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Shooting a Cop for Real...

3/7/2016

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As I write this column I am watching the funeral procession for Ashley Guindon who at age 28 was shot to death in the line of duty less than 24 hours after being sworn in as a Police Officer by the Prince William County Police Department. 
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During her first shift on-duty the department received a call about a domestic shooting. Ashley and two other officers did what police do. While everyone else runs away from trouble, they run toward it. As the officers approached the home that was subject of the complaint shots rang out. The husband involved in a domestic dispute opened fire and struck all three police officers. Guindon was killed.
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While it being Guindon’s first day on the job makes her loss stand out, law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty is a story that we hear all too often. So far this year seventeen men and women have died protecting their communities. Some passed in auto accidents but the overwhelming majority died as a result of gunfire. The stories are stunning, shocking and much closer to home after an experience I had a couple of weeks back.

I was invited by the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund to experience their police course simulator. The course is a realistic, interactive walk-through of several real life situations officers may come across on any given day. I walked into a variety of realistic law enforcement response situations armed with a gun and pepper spray. I had to discern the good guys from the bad guys. Even among the bad guys I had to figure out the level of danger they posed to me and to others and not pull my weapon unnecessarily. 

One of the scenarios had me enter a live shooting situation at a school with my police partner. As we cleared classrooms and hallways, occasional gunfire could be heard. The tension mounted. We cautiously kept proceeding toward the sounds of shouts and gunfire. In a split second I heard a loud bang and looked to see my partner had been shot in the head. Just like that, he was gone.

In my case it was a simulation. No actual life was lost, but for a split second the shock was real. It was a jolt to see how quickly things could go bad. In my case, we stopped the simulation, talked about how things had been handled and what we could do differently. On February 27, Ashley Guindon didn’t get the chance to stop and review. She got no “do over” and she’s not alone.
 

On the same day the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund hosted me, two Sheriff’s deputies in Harford County, MD, Patrick Dailey and Mark Logsdon, were both killed by gunfire. Perhaps it was the fact their real life shootings occurred nearly simultaneous with my simulated experience, but I was deeply impacted by their story...and those that have followed. 
My simulation of a police officer’s experience lasted only a couple hours. There was pressure to perform well, not be be embarrassed by poor choices or inadequate reflexes, but when it was over, regardless of how well I performed, I knew I would go back to the radio studio and eventually back home. 

Ashley Guindon’s death on the first day on the job is a reminder that every man and woman who puts on a badge hopes they end each day at home, but in the real world, it doesn’t always work out. These are real people, with real families and real lives. They aren't characters in a morality play. They are flesh and blood, just like you.

When you see the next protest by Black Lives Matter or disgruntled college kids, be thankful for our free speech rights that allow it. Make sure, however that you’re equally thankful for the men and women in blue. They aren’t the enemy. They aren’t the bad guys.
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Law Enforcement strives to keep us safe, often at their own peril. Support them. Thank them and say a prayer for them. 

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Sarah Palin Chooses Trump Over Her Suicidal Son

1/20/2016

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With great fanfare, former Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin this week endorsed Donald Trump for President of the United States. Trump has spent much of his life endorsing (and living) socially liberal causes. Although he now says he is Pro Life, he’s on the record multiple times as “very Pro Choice”. He is in favor of government healthcare that is even more comprehensive than Obamacare. He’s had four bankruptcies that hurt countless people and businesses. In short, he’s no conservative.

Why then would the queen of the Tea Party movement stand up for him? Because Trump is the show.The spotlight shines
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 where ever he goes and Sarah Palin loves, indeed craves, the spotlight. Governor Palin has made a fortune in the seven years since she and John McCain lost to Barack Obama, and more power to her for it. Books, TV shows, speaking fees and a cable news consultant gig have all resulted in celebrity status and heavy income.  But in the year 2016 the shine has worn off, the novelty is gone and Sarah Palin’s stock as the go-to red meat conservative has dropped dramatically. 

Consider this. If you’re Sarah Palin and you want to make a comfortable living, what options to you have? Only one. Being Sarah Palin. It’s a great gig if you can get it, but as even hard-core conservatives seem to be over her, Palin is still hungry for the attention, the fame and the money. 

She is so hungry in fact, that she prioritized Donald Trump, her springboard back into relevance, ahead of her own suicidal son.

Less than 24 hours before Sarah Palin bounded on stage beside Donald Trump and declared it was time to “stop pussyfooting around”, her oldest son, Track, was arrested for domestic violence in a drunken haze. At age 26 Track still lives with Mom and Dad and on Monday night, after exchanging punches with his girlfriend, Track held an AR-15 rifle to his own head and threatened to kill himself.

When law enforcement arrived his girlfriend was hiding under a bed. Track had ditched the gun and was pacing around talking on his cell phone. He was uncooperative and belligerent with police and ended up in cuffs, under arrest.

If it were the average parent and his or her son was so troubled that the child had pointed a gun at his own head and threatened to kill himself, that parent would drop whatever was going on and go to the kid immediately. Any parent will tell you they never stop worrying, even when their kid is an adult. Threaten suicide and it seems nothing would be more important to Mom or Dad. 

Unless Mom has a shot to get in front of the cameras again. Unless Mom can raise her profile enough to reel in another book deal or more high priced speeches. Apparently those are higher priorities.

Track Palin threatened to kill himself Monday night and ended up drunk and in jail. On Tuesday Sarah Palin chose to be with Donald Trump instead of going to and supporting her own child. The choice by the woman once considered America’s soccer mom speaks volumes.
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Is Trump a White Supremacist?

1/15/2016

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Donald Trump has developed an extremely effective way of dispatching would be rivals. He tells a less than flattering story about the person. Sometimes he makes accusations head-on. Sometimes he does so more discreetly with hints and innuendo. He’s at his comic best when he pretends he’s doing it to help the person in question.

By an amazing coincidence Trump’s allegations, concerns and innuendo all seem to come whenever a fellow candidate begins to gain on him in the polls. It doesn’t matter if his attacks are debunked. It doesn’t matter if most people recognize Trump’s comments aren’t true. He just keeps repeating the accusation over and over enough times to damage the opponent before moving on.

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It may be time for some of his own medicine.

Is Donald Trump a white supremacist? Goodness knows he’s taken shots at Latino’s and at Muslims, but has the smoking gun of his true colors finally leaked out? Is Donald Trump a white supremacist?

The American National Super PAC, which is organized and funded by the American Freedom Party, recently announced they have paid for “hundreds of thousands” of robo-calls boosting Donald Trump to Iowa voters ahead of the state’s February 1 caucuses. That’s good for Trump isn’t it? A Super PAC spending money so he doesn’t have to? Not exactly.

The American Freedom Party’s web site welcomes you to their site with the following statement. “White Americans should elect a party that advocates for issues and concerns affecting (sic) European Americans.” That’s right, The American Freedom Party is a white supremacist group. They organized a Super PAC and that PAC is spending it’s money pushing Donald Trump as their candidate. Trump promised he wouldn’t take any help from Super PACs. Not only is he reneging on that promise, he is getting a big push from one...and a white supremacist one at that.

Is Donald Trump a white supremacist?

Trump has not distanced himself from the group. He has not denounced the group nor their message. He’s reaping the benefit of robo-calls to a chunk of the Iowa electorate compliments of white supremacists and he doesn’t seem to have any issue with it at all. 

Is Donald Trump a white supremacist?

Imagine the fun Trump would have with this if it was any of his rivals. He would raise the issue. He would brand the candidate a white supremacist. He would wonder why the other challenger hadn’t disavowed the group’s efforts and he would repeat the opponent’s name and the term “white supremacist” at least a dozen times a day. Perhaps it’s time for someone else to raise the question on the Donald...and raise it again, and again and again.

Is Donald Trump a white supremacist? 

According to the way Trump plays the game, we should assume so until he can prove otherwise beyond the shadow of a doubt.
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    Tim Constantine

    Tim Constantine is a political and broadcasting veteran. He was a  Political Science major at the University of Southern Maine, was twice elected to public office and has been a top ranked broadcaster in multiple markets. 

    Tim Constantine's Capitol Hill Show broadcasts daily from Washington DC and is heard throughout the country.

    Constantine also partners with The Washington Times on a variety of projects. Highlights of his program can be heard on Washington TImes Radio.

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