Cheers and Jeers
Associated Press
Cheers & Jeers
Jeers: The school shooting at a high school in Barrow County, Ga., last week was not the worst of the school shootings that has happened with disturbing regularity since the killings at Columbine High School in Colorado 25 years ago. Sadly, in a society awash with guns, it likely will not be the last. Along with the 14-year-old gunman being charged, his 54-year-old father, Colin Gray, is facing charges of involuntary manslaughter, second-degree murder and cruelty to children. How much culpability parents have when their children commit monstrous acts is open to debate and, in this case, will be hashed out when Gray stands before a judge and jury. A major strike against Gray is that he reportedly bought his son the AR-style weapon he used to carry out the shooting. And he purchased the weapon for him even as the boy was known to be struggling with mental health issues, school problems and an unstable life at home. Put simply, what kind of parent buys a battlefield weapon for their 14-year-old child? And a child who was shown to be troubled? It beggars belief.
Cheers: Anyone who has purchased a vehicle over the last decade or so knows it has all kinds of gadgets and gizmos that offer helpful warnings, whether it’s that a door or trunk is open, motor oil is starting to run low or a tire is losing pressure. Some lawmakers in California want cars to be outfitted with an additional piece of onboard technology that would warn drivers if they are traveling at least 10 miles over the speed limit. New York is considering a similar law. Of course, the proposal has its detractors because many Americans do like to step on it, as any journey on Interstate 79 will demonstrate. The Washington Post reported that one critic in California described it as the epitome of a “nanny state.” But why not put the technology in cars? Excess speed killed more than 12,000 Americans in 2022, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and most experts believe that number would be trimmed with the onboard warnings. It’s kind of like those calorie numbers that are next to menu items at some restaurants – you might not like seeing that the sandwich you’re craving would give you more than half the calories you need on a daily basis, but it does make you think twice.
Cheers: “It makes everyone be able to move forward, including the county.” That was what Washington County District Attorney Jason Walsh had to say last week following a plea deal that will keep Washington County Controller April Sloane out of jail for the starvation death of her dog last year. Though there are undoubtedly many people who believe Sloane should spend time behind bars for the blatant cruelty she meted out to her pet, she has to resign her position with the county by the end of the month. By pleading guilty to a felony charge, Sloane is now a convicted felon and will be on probation for five years. And by agreeing to resign, the county will be rid of her. Kelly Proudfit of the Washington Area Humane Society explained that she and her organization were happy “that justice was served in the case. It’s unfortunate the dog was adopted from the humane society and the horrific ending the dog faced. It’s horrific and sad, and we’re all sad about it. But we’re glad there is the justice of the felony charge.”