This Is Why Maryland Has A Crime Problem

I believe it's not a stretch to say that the counties of Maryland near the nation's capitol have a crime problem. Most public figures in that state think it's a gun problem, even though they already have some of the most restrictive gun laws around. No, the root of their crime problem apparently is that they don't treat their criminals like criminals.

I love to skewer the WaPo but today they did a damn good job of uncovering the outrageous preferential treatment a high school football star is receiving, even though he's accused of armed robbery.

There are too many good quotes to include them all here, but I will have to use one:

"I'm just going to go out and prove what I can do on the field," Lazear [the accused armed robber] said. "People can say whatever they want to say to me, but after one play they're not going to be talking anymore. A player is a player no matter where you are. That's my philosophy. I'm just trying to put this all behind me."

You're 17, and you're an accused armed robber. You don't rate a philosophy. Apparently, few if any adults in his life are willing to tell him that.

Shame on that high school for letting him play, and shame on any adult who doesn't take him to task for it. Kudos to the judge and the WaPo reporter for standing up.

Psst, hey Maryland! It's not the guns, it's the criminals.

2d ANGLICO VMI Blogger in Iraq

By way of Andi's World, I found Captain Charlie at Lightning From The Sky. Not to be confused with Op-For Charlie, Capt Charlie is a Marine officer in Iraq, serving with a team from 2d ANGLICO. Go to his site and learn all sorts of things.

And yes, he is a VMI grad too. :-)

Potato Guns

From today's WaPo, an amusing article on potato guns, about the most positive coverage we'll get from them on why men shoot things. And notice that the byline is from Fauquier County, VA, not from some squalid gun-banning socialist hell-hole like Maryland.

Load 'em up with sweet potatoes and you can go on a YAM-page! Ha, ha, ha.

jpp