Justice isn't really blind, it just operates within a bubble of political expediency these days?

Justice operates in a bubble these days? Perhaps the blame in the delivered verdict in the Jose Garcia Zarate case lies with the prosecutor who opted for a higher charge of outright murder over manslaughter or involuntary manslaughter --especially in light of the ricochet evidence.  Perhaps this initial mis-charging was intentional in order to guarantee a desired outcome, in a sanctuary city, in support a prescribed political narrative? I am left wondering if such a verdict would have been possible in any other non-sanctuary city? The defense knew what they were doing when they opted to have the trial venue remain in the city of San Francisco.

 Image Source:
"Daily Caller"

Given the overshoot in charging, coupled with the apparent mental state of non-well being of the defendant, I suppose the outcome in this trial is not entirely unexpected.  That being said, justice has not been served for the victim, Kate Steinle, or for her bereaved family, not to mention the American people at large.  The bottom line is Zarate should not have been in this country.  If authorities in San Francisco had cooperated with Federal officials in honoring the government's detainer request, Jose Garcia Zarate never would have been on the pier that fateful day and Kate Steinle would still be alive and with us here today.  Sadly, the jury was never given this crucial piece of information during the trial, namely that Zarate was a 7 time convicted felon who had been deported from the country on 5 different occasions, only to return the U.S. time and time again through a porous southern border.  The verdict in this case and the political pontificating of the Defense attorney aside, this case at its core shines a glaring light upon the fundamental problem with sanctuary cities scattered across our nation, namely that  they aren't safe places to visit, live, work or play and the people who run them are perfectly okay with this fact and any unfortunate consequences thereof.  To the latter officials any casualties resultant of their sanctuary city policies are merely necessary sacrifices in a war of battling political ideologies.  To their way of thinking, "we the people" and law-abiding legal immigrants are expendable.  If that isn't a wake-up call to logically thinking people across this country, then I don't know what is??!??

Kate's story really hits home for me, because my family and I were visiting San Francisco, walking in the vicinity of that same pier exactly one week prior to this tragic shooting.  Timing is everything?  My proximity to this story really got me thinking about "sanctuary cities" and illegal immigrants.  After much thought and soul-searching I discovered, like most Americans, I fully support legal immigration.  Furthermore, I think I would be willing to support an increase in the number of legal immigrants we allow into this country, on a yearly basis.  However, I would only support this increase with the pre-requisite condition that our government finally and effectively addresses stemming the tide of illegal immigrants flooding into the country, on a daily basis, particularly dangerous individuals and repeat violent offenders.  A border wall --partial wall in strategic locations-- may just be the best place to start.  To those of you who claim "If you build a thirteen foot wall, they will find a thirteen foot ladder", I would say awakened Americans are no longer willing to subscribe to the "narrative of absolutes."  In the world of logical reality, meaningful actions and accountability, the choices are no longer all simple black and white, all or nothing.  In point of fact, if you build a thirteen foot wall, you actually wind up stopping everyone who doesn't have access to a thirteen foot ladder. And at the end of the day, that just might be enough to truly make a difference in reducing the number of illegal immigrants flowing into our country and committing crimes much to the detriment of law-abiding citizens and legal immigrants alike.

Contrary to the narrative of absolutes, the desire to commit to the development and implementation of a comprehensive immigration program --that will actually be enforced!-- toward the end of curtailing illegal immigration does not automatically make decent, law-abiding citizens bad people or "haters".  Nor does it mean the we want to put an end to all immigration or that that we in anyway dislike all immigrants in general; it just means that we want to be safe in our own homes, communities and cities --even when traveling.  It means we want to reward immigrants who come into this country through the proper channels and vetting process.  That's how we make immigration work for everyone in our country, citizens and legal immigrants alike.  But 'reasonable' people nowadays don't address real-world problems with real solutions, do they?  They cower under the feel-good cover of subscribing to accepted political narratives, in the absence of all independent thought, logic and reason.  The time has finally come to wake-up America!

12/3/2017 Apparently, it is actually a Federal crime not to cooperate with Federal Immigration officials on detainer requests.  Thus, the Attorney General could take meaningful action towards tackling the very problems posed by "sanctuary cities" by prosecuting those San Francisco officials directly responsible for the release of Jose Garcia Zarate.  The question is will Sessions finally take a stand --after eight years of his predecessors looking the other way-- in order to actually enforce the laws already on the books?

The Power to Transform Our World?

Yet another tragic shooting in the month since I've been away,  First the shooting at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, in Charleston, South Carolina, and then the shooting of Kate Steinle, in San Francisco.  Now another movie-theater shooting in Lafayette, Louisiana, last night.  And I almost forgot the lone-wolf shooting at the Army Recruitment center in Tennessee. Hard to find the right words for reason or consolation sometimes, isn't it?  Save to say those who would take the lives of defenseless others, innocents among them, are the polar opposite of those motivated to action by honor.  My heartfelt prayers go out to all involved in these senseless tragedies.  I am left in awe pondering the overwhelming forgiveness expressed by the families of the victims in the South Carolina church shootings.  I can't help but be inspired by these courageous individuals who so readily found their way to forgiveness in the immediate wake of such profound loss.  To my way of thinking, forgiveness has the greater power to shape --transform-- this world for the better.  What say you?  

The time has finally come to address the profound vulnerability of gun-free zones?  And we're way past the time where criminal illegal alien deportations should have been addressed and the laws on the books enforced.  Whenever I am in the state of Texas I always feel safer w.r.t. to the above scenarios playing out --military installations being the one sad, glaring exception-- because if someone pulled out a gun and began shooting at defenseless people I have little doubt that two or more "licensed-to-carry" gun-owners would not waste a second before drawing their weapons in order to take down the shooter, but maybe that's just me. The best defense is always a good offense.  From where I'm sitting forgiveness and the enactment of future offensive measures --in effort to prevent future shooting tragedies-- can go hand in hand, despite the narrative being pushed by the liberal left and the mainstream media.

9/11/2015  “Life is a storm, my young friend. You will bask in the sunlight one moment, be shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you a man is what you do when that storm comes.”~ Alexandre Dumas, "Count of Monte Cristo"

[image source:  newyork.cbslocal.com ]

Kelly File interview

Three young Americans riding on a train, from Amsterdam to Paris, found themselves in the eye of a potentially powerful storm.  Within a matter of mere seconds, these brave men found it within themselves to act, without hesitation and with courage and honor.  By their immediate and selfless actions these three young men saved countless lives.  Truly inspirational!  May God Bless all involved.  And may the heroism of these brave men inspire others to find it within themselves to stare terrorists, hell-bent on destruction, square-in-the-eye and to find the courage within themselves to take action in defense of innocence against the ever-growing presence of evil in our world.