D-DAY BLOG

Today is D-Day on the A to Z Blog Challenge. It bears no resemblance to that D-Day of June 6, 1944, when the Allied Forces assaulted fortress Europe. It does mean that we pause at the letter "D" as we continue on our journey through Rock and Roll history.

How could I write about Rock and Roll history without talking a little bit about one of the most prolific songwriters that America has ever produced, that is, the iconic Elston Gunn. You don't know who that is? Perhaps you know him as Robert Zimmerman. No? I am talking about Bob Dylan.

Bob Dylan has been writing songs and performing since 1959, that is, 56 years. Bob Dylan's music has influenced more bands and artists too numerous to list. His music has been covered by some of the greats of rock and roll. 

The Byrds covered Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man," and "My Back Pages" to name two. Jimi Hendrix cover of "All Along the Watchtower" is the definitive recording of this Dylan song.

Bod Dylan is a true master of his craft and has made significant contributions to Folk Music, Protest Songs, Rock and Roll, and Jazz and he is still going strong to this date.

My next "D" artist is the British heavy metal band called Def Leppard. These lads come from South Yorkshire, England. They began as many bands did back in the day. Some lads meet in High School and decide to form a band. The play a few gigs. Members leave, new members join until just the right mix of personality and music come together just right. This is essentially the story of Def Leppard.

I first came to like the band when I heard their third album, "Pyromania." They had an interesting way of using two lead guitars in their arrangements. Their music was good, hard charging Rock and Roll. Their fourth album "Hysteria" became a classic as did Pyromania.

One event in the band's history that cemented me as a fan is that their drummer, Rick Allen, lost his left arm in a car accident. Most bands would have sent him packing. Not Def Leppard! They found a way that Elliot could still drum using both legs and his remaining arm thereby staying in the band. You seldom see such loyalty among people.

There have been more personnel changes in Def Leppard through the years but they are still rocking as is their original drummer Rick Elliot. Rock On!

CRIMINAL ACT OR ACT OF WAR!

     As of this writing, the Attorney General of the United States has decided to prosecute the planners of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon before military tribunals at Gitmo, Cuba. The ensuing public discussions were fascinating to listen to. Some commentators said the attacks were a criminal act that should be adjudicated in the criminal courts by means of a jury trial. Other commentators assert that the attacks were an act of war and should be adjudicated by the military pursuant to their protocols. What do you think? Whose position is correct? Here are some of my thoughts on the subject.

      As a career police officer I do have a nodding acquaintance with the criminal justice system. I was assigned as a police prosecutor for several years during my career so I had to know how to prosecute a criminal case in a court of law. Based upon that knowledge and experience in the courts, I have formed my opinion.

     The military and law enforcement discharge their responsibilities under completely different rules of engagement, having vastly different objectives. The military's job is to blow stuff up, break things and kill the enemy who is designated as such by competent civilian command authority.
     Law enforcement on the other hand, although a quasi-military organization, seeks to serve and protect the citizenry and see that justice is served following well defined rules and procedure established by laws enacted by civilian legislators and prior decisions by courts of competent jurisdiction.

     The protocols employed by the military and the protocols employed by law enforcement are incompatible with each other. There is a law called the "Posse Comitatus Act" that specifically prohibits the government from using the military to enforce civilian law. That means federal troops cannot be used as a police force.
       Therefore my calculus is as follows...If the military is being used to respond to a given act perpetrated by other entities, that act is NOT a criminal act but an act of war. However, if the act is a crime as defined by laws properly enacted and normally enforced by law enforcement, the act is a crime.

     The acts that occurred on September 11th were acts of war and not crimes. The response was largely conducted by the military. Therefore it was improper for the U.S. Attorney General to attempt to prosecute these cases in a civilian court of law. The proper venue for these prosecutions are in military courts before military tribunals. Anyways, that's how I see it. What do you think?

PET PEEVE!

     Every now and then an issue arises that causes me some measure of annoyance. I realize that there is little I can do to address the issue so please be patient while I indulge myself and vent my spleen a little.
     I was watching the news recently when I saw a story about some parents who thought it a good idea to bring their young daughter to a police station for the purpose of having the police scare her into behaving properly. The police refused to cooperate with the parents and subsequently charged the parents with neglect or some such thing.
     During my career, I have had the experience of being in uniform in a public place. I have seen and heard parents point to me and tell their young child that if they did not behave I was going to take them away and put them in jail. Now to set the stage properly try to imagine the scene. I stand six feet four inches and weigh as much as an NFL Lineman...in short I appear intimidating. Now put yourself in place of the child aged somewhere between 5 years and ten years old. How do you think they feel?
     Judging by the wide eyed fear in the eyes of the child, I surmise that they are petrified. I have a real problem with parents who chose to frighten their children as a parenting technique. This is just wrong!
     Imagine, if you will, that this same child later disobeys his parents and wanders off out of the backyard and becomes lost. Who are the parents going to call? The police of course! Now imagine what might be going through that child's mind when they see us looking for them.
     "I must have done something really bad. I didn't listen to Mommy I left the yard without permission. I am in real trouble! The police are looking for me to take me away!"  
     So, what is the child more likely to do...hide or go to the policeman and ask for help? Obviously they are going to hide.
      Now add to this the extremes of weather, the dangers of exposure to frigid cold or worse, predators of the two and/or four legged kind. The probable result is an avoidable tragedy.
     Parents, please teach your children that if they need help the police are there to do just that, to help them. It just might save their lives! Please teach them that Police are not in the business of punishing anyone, especially children!
     Another similar scenario concerns adolescent children. A parent will bring their disrespectful, disobedient, out of control adolescent child to the police station and essentially tell the officer on duty to "fix" them. NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, PEOPLE! You've had them for their entire life. There is no way on this earth that the police are going to be able to undo all the years of upbringing, for good or ill, that you have exposed them to. We're good but we're not that good!
     By the time kids become teenagers they often know exactly what the police can do and what they cannot do. So telling a teenager that the police are going to bring all manner of dire consequences upon them when they know that it is not true is, shall we say, counter-productive.
     The solution is, it seems to me, that from the beginning you love your child unconditionally. Next, you teach your child right from wrong while they are still young and hold them accountable. You teach them that bad choices result in bad consequences and good choices result in good consequences. When they do something wrong they need to experience negative consequences commensurate with their age AND the deed. Also, when they do something right they need to be praised and encouraged, also commensurate with their age and the deed. Be loving! Be consistent! Be Persistent!   
      Police are here to help, not to be your personal bogey-man! SMARTEN UP PEOPLE! It doesn't take a village to raise a child, it takes two loving, committed parents.