Get used to this because you’re going to be hearing a lot more of it. It’s only possible to stay ahead of decades of overspending, mounting unfunded liabilities and the cruel calculus of the actuarial tables for so long. And now a lot of states and municipalities are beginning to wake up to that fact. Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke’s seen the light and, as jsonline.com reports, he has a warning for local cheddar heads: “With officers laid off and furloughed, simply calling 911 and waiting is no longer your best option.” Not that it ever was, but let’s not quibble. Good advice is good advice. His prescription is even better . . .
He wants Milwaukians to consider taking a firearms safety course and learn to defend themselves. Click here to listen to the whole message.
“You have a duty to protect yourself and your family. We’re partners now. Can I count on you?”
Wait, what? A peace officer suggesting civilians consider armed self defense as a viable option? And in Wisconsin? Gosh, the Sheriff hasn’t torqued local Underoos quite this tightly since he suggested arming teachers after Sandy Hook.
County Executive Chris Abele said Clarke is sending the wrong message.
“I think it’s irresponsible and it doesn’t help public safety to tell the public there’s some kind of imminent danger that they need to go buy guns,” Abele said. “Essentially, you’ve got a (public service announcement) that’s recommending people need to go buy guns because they can’t rely on the response they’ll get from 911. I’m here to tell you, we have phenomenal police departments.”
If you think that’s bad, just think how the local civilian disarmament organizations are taking the news.
Jeri Bonavia, executive director of Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort, said she hears “over and over” from most law enforcement officials that the community should work to “take more guns off the streets, not add more.”
“What (Clarke’s) talking about is this amped up version of vigilantism,” Bonavia said. “I don’t know what his motivations are for doing this. But I do know what he’s calling for is dangerous and irresponsible and he should be out there saying this is a mistake.”
Rule of thumb: when both local politicians and gungrabbers get all tizzified over the same issue, someone’s doing something right. Milwaukians might do well to listen to the Sheriff’s, er, common sense advice.