It has been a few weeks now since the tribal gillnets went missing under the ice of Garrison Bay. While 10 of the 15 nets have officially been recovered, as I write, they are investigating the possibility of two more found near Myr Mar yesterday (waiting for confirmation from GLIFWC) which would bring the official recovered net count to 12. That means three are still missing.
A gillnet was found on the east side of the lake near Big Point. However it has not been determined if that is one of the infamous Garrison Bay ghost nets. It was an old net and no tag. And it is still under investigation.
The remaining nets may indeed become ghost nets. Then again, perhaps they are not really missing at all. Maybe they have already been removed from the lake without telling anybody.
Is that a possibility? Sure it is. I can imagine the questions: What about citations? Why are the people responsible not being held accountable? Why can't they find them all? Somebody must pay.
GLIFWC has answered the citation question on a weekly basis. And here it is again: There is an ongoing investigation. Until such time when the investigation is complete, there will be no citations. They have also said, if the outcome of the investigation indicates, people will be held accountable.
It has been less than three weeks since the nets went missing. But there are those who want heads to roll now. Including my head.
The issue of agendas has been brought up recently. I have to wonder about some agendas. Why are people so excited and want justice and punishment for what they see is a crime that may or may not have even been committed in the first place when it is about fish, or fishing rights, or netting?
But when a drive-by shooting occurs, or a woman is assaulted, no one cries for immediate justice. There doesn’t seem to be an outcry for justice when habitual offenders continue their cycle. There doesn't seem to be a demand for a speedy investigation when a cop lost his gun in January (that investigation remains ongoing). No one cares that there is a growing need for the services of our local food shelves and the supplies can't keep up with the demand. No one cares when people we know are losing their homes to foreclosures.
No one cares. Unless there is a fish involved. And that fish belongs to a tribal member.
I don't see the entire angling community up in arms when when some angler catches a 20-inch smallmouth bass thinking it is the world record rock bass. What about culling or keeping illegal length fish or going over the limit? Or saving fillets in the freezer for a fish fry? You all know it happens, and no one cries out angerly for justice. Why is ok to take a female walleye in the winter, summer or fall and not the spring? Either way, that female is removed from the reproduction cycle. No one cries out if a handful of anglers "make a mistake."
Absolutely these things happen. And absolutely wrong doing or mistakes are not an every day thing. Only a handful of the thousands of anglers who visit Mille Lacs annually try to bend the rules to suit themselves. But it happens.
Only a handful of nets were lost, but that it is a big thing.
Since the day they went missing there have been some pretty fantastic comments from all sides of the issue — the good vs. evil, the black and white, the we and the they. I have heard and read comments that have been spun-sugar bullcrap, cut-throat arrogance and some with clearly no grip on reality at all.
There has been a lot of name calling directed at me. My favorite was from a guy in Sartell, who compared me to a dog who barks too much and suggested my boss put a muzzle on me.
I have been accused of having an agenda, of not reporting facts, of not doing proper investigating. I was practically accused of signing the treaty in 1837.
While I appreciate the sentiment behind the accusations, I truly must confess: I wasn’t around then.
Steve Fellegy wrote what he called his last column for the Mille Lacs Messenger published in last week’s paper. He wrote that for the last 18 years the Messenger has been consistently reporting on a “racially based issue” of the gathering rights lawsuit with disregard to the facts, merits and what the mirror reflects. Perhaps Jim Baden and Joel Patenaude would take issue with that remark.
He wrote the proof of that is in plain view on staff blogs — mine and Brett’s. I don’t believe I ever wrote about the gathering rights lawsuit — blog or otherwise. I didn’t live here, nor had I even heard about the treaty rights lawsuit 18 years ago.
Fellegy wrote that Messenger readers have been denied what the mirror truly says. Those are his words. And quite frankly, it does not make sense. He talks about potty training and the birds and the bees and a need for change and looking in the mirror. What I heard was smoke and mirrors.
Some folks sent comments online claiming they are pulling their subscriptions and advertising in the Messenger because they have had enough.
Other comments say the facts in the Messenger are twisted and distorted to fit the agenda of the writer. (I believe that was meant for me.) This person also wrote that I have been “back stabbing” to reinforce my agenda.
So, I am confused. Readers want facts reported. Not lies. Good. I agree.
When I wrote the facts readers said I had an agenda. Because the facts didn’t fit with what they wanted to hear. They wanted blood. And not your blood but that of the netters. And possibly mine. Is this the racially based issue Fellegy spoke of?
I have no agenda about fishing (or cops losing guns for that matter). I have no agenda except the public’s right to know the facts and truth. I wrote the truth.
If I had an agenda, maybe it would be to end world hunger and homelessness. Or stopping domestic assault. That might be my agenda. If I had one.
Where are the facts to support the claims that I did not write the facts? If there are pictures of hundreds of dead and rotting fish found in the water, still in the nets, where are those photos? Why is it that the lost nets that were recovered within the same time period contained only a few fish and all were alive? Those are facts that are backed by biologists and law enforcement.
Mr. Fellegy said on the Fox News piece: "They're doing it (gillnetting) because they can just to spite our government and our society. That's the only sound reasoning you can come up with."
Maybe that is the only reason you can come up with Mr. Fellegy.
Who is doing what for spite?
If we, the Messenger, really wanted to give readers misinformation, write lies and cover-ups, we wouldn’t be dumb enough to let readers comment on our website or our Mailbag page. If we are really as bad as Steve Fellegy says, why would we have let him write for us in the first place?
The story of the lost gillnets will slowly be moved to the back burner where it will continue to simmer. In time, it will come back to a boil. But how long until it boils over?
“Don’t make me use uppercase.”
Peace.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Monday, May 12, 2008
The Stranger and the Lost Mille Lacs Nets
For every action there is a reaction.
Every once in a while we are startled out of our comfortable habits and ways of thinking and forced to try something original. Unfortunately, often times the first reaction to something out of the ordinary is fear. Or anger. Or perhaps both.
For years different people have been telling me to think outside the box. And for the most part I do. But at the core of any thought, whether inside or outside the box is the search for the truth and what is right. Even while thinking outside the box, stay true to the center and search for the truth and believe in what is right.
A wise man once told me that doing the right thing is sometimes hard. Especially when everyone around you doesn't seem to feel the same way.
I can't say that I have always done the right thing. Nobody is perfect. Even my Pastor said he hasn't always done the right thing. Thank God for forgiveness. But that doesn't mean I don't try. Most of the time.
The recent incident involving the tribal gillnets that went missing in Garrison Bay last week has brought a lot of emotions back to the surface in and around this community. In the mix are fear and anger.
I received an email with a different view today. Written in a thought provoking poem. The author asked to remain anonymous. I asked if I could post it here and my request was granted.
Please read it with an open mind. And see if you can see in a different light — outside your box of comfortable thoughts.
THE STRANGER AND THE LOST MILLE LAC NETS
By Anonymous
They cast the net,
But something occurred.
A whirlwind of sorts
In a few short words.
A Stranger came
To Galilee.
And simply said to:
“Follow me.”
Simon and Andrew
Left nets in the Sea.
And John and James left theirs
In Galilee.
The Stranger would do
The will of God,
And this the fishers knew
From just one nod.
Important not, was the boat or the net.
Important less, were the fish they’d get.
Suddenly, their hearts filled with eternal goals.
For they thought not of fish, but of men and their souls.
So if a net is lost,
On the Lake called Mille Lac,
Think of the Stranger,
Before you attack.
A parable unfolds,
Before us this day.
We can choose to hate,
Or to go another way.
Because when for thee,
The final bells doth toll,
How you act on a lost net
May impact your soul.
Peace.
Every once in a while we are startled out of our comfortable habits and ways of thinking and forced to try something original. Unfortunately, often times the first reaction to something out of the ordinary is fear. Or anger. Or perhaps both.
For years different people have been telling me to think outside the box. And for the most part I do. But at the core of any thought, whether inside or outside the box is the search for the truth and what is right. Even while thinking outside the box, stay true to the center and search for the truth and believe in what is right.
A wise man once told me that doing the right thing is sometimes hard. Especially when everyone around you doesn't seem to feel the same way.
I can't say that I have always done the right thing. Nobody is perfect. Even my Pastor said he hasn't always done the right thing. Thank God for forgiveness. But that doesn't mean I don't try. Most of the time.
The recent incident involving the tribal gillnets that went missing in Garrison Bay last week has brought a lot of emotions back to the surface in and around this community. In the mix are fear and anger.
I received an email with a different view today. Written in a thought provoking poem. The author asked to remain anonymous. I asked if I could post it here and my request was granted.
Please read it with an open mind. And see if you can see in a different light — outside your box of comfortable thoughts.
THE STRANGER AND THE LOST MILLE LAC NETS
By Anonymous
They cast the net,
But something occurred.
A whirlwind of sorts
In a few short words.
A Stranger came
To Galilee.
And simply said to:
“Follow me.”
Simon and Andrew
Left nets in the Sea.
And John and James left theirs
In Galilee.
The Stranger would do
The will of God,
And this the fishers knew
From just one nod.
Important not, was the boat or the net.
Important less, were the fish they’d get.
Suddenly, their hearts filled with eternal goals.
For they thought not of fish, but of men and their souls.
So if a net is lost,
On the Lake called Mille Lac,
Think of the Stranger,
Before you attack.
A parable unfolds,
Before us this day.
We can choose to hate,
Or to go another way.
Because when for thee,
The final bells doth toll,
How you act on a lost net
May impact your soul.
Peace.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
The ghost story of gill-nets on Mille Lacs Lake
There has been a lot of talk regarding the ghosts of Mille Lacs. It is a somewhat frightening story I am sure will be told around campfires, bait shops and blogs for years. The story is drumming up fear in folks from near and far.
I know I am afraid.
This is a true ghost story. The names have not been changed to protect either the innocent or the ignorant.
Last week on a calm Tuesday, April 29, tribal members from Wisc. set 233 gill-nets in the open water of Garrison Bay on Mille Lacs Lake. A large ice floe was drifting several miles out to the center of the vast lake. As predicted the winds shifted and picked up speed in the early morning hours of April 30. Many tribal members began pulling their nets at about 3 a.m. By 6:30 a.m. many more were scraping boats through the ice in efforts to recover their nets.
However, by the end of the day on Wednesday, 15 of the 233 nets were ultimately not recovered.
Local anglers, self-proclaimed professional fishermen, resorters and more were infuriated. Some even set out in watercraft to the icy waters themselves. Were they out to help in the search efforts to save the fish caught in the missing nets in an effort to protect the fishery in which they claim they have a vested interest? Their intention is not entirely clear.
Draw your own conclusion. A local guy and some pals went out in a boat on Saturday, four days after the nets went missing. They allegedly found several of those missing nets. They allegedly documented the locations of the nets and took photographs of 100’s of rotting fish held captive within the nets. Did they turn the information over to Minnesota DNR officials or GLIFWC conservation officers to help get the nets out of the lake?
No. Allegedly, arrangements were made with an undisclosed media source for exclusive rights to the story on the nets and the fish, including photos of the nets and fish. I haven’t seen the photos. I was told other media (Messenger included) may be privy to them after the obligations of the exclusive offer have been met.
For someone who is so afraid of the ghost nets lurking under the surface of the water, it would — one might think — make sense to do everything possible to get the nets out of the lake as soon as possible.
I am afraid. I am afraid of ignorance. I have heard comments that include other people’s fears such as the fears that the drifting ghost nets are going to continue catching fish, get caught in boat motors when anglers hit the water for opener this weekend, or even catch loons and small children swimming in the shallows.
Facts from GLIFWC:
On April 30 15 gill-nets went missing in Mille Lacs Lake.
By May 3, 8 of the 15 have been found.
In all 8 nets there were a total of 29 fish for a total of 67 pounds. All fish were healthy and alive. There were no dead and rotten fish.
A daily catch-rate average that exceded 67 pounds was applied to the 15 missing nets as of April 30.
GLIFWC does not seek to minimize the significance of the lost nets. They are diligently searching for the remaining nets nearly 20 hours a day.
Gill-nets set in inland lakes such as Mille Lacs are bottom set nets. They are weighted to the bottom of the lake, Bill Mattes, GLIFWC great lakes section leader said. If the buoys break free, the nets sink because of the weights. They are not floating gill nets like in the ocean. They do not drift around the lake. It is more likely that a lost net will be on the bottom of the lake in a ball, Mattes said.
To think a lost gill net will fish as well as when first set is “akin to thinking a rod and reel lost overboard with a baited hook will continue to fish as well as when in the hands of an angler,” Mattes said.
As to allegations of rotting fish, the water temperature in Mille Lacs is cold. Near 40 degrees. The ice was not even out when the nets went missing. To think the fish caught in the nets were rotting within four days is absurd. So far, the facts support this theory as well. All of the nets recovered have held only live fish. True, each day that goes by decreases the chances of finding live fish in the nets.
As to loons getting caught in the missing nets, well that is a possibility because loons dive for their meals. But as for small children, I find it hard to believe parents would allow children to swim in any lake when the air and water temperatures are below seasonal averages. I mean it is just too darned cold.
The lost nets could potentially be caught in a boat motor. However, it is unlikely as the nets are most likely on the bottom of the lake. If boaters are in the shallows, they should be concerned, as always, to what may be under the surface of the water.
Should the tribal members have placed their nets in the water in the first place with weather threatening to move the ice floe? Who knows. What I do know is I have seen many anglers go out in unsafe weather conditions because the lure of fishing dictates. I don’t claim to understand the mentality of those so drawn to fish that they would put their lives at risk. But it happens.
What to do if you find a gill-net:
A suspect area may show up on a fish finder as a big blob or a line of small fish. The gill-net floats will show up on fish finders as a small fish because the air trapped inside the float is akin to the airbladder of a fish. That is what fish finders are seeing. Report the finding of any nets to local wardens or conservation officers so they can investigate and pull it out of the water if it is indeed a ghost net. Call GLIFWC: 1-800-943-4447 or MN DNR at 1-800-652-9093. The DNR can call GLIFWC.
I am afraid. I am afraid for the spirit of mankind. I have only heard two people express concern for the lives of anyone on either side of this situation. The first was a woman on shore at Garrison Bay Wednesday morning. She was a tribal member who struggled to get her nets off the lake. She did, but others from her tribe did not. “Those men are risking their lives out there,” she said. The second was Mille Lacs Band commissioner of natural resources Curt Kalk. His first question when he heard about the situation was, “Did anyone get hurt? No. OK, now we deal with it.”
I am afraid because people walk around with tunnel vision, expecting things to happen their way. If that doesn’t happen they stomp their feet, puff out their cheeks and take their bat and ball and go home leaving the rest of the team at the bottom of the ninth inning with bases loaded.
If you put yourself on an island, do not be surprised to find yourself alone.
Peace.
I know I am afraid.
This is a true ghost story. The names have not been changed to protect either the innocent or the ignorant.
Last week on a calm Tuesday, April 29, tribal members from Wisc. set 233 gill-nets in the open water of Garrison Bay on Mille Lacs Lake. A large ice floe was drifting several miles out to the center of the vast lake. As predicted the winds shifted and picked up speed in the early morning hours of April 30. Many tribal members began pulling their nets at about 3 a.m. By 6:30 a.m. many more were scraping boats through the ice in efforts to recover their nets.
However, by the end of the day on Wednesday, 15 of the 233 nets were ultimately not recovered.
Local anglers, self-proclaimed professional fishermen, resorters and more were infuriated. Some even set out in watercraft to the icy waters themselves. Were they out to help in the search efforts to save the fish caught in the missing nets in an effort to protect the fishery in which they claim they have a vested interest? Their intention is not entirely clear.
Draw your own conclusion. A local guy and some pals went out in a boat on Saturday, four days after the nets went missing. They allegedly found several of those missing nets. They allegedly documented the locations of the nets and took photographs of 100’s of rotting fish held captive within the nets. Did they turn the information over to Minnesota DNR officials or GLIFWC conservation officers to help get the nets out of the lake?
No. Allegedly, arrangements were made with an undisclosed media source for exclusive rights to the story on the nets and the fish, including photos of the nets and fish. I haven’t seen the photos. I was told other media (Messenger included) may be privy to them after the obligations of the exclusive offer have been met.
For someone who is so afraid of the ghost nets lurking under the surface of the water, it would — one might think — make sense to do everything possible to get the nets out of the lake as soon as possible.
I am afraid. I am afraid of ignorance. I have heard comments that include other people’s fears such as the fears that the drifting ghost nets are going to continue catching fish, get caught in boat motors when anglers hit the water for opener this weekend, or even catch loons and small children swimming in the shallows.
Facts from GLIFWC:
On April 30 15 gill-nets went missing in Mille Lacs Lake.
By May 3, 8 of the 15 have been found.
In all 8 nets there were a total of 29 fish for a total of 67 pounds. All fish were healthy and alive. There were no dead and rotten fish.
A daily catch-rate average that exceded 67 pounds was applied to the 15 missing nets as of April 30.
GLIFWC does not seek to minimize the significance of the lost nets. They are diligently searching for the remaining nets nearly 20 hours a day.
Gill-nets set in inland lakes such as Mille Lacs are bottom set nets. They are weighted to the bottom of the lake, Bill Mattes, GLIFWC great lakes section leader said. If the buoys break free, the nets sink because of the weights. They are not floating gill nets like in the ocean. They do not drift around the lake. It is more likely that a lost net will be on the bottom of the lake in a ball, Mattes said.
To think a lost gill net will fish as well as when first set is “akin to thinking a rod and reel lost overboard with a baited hook will continue to fish as well as when in the hands of an angler,” Mattes said.
As to allegations of rotting fish, the water temperature in Mille Lacs is cold. Near 40 degrees. The ice was not even out when the nets went missing. To think the fish caught in the nets were rotting within four days is absurd. So far, the facts support this theory as well. All of the nets recovered have held only live fish. True, each day that goes by decreases the chances of finding live fish in the nets.
As to loons getting caught in the missing nets, well that is a possibility because loons dive for their meals. But as for small children, I find it hard to believe parents would allow children to swim in any lake when the air and water temperatures are below seasonal averages. I mean it is just too darned cold.
The lost nets could potentially be caught in a boat motor. However, it is unlikely as the nets are most likely on the bottom of the lake. If boaters are in the shallows, they should be concerned, as always, to what may be under the surface of the water.
Should the tribal members have placed their nets in the water in the first place with weather threatening to move the ice floe? Who knows. What I do know is I have seen many anglers go out in unsafe weather conditions because the lure of fishing dictates. I don’t claim to understand the mentality of those so drawn to fish that they would put their lives at risk. But it happens.
What to do if you find a gill-net:
A suspect area may show up on a fish finder as a big blob or a line of small fish. The gill-net floats will show up on fish finders as a small fish because the air trapped inside the float is akin to the airbladder of a fish. That is what fish finders are seeing. Report the finding of any nets to local wardens or conservation officers so they can investigate and pull it out of the water if it is indeed a ghost net. Call GLIFWC: 1-800-943-4447 or MN DNR at 1-800-652-9093. The DNR can call GLIFWC.
I am afraid. I am afraid for the spirit of mankind. I have only heard two people express concern for the lives of anyone on either side of this situation. The first was a woman on shore at Garrison Bay Wednesday morning. She was a tribal member who struggled to get her nets off the lake. She did, but others from her tribe did not. “Those men are risking their lives out there,” she said. The second was Mille Lacs Band commissioner of natural resources Curt Kalk. His first question when he heard about the situation was, “Did anyone get hurt? No. OK, now we deal with it.”
I am afraid because people walk around with tunnel vision, expecting things to happen their way. If that doesn’t happen they stomp their feet, puff out their cheeks and take their bat and ball and go home leaving the rest of the team at the bottom of the ninth inning with bases loaded.
If you put yourself on an island, do not be surprised to find yourself alone.
Peace.
Jim update: the wonder bread boy
I did have a chance to visit with Jim again. It turns out he was wrong on his prediction of only a day or two. But I can tell he is tired. So very tired.
On Saturday I sat with him for a while and just chatted about nothing in particular. Sometimes that is all it takes.
I met one of his daughters. She has a smile so genuine one can only smile back. Don Kiffmeyer stopped in as well and we all had some good laughs.
Jim was in good spirits and seemed to be at peace.
I stopped by again last night. Jim was sleeping soundly taking in deep breaths. I am not sure if he knew I was there but I held his hand and said a prayer. And told him I loved him. Without opening his eyes, he said it right back.
I met another of his daughters last night, too and had a chance to talk with her and Mary. It is evident his family loves him by the smiles that magically appear when they talk about Jim or tell a story from his life.
They have been busy putting pictures together that represent a life full of memories. I couldn't help but laugh at quite a few of them.
Jim and his family were the original Wonder Bread family spotlighted in newspaper and other ads. That sure got a chuckle out of me.
Seeing pictures of him riding his dirt bike through the river in like the 70's made me laugh, too.
Of course, there were the family photos with the kids -- and Jim -- with 80's hair! Now that Always makes me laugh. Especially when I look at pictures of myself from the 80s. Not a good decade for fashion, but the music is still good.
Jim always told me he had a great life. He did everything he ever wanted to do. He loves cars, trucks, motorcycles, boats, planes, and probably everything else with a motor.
He was a pilot and had his own flight school. He scuba dived and fished in many oceans. He loves Corvettes. He loved to travel.
And most of all he loves his family.
I was reminded recently that it is important to not say you love someone unless you really mean it. But if you mean it, tell them often. Because people do tend to forget.
We had some really good times together while he had his health. It is sad for me to realize that through his dying, he has taught me so much about life. And I will never forget him. He is Jim, the Wonderbread Boy!
Peace.
On Saturday I sat with him for a while and just chatted about nothing in particular. Sometimes that is all it takes.
I met one of his daughters. She has a smile so genuine one can only smile back. Don Kiffmeyer stopped in as well and we all had some good laughs.
Jim was in good spirits and seemed to be at peace.
I stopped by again last night. Jim was sleeping soundly taking in deep breaths. I am not sure if he knew I was there but I held his hand and said a prayer. And told him I loved him. Without opening his eyes, he said it right back.
I met another of his daughters last night, too and had a chance to talk with her and Mary. It is evident his family loves him by the smiles that magically appear when they talk about Jim or tell a story from his life.
They have been busy putting pictures together that represent a life full of memories. I couldn't help but laugh at quite a few of them.
Jim and his family were the original Wonder Bread family spotlighted in newspaper and other ads. That sure got a chuckle out of me.
Seeing pictures of him riding his dirt bike through the river in like the 70's made me laugh, too.
Of course, there were the family photos with the kids -- and Jim -- with 80's hair! Now that Always makes me laugh. Especially when I look at pictures of myself from the 80s. Not a good decade for fashion, but the music is still good.
Jim always told me he had a great life. He did everything he ever wanted to do. He loves cars, trucks, motorcycles, boats, planes, and probably everything else with a motor.
He was a pilot and had his own flight school. He scuba dived and fished in many oceans. He loves Corvettes. He loved to travel.
And most of all he loves his family.
I was reminded recently that it is important to not say you love someone unless you really mean it. But if you mean it, tell them often. Because people do tend to forget.
We had some really good times together while he had his health. It is sad for me to realize that through his dying, he has taught me so much about life. And I will never forget him. He is Jim, the Wonderbread Boy!
Peace.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Au revoir mon ami, Jim. It's been a great ride
Thursday, May 1, 2008
I stopped to visit my friend Jim this morning. “Hi there, Handsome,” I said to him.
There is every possibility that was the last time I will see him.
He apologized for not getting up. “I’m sorry you have to see me this way,” he said surrounded by the comfort of his own bed complete with fluffy pillows and a soft comforter. The hospice people were to be coming later. And a priest.
“Don’t be silly. You look comfortable.”
He noticed I have lost some weight. I said thanks and that I had been working on it, but would give anything for a Dairy Queen hot fudge banana malt.
He told me I should just have one.“Don’t worry about stuff like that, Viv. If you want a malt you should have a malt. There just isn’t enough time in life to skip out on having malts. I know. Trust me. It all works out in the end.”
I laughed. A little. “I’ll keep that in mind. Is there anything I can get for you?”
“A couple more years would be nice. Right now I would take a day more.”
I held back the tears as he told me he felt in his heart that he had a day, maybe two left on this earth. That would be a good time to be wrong, Jim.
We talked for quite some time. Jim has always some great stories to tell. We have quite a few laughs over quite a few cocktails in recent years. I wish I would have known him longer. He has had a great life. But that is just about come to an end. He shared with me some very wonderful things. Some of them I will share with you.
“It’s been a great ride,” Jim said.
Jim has no regrets about his life. That is the way you should live, he said. “If I had the chance to do it all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing.”
But he does wish he had more time. He said he feels bad that he will be leaving his family. He has some great kids, he said. He is lucky. He is especially worried about Mary, his wife. “She is wonderful. I don’t know what I would have done without her,” he said.
Here are just a few pieces of advice Jim shared with me today.
- Do the right thing every day. When you can look yourself in the mirror at night and know you were a good person that day, it was a good day. Have lots of those.
- Just get a long with people.
- Don’t be jealous of what other people have. You want something, make it happen, get it yourself, or get over it.
- There is no time for petty things.
- When you are lying down in the last few days of your life, it is not the big events that you remember. It is the little everyday stuff that can take my breath away. Those are important. Hang on to them.
- Make a lot of memories.
- There is not a lot that is better than a great day on a bike or on the water. Sun and wind feel good.
Jim said more. He always has more to say.
He said he has been thinking about religion a lot lately. It’s no surprise.
“I’ve never been a real religious man. I believe in God. But not so much in religion,” he said.
He was “kicked out of the Catholic church” many years ago when he got divorced and then remarried he said. So, he didn’t have much time for religion. But he knows there is a God and he believes in Him and he believes in heaven.
“There will be one more angel in heaven, Jim. I am counting on you to shake things up a bit up there.”
“And I will be there watching you. Wear your sunscreen. If you feel someone tapping on your shoulder and there is nobody there, you can just know it is me.”
Thanks for all the advice, Jim. I stopped and bought myself a Dairy Queen malt. I shared it with a cat that’s been hanging out behind the office. I named the cat Jim.
I will be thinking of you often, Jim. And miss you very much. I will be waiting for a tap on my shoulder.
It’s been a great ride.
Bon au revoir mon ami. Jusqu'à ce que nous rencontrons encore. Good bye my friend. Until we meet again.
Peace.
I stopped to visit my friend Jim this morning. “Hi there, Handsome,” I said to him.
There is every possibility that was the last time I will see him.
He apologized for not getting up. “I’m sorry you have to see me this way,” he said surrounded by the comfort of his own bed complete with fluffy pillows and a soft comforter. The hospice people were to be coming later. And a priest.
“Don’t be silly. You look comfortable.”
He noticed I have lost some weight. I said thanks and that I had been working on it, but would give anything for a Dairy Queen hot fudge banana malt.
He told me I should just have one.“Don’t worry about stuff like that, Viv. If you want a malt you should have a malt. There just isn’t enough time in life to skip out on having malts. I know. Trust me. It all works out in the end.”
I laughed. A little. “I’ll keep that in mind. Is there anything I can get for you?”
“A couple more years would be nice. Right now I would take a day more.”
I held back the tears as he told me he felt in his heart that he had a day, maybe two left on this earth. That would be a good time to be wrong, Jim.
We talked for quite some time. Jim has always some great stories to tell. We have quite a few laughs over quite a few cocktails in recent years. I wish I would have known him longer. He has had a great life. But that is just about come to an end. He shared with me some very wonderful things. Some of them I will share with you.
“It’s been a great ride,” Jim said.
Jim has no regrets about his life. That is the way you should live, he said. “If I had the chance to do it all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing.”
But he does wish he had more time. He said he feels bad that he will be leaving his family. He has some great kids, he said. He is lucky. He is especially worried about Mary, his wife. “She is wonderful. I don’t know what I would have done without her,” he said.
Here are just a few pieces of advice Jim shared with me today.
- Do the right thing every day. When you can look yourself in the mirror at night and know you were a good person that day, it was a good day. Have lots of those.
- Just get a long with people.
- Don’t be jealous of what other people have. You want something, make it happen, get it yourself, or get over it.
- There is no time for petty things.
- When you are lying down in the last few days of your life, it is not the big events that you remember. It is the little everyday stuff that can take my breath away. Those are important. Hang on to them.
- Make a lot of memories.
- There is not a lot that is better than a great day on a bike or on the water. Sun and wind feel good.
Jim said more. He always has more to say.
He said he has been thinking about religion a lot lately. It’s no surprise.
“I’ve never been a real religious man. I believe in God. But not so much in religion,” he said.
He was “kicked out of the Catholic church” many years ago when he got divorced and then remarried he said. So, he didn’t have much time for religion. But he knows there is a God and he believes in Him and he believes in heaven.
“There will be one more angel in heaven, Jim. I am counting on you to shake things up a bit up there.”
“And I will be there watching you. Wear your sunscreen. If you feel someone tapping on your shoulder and there is nobody there, you can just know it is me.”
Thanks for all the advice, Jim. I stopped and bought myself a Dairy Queen malt. I shared it with a cat that’s been hanging out behind the office. I named the cat Jim.
I will be thinking of you often, Jim. And miss you very much. I will be waiting for a tap on my shoulder.
It’s been a great ride.
Bon au revoir mon ami. Jusqu'à ce que nous rencontrons encore. Good bye my friend. Until we meet again.
Peace.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
The inspiration of magic
New Orleans, Louisiana is a magical place.
Aug. 29, 2005. The wind blew and the water rose. Most of the world watched as Hurricane Katrina made land and turned that land into a sea of broken dreams for many of the people of New Orleans.
Even those whose homes were not affected by flooding found themselves evacuated as they had no electricity. With that came no source for food, water, telephones and more of the items the rest of us take for granted.
For 30 days or more the people of New Orleans were displaced, discouraged, disillusioned.
That was three years ago. Some folks say they will never return. Others are trying hard to rebuild their lives. For many, that means rebuilding their homes.
I fell in love with the people of New Orleans — the artists, the musicians, the guy on the street, the homeless family living at the shelter, the lady at the gas station. Every one of them has something valuable to share with the world. And they will if you let them.
I spent a week with the Minnesota Katrina relief team helping to rebuild the city, one house at a time, volunteering through Operation Helping Hands, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. As we worked on our assigned projects some of the folks from the neighborhoods would stop to visit.
They were old and they were young. They were curious and they were grateful. They were receptive and they were kind. They were inspiring.
The people in those broken neighborhoods most touched my heart. Their houses and entire neighborhoods may have been broken, but their spirit was not.
A house represents security, a place to start the day and a place to finish the day. A home is comfort, family, friends and love. When the people of the flood damaged parishes of New Orleans say to you, “Welcome to my home,” it is empowering to them. They have accomplished much.
To be a small part of that, is awesome. One week of volunteering was more fulfilling than almost anything I can think of that I have done in my life so far. We were not polishing diamonds in the rough, we were doing something real. By rebuilding homes we were changing lives. As Jenny Orsborn, our group leader, said, we are saving the world one house at a time.
To look at the changes that have been made in the last three years is inspiring. To see a community come together and know that I was a tiny part of making someone's dream come true is amazing. More important than the progress you can see with your eyes is the progress you can feel in your heart.
NOLA is a magical place. The city has a pulse. You can feel it reverberating in your bones. The architecture is beautiful. Artists from all venues are everywhere, in studios, galleries and on the street. And the music . . . ah, the music . . . is alive.
What makes the heart beat of the city is the people. The people of NOLA are strong, spirited and soulful. And those who can, are coming home.
Peace.
p.s. Please read my story in this weeks edition of the Mille Lacs Messenger on sale at news stands tomorrow, April 30.
Aug. 29, 2005. The wind blew and the water rose. Most of the world watched as Hurricane Katrina made land and turned that land into a sea of broken dreams for many of the people of New Orleans.
Even those whose homes were not affected by flooding found themselves evacuated as they had no electricity. With that came no source for food, water, telephones and more of the items the rest of us take for granted.
For 30 days or more the people of New Orleans were displaced, discouraged, disillusioned.
That was three years ago. Some folks say they will never return. Others are trying hard to rebuild their lives. For many, that means rebuilding their homes.
I fell in love with the people of New Orleans — the artists, the musicians, the guy on the street, the homeless family living at the shelter, the lady at the gas station. Every one of them has something valuable to share with the world. And they will if you let them.
I spent a week with the Minnesota Katrina relief team helping to rebuild the city, one house at a time, volunteering through Operation Helping Hands, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. As we worked on our assigned projects some of the folks from the neighborhoods would stop to visit.
They were old and they were young. They were curious and they were grateful. They were receptive and they were kind. They were inspiring.
The people in those broken neighborhoods most touched my heart. Their houses and entire neighborhoods may have been broken, but their spirit was not.
A house represents security, a place to start the day and a place to finish the day. A home is comfort, family, friends and love. When the people of the flood damaged parishes of New Orleans say to you, “Welcome to my home,” it is empowering to them. They have accomplished much.
To be a small part of that, is awesome. One week of volunteering was more fulfilling than almost anything I can think of that I have done in my life so far. We were not polishing diamonds in the rough, we were doing something real. By rebuilding homes we were changing lives. As Jenny Orsborn, our group leader, said, we are saving the world one house at a time.
To look at the changes that have been made in the last three years is inspiring. To see a community come together and know that I was a tiny part of making someone's dream come true is amazing. More important than the progress you can see with your eyes is the progress you can feel in your heart.
NOLA is a magical place. The city has a pulse. You can feel it reverberating in your bones. The architecture is beautiful. Artists from all venues are everywhere, in studios, galleries and on the street. And the music . . . ah, the music . . . is alive.
What makes the heart beat of the city is the people. The people of NOLA are strong, spirited and soulful. And those who can, are coming home.
Peace.
p.s. Please read my story in this weeks edition of the Mille Lacs Messenger on sale at news stands tomorrow, April 30.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
I love my Jeep
It is hard to believe it is April 26. I woke up this morning and looked out the window to find about 3 inches of snow. That's not so bad, I thought. It wont last long. The plows will be out shortly and the rest of it will melt soon. It was a nice thought.
I had an appointment to get my tires rotated, fix a slow leaking tire and check the breaks. All something I had been putting off for quite some time. But the leaky tire was starting to leak faster, so I had to keep the appontment. When it came time for me to leave home to go into town (25 miles) I looked out the front window and could not even see across the lake. I couldn't even see the island in the middle. The snow just kept on snowing. And blowing.
But I had to go, so go I did.
The highway wasn't so bad going into town. It did not appear the plows had been out, but traffic kept a path pretty clear.
Once in town, the roads were fine. Wet and sloppy, but better than the highway.
Got my Jeep taken care of. The breaks are fine. The tire is fixed and they were all rotated. Good for another 6,000 miles or so.
The DJ on the radio said it was clearing up. Pearing through my windshield it appeared to be worse. Of course, the radio station is on the other end of town, so I will cut her some slack.
Driving back home east on hwy. 18 the road had not been plowed. And it was white out conditions. I am not kidding. I could not see 50 feet in front of me for a long time. The scary part was when all of the sudden a plow heading straight for me appeared out of nowhere!
So, I took the first chance I could and hit the back roads.
Now, here, it was clear that while the highway was not great, apparently plows had made a pass or two. Compared to the back country roads, which indeed had not been plowed. The snow was piling up close to at least 6 inches with drifts on the sides about 2-feet.
That's the best thing about a Jeep. My Jeep loves the snow! I felt like I could have been in a Jeep commercial even.
As I drove through the drifting snow it was spraying up the sides, blowing back in the wind. I would hit a pothole coverd in snow and muddy globs of snow covered the windshield, hood and side windows.
With a swipe of the wiper blades and a little blue juice, me and my Jeep just kept on going. Up and down the rolling hills and winding dead-end road we just drove. Still close to white out conditions when I passed a field, but in the woods it was near Jeep Nirvana.
It was almost sad to make it to the end of the road and into my driveway. My little adventure was over. Its a Jeep thing. You wouldn't understand.
I kicked the built up snow off from all the wheel wells and chipped away the ice build up on the wiper blade. I put my friend -- my Jeep in the garage and bid farewell for the day.
Oh, but in about an hour, I will have to leave again. I have a couple of weekend assignments for the paper. One is a the annual Smelt Fry at the VFW and the other is the Onamia Senior Prom grand march. I feel bad for the girls who must be dissappointed they might have to wear their Uggs instead of strappy little sandals to the dance tonight.
Naw, what am I thinking. This is Minnesota. The girls will wear their strappy little sandals tonight. Cripes, they wear them all year long anyway.
It is April 26 and this snow too will melt. But for now, I am going to grab some fresh coffee and just enjoy it for a while. And then head out into the wide white yonder. Only in a Jeep.
Peace.
I had an appointment to get my tires rotated, fix a slow leaking tire and check the breaks. All something I had been putting off for quite some time. But the leaky tire was starting to leak faster, so I had to keep the appontment. When it came time for me to leave home to go into town (25 miles) I looked out the front window and could not even see across the lake. I couldn't even see the island in the middle. The snow just kept on snowing. And blowing.
But I had to go, so go I did.
The highway wasn't so bad going into town. It did not appear the plows had been out, but traffic kept a path pretty clear.
Once in town, the roads were fine. Wet and sloppy, but better than the highway.
Got my Jeep taken care of. The breaks are fine. The tire is fixed and they were all rotated. Good for another 6,000 miles or so.
The DJ on the radio said it was clearing up. Pearing through my windshield it appeared to be worse. Of course, the radio station is on the other end of town, so I will cut her some slack.
Driving back home east on hwy. 18 the road had not been plowed. And it was white out conditions. I am not kidding. I could not see 50 feet in front of me for a long time. The scary part was when all of the sudden a plow heading straight for me appeared out of nowhere!
So, I took the first chance I could and hit the back roads.
Now, here, it was clear that while the highway was not great, apparently plows had made a pass or two. Compared to the back country roads, which indeed had not been plowed. The snow was piling up close to at least 6 inches with drifts on the sides about 2-feet.
That's the best thing about a Jeep. My Jeep loves the snow! I felt like I could have been in a Jeep commercial even.
As I drove through the drifting snow it was spraying up the sides, blowing back in the wind. I would hit a pothole coverd in snow and muddy globs of snow covered the windshield, hood and side windows.
With a swipe of the wiper blades and a little blue juice, me and my Jeep just kept on going. Up and down the rolling hills and winding dead-end road we just drove. Still close to white out conditions when I passed a field, but in the woods it was near Jeep Nirvana.
It was almost sad to make it to the end of the road and into my driveway. My little adventure was over. Its a Jeep thing. You wouldn't understand.
I kicked the built up snow off from all the wheel wells and chipped away the ice build up on the wiper blade. I put my friend -- my Jeep in the garage and bid farewell for the day.
Oh, but in about an hour, I will have to leave again. I have a couple of weekend assignments for the paper. One is a the annual Smelt Fry at the VFW and the other is the Onamia Senior Prom grand march. I feel bad for the girls who must be dissappointed they might have to wear their Uggs instead of strappy little sandals to the dance tonight.
Naw, what am I thinking. This is Minnesota. The girls will wear their strappy little sandals tonight. Cripes, they wear them all year long anyway.
It is April 26 and this snow too will melt. But for now, I am going to grab some fresh coffee and just enjoy it for a while. And then head out into the wide white yonder. Only in a Jeep.
Peace.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Instincts - the beast within us
“Good instincts usually tell you what to do long before your head has figured it out.” -- Michael Burke
It amazes me that even while 90 percent of the lake is still covered in ice, the loons know when to come home. Instincts are amazing.
I heard the loons last Saturday. Actually, Charlie said he heard them a few days earlier, but I didn't hear them myself until then. On my way to work driving around the north side of the lake yesterday I saw two of them. The were peacefully floating along in the 15 to 20 feet of open water along the shoreline and diving under the ice.
It is a sure sign of spring, even when we are expecting 3 to 6 inches of snow tonight, I know it will not be long until the lake is completely free from ice.
Animal instincts lead the loons to water and tell them when to fly to the sun in the fall. Instincts tell the robins where to dig for worms. Instincts tell the bears when to wake up and when to crawl into a soft bed for the winter. Instincts tell a lone wolf how to find a pack or when to move on.
People have instincts, too. Like a voice within us, our instincts give us that gut feeling when something just feels so right that it can't possibly be wrong. Our inner voice tells us when it is time to move on, or when to dig deeper. If something just doesn't feel right, a trigger goes off, telling us so.
The difference between animal instincts and human instincts are that we humans have a few things that set us apart from the animals. Besides opposable thumbs, we can feel. We can think. We can rationalize. We can dream. We can love.
Our instincts can also become clouded by those very things that set us apart from the wild and free animal kingdom. The noise from everyday life can become so loud that we cannot hear that tiny voice within. Sometimes we feel trapped like a caged animal, or boxed into a corner with no way out except the way we came in.
But the clouds can blow away. We can shut out the distracting noises. We can free ourselves from the trap we set for ourselves.
It all goes back to the basics. We need to know when to listen to the voice and we need to trust our instincts.
“As the traveler who has lost his way, throws his reins on his horse's neck, and trusts to the instinct of the animal to find his road, so must we do with the divine animal who carries us through this world.” -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Peace.
It amazes me that even while 90 percent of the lake is still covered in ice, the loons know when to come home. Instincts are amazing.
I heard the loons last Saturday. Actually, Charlie said he heard them a few days earlier, but I didn't hear them myself until then. On my way to work driving around the north side of the lake yesterday I saw two of them. The were peacefully floating along in the 15 to 20 feet of open water along the shoreline and diving under the ice.
It is a sure sign of spring, even when we are expecting 3 to 6 inches of snow tonight, I know it will not be long until the lake is completely free from ice.
Animal instincts lead the loons to water and tell them when to fly to the sun in the fall. Instincts tell the robins where to dig for worms. Instincts tell the bears when to wake up and when to crawl into a soft bed for the winter. Instincts tell a lone wolf how to find a pack or when to move on.
People have instincts, too. Like a voice within us, our instincts give us that gut feeling when something just feels so right that it can't possibly be wrong. Our inner voice tells us when it is time to move on, or when to dig deeper. If something just doesn't feel right, a trigger goes off, telling us so.
The difference between animal instincts and human instincts are that we humans have a few things that set us apart from the animals. Besides opposable thumbs, we can feel. We can think. We can rationalize. We can dream. We can love.
Our instincts can also become clouded by those very things that set us apart from the wild and free animal kingdom. The noise from everyday life can become so loud that we cannot hear that tiny voice within. Sometimes we feel trapped like a caged animal, or boxed into a corner with no way out except the way we came in.
But the clouds can blow away. We can shut out the distracting noises. We can free ourselves from the trap we set for ourselves.
It all goes back to the basics. We need to know when to listen to the voice and we need to trust our instincts.
“As the traveler who has lost his way, throws his reins on his horse's neck, and trusts to the instinct of the animal to find his road, so must we do with the divine animal who carries us through this world.” -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Peace.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
The right to remain silent
"There are times when silence has the loudest voice.” -- Leroy Brownlow
The people of Mille Lacs County are still questioning some issues in the case of the Mille Lacs County Undersheriff misplacing his county issued law enforcement weapon while on duty. The weapon was found in a public restroom, right where the undersheriff left it. The Glock was found by a concerned citizen, who turned it in to the Milaca Police chief later that day. The citizen has chosen to remain anonymous.
"We the People ... "
Those are the first three words in the Constitution of the United States. It was written in 1787, ratified in 1788, and in operation since 1789. The United States Constitution is the world’s longest surviving written charter of government.
For over two centuries, the Constitution has remained in force, in part due to the ability to adapt to meet the changing needs of an evolving society. Thereby came amendments to the Constitution.
The fifth amendment says in part, "no person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury ..."
Ok, so what that means is people have the right to remain silent. In fact, the fifth amendment became ingrained into common law legal systems following the American Revolution. The case of Miranda v. Arizona in 1966 established the now famous Miranda Warning which extends the fifth amendment to include pre-trial questioning and investigations.
Every person has the right to not answer questions from any government agent. That includes law enforcement officers. Of course, there is the chance that by not answering questions, one might question the reasons why and suspicions might arise.
Mille Lacs County Sheriff Brent Lindgren has been quoted in the Mille Lacs County Times saying, "An investigation does not make a criminal. It only reveals the truth."
That sounds good on paper. But the next line he says, "If you haven't done anything wrong, the investigation will prove that, so there is no reason not to cooperate."
My thought is except that you have the right not to answer any questions, if you so choose. The Constitution gives you that right.
Lindgren added, "If the police chief and the individual don't cooperate, it makes you wonder what they are hiding." He later said if the police chief does not cooperate with the investigation that "he (the police chief) becomes judge, jury and executioner."
OK, hold on. Is that the kettle calling the pot black (or however that saying goes). It appears to me that he has already judged the individual who found the gun and turned it in. He has decided a crime has been committed by that individual and he is ready to throw a book at him. He is also ready to arrest the police chief for aiding in a crime.
The Constitution says, "We the people of the United States ..." That means everyone. The guy who found the gun, the sheriff, the police chief and the deputy who lost the gun. You and me and everyone else, too. We are the people. We have rights.
Calls to the sheriff have gone unreturned. Perhaps Lindgren is exercising his right to remain silent. Oh, except it doesn't work that way for public government officials.
Minnesota statutes 13.03 and 13.82 say that public officials must disclose a certain amount of information promptly. Even when using the phrase "within a reasonable amount of time" I feel that a week and a half of unreturned phone calls, three times per day, is not prompt, nor reasonable.
The sheriff is investigating a crime. The crime as he sees it is the theft of a gun. The gun which his undersheriff left behind in a public mens rest room. Lindgren said the deputy will be disciplined for misplacing his gun, but he can't be disciplined until the investigation is complete.
Where should the investigation be?
Investigate all you want, Sheriff. That is your job. But don't stomp on the Constitutional Rights of the People of Mille Lacs County. "We the people..."
I'll leave you wiht this quote I found to be quite interesting:
“The story of Little Blue Riding Hood is true. Only the color has been changed to prevent an investigation.” -- Stan Freberg
Peace.
************************************
p.s. Just in case you want the real words to the Constitution, the Fifth Amendment and the Miranda, keep reading. Otherwise, this is the end for today.
The Constitution of the United States
"We the people of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. ..."
The fifth amendment:
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
The Miranda:
"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to be speak to an attorney, and to have an attorney present during any questioning. If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be provided for you at government expense."
The people of Mille Lacs County are still questioning some issues in the case of the Mille Lacs County Undersheriff misplacing his county issued law enforcement weapon while on duty. The weapon was found in a public restroom, right where the undersheriff left it. The Glock was found by a concerned citizen, who turned it in to the Milaca Police chief later that day. The citizen has chosen to remain anonymous.
"We the People ... "
Those are the first three words in the Constitution of the United States. It was written in 1787, ratified in 1788, and in operation since 1789. The United States Constitution is the world’s longest surviving written charter of government.
For over two centuries, the Constitution has remained in force, in part due to the ability to adapt to meet the changing needs of an evolving society. Thereby came amendments to the Constitution.
The fifth amendment says in part, "no person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury ..."
Ok, so what that means is people have the right to remain silent. In fact, the fifth amendment became ingrained into common law legal systems following the American Revolution. The case of Miranda v. Arizona in 1966 established the now famous Miranda Warning which extends the fifth amendment to include pre-trial questioning and investigations.
Every person has the right to not answer questions from any government agent. That includes law enforcement officers. Of course, there is the chance that by not answering questions, one might question the reasons why and suspicions might arise.
Mille Lacs County Sheriff Brent Lindgren has been quoted in the Mille Lacs County Times saying, "An investigation does not make a criminal. It only reveals the truth."
That sounds good on paper. But the next line he says, "If you haven't done anything wrong, the investigation will prove that, so there is no reason not to cooperate."
My thought is except that you have the right not to answer any questions, if you so choose. The Constitution gives you that right.
Lindgren added, "If the police chief and the individual don't cooperate, it makes you wonder what they are hiding." He later said if the police chief does not cooperate with the investigation that "he (the police chief) becomes judge, jury and executioner."
OK, hold on. Is that the kettle calling the pot black (or however that saying goes). It appears to me that he has already judged the individual who found the gun and turned it in. He has decided a crime has been committed by that individual and he is ready to throw a book at him. He is also ready to arrest the police chief for aiding in a crime.
The Constitution says, "We the people of the United States ..." That means everyone. The guy who found the gun, the sheriff, the police chief and the deputy who lost the gun. You and me and everyone else, too. We are the people. We have rights.
Calls to the sheriff have gone unreturned. Perhaps Lindgren is exercising his right to remain silent. Oh, except it doesn't work that way for public government officials.
Minnesota statutes 13.03 and 13.82 say that public officials must disclose a certain amount of information promptly. Even when using the phrase "within a reasonable amount of time" I feel that a week and a half of unreturned phone calls, three times per day, is not prompt, nor reasonable.
The sheriff is investigating a crime. The crime as he sees it is the theft of a gun. The gun which his undersheriff left behind in a public mens rest room. Lindgren said the deputy will be disciplined for misplacing his gun, but he can't be disciplined until the investigation is complete.
Where should the investigation be?
Investigate all you want, Sheriff. That is your job. But don't stomp on the Constitutional Rights of the People of Mille Lacs County. "We the people..."
I'll leave you wiht this quote I found to be quite interesting:
“The story of Little Blue Riding Hood is true. Only the color has been changed to prevent an investigation.” -- Stan Freberg
Peace.
************************************
p.s. Just in case you want the real words to the Constitution, the Fifth Amendment and the Miranda, keep reading. Otherwise, this is the end for today.
The Constitution of the United States
"We the people of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. ..."
The fifth amendment:
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
The Miranda:
"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to be speak to an attorney, and to have an attorney present during any questioning. If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be provided for you at government expense."
Thursday, April 17, 2008
More to the story of the lost gun - temporary theft?
I recently wrote two articles published in the Messenger Publications issues of March 19 and April 9. The stories are about a Mille Lacs County deputy who misplaced his law enforcement firearm in a public restroom. The gun was found and turned over to law enforcement. That is it in a nutshell. But there is more to the story. There always is.
I just finished reading the Brainerd Daily Dispatch and this week’s issue of the Mille Lacs County Times. That is something we do in the newspaper business. We read newspapers. A lot of different newspapers. Every day.
I read the Times article by Dawn Slade, “Forgotten gun incident leads to investigation.”
This is the first mention of the “forgotten gun” in the Times paper. The article states, “Recently the Mille Lacs Messenger broke the story after obtaining an internal document from the sheriff’s office, which Sheriff Brent Lindgren says was obtained illegally. Lindgren called it a breach of security. That’s a separate crime that’s occurred,’ Lindgren said.”
I wrote the articles mentioned by the Times. That paragraph mentioned above (from the Times article) leads readers to believe that I obtained the document illegally, that I committed a crime. That is simply not true. I do have a copy of the document and it was in no way received illegally.
The Times has access to the same incident reports that I have. They are emailed to both papers weekly. The first report of the “forgotten gun” was mentioned in the sheriff’s report as a theft from Unclaimed Freight. I received the report a week after the fact because they are weekly reports. I started investigating the incident.
It took time. Several phone calls were thwarted by comments like, “No comment.” “It is under investigation.” So I continued to do my job. I asked a lot of people questions. The funny thing is when you are a reporter, you talk to a lot of people who know something, but don't want to go on record, but may know someone who does. So you ask some more. I kept asking and looking for answers.
We ran a story on the incident as soon as I had tangible proof on record. After that, I confidentially interviewed the person who found the gun and turned it in. We ran that story, too.
The Times article says Lindgren is trying to find out who the man is who “took” the gun, because that is a crime.
Whether or not a crime was committed by the person who found the gun and turned it over to police, is not my position to say. I have read statute 609.52 which in part says for an act to be considered a theft, one must have “intent” to permanently deprive another of their property. The man who found the gun said he had every intention of getting it to police. Which he did.
As for why I am not telling the Sheriff who the man is who found the gun, is because I told the man I would not and that his wishes to remain anonymous would be kept — at least by me. Should he at some point decide on his own to come forward that is up to him. But I stand by my word. And Minnesota statute 595.021 — otherwise known as the Free Flow of Information Act, or the Shield Law — says I do not have to reveal confidential sources or unpublished notes.
“The Minnesota shield law, which was revised in 1998, explicitly recognizes the public's interest in protecting the free flow of information provided by the news media. The law protects those persons "directly engaged in the gathering, procuring, compiling, editing, or publishing of information" from revealing sources or unpublished information." (Student Press Law Center.)
Journalists take the Shield Law seriously and do not use it lightly. We discussed the issue at length in the office and contacted our attorney before the interview was even conducted. We also discussed with our attorney the information on how I obtained the now infamous document.
I can assure you, everything I did was legal. And ethical.
As for Milaca Police Chief Mike Mott not revealing the name of the man who found the gun, Mott gave HIS word he would not. He is standing by his word. Integrity.
One last note, I also wonder what a “temporary theft” is. The Times article states, “Lindgren added if the person is found guilty of temporary theft and the police chief aided the offender, he could also be charged with a crime.” What is a temporary theft? Is that a crime? What does that mean? Does that mean there can be temporary murder? Temporary rape? Temporary arson? Temporary assault? Or just temporary insanity?
Just something to think about.
Peace.
p.s. if you are interested in the articles in the Messenger, try these addresses. Copy and paste into your browser. click enter.
http://www.millelacsmessenger.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=18168&TM=64159.87
http://www.millelacsmessenger.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=18011&SectionID=1&SubSectionID=&S=1
I just finished reading the Brainerd Daily Dispatch and this week’s issue of the Mille Lacs County Times. That is something we do in the newspaper business. We read newspapers. A lot of different newspapers. Every day.
I read the Times article by Dawn Slade, “Forgotten gun incident leads to investigation.”
This is the first mention of the “forgotten gun” in the Times paper. The article states, “Recently the Mille Lacs Messenger broke the story after obtaining an internal document from the sheriff’s office, which Sheriff Brent Lindgren says was obtained illegally. Lindgren called it a breach of security. That’s a separate crime that’s occurred,’ Lindgren said.”
I wrote the articles mentioned by the Times. That paragraph mentioned above (from the Times article) leads readers to believe that I obtained the document illegally, that I committed a crime. That is simply not true. I do have a copy of the document and it was in no way received illegally.
The Times has access to the same incident reports that I have. They are emailed to both papers weekly. The first report of the “forgotten gun” was mentioned in the sheriff’s report as a theft from Unclaimed Freight. I received the report a week after the fact because they are weekly reports. I started investigating the incident.
It took time. Several phone calls were thwarted by comments like, “No comment.” “It is under investigation.” So I continued to do my job. I asked a lot of people questions. The funny thing is when you are a reporter, you talk to a lot of people who know something, but don't want to go on record, but may know someone who does. So you ask some more. I kept asking and looking for answers.
We ran a story on the incident as soon as I had tangible proof on record. After that, I confidentially interviewed the person who found the gun and turned it in. We ran that story, too.
The Times article says Lindgren is trying to find out who the man is who “took” the gun, because that is a crime.
Whether or not a crime was committed by the person who found the gun and turned it over to police, is not my position to say. I have read statute 609.52 which in part says for an act to be considered a theft, one must have “intent” to permanently deprive another of their property. The man who found the gun said he had every intention of getting it to police. Which he did.
As for why I am not telling the Sheriff who the man is who found the gun, is because I told the man I would not and that his wishes to remain anonymous would be kept — at least by me. Should he at some point decide on his own to come forward that is up to him. But I stand by my word. And Minnesota statute 595.021 — otherwise known as the Free Flow of Information Act, or the Shield Law — says I do not have to reveal confidential sources or unpublished notes.
“The Minnesota shield law, which was revised in 1998, explicitly recognizes the public's interest in protecting the free flow of information provided by the news media. The law protects those persons "directly engaged in the gathering, procuring, compiling, editing, or publishing of information" from revealing sources or unpublished information." (Student Press Law Center.)
Journalists take the Shield Law seriously and do not use it lightly. We discussed the issue at length in the office and contacted our attorney before the interview was even conducted. We also discussed with our attorney the information on how I obtained the now infamous document.
I can assure you, everything I did was legal. And ethical.
As for Milaca Police Chief Mike Mott not revealing the name of the man who found the gun, Mott gave HIS word he would not. He is standing by his word. Integrity.
One last note, I also wonder what a “temporary theft” is. The Times article states, “Lindgren added if the person is found guilty of temporary theft and the police chief aided the offender, he could also be charged with a crime.” What is a temporary theft? Is that a crime? What does that mean? Does that mean there can be temporary murder? Temporary rape? Temporary arson? Temporary assault? Or just temporary insanity?
Just something to think about.
Peace.
p.s. if you are interested in the articles in the Messenger, try these addresses. Copy and paste into your browser. click enter.
http://www.millelacsmessenger.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=18168&TM=64159.87
http://www.millelacsmessenger.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=18011&SectionID=1&SubSectionID=&S=1
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