Thursday night Phoenix AZ breathed a sigh of relief. Georgia Lynn Baker was not hurt, or harmed, while eluding police in a high speed chase. The chase endangered the lives of many as they were going about their business, and took the life of a 28 year old police officer who was attempting to stop her, but the main thing is is that Baker is OK, and the city of Phoenix and the ACLU can breath a sigh of relief. Our right to go about driving under the influence of drugs, endangering the lives of our fellow citizens and police-should we ever feel the need to do so-without the fear of the police hurting us in their attempts to stop us, was not encroached upon.
The police officer, 28-year-old Chris Marano, gave his life while protecting these rights. Marano leaves behind a wife and four children. What a Christmas present. But hey, as I said, Miss Baker will experience this Christmas completely in tact, and that's the main thing... isn't it?
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16 comments:
I'm not familiar with this story, but it did remind of a tragic story that occurred in my own state at the end of January this year: a 34 yo father of three stopped atop the bustling West Gate Bridge, removed his 4 yo daughter from the car, and threw her 58 metres to her death over the side. The girls two brothers witnessed the event.
The public social outcry towards the father was suppressed with greater media sympathy for the father's so called 'mental-health' issues and, because of this, society shouldn't be so quick to demonise the poor fellow.
Never mind what the girl's mother would go through or, for that matter, the longterm impact such a scene would have on the girl's slightly older brothers.
There's no shortage of crazy in the world.
How very sad that this is what "justice" has fallen to...and yet, do we really want the alternative in a fallen world where only the "strong" prevail? It is quite the conundrum on just where to draw the line on what we let our law enforcement actually do to protect us and when we need to fear the protectors...
Squigs
I have been calling this "static thinking". Static thinking occurs when a person looks at the world in the moment, as it is in that particular moment only, and without the least bit of curiosity as to the history that led up to that moment,or the future consequences of that moment, and decry an act or activity as if it is occurring in the vacuum of that moment. For this kind of thinking, everything is static, and in that moment. The popular media are pros at this very kind of thinking.
I don't know the particulars of the case of which you speak, but I feel certain that the lady in Phoenix putting so many innocent people's lives at risk to save her own neck would have thought it more advantageous in her attempts at that end were she not confident that the police would not hurt her. Of coarse if they had hurt her and thus unknowingly saved the officer's life, static thinking would have kicked in and the possible consequences of a police officer loosing his life in his attempts to stop her would not have been considered because it would not have fallen into the vacuum of that moment. All we would have been led to think about it would have revolved around the the excessive force and cruelty used by the police.
As for the man who dropped his child off the bridge, if he were actually acting on what he was taught in school, (and I don't know whether hewas or not, but many obviously do) that is that life is meaningless, then who's to even say what he did was wrong? Enter popular media and static thinking. In static thinking wrongness is not allowed in an objective sense because it necessarily takes into consideration a history that is contrary to popular delusions. Delusions like a child can be taught that he and his existence, in the grand scale of things, is meaningless for year after year with no "future" consequence.
Over a a half century ago C.S. Lewis put put it as only he could in saying "you castrate, then bid the gilding be fruitful".
Nancy
"and yet, do we really want the alternative in a fallen world where only the "strong" prevail?"
I'm afraid I don't understand this question. I want justice to prevail.
We have a flawed justice model in many situations (but, not always)...many of these same situations would never exist in a police state. While the prevailing of justice is the hope of our heart, only a Jesus governed world will provide such.
What would justice consist of in the addressed situation and how might one have expected the outcome to have unfolded in reality?
have these conversations and I am always left baffled. Although I think I'm open, no one is ever willing or able to help me understand.
You said
While the prevailing of justice is the hope of our heart, only a Jesus governed world will provide such.
I agree but Jesus does not govern now. Not only that, the government now in place has grown quite hostile to Him. So what are we to do?
You also said that: "many of these same situations would never exist in a police state.
What I think you are saying here is that in a police state the police would have had much more latitude in dealing with the situation without fear of getting into trouble themselves and with the assurance of cover from the state media. If this is what you meant, I agree. But at the same time I don't think giving our police more latitude in dealing with these situations would mean becoming a police state. The restrictions currently placed on our police are a relatively new thing in our history and I don't think that anyone would say that we existed in a police state before they were enacted.
I wrote an answer to your final question but I don't want to post it until I hear back from you lest if we engage in a conversation on the matter it becomes too cumbersome.
Dan: The tragedy that befell Marano, the deputies involved and his family is unfathonable, especially at this time of year.
It seems probable that there will be no real justice in this case this side of eternity, yet we must keep on keeping on.
The real problem spotlighted here is the disrespect for authority...the police...and life in general...evidenced by the drinking and driving...resulting in the taking of innocent life.
While these conditions are tolerated, the only possibility is the continuance of the spotlighted story plot...or just shoot the person immediately and let them bear the penalty for their idiotic behavior. We might choose to place the police in drinking establishments, outlaw alcohol altogether or other attempts to enforce morality, but those things can't remedy generations of poor accountability. Our justice system is wholly inadequate for the governing of a population that is becoming increasingly bent toward anarchy.
I appreciate your sarcasm. My son in law is a cop. I pray for his safety often.
Larry
I thought you'd given up on the whole blog thing. Good to hear from you. He know quite a few police officers. There are three in our homeshooling organization.
Nancy
In response to this:
but those things can't remedy generations of poor accountability. Our justice system is wholly inadequate for the governing of a population that is becoming increasingly bent toward anarchy.
Hear, hear. What to do, and even who should do it, if we should ever awake, deserves some thought.
I think I make a similar point in my response to your previous question: What would justice consist of in the addressed situation and how might one have expected the outcome to have unfolded in reality?
"What would justice consist of in the addressed situation and how might one have expected the outcome to have unfolded in reality?"
Well, if Georgia had not been reared in a society that is so hostile to truth, then she may have been more open to the realities of her existence and would have not gotten intoxicated with drugs but rather with the Holy Spirit. Then perhaps she would have been going about her personal business that day rather than causing a young father of four children to be killed. But even if she had decided to do these things, perhaps our police in a culture not hostile to truth would have been doing their jobs without fear of becoming victims themselves long before Baker made the fateful decision that ultimately lead to this. Consequently, when the blue light came on behind her, just maybe she would decided the best coarse of self preserving action would have been to pull over.
Or perhaps if she had decided to run from the police anyway, and the police, in the interest of the safety of others, decided to do exactly what they did in this case with the same result. Then justice would seem to me to require a punishment that would demonstrate to others that our culture does not abide such behavior.
My guess is however that Miss Baker will be back to scrounging for meth on the streets again before Marano's children are graduated from highschool.
Now trying to head off a wonderful opportunity to slide into "rut think" where I have a vision of a society with police walking around shooting first and thinking later, I don't. But I know that police are severely limited in their attempts to do their jobs. Society knows it, the police know it, but worse than that for our society, the criminals know it. Just this morning a woman was seemingly randomly shot and killed in our neighborhood. Again I ask, if what the schools are teaching our children is true, then who's to say that was wrong?
ACLU - isn't that 'esteemed' organization now complaining because Maj- Hasan - the murderer of 13 at Ft Hood- cannot converse w/ his 'family' in Arabic w/o an interpreter?!!!!
Anti-Christian-Legal Union....ACLU...
C-CS
Dan, I haven't given up blogging...I'm just not as prolific as you brainy guys :)
Merry Christmas to you and your family. I really appreciate your work here at TBG.
Laying aside sarcasm and "defeat think"...We still carry the light! The light in us still outshines the darkness! We can think outside the rut! We can pray!
Dan, some of your comments here are inciteful and even brilliant. The "static thinking" model pervades everywhere, for sure. And it usually does a lot more harm than good. I actually started a comment on your economics post that used the term "static view" of the economy, but it got out of hand (too long) and I didn't post it. I may use what I wrote in a post on economics on my blog, if I ever find the time to finish it.
I also like your repeated references to the concept of absolute truth. Would that everyone would concentrate on it a little (a lot?) more.
Have a very Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas El Cerdo
That was a Christmas present. My post on economics was a trial balloon to see if it would be of any interest. I concluded that it either was not interesting or too long judging from the responses.
Actually I came up with the term static thinking a few years ago to describe my own thinking about economics as I was examining the financial mistakes I had made. I think "static view" has a greater appeal.
I look forward to reading your thoughts in your comment turned post. BTW, the only comment I consider too long is the one that won't fit in the allotted space. Brevity may be the soul of wit, but when it is tried by those like myself, it is the soul of gibberish.
Merry Christmas to you too. May Canada thrive and prosper with riches and righteousness.
Is there a defense fund for her? They are trying to charge her with murder!?!?
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