10-26-2010-Thursday - Wise County Messenger

4A WISE COUNTY MESSENGER, Decatur, Texas, Thursday, October 28, 2010OPINIONOUR VIEWSWe need to say goodbye to high speed pursuitsBy BRANDON EVANSWind howled beneathlow, gray skies on Monday.Behind pink granite wallsof the Wise County Courthouse,the second floorcourtroom was eerily quietdespite being packed to capacity.Anxiety and tensionwas palpable. Emotions inthe room were pulled tight,like invisible piano stringsstretched throughout.Sniffles echoed and bouncedaround the cold, woodenroom.It was the sentencing ofStephen York, who pleadedguilty to the murder ofBridgeport Police Sgt.Randy White last month.He received life withoutparole. He also heard firsthandthe anguish of White’sclosest survivors, his wifeand mother.Judy White expressed thepain a mother feels whenlosing a son in more vividclarity than I’ve ever heard.The constant reminders,the constant need to knoweverything that happened,the constant imagining ofwhat could have been andwhat should have beenwere described in detail.She eloquently and painfullyexplained the range ofemotions she suffered andthe apathy toward all otherendeavors in the death’swake.White’s widowed wifeJanet exhibited more grace,strength and restraint thanone could imagine. Despitehaving her best friend andconfidante ripped out of herlife a year-and-a-half ago,she showed grace and mercyto her husband’s killer.But what also stuck outto me was how grateful shewas that the last words theyspoke to each other were “Ilove you.”Imagine if they’d partedways that morning withharsh words or ill tempers.Despite all the love sharedbetween two people,if they part on badterms, no matterhow minor or insignificantthe tiffwas, it would foreverleave a stain on thelast moment of timethey shared togetheron this tiny blue andgreen planet hurtlingthrough emptyspace.And no matter howhealthy, safe or cautioussomeone is, we will alwayshave to remember a finalmoment with the peoplewe love. It’s usually one weusually never see coming.This case also evokedmy own set of difficult, andeerily similar, memories.My cousin, Bruce Evans,was killed in the line ofduty in hauntingly similarcircumstances to White.Bruce was a deputy withthe Jackson County Sheriff’sDepartment in Mississippi.On the night ofJuly 18, 2000, officerswere involvedin a high-speedpursuit. Thesuspect, ChristopherDavis, washeavily involvedwith methamphetamine,justlike York. BruceEVANS had helped setup a road blockon State Route 618, severalmiles in front of the approachingchase.About a mile-and-a-halfbefore getting to the roadblock, the suspect’s vehiclecame to a stop, and it appearedthe chase was over.York also pulled off the roada mile or two before reignitinghis pursuit.And on that Mississippinight back in 2000,shots were exchanged andthe chase re-ensued. Thesuspect, Christopher Davis,then drove off the road andcrashed into Bruce’s patrolvehicle. Bruce was outsidethe vehicle. He tried to flee,but the cruiser flipped overand crushed him, leavinghim dead at the scene.Davis went on to receivelife in prison without thepossibility of parole. Bruceleft behind a wife and twochildren.Both of these courageouslaw enforcement officerswere killed due to highspeedchases. These typesof death races on publicroadways are not only extremelydeadly for officers,but also for the ever-presentcivilians oblivious to the approachingdanger.Last year a stoned teenagerstole a cattle truckin south Wise County andled officers on a dangerouschase. He could have easilycrashed into a church vanalong the way and killed adozen pre-schoolers.Are these types of pursuitseven necessary? ln allthese instances, law enforcementcould have backed off,and the suspects could havebeen tracked down laterand arrested.When a criminal grabsa hostage and has a gunto their head, officers don’tjust start shooting wildly.Other techniques are firstexplored because every lifeinvolved is considered precious.That’s what makesour system so impressive,at least until it comes topursuing criminals.When a high-speedpursuit begins, it’s basicallylike every person nearthe path of that pursuit isbeing held hostage as thecars flash past. Of course,the ultimate responsibilityfor any injury or deathrests with the suspects, butmaybe Texas law needs tochange. There needs to be adifferent protocol as to howofficers respond when highspeedpursuits begin. Orelse we can guarantee moresenseless deaths as a result.YOUR VIEWSMurraybest qualifiedI hope the voters in Precinct 3 will join me in voting forhe candidate with the best qualifications for justice ofhe peace, Ken Murray. If you judge the two candidatesy their qualifications and not the party ticket they areunning on, then you will see that Mr. Murray far exceedsrs. Hays as the one who is best suited for the job.So let’s make the right decision for our precinct, andet’s elect Ken Murray as the next justice of the peace forrecinct 3.Winford CashBoydMedia outof touchHer tone and expression loudly stated that she wasenuinely baffled and confused on the matter. “How is ithat so many of these tea party members are women?”he even went as far as to call this a phenomenon. Shes one of the talking heads of Obama’s lap dog media. Mynitial reaction was a hardy laugh followed by disgust.It used to be that the press cut away at the shroud ofies encompassing politicians and lay bare, as best theyould, true intentions. It would seem that this form ofjustice is slowly fading away right along with the representativerepublic that allowed our country to become theshining city on a hill that it is today.The pretense of her question, which obviously insinuatedthat if you are a woman you should be a liberal, I’msure is offensive to many. This pretense is faulty, and Ibelieve gender is irrelevant to the answer.Today’s liberal model of expanding government, deficitspending and confiscatory wealth redistribution has failedeverywhere and every time it has been tried throughoutworld history. Poverty, decline, collapsing currencies, misery,disease and death have always been the result.It would seem that the phenomenon exists on the otherside. How is it that one can deny the facts of history evento the point of becoming totally out of touch with the majorityof the population?Be vigilant and vote to restore your country. We are ourchildren’s only hope.Forest CartwrightDecaturVotefor HaysAssert your constitutional right to vote this November.tudy the candidates. Ask yourself, “Who best representsy beliefs, my area and my country?”Precinct 3, take a good look at Mandy Hays for justicef the peace. As possibly your only encounter with theourt, people should look upon this person as available,rustworthy, compassionate to all and impartially firm inaking decisions. Law enforcement background is not reuired,and it may not seem impartial to those who comeefore the court. It may even make some feel the court isrejudiced against them. Regardless of background, alljustices must attend the same training before taking office.Graduating from college magna cum laude, Mandy’sability to achieve the skills needed is not questionable.Mandy Hays is a business owner, seven-year teacherwith English as Second Language certification, coach,UIL director, active member in her church, sponsor ofFellowship of Christian Athletes, National Rifle Associationmember and even Texas licensed to carry a concealedhandgun. Planning to work closely with area youth andputting the JP office online, she will be visible and an e-mail or phone call away.Mandy Hays hosted two meet and greet forums, but Iam more impressed with her door-knocking, block-walking,face to face, handshaking encounters with the votersof Precinct 3. Mention her name, and everyone replies,“Oh, I met her.” If you haven’t met her yet, you must nothave been home. She doesn’t just sit back and wait but isdeeply dedicated and driven day after day to come to you.Isn’t that what we need?Vote for Mandy Hays. She will open her door to you orknock on yours in her effort to serve you.Alice LeeRhomeExercise yourright to voteAs Americans, (whether Republican, Democrat oranything else) one of our greatest freedoms is the right toexercise our voice in government and vote.We are very fortunate in Wise County to have anextremely professional and conscientious election administratorin Lannie Noble and his staff of Dan Teed andKaren Valenzuela.The election also requires the dedicated service of electionjudges from both parties to effectively operate all ofthe polling locations in early voting and on Election Day.Many commentators have described this election as oneof the most important in our lifetime. I agree, but notethat all elections are important in order for this countryto remain strong and to lead the free world.I urge all citizens of Wise County to vote for your respectivecandidates. My grandmother always told us, “Ifyou don’t vote, you cannot complain about the results.”Allen WilliamsonWise CountyRepublican ChairmanCouncil interferingwith rightsSince several tapes of city council meetings here inNewark mysteriously became blank, I have been videotapingthe city council meetings. I do this at my own expense.I ask the city for nothing, and I upload them onto theInternet as a free public service.Instead of taking advantage of this free service, certaincity council members have interfered with my videotaping.Each and every time after I have completely set upmy equipment, I have been told to move, and I have complied.It takes several minutes to set up again, so thoseminutes are not recorded because the council refuses topause as the law tells them. I was relegated to the back ofthe building at the September meeting and only managedto record a silent movie.Continued on page 5A