The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/950460
B-12 Opinion Wednesday, March 7, 2018 The Press-Dispatch Letter to the Editor I, Michael J. Davis, am writing this letter to apologize to the first respond- ers, police officers and members of the community, stemming from an accident on November 14, 2016. On that date, my behavior was out of control towards the first responders and police officers that were simply at my residence to provide me with help I needed at the time. I ad- mit that my actions were wrong and that those members of our community, who were there to help me, did not deserve to be treated as I did them. Due to my actions, a member of our community, Carl Goeppner, one of the first respond- ers, was injured. I want to personally apologize to him, as he was only try- ing to help me and did not deserve to be treated the way I treated him. I per- sonally consider Carl an acquaintance and a good example of what we should all strive to act like, with his willingness to help others in our small community. I would also like to apologize to all the other first responders that were pres- ent on that date, as they too did not de- serve to be treated badly by my out of control behavior. I understand that ev- eryone was there to help, and I was the one in the wrongdoing. For that, I am truly sorry. I have looked back on my actions that day and have since taken steps to improve myself so that the first responders will not have to deal with such actions from me again. I hope all who were at my residence to help me accepts my apology and we all move on in a positive direction from this date. Sincerely, Michael J. Davis Letter of apology Many counties plunged back into darkness Katiedid vs... by Katiedid Langrock Riding a bike: it's not for everyone Editor's note: This column originally appeared in 2012. Bicycles and I are not friends. We have a mutual understand- ing: If I don't get on one, one won't kill me. So when I moved across the country, I was shocked to find a bi- cycle in the moving truck along with my old dress- er and beanbag chair. I demanded an explanation from my mom, who sim- ply said, "One sunny day, you may wish you had one." How could it be that my own mother, my own flesh and blood, could know me so little? I had been on a bike on- ly twice in 15 years. Both times, I fell off, hit my head, blacked out and woke up with a broken body and a concussion. And now here it was again, my mortal enemy, staring me down at my very own doorstep. It had followed me across the country. It could find me anywhere. I kept the pink shiny beast chained up outside. Sometimes when I walked past, I swear the bike would call out to me: "I am your friend. Don't you think I'm pretty? " But I stayed strong. "I will not give in to you, Bicycle! You will not best me! " Then it happened. The day my mom had fore- warned. Last week, a bright and beautiful sunny day cut through the clouds and cold that had plagued my neighborhood. Sun lovers took to the streets, moving swiftly on anything with wheels — skateboards, scooters and bikes. I looked over at my old foe, the two-wheeled temptress, chained up, looking sad. And I thought, I don't want to be one of those peo- ple who live in fear, do I? I broke the peace treaty. I unchained the bike. Running my hands over the handlebars, I plead- ed, "Please, please. No in- juries. No falling. Please." And my pretty bike acqui- esced to my request. I did not fall. But a true neme- sis always has a trick up its sleeve. I should have known never to trust a Tro- jan horse, or, in my case, a Huffy. I hit the streets of my neighborhood. I was shaky. As I slowly swerved from side to side, a line of cars formed behind me. I waved my arm, signaling for them to go around, but there wasn't enough room, and I knew that. Then the honk- ing began. I had to take to the sidewalk, the scary side- walk, where roots had jut- ted up slabs of concrete and any number of atrocities could be waiting to bring me to my knees. Terrified, I looked around for hope, for a sign I was meant to continue on this fear-facing journey. And that's when I saw my bicy- cle guru. A young boy, about 7 years old, zigzagged his way down the jagged side- walk. This kid knew these streets. He knew how to ride, how to survive. It was magnificent. I pedaled be- hind him, giving him a friendly wave hello when he looked to see who was on his tail. I mimicked the kid's movements down the streets of our neighbor- hood, delighting in how well I was doing. No lon- ger having to worry about the sidewalk perils under- wheel, I was able to work just on my riding. Not to brag or anything, but I was doing awesome! The kid pedaled fast- er and faster, down the neighborhood streets and into a cul-de-sac. I fol- lowed, thrilled I could ride fast enough to keep up with my new buddy. That's when he rode up a driveway, threw his bike down and ran into the house screaming, "Mom! " How could I be so stupid? I never had considered that my riding lesson could look like a two-wheeled kidnapping attempt to my bike guru! My brain flooded. Fight or flight? Fight or flight? Maybe I could calmly ex- plain to bike guru's mom that I, a fully grown adult, am afraid of riding my bike. No, no, that sounds ri- diculous. I should run. But then I'd look guilty. What to do? I chose flight. I rode back to my place, quickly chained up the en- emy and ran inside my house, locking the doors, afraid to show my face. Mortified. I think it's time I call Goodwill to schedule a pickup. The bike knows too much. Like Katiedid Langrock on Facebook, at http:// www.facebook.com/ka- tiedidhumor. Pursuit of the Cure by Star Parker Frederick Douglass and gun control President Trump has signed into law bipartisan legislation establishing the Frederick Douglass Bicentennial Com- mission to celebrate Douglass' life and work. I have been honored to be ap- pointed, along with Dr. Alveda King, niece of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and others, to this commission. Born into slavery 200 years ago, Douglass taught himself to read and write, escaped to freedom and became an anti-slavery and human rights ac- tivist, newspaper publisher and advi- sor to presidents. I consider Douglass' life and strug- gles as I watch this latest round of pub- lic debate about the right of American citizens to bear arms. I watch with amazement the ease with which so ma- ny are ready to compromise the core freedoms that define us as Americans, for which so many have struggled and died. In May of 1865, one month after the end of the Civil War, Douglass spoke to the American Anti-Slavery Society, convened at New York City's Church of the Puritans. The topic of discussion was wheth- er the society should continue its work in light of the formal abolition of slav- ery. By the end of that year, the 13th Amendment, prohibiting slavery in the United States, would be ratified. Douglass's address was entitled "In What New Skin Will the Old Snake Come Forth? " He spoke prophetically, questioning the value of the anti-slavery amend- ment if black Americans still would not be protected by rights guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution. "...while the Legislatures of the South can take from him (the black man) the right to keep and bear arms, as they can ... the work of the Abolitionists is not finished." Fast-forward 145 years to another black man, Otis McDonald, suing the city of Chicago be- cause of its ordinance prohibiting him from owning a handgun to protect himself and his property from the van- dalism and break-ins that were regu- larly taking place in his neighborhood. McDonald's lawsuit made it to the Supreme Court, which ruled, in 2010, that states and localities cannot in- fringe on the Second Amendment protection for individuals to keep and bear arms. This decision stemmed from the 14th Amendment, the second of the post-Civil War amendments to the Con- stitution. Whereas the 13th Amend- ment abolished slavery, the 14th Amendment guaranteed protection of constitutional rights in the states: "No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property with- out due process of the law." This amendment addressed the concerns of Frederick Douglass that although slavery may have been abol- ished, states still had great latitude to deny citizens constitutional rights. The Supreme Court decision of Mc- Donald v. Chicago argued that the 14th Amendment "due process" clause pro- tects citizens' Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms in the states. Associate Justice Clar- ence Thomas, while sup- porting the majority deci- sion, wrote a separate con- curring opinion arguing that the 14th Amendment protection stems from the "privileges or immunities" clause. "Privileges or immuni- ties," argued Thomas, are our most fundamental rights as cit- izens. And this is what the right of American citizens to keep and bear arms is about. Thomas, in his opinion, documents the bloody history of murder and lynching against blacks and white civ- il rights activists. "Without federal enforcement of the inalienable right to keep and bear arms, these militias and mobs were tragically successful against the very people the 14th Amendment had just made citizens." Freedom is not free, nor is it easy. The alternative to freedom is tyran- ny. Those who think it's a good idea to compromise our freedom rather than deal with its great challenges err trag- ically. Frederick Douglass would surely be an NR A advocate today, and would be fighting to preserve our right to pro- tect ourselves. Star Parker is an author and presi- dent of CURE, Center for Urban Renew- al and Education. Contact her at www. urbancure.org. As signs of spring are arriving and morning sunlight greets us once more, this Sunday, Hoosiers living in Indi- ana's 80 Eastern Time counties will be plunged back into dark mornings. Not so for Central Time Hoosiers, where sunlight will arrive an hour earlier at 7 a.m. The adoption of Eastern Daylight Time in 2006 brought a major shift in Eastern's sunlight schedule, the neg- ative effects of which continue to be recognized. Senate CR11, calling for an examina- tion of these effects by a special legis- lative study group, was overwhelming approved in committee by a 5 -1 vote, with eight senators adding their names as co-authors. Two days later, SCR11 was killed in a closed-door meeting of the Republican Caucus that caused SCR11 to be withdrawn from further consideration. What facts caused the Caucus to panic? Who is threatened and why? Could it be that the benefits of Eastern Time to business are ac- tually myths? Or that public concern would force a time zone debate when Hoosiers learn that our teens have the second highest suicide attempt rate in the USA and that 55,000 stu- dents are chronic absentees each year, most due to truancy? Or that millions of dollars are being wasted on school delays could be cut in half? Or that July 4 fireworks could return to 9 p.m. and Hoosier children could again grow up seeing stars and lightning bugs? Cen- tral Time is Indiana's right time. It's a no brainer! Verdayne Miley Petersburg, IN CREATIVITY. OUR SPECIALTY. The Press Dispatch PIKE COUNTY'S NEWS NETWORK Design by two of Indiana's top designers is included with every ad purchase. Call today! 812-354-8500 OR ADS@PRESSDISPATCH.NET SHOW US THE NEWS! Do you have an upcoming community event? Email news@pressdispatch.net