posted on November 29, 2005 08:44:49 AM new
Have all the Crazies moved South for the Winter?
I don't mean to sound harsh, but our city has tripled in population since Hurricane Katrina, and there appears to be a goodly amount of insane people among them.
I suppose that I have grown comfortable with small town living where everyone's face is familiar and you know your local mentally deranged residents on a first name basis...
But yesterday while I was out and about, I encountered not one, not two, but three insane men in three different places ranging from slightly deranged to scary raging mad!!!
Out in the public, ranting and raving, standing , staring, and boring holes into anyone who passed his way, another trying on Santa beards and bothering any passerby with his nonsense...I'm telling you, I felt uncomfortable...being around people who I perceive could be a threat to my person.
How ill does one have to be to warrant being institutionalized? Society demands equal rights and freedom for all, including the insane.. and that is why we have mainstreamed our crazies and done away with Asylums..but in my opinion, this has created a much bigger problem, for society in general and also for the poor buggers, left to their own devices.
posted on November 29, 2005 08:50:22 AM newBut yesterday while I was out and about, I encountered not one, not two, but three insane men in three different places ranging from slightly deranged to scary raging mad!!!
posted on November 29, 2005 08:55:03 AM new
maggie
Much of the problem is lack of funding for these people. It's not the "freedom" for all thing. Many institutions that once housed people in need of them have closed because of funding cuts. There is no place for them to go, but out on the street. Many of our homeless have mental disabilities.
We used to have one that stood on the corner downtown yelling at women in pants or short skirts that they were going to Hell for it. He was downright scary!
Cheryl
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." - Martin Luther King, Jr.
posted on November 29, 2005 08:57:36 AM new
Honestly, PI.. these three were frightening. It must be different being a man, you don't feel as threatened. I know the older I get, I realize that I don't have the physical strength to protect myself. I might get a permit to carry my pistol in my purse.
posted on November 29, 2005 09:00:46 AM new
Yes Cheryl, I think it was both Liberals and Conservatives who contributed to this problem.
Liberals wanted to get rid of the deplorable conditions of the asylums and Conservatives wanted to get rid of the funding...so the insane found themselves homeless and without caretakers.
posted on November 29, 2005 09:53:10 AM new
Maggie, i say get your permit to carry concealed but if i had to give you some advice on what to do if you ever had to pull and use your pistol, rather than whistling Dixie, (a line from the movie Outlaw Josie Wales) it would have to be to empty it into the attacker and then reload. Some attackers may be hopped up on drugs and just won't feel the bullets striking them and thus they may keep on coming at you and you will have to kill them to stop them.
We have concealed carry laws here that were passed a couple of years ago and just a few months ago a man at Walmart in Albuquerque puilled his gun and shot a man dead that was stabbing a woman. It was deemed a justifyable shooting by the NM courts.
posted on November 29, 2005 09:58:58 AM new
My husband has his permit.
I carry mace, but by the time I found it in the bottom of my purse and then found my reading glasses also buried in the bottom of my purse, to see where to push or pull the thing.. it would be to late.
I have several guns in my home, all loaded, and I wouldn't hesitate to shoot if need be.. My husband has told me the same thing you did, shoot until it's empty.
I'd rather use our shotgun, but it would make a terrible mess in my home..
posted on November 29, 2005 10:12:59 AM new
We have guns here also. And concealed weapon permit.
I've shot the guns, but don't like using them. I suppose I would if I had to.
Long ago and far away I went hunting a few time during modern firearm season. But haven't done that in a very long time.
Maggie, we keep them loaded too. as my brother would say 'you keep it loaded to shoot an intruder or attacker, whats the point of having a gun unloaded?' Which is true, but kinda scary.
posted on November 29, 2005 10:18:20 AM new
Near, we are alone here and keep the weapons loaded and easily accessible.. but when company comes..they are locked up.
posted on November 29, 2005 10:23:40 AM new
That is what we do too, and when the baby is here, shes walkin all over the place, and picking up about everything! gotta watch her every move in this house
I constantly here it from oldest sister, and her husband, they are retired police, and they constantly lecture on how 'civilians' should not have guns. Good thing I don't talk to her much!
posted on November 29, 2005 10:28:24 AM new
Seriously though.. this is really a big problem, no matter which State you live in.
These people need help and helping them isn't letting them fend for themselves when they are incapable of doing so.. we can't just step around them, try and ignore them, not make eye contact...pretend they don't exist...the problem won't solve itself...and it isn't going away..jmho
posted on November 29, 2005 11:14:06 AM newwe can't just step around them, try and ignore them, not make eye contact...pretend they don't exist...the problem won't solve itself.
True enough but you're talking about two different things here. 1) Generally, what should be done with insane persons roaming the streets of America and 2) Specifically, what should one do when confronted with a wacko on the street. Regardless of what is done about #1, you (the general "you" ) are likely going to be confronted with #2. So when you (the specific "you" ) say:
we can't just step around them, try and ignore them, not make eye contact...pretend they don't exist...the problem won't solve itself.
I say you have given the answer to #2. I live in a big city and I see loonies walking around almost daily. I had one guy get right up in my face, yelling something at me that I couldn't understand as I was walking down the street. I didn't engage the guy, I just kept on walking. If he wouldn't have gotten away from me to bother someone else walking by, I probably would have finally shoved the guy out of my face but as it was, I just kept on walking. I guess I have no interest in confronting someone like that or doing anything but walking away from them. Making eye contact is a risky proposition much in the same way it is with a really pissed off animal. Much like Gump's box of choclates, you just never know what you're going to get.
[ edited by RedStateRising on Nov 29, 2005 11:14 AM ]
posted on November 29, 2005 04:07:55 PM newBut yesterday while I was out and about, I encountered not one, not two, but three insane men in three different places ranging from slightly deranged to scary raging mad!!!
Should have flashed them, Maggie, that would have straightened them out.
"Dear Lord, if you can't make me a better man, don't worry about it. I'm having a real good time like I am.".
posted on November 29, 2005 04:35:00 PM new
Maggie said, These people need help and helping them isn't letting them fend for themselves when they are incapable of doing so.. we can't just step around them, try and ignore them, not make eye contact...pretend they don't exist...the problem won't solve itself...and it isn't going away..jmho
I agree with that statement, DuhSquirrel.
Now, tell us what you think, for a change. No need to be sarcastic. Just try to tell us what you think.
posted on November 29, 2005 05:55:37 PM new
It amazes me that you are always so "confused", Helen. If you have ever read any of Ed Koch's books, you know he used to regularly pick up crazies, etc and take them to hospitals. He also put homeless in shelters during freezing weather. He was ordered by the courts to stop that.
Now I know people like myself, Bear, Linda, et al, did not so petition the courts. So the terrible problem exists in that you now cannot pick up crazies, but they are in YOUR neighborhood.
This is quite similar to comments you make when Bear protests letting murderers of OJ caliber run free. Yes, indeed the "jury has spoken" but then your little group hammers relentlessly for people who have been convicted and served time for sex offenses or merely be "suspected" of such, have to hounded to the ends of the earth.
While you make snide remarks about conservatives and "black or white" scenarios, it's funny to watch the other side on the soap box.
posted on November 29, 2005 06:29:51 PM new
Squirrel you are so strung out in an effort to make every comment a nasty sarcasm that you can't communicate.
I went hunting a few time during modern firearm season. But haven't done that in a very long time.