Guns for Resource Officers/How the World Sees Us

Rusty Glover is an educator and a state senator from Semmes, Alabama. He will again next year introduce a bill into the senate that, if passed, will allow Mobile County school resource officers to carry a firearm. Glover feels the time is right for this bill to be passed. The Alabama Department of Education is expected to oppose the bill, threatening to suspend funding to any school system that arms their officers.

As much as we deplore the necessity for guns, Sen. Glover may be right about the advantages in this particular case. We have to ask why his bill can't be extended to all 67 counties? If the people issue a mandate, can the DOE legally oppose it?

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Want to know what others in the U.S. and across the world are saying about Bradley Patterson, UNA, the South, and the U.S. in general? Okay...you asked.

* It's not even 'Bama or Auburn! - Out West

* He "aint" too smart at all. I guess that's why he's going to skool at NA. 3rd string -whatever. What kind of "students" are you people accepting there. The south lost remember? - Colorado Springs

* Tweeted like true-blue rednecks. They needed to finish up the game so they could get back to dueling banjos and marrying their sisters! - London

* Of course he's an ***hole. He's from Alabama and he's wearing a New York Stankee's hat. - Unknown

* Oh he's from Alabama , makes sense. - Los Angeles

* Isn't this normal in North Alabama? - Gary, IN

* Business as usual in Alabama. - Philadelphia, PA

* 3rd string from a NOTHING team. Why is he even newsworthy? He'll end up bagging groceries in the Piggly Wiggly. - Holmdel, NJ

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The latest Franklin County indictments are out, and we see our old pal J.J. Common has again been arrested. When last we visited J.J., he was looking at 25 years for drug trafficking. Common refused to accept the plea bargain, and so far his case hasn't come to trial.

Trials are routinely delayed, but there are reports of evidence in J.J.'s case disappearing from an evidence locker. (J.J. was indicted in 2008 for Bribing a Public Servant). Whether true or not, he remains incarcerated until his next court date.

Don't you wish law abiding citizens could have this much resilience?

Shoalanda

Bradley Patterson Not Encouraged at UNA?

Bradley Patterson with former Red Bay Coach

So Red Bay's Bradley Patterson was not encouraged to "walk-on" at UNA? Okay, he not only wasn't good enough to win one of a limited number of scholarships, but he wasn't good enough to be encouraged by the UNA coaching staff to give the football team a try? Seems odd. Bradley was well thought of at Red Bay and in fact won accolades.

UNA wouldn't be guilty of a little revisionist history, would it? From a press release earlier this year:

(Bradley) Patterson was named Class 2A Lineman of the Year for a season in which the senior helped Red Bay to a 10-2 record and a No. 5 ranking. Patterson garnered 58 points to nudge American Christian’s Kyle Sappington, who had 54 points. Reeltown’s Kemond Gauntt was third with 44 points. 

Patterson said he was surprised by the honor. “It was shocking,” said Patterson, who had a serious look on his face throughout the ceremony. “I’ve always got a straight face. My teammates did terrific job this year. We were 10-2 and the linebackers and the other defensive linemen did a great job. This is a good way to go out.”

Patterson, who said he hopes to sign with a Mississippi community college to continue his career, said just being invited to the banquet as a finalist “put a smile on my face.” “There were some great guys down here,” he said. “It was just an honor to be down here.” Patterson finished with 87 tackles, including 19 for loss and 9 sacks as the Tigers finished 10-2.

Wonder just which Mississippi community college Patterson had in mind? Wonder who would take Patterson? Lower Slobovia sounds good right about now.

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Pen-N-Sword has the full text of Dr. William Cale's statement concerning Patterson: Link



Shoalanda

What UNA's Bradley Patterson Said/School Resource Officers

What did UNA football player Bradley Patterson (2A_HogOfTheYear) tweet last night? We'll censor it slightly:

"Take that (N-word) off the tv, we wanna watch football!" 

Now Bradley is no longer a third string walk-on. Is anyone worried about UNA's 2013 season? And what of Twitter's loss? It seems the long snapper from Red Bay has deleted his account. Any one think the girlfriend may have deleted Bradley?

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If you reside in Alabama, your school has a resource officer...or maybe not. Ideally your school has one. Schools outside Alabama probably have a similar position with perhaps a slightly different name.

So, does your school have one on duty at all times? Over the past two years we've heard Lauderdale County schools have had resource officers removed due to budget constraints. Yes, we've been informed of this in communications that were critical of Sheriff Ronnie Willis. We'll readily admit we didn't think this was much of an issue.

So, a football player runs amok during practice; there are plenty of coaches who can handle him. Another student brings drugs to school; we have an idea there's an assistant principal (read: part-time coach) who can handle the situation. Now we have to ask if we've been mistaken in our beliefs concerning school resource officers.

Can one, armed usually with only pepper spray, save a school from a mass-murderer? That's something that also needs to be reevaluated. These resource officers are trained members of law enforcement--they can handle a firearm and know how to react in emergency situations.

If you have children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or are just close to a child, please call his/her school today. Ask if a resource officer is always on duty. If one isn't, make it you mission to be sure this is corrected.

Note: Florence City Schools are already reevaluating that system's security policies.



Shoalanda