example of an egg donor also does not want to watch the cell phone video of her son shooting an unarmed man. Why would that be? It's only a bit of video footage, taken by a witness, that conflicts with the untrue stories she taught her son to tell, whenever the truth is not convenient. Didn't she know that if he carried a weapon, a day would come when the racism and the dishonesty he learned at home would combine into a situation such as this? Of course she did. She just didn't care. After all, she taught her son that it's his privilege to do whatever he pleases. The hell with anyone else's life.

Insight

You Meet Some Of Your Best Lovers In Church

Oh goody. A senator from Arizona, Sylvia Allen, stated, hopefully in sarcasm, that everyone should be ordered to attend a church on Sunday, in order to "restore morals" to America. Where, oh where, is the eye-rolley when I need it? Where?

Senator Allen feels that America is in a state of moral decay, and needs religion to "get back it's soul". Get it back? From when? The days when we used slave labor, and engaged in human trafficking in order to bring slaves here? Perhaps she would like some soul back from the days before there were any child labor laws, or before women were allowed to vote......maybe the morality involved in the denial of financial support to divorced women with children, or the morality of racism.

Perhaps racial and gender equality, combined with fair wages and decent schools, and the repeal of prohibition in favor of spending more dollars on the prosecution of violent crime, and equality and justice from the judicial system would be a start in helping this nation find a "soul" in the first place. Not that your blogger isn't grateful for the country she calls home, but lets be honest about whose souls have traditionally mattered in America, and whose souls have not.

Siriunsun's Art Gallery

Where's The Real Killer, Alabama?

This past week, an innocent man was freed from death row in Alabama, after being held hostage by the judicial system for nearly thirty years. After a murder in 1985, a trial, involving actual evidence, apparently was not important. Ballistics from the alleged murder weapon, as in whether or not the bullets actually came from the gun police randomly decided COULD have been the murder weapon, were never even requested by the prosecution. The defense had only a limited amount to spend on expert testimony, and no one cared. Anthony Ray Hinton spent thirty years on death row for a crime he did not commit.

Prosecutors are not held to very high standards. There is a prosecutor in Northeast Kansas whose son damaged her vehicle by driving it through a neighbor's crops, and when the neighbor complained and the vehicle wouldn't run properly, she attempted to accuse a random constituent (who happens to be an older woman who has never worked on cars) of sabotage! No demand for responsibility on the part of her own son! She even fixed the vehicle her son damaged and gave it back to him, allowing him, once again, to prey upon the neighbors' fields, gardens, and mailboxes! But that's small potatoes compared to Hinton's case, and others like it, that have been bungled, not only because of prosecutorial misconduct and indifference, but enabled by the level of comfort felt by the general public when the wrong person, in an inordinate number of cases, a black person, is convicted of a crime he or she did not commit. In this case, no one even looked for the actual perpetrator, who apparently got away with murder. How many more murders could this person have committed in thirty years?

Half a life behind bars cannot actually be repaid to Mr. Hinton. Neither can a damaged reputation or thirty years worth of lost opportunities. How will the prosecution go about attempting to make right any murders committed by the real killer in this case, who was never prosecuted? Was the racist indifference worth it, Alabama?

Abbie Hoffman Moment

In Case You Missed Church This Sunday

Here's the Easter Bunny! Happy Easter!

Private Message

Okay, rhinoceros-ass, you can howl and whine all you want. You ruin every opportunity that comes your way by lying and interfering in the affairs of real people with actual pursuits while doing nothing helpful or constructive. I tried to help with certain objectives, but you were unwilling to take the necessary responsibility involved. Don't act as if you were a victim.....and stop mooching! The reason no one wants to pick you up when you hitchhike and the reason you have so many problems finding lodging is because you're a big, fat, dishonest, ugly mooch.

You should stop telling people you've never taken anything from anyone when your dirty Starbucks cup gets thrown away by whoever cleans up after you've graced a building with your smelly presence. Twenty dollars disappeared from a child's wallet while you were here.

The type of emergency medical care you recently mooched was not the kind you need. While being as fat as a rhinoceros is certainly a physical problem, the kind of perception that causes a fatty such as yourself to eat entire cupboards full of food in one sitting and force children to fight you for a meal, or for shelter, is a much more grave problem. Unfortunately, others with grave problems also do not deserve to be forced to share quarters and resources with you, either. Is that what the volunteer from the shelter told you, before you dissed him on Facebook? Or did he just refuse to comply with some silly-assed demand you made, which would have forced him to displace actual disaster and emergency victims, should he have attempted to enable you?

Religious Freedom And Business As Usual

What's all this pomp and circumstance about Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act? It's all nothing special, just a renewed opportunity for the good, christian people of America, the Midwest in particular, to act with hatred and disdain for their neighbors. After all, what better of a way can there be to make a person whose ethnic background, language, religion, sexual orientation, or perceived disability feel badly about himself than to wait until he orders a pizza, books a wedding, requests medical care, or enrolls in school, than to begin the transaction or service, only to suddenly cease, pulling the rug out from under him, with the announcement that fulfillment of the contract or delivery of the service would, in the case of said client or customer, be abhorrant to God, and therefore not feasible, in any way. If a child is disappointed to the extent of tears, or on the verge of a dangerously high fever, so much the better. Harm to an unbeliever is an enormously effective manner of making the point that "we do not serve your kind in our establishmment", isn't it, dear christians?

Well, you know something, Jesus Freaks? The Satanic Temple of Detroit has an answer for you; it's called Discrimination Transparency. In order for the non-christian world to determine, at a glance, which establishments are in business to make money, rather than to make others unhappy, a petition has been circulated and signed, and will be presented to the representatives of the involved locales, to request that a rider be written into the RFRA laws, requiring businesses which choose to discriminate to warn the population at large, so as to avoid humiliating the targets of christian hate and wasting their time in fruitless endeavors. Anyone who will not serve a member of an ethnic group Jesus does not like will be required to warn everyone by placing a sign on the door or somewhere visible from  outside the establishment, stating the discriminatory intentions. The same will go for any business  intending to marginalize customers and clients who attend the "wrong" church, speak a language  that is unfamiliar, or are sexually oriented in  ways that are useless in basic, old fashioned, christian adultery. People who do not wish to patronize bigots will be able to make educated choices about where to spend their money.

A prototype of the required sign has also been graciously provided, as well. It is pictured below.

Disclaimer: It is understood by the writer that not all christians interpret religious and spiritual teachings as inclusive of hatred and bigotry. This post is only meant to describe those who have wrongly concluded that the world revolves around only themselves and their ilk.

I Suppose It's Good Friday

Insight