A Rant

Okay! I have to do it, I just have to rant about something. This is not a usual habit of mine, but in this case this subject bugged me so much that I have too.

A certain person on my friend's list, no longer, published a status update on his Facebook page that really honked me off. I think it was an unfeeling and heartless thing to say. So heartless I just couldn't ignore it any longer. So this morning I replied. I know my reply will NOT be well received or seen for what it is, due to an extremely thick skull. I hate being put on the defense and found myself in this position often with this person. No matter how I tried I could NOT ignore this comment. I felt it needed to be addressed.

I know not everyone will agree with my opinion on the subject and some may even agree with this guy's opinion. But, disagreeing is what makes this country great. We can differ and still get along, sometimes.

Since this is MY blog and blogs are outlets for us to say exactly what we think, I'm going to say it. I'm going to say what I think!

This person had the nerve to post a status that read, and I quote, "I'm sorry for Officer Szuba and his dog may he R.I.P. But lets move on!"

Can you believe someone would say something so heartless the week of a Police Officer's death, viewing, funeral and procession?? Well, I couldn't and I couldn't NOT say something about it. This person, who shall remain unnamed, did not engage their brain before opening their mouth (or typing fingers in this case)!

Now my husband made a reply to this person earlier saying, "I don't think there is anything wrong with the public mourning the loss of a public servant. In this case, this man lost his life trying to protect both grateful and ungrateful people."

The reply for the original poster came stating, "Yes, where is the justice to the average person whom is killed and the judges give 6 mos. for a life! Sorry!"

To this I replied, ". . . I understand your feeling for the average person who is killed by a drunk/drugged driver, I feel the same way. No one should be killed by an impaired driver. But, do you think the average person who was killed the same way Officer Szuba was killed would want us to be saying, in the week of his death, viewing and funeral, ". . . lets move on."??? The justice system sucks, true. These guys shouldn't be out of jail in the first place. Until the justice system changes, these idiots who use drugs, drink and drive without licenses, having no respect for themselves or the innocent people around them, will still be out there. I'm thankful that we have officers like Officer Szuba willing to go out and put their life on the line to try and get the idiots off the streets. I believe that is what Officer Szuba died trying to do!! He and the other officer he was coming to assist, were attempting to get another drunken, drugged idiot off the roads before one of us 'average people' was killed again, like Carol was."

Now for those of you who don't know, last year we had a wonderful woman, wife, mother and friend killed by a drunk driver at 7 a.m. in the morning. She and her husband were driving their classic car to an auto show, when they were struck head on by a drunk driver. Carol Ragsdale was killed in the accident and her husband was badly injured. The guy who caused the accident is out of jail and freely living his life, while Carol is gone.

My reply went on to say, "The funeral process and viewing for a Police Officer, Fire Fighter, Paramedic, U.S. Servicemen or Political figure is always going to be a big deal and is always going to be all over the T.V. set. We average people always have our private funerals because that's how it works. It doesn't mean we value any one life more than another. . ."

I don't want to ever forget any life that was lost by a drunk driving or impaired driving accident. Each life is important to be remembered. I also don't ever want to dismiss one over another by saying things like, ". . . lets move on." It just wasnt' right to say and isn't right to think that way.

I hope that there are stiffer punishments for those who drive impaired. I pray ever day that none of my family members or friends are affected by a drunk driver. That God would protect us all as we travel. Because the drunk, drugged drivers are out there on the streets with us every time we go somewhere. We cross paths with them everywhere we go.

Thank you to the Officers of the Mishawaka Police Department and every other Police Department for patrolling our streets and putting your lives in harms way to protect me, my family, my friends and even the people that are driving impaired. We owe you all a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid.

We aught to show it in our kind words instead of heartless comments like the one I shared today.

~ Michelle