I think I could write pages and pages on this, going down a dozen different rabbit holes. I really don't know where to begin.
I think I could write pages and pages on this, going down a dozen different rabbit holes. I really don't know where to begin. It seems like we are seeing too many incidents like this of late. The highest profile was Trayvon Martin. Then we have the case of Renisha McBride, shot in the face by a homeowner when she knocked on a front door looking for help. Now we have a 72 year old Ronald Westbrook, a retired USAF officer with advanced stage Alzheimer's, shot in the chest when he rang a doorbell and attempted to open a door early Wednesday morning. According to the newspaper (full article linked below), the homeowner, Joe Hendrix, called the police, then after several minutes decided to go out in his backyard, armed with a .40 caliber pistol, and investigate. He saw Mr. Westbrook, issued several commands, and when he did not comply, Hendrix fired four shots, striking Mr. Westbrook fatally in the chest. http://tablet.olivesoftware.com/...
I looked at Mr. Westbrook's obituary this morning. http://www.timesfreepress.com/... He retired from the Air Force as a Lieutenant Colonel after 33 years of service. He then went to work for the TVA. He was married for 51 years and played the trumpet in his church orchestra. He left behind three children and four grandchildren.
Why did Hendrix feel the need to leave his house when the police had been called and were en route and why are people defending his decision to do so? Even if he had every right to do so, it's pretty easy to imagine that there was no scenario where you have a better outcome because he chose to go out looking for this unknown trespasser.
I hope Hendrix is arrested and goes to jail for a long time. I hope he is sued and bankrupted. Something has got to change so that people don't feel like they have a right to pick up a gun and go looking for trouble, which is exactly what Hendrix did. People like Joe Hendrix make us less safe, not more safe. He could have shot anyone, a child, a neighbor. His presence makes his neighborhood more dangerous.
And people like Mr. Westbrook are not a threat. He was described as having advanced Alzheimer's. He was in sub freezing temperatures for several hours in nothing but a light jacket and a straw hat. Another article I read said he was mostly mute. He was basically a child in an adult's body.
I am tire of being sad and angry when these situations arise. Laws need to change. Getting rid of "stand your ground" type laws would be a great start and according to the coverage on this case, the Georgia laws could come into play. What's wrong with being required to avoid a confrontation if you can? Let your legislator know. This is going to become a big issue next year when the Georgia legislature takes up Campus Carry (more on this later).
What else? How about calls and letter to Walker County Sheriff Steve Wilson. 105 South Duke Street, LaFayette, GA 30728. (706) 638-1909. Make sure this case gets the investigation it deserves.
Support organizations that lobby for sensible gun laws. Mom's Demand Action (http://momsdemandaction.org/), Americans for Responsible Solutions (http://americansforresponsiblesolutions.org/) and Sandy Hook Promise (http://www2.sandyhookpromise.org/) are good for starters.
It's time to get angry and take action. The other side is doing it and if we things to change we have to do the same.