No Excuse

The economy is in the hole.  Our currency is continuing its downward spiral.  Unemployment is at an all-time high.  Crime is on the rise.

Choose any one (or more) of the above statements and you are assured to hear them in the news on a daily basis.  Just today I learned that one of Paul’s coworkers had his house broken into and a TV set, electronic equipment & a purse were stolen.   At night while they were sleeping. Their dog woke them up & caused the low-life(s) to flee.  The police were able to apprehend them with the stolen items a short time later.  One of them was sixteen years old.

And just yesterday, our neighbor called me to ask if I’ve noticed anyone or anything “odd” during the day.  We live on a dead end gravel road and they are the second to the last home (ours being the last).  Seems that when they got home from work last night, there were tire tracks in their driveway and footprints that went all the way around the house (we just had a snowfall that day).  Nothing was taken or broken, but obviously it warranted a call to us.  They have two outside dogs so maybe that was enough to deter any potential wrong-doing.

Add these two recent incidents to the fact that I’ve seen, on five different occasions within two, maybe three weeks, the same vehicle come down our driveway then turn around & barrel back up the drive, I’m starting to get a bit more cautious. Twice I went outside to try and “meet” this person, once actually breaking into a jog to see if I could get them to stop or to at least get the license plate number. 

Yes, I know we need to get a gate set up.  And I think Paul is finally going to put it on the top of the “To Do” list after these current events. 

But, back to the crime rates going up.

How desperate would one have to be in order to steal a television set?  Is it going to be sold on the street to pay for his (or her) family’s next meal?  And even if the answer to that is “Yes”, I find it very unlikely that the money couldn’t have been obtained in a lawful way or that person couldn’t have found a local organization that could lend him a hand.  Or is that it?  They don’t want to have to work at McDonald’s for minimum wage or rake a neighbor’s yard for $20.  They don’t want a hand up, but a hand OUT.  They don’t care about who they are stealing from or how that violation is going to affect the victim (both financially and mentally).

This sickens me to no end.   Not only because of the actual criminal activity, but because it seems that we are just telling ourselves, “Oh, it’s because of the economy.”  As if that makes the crimes more easily digestible.

It’s not because of the economy.  It's not because a Democrat (or Republican) is in office.  It isn't because of global warming (or whatever it's called now).  It’s because people have become lazy, irresponsible and egotistic.  Why work when you can steal?  I can either personally steal someone else’s possessions or have the government do it for me in the form of welfare.  Our children have run amuck and we have no one to blame but ourselves.

Know your neighbors.  Help your neighbors.  Lend a hand to those that truly deserve it.

Teach your children to be responsible.  Protect your family & friends. 

Keep your wits about you.  And refuse to let yourself become a victim.

I apologize for the mad rant.

Tune in tomorrow for your Normally Scheduled Blogg.