Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Count to ten...
On the Monday after I was assaulted I went searching around the DC city government’s site and ran across a page where you can ask the mayor a question. According to the site the page is there to help us “Let the Mayor know how he is doing in your neighborhood. Please use this form to send your comments, questions or observations to Mayor Anthony Williams.”
Doing what I do best, I fired off a pissed off e-mail:
According to the police officer I filed my report with, I was "assaulted with a deadly weapon” outside the Deanwood Metro station on Friday evening just after 8 pm. Apparently this has happened with relative frequency at this particular metro station, not to mention being a problem at metro stations generally. Approximately 8 juveniles between the ages of 15 and 17 attacked me, attempting to steal my wallet, my cell phone and a package I had with me. My keys are missing, but since I at the bottom of the dog pile didn’t actually see them get taken, the incident cannot be classified as a robbery. The law cracks me up. According to the EMTs, I needed stitches to attach part of my scalp back to my head, but since this city’s hospitals are woefully inadequate and were routing ambulances to other hospitals I decided I had the requisite medical knowledge to care for myself and released them.
I have several questions:
1. Since the city is unable to prevent systematic attacks like this, why shouldn’t I be allowed to own a firearm to protect myself?
2. If you were in my position, would you rather risk the million to one chance of getting caught with an unauthorized weapon or would you rather risk the painfully obviously greater chance of getting caught without a weapon when you need one? What’s the worst that happens in either case? With that risk/cost/benefit analysis you don’t need your CFO to tell you it’s a tempting proposition.
3. Since I don’t want to break any laws, why shouldn’t I sue the city to have the current fire arms statute overturned?
4. What volunteer opportunities are there to work with the euphemistic “at-risk” youths before they turn into ne’er-do-well miscreants?
Today a lieutenant from DCPD called me to discuss my e-mail. I gave him my cell number and asked him to call me back after work hours. I’ll let you know how it went.
Doing what I do best, I fired off a pissed off e-mail:
According to the police officer I filed my report with, I was "assaulted with a deadly weapon” outside the Deanwood Metro station on Friday evening just after 8 pm. Apparently this has happened with relative frequency at this particular metro station, not to mention being a problem at metro stations generally. Approximately 8 juveniles between the ages of 15 and 17 attacked me, attempting to steal my wallet, my cell phone and a package I had with me. My keys are missing, but since I at the bottom of the dog pile didn’t actually see them get taken, the incident cannot be classified as a robbery. The law cracks me up. According to the EMTs, I needed stitches to attach part of my scalp back to my head, but since this city’s hospitals are woefully inadequate and were routing ambulances to other hospitals I decided I had the requisite medical knowledge to care for myself and released them.
I have several questions:
1. Since the city is unable to prevent systematic attacks like this, why shouldn’t I be allowed to own a firearm to protect myself?
2. If you were in my position, would you rather risk the million to one chance of getting caught with an unauthorized weapon or would you rather risk the painfully obviously greater chance of getting caught without a weapon when you need one? What’s the worst that happens in either case? With that risk/cost/benefit analysis you don’t need your CFO to tell you it’s a tempting proposition.
3. Since I don’t want to break any laws, why shouldn’t I sue the city to have the current fire arms statute overturned?
4. What volunteer opportunities are there to work with the euphemistic “at-risk” youths before they turn into ne’er-do-well miscreants?
Today a lieutenant from DCPD called me to discuss my e-mail. I gave him my cell number and asked him to call me back after work hours. I’ll let you know how it went.
# posted by Mike @ 11:24 AM 
