Michigan Lawmaker Dies in Apparent Suicide after Drunk Driving Arrest

At the conclusion of this Blog Post is a YouTube Video about the Lawmaker who killed himself. We need to start Grief Groups for offenders. I’ve been saying this for years. Upon hearing of his suicide on YouTube, here's what some people said:

"Nice to hear a swamp rat self terminating."

"GREAT GUY? GREAT GUY? MEMORIES THEY SHARED? Typical politicians, good friends, all drunks."

"WHAT A WEAKLING!!!!" "Hell he was. A damn drunk"

"Boo Hoo"

My thoughts: Celebrating suicide? No wonder they call it Alcoholic's "Anonymous."

MADD has Grief Groups for Victims, but nothing for Offenders who are suicidal over injuring someone or worse, killing them. It seems CRUELTY has become the National Religion. For me, the starting point is love and what follows forgiveness.

I know two women who both lost their son to an impaired driver. Both forgave the offender and said they love him. One of them said we need to forgive, regardless of the temperature of our hearts, and that no one has a right to be a barrier to a fellow human being who wants to get well." Great Role Model! It is not a lack of loyalty to our loved-ones who passed or some type of aberrant permission of wrongdoing to forgive. Grief takes its own road and it takes as long as it takes. Just don't let grief kill your hearts.

Say what you mean, mean what you say, but don't say it mean. Truth without compassion is cruelty.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wr8DBzHbfSk

The Presumption of Innocence is Akin to a National Miracle.

The presumption of innocence is akin to a national miracle. We've made serious efforts to see the good in others as demonstrated by our actions, even when we might not want to at any given time. I carry this in my daily walk with others, near and far, albeit imperfectly.

Both emotionally and in action (not inaction and apathy), making our words match our behavior means to have the courage to live out loud. While it's a more energy-draining endeavor for so many people, seeing the good in both offender and victim is a good starting point when it comes to controversy. With this habit, we can give ourselves permission to overcome our shortcomings, too, and start with a clean slate. Seeing the good in cops and criminals is the starting point for planting seeds in clean soil.

Problematic behavior and systemic abuse are realities that need not be brushed-over, but starting with a problem often traps the person in the issue. Starting with a solution is also a trap because solutions need a problem to solve, and the symbiosis constructs a revolving door of smug complacency. "Good" doesn't require the absence of 'bad' in a Universal sense of Trust. I trust that every problem bears a Higher Message when we change lenses and see with innocent eyes. Childlike, not childish. Be as little children for such is the Kingdom of Heaven is what Jesus said.

Ben Shapiro's Money, Privilege and Freedom of Expression

I occasioned to watch a video where a man was threatened with physical violence for verbalizing his controversial opinion which he calls ‘fact’. Fact or not, it’s a Free Speech issue to me, and his being on a televised debate was a profitable venture embarked upon by the business-minded people who invited him. Controversy ‘sells’ and makes for good ratings. Therefore it makes sense that the two polar opinion-bearers are placed next to each other. That being one Zoey Tur and Ben Shapiro. Zoey, a Transgender, threatened Ben with a trip to the hospital, cupping one hand on the back of Ben’s neck while doing so. Ben is hardly the size of Zoey and small in stature in comparison. With dripping zealotry, Zoey on several occasions referred to Ben as “little man”.

Threatening anyone to be 'sent home in an ambulance' is 'Hate Speech' and in my opinion, as I have no proof, was planned by Zoey and maybe with the blessings of producers. Zoey not suffering immediate consequences for that threat of violence is at the very least unacceptable. One person going home in an ambulance and one going home to a jail cell for an 18-hour nap and a slap on the wrist is crazy on so many levels.

Zoey’s opinion is popular and money in this country buys justice, especially within the insulated communities from which Zoey finds protection, and is typical of the facto-phobic societal sewage in which they are swimming. The reverse would probably also hold true had the tables been turned and Zoey went to the hospital and Ben to jail.

Bullies of any kind, Left or Right, are not impressive in a Free Speech arena. Mr. Oduolowu, the man who distanced himself from Mr. Shapiro in this setting but was voiceless when Ben was being threatened, is lame, as were the other guests and host. Mr. Oduolowu’s knee-jerk lowbrow rhetoric, about 'not being with him' (in so many words) smacked of cowardice. Mr. Oduolowu‘s argument should rise or fall on its own merit and not be a ‘deception of guilt by association’.

Apparently having loving conversations, a first cousin to respectful discussions, doesn't sell as many tickets to the rating melange. Going where the money is and going where the respect is, need not be diametrically opposed. I'm not taking arguments from either side here. I'm talking about Free Speech in a non-violent dichotomy, which is all about the interior climate and is never anyone else's fault. Hang up the Blamethrowers.

Here’s the YouTube video, which is a ‘mix’ of different Ben Shapiro showings with an obvious bias in his favor, considering who posted it and how it was titled. Please don’t think I am siding with anyone. I subscribe to Live and Let Live. I know several people who are Trans Bender and look, I’ll call them whatever they want to be called. I had a legal name change many years ago, and if someone insisted on calling me by my old name, I would respectfully request they not do so. But of course, I would not act like an assaultive felon if someone said 'whatever' and expressed a childish opinion about it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDPXV1b65nA

Dueling Epiphanies

Dueling Epiphanies

Dancing as hours of darkness descend,
Washing reputations while shopping at Tiffany’s.
Wallowing in moonlights’ tumultuous mend,
Bring forth Hollywood’s ass as their god decrees.

Scarecrows are scarecrowed, sitting like new amputee,
Bourgeoisie to bourgeoisie.
Brittle sparrows eating seed for free,
My name is 'unknown', yet thou surely knoweth me.

Toe dipping in the water of mystery,
Is it warm or cold, oh, goat with ancient goatee?
The compasses you burned, once spinning like a wind tree,
But wishes against wishes, God listens to ME, no, ME.

Like an Africanized Bee,
You’re such a terribly sensitive pea.
Disagree guarantee referee,
A short step away for a political detainee.

Space is so cold, fill it with whatever you see,
But why live alone between sands like a beach flea?
So look back far as your eye can see,
What see you looking back at you, but genie…
ology.

Sympathetic imagination draws ecstasy in esprit,
Between orgasmic epiphanies.
Groaning in anticipation, aching to be free,
The mystery of history and human reality.

G-Zeus, Budd-Ha, MohamMAD-dee
Joseph Smith, Pericles, or just Nietzsche.
Whoever hears, whoever cares, is simply real-el peachy,
I’d sing this poem to you, were my voice not so screechy.

My first rap song, I dunno.
Written April 6th, 2003 ©