I recently read an article so rife with stupidity that I had to check it on Snopes and double check other sites to make sure this was real. So here's the general story and my thoughts on it. Ready? It'll be fun.
So in the Richland township in Michigan an officer got into a domestic dispute. He was drunk and fired his gun at his house. Now I don't know if they just mean he was at home and fired his gun or if he actually took a shot at his house. I suppose if he was drunk enough he may have thought it was attacking him. I know I got into many battles with door frames and the floor back in my drinking days. Several times I lost and a refrigerator door kicked my ass.
Was that enough to warrant trying to wound a home? Dunno but I'm willing to allow for a "self defense" case against a violent piece of architectural malice.
When the police were called he evidently threatened his buddies saying he would shoot whoever responded. Now, legally, just saying "I'll shoot you" isn't enough to consider a threat. UNLESS they have the means to carry out said threat. Well we already know he was armed. That makes that a credible threat. Since no charges were ever filed against him then I'd say the local police were giving him a pass. Me? I'd have locked him up on the charge of "general asshattery" but I wasn't consulted.
Did he at least get fired for having questionable decision making abilities in a job that requires good morals? Nope. They didn't fire him but they didn't allow him to return to work.
So what's this guy do? He sues the township saying he "may have suffered post traumatic stress disorder." Seriously?! Dude. This is not PTSD, it's a hangover and regretting the choices you made while you were drunk.
Listen folks, the term "coyote ugly" came from people waking up sober and seeing the person they had drunk sex with. "I'd rather chew my arm off like a coyote than wake up this cock-eyed water buffalo next to me." We've all been there. Some of us more than once (or five or six times. Don't judge me, I drank a lot) and can relate to that "oh dear lord, what have I DONE?!" feeling the next day. It happens.
If we could claim PTSD from sobering up and realizing that we did some really bone-headed shit the night before then just about everyone of legal (I threw "legal" in there like we haven't all gotten wasted well before the legal drinking age. Pfft) drinking age have suffered traumatically. Why do you think prohibition came about? Because we ALL do stupid shit when we are drunk. That's WHY we drink, so we can excuse our own fucktardery. Duh.
What's worse is that he won. Yes, you read that right. The township settled with him to the tune of $437,000. On the advice of the township's legal counsel. Seriously?! The town's attorney thought that was the better option than letting it go to trial?
"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, please take this bottle of Grey Goose or Patron home with you. Some of you may need a bottle of each. Go home, get fitshaced and come back tomorrow. We will keep the lights dim and speak quietly tomorrow for you."
Then next day the case would end quickly. "Your honor, the plaintiff is an idiot, he's wasting your time and our money. Please dismiss this case and let us all go home. If not then let the jury hand down a verdict of 'denied' so those poor drunk bastards can all go home and nurse their hangovers. Oh, and Mr Harroway, the folks at the hardware store said they found your underwear. Apparently you hung them on an axe handle and tried to claim aisle three as your sovereign territory."
Instead, the taxpayers of that town in Michigan are forced to reward a police officer's moral turpitude with their own hard earned money. Absolute bullshit.
Oh, and in the settlement, should anyone seek a work reference for this guy the city is required to give a "neutral recommendation." He can't handle his liquor or his temper and everyone pays for it but him. As long as we continue to allow this type of injustice then our country will continue its downward spiral.
Here's the link:
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