Oil Lives Matter

I knew this was going to happen.

There was an obvious solution to the attack in Dallas last week, which I'll get to in a minute, but the first measure to solve the problem originated right here in the Lone Star State by that splendid example of a refuse heap we call Senator John Cornyn.

Y'see, what old Johnny wants to do is impose a mandatory 30-year prison sentence for anyone who tries to kill a cop (or a federal judge, although how that got in there is anyone's business.)

So here's how that'll work: You're stopped by a policeman and he doesn't think you're showing enough deference, particularly if you're black, so if you don't get down on your knees and blow him he's going say you went for his gun.

Whammo! Instant 30 year sentence... unless there's a camera nearby. Otherwise, it's your word against the officer and guess who always wins that case?

Would that law have prevented the attack in Dallas? No, in fact, it would drive even MORE such attacks because such a onerous law would place other disgruntled shooters in a totally no-win situation.

The last thing we need to be doing is giving the police, who already clearly have the power to murder anyone they want, even MORE power.

The root of the problem is continuing police lawlessness because civilian oversight committees or internal affairs won't indict what are clearly murders based on the video evidence. And that's because such oversight committees, being fixed targets, face pressure from the police themselves. And don't think they don't feel it.

So how about drawing up random panels like we do for juries. Twelve people come in, view the evidence, make a judgment, and then go home. If you're thinking these average citizens don't have the experience to make such judgments then why do we trust them as jury members?

The other option, my favorite, is to get rid of guns. No guns, no shooting. Sounds good to me.

=Lefty=