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Officer Mike
Officer P
Anne Carlson
Rad Field
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10/21/04 Speak your mind, so long as
it's group speak!
A few weeks ago, I mentioned a police shooting at a
NW Highway hotel. When you live in NW Dallas, you take notice when you
hear about shootings on NW Hwy or Walnut Hill or the streets in between.
See
The City's
on tilt when the good guys get fired and punished.
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As anyone who has read more than a couple of editions of DallasArena.com
knows, 9 times out of 10 (make that 9.5 times out of 10), I'm going to
defend police officers and firefighters until there is some definite reason
not to do so. |
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OFFICER FR:
Mr. Welch's friends
seem to be experts on police
functions.
I wonder what is their total
experience in enforcing state laws,
their experience in answering calls for police
service with little or no information before
arriving at the location?
When this person that they
have no prior knowledge of points a weapon, pistol, shotgun,
sharpened stick, etc., let's
see what they do.
Keep in mind, there is little
or no light, your time to think is about a nano-second
and everyone will second
guess your every move.
But, if you
are smart and determined, you will be home with
your wife and kids in the morning, and be able to read the drivel
from " EXPERTS" in the morning paper. |
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| I have had a series of e-mails from folks purporting to be from
Stephenville, purporting to be friends of Mac Welch (the man shot by
the DPD officer) and purporting to be college students. |
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James Northrup:
I
note that Mr. Welch was from
Stephenville. We had a relative who attended
Tarleton State in Stephenville visit us. He
brought a loaded revolver and left the gun in the car on the street.
The car was broken
into, the revolver stolen and "fenced" by Love Field.
The perp was later arrested
burglarizing another motor vehicle. The gun is out there, doing what it does
best. What goes for acceptable conduct in a small town may be risky business
in Dallas. |
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In the 10/07 article, I said:
We had another policeman involved on the scene of a suicidal's
demise. I'm referring to the shooting at the NW Highway hotel. A
guy pulls a gun out of his waistband after telling the officers he had
thrown the gun away and was unarmed, what else would you call him but
suicidal?
Whether Eddie Mac Welch shot himself or the
officer's bullet got him, he was intent on checking out. |
I stand by that statement, but
apparently some people in Stephenville think I have no right to write about the
incident because I did not know Mac Welch and they did. I did not (and do
not) know the police officer either. I'm going to share their comments and
my responses and then I will write further. Although normally
contributions are edited, to fully appreciate the tone and content, you get to
read these as submitted:
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CAL BLASINGAME:
I just read your article on the shooting of my best friend eddie
mac welch jr...1-you dont know shit about mac or his parents 2-the idiots
were carrying guns and bagdes 3-I spent 4 yrs as a paratrooper and was
deployed to comabat zones twice and shooting somebody in the back is the
worst most dishonorable thing there is. The dpd reminds me alot of another
orginazation that practiced similiar techniques- the gestapo. Mac had alot
of troubles I know this, but what happened at the comfort suites was
Murder. I hope the so called officer never has a good nights sleep again
and that he burns in hell..and you need to get your facts straight before
running your mouth and printing bullshit like that. Oh and by the way his
weapon was never fired..the police officer and I wont mention his name
because it might ruin my lunch fired 3 times at a man with his back turned
whose last words were asking for a cigarette...and by the way I dont think
god would have approved of killing a man who was only a danger to himself
and is 20 minutes the max that the dpd is willing to give a person who is
suicidal...their record speaks for itself..and i wish that macs family
could afford an adequete defense team like ppl such as O.J Simpson and
Scott peterson who probably were/are a real threat were able to
obtain..then maybe justice would be served. Either way you are way the
fuck outta line and you have not heard the last from me and some other ppl
here in stephenville...have a nice day BITCH.
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BOYD:
Mr. Blasingame:
Your e-mail has been forwarded to
some of my friends in the DPD, who will
get in touch with some of their friends in the Stephenville PD, who are
very likely to get back in touch with you.
Your friend should not have been
carrying a gun and should not have pointed it at a DPD officer.
End of
story. |
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HEATHER BLASINGAME:
Sharon,
I am writing this message in response to your article about Mac Welch, and
the Dallas Police Department. I just want to say HOW DARE YOU!!! You should
be ashamed of yourself writing about people that you don't even know
anything about. Especially people who aren't even alive to defend
themselves, and tell you what actually happened.
I would like you to know
that Mac was a friend, an uncle, a son, a brother, in fact he was a damn
good person. How can you speak for someone else's family when you don't
even know the situation. I bet you have kids yourself and if not then how
could you even begin to understand. If so what would you do if it was your
child, would you want someone to publish such crap about them on some
homespun web site that is based completley on one person's mislead views.
I
want you to know that Mac Welch Jr. loved everyone that he was close to, and
never intended to cause them pain. In fact, everyone he knew loved him, you
would know that had you bothered to do any research. (Tell me
someone isn't loved when there's not even room to sit down at their own
funeral.)
Here are a few things you failed to
write about Mac he was a member of a team that won
two state championships, he took pride in everything he did from
restoring his great-grandmothers house, to working for H-E-B for
eight years, and Coca-Cola for four years, but you didn't know that did you. He
always had something good to say, and a charming smile on his face, and I
can tell you write now if he could see what you wrote he would roll over in
his grave.
I hardly think that twenty minutes of negotiating with cops that
have no clue what they are doing was worth taking the life of someone that
never would have hurt anyone, including himself.
Get your facts straight on
how the cops even killed him they shot him not one, two, but three times.
Not only that but they shot him from behind.
So next time you decide to
take up for your local law enforcement at least get your facts straight.
Take a look at DPD's record in situations like Mac's It speaks for itself.
I challenge you to e-mail at least one person who has wrote you in Mac's
defense, and explain yourself because I highly doubt you can, and your
website does such a poor job of it.
Sincerley,
Someone who Cares!!!!! |
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BOYD:
Mrs. Blasingame,
As I said to Cal Blasingame,
Mr. Welch should not have been carrying a gun in Dallas, Texas, and
he should not have pointed it a DPD officer.
Sounds like Mr. Welch's legions of friends let him
down when he needed them and a bunch of you are on a
guilt trip.
Our police officers are under
incredible stress themselves, having to daily make decisions that will
change their lives forever. They are the only line
of defense Dallas citizens have between us and the bad guys -- sane
or troubled.
We don't have enough Dallas police
officers. We certainly do not have one to spare.
I will always -- always stand up for our men and women in blue.
I will post your and Cal's e-mails
with my comments with Wednesday night's edition.
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| CAL BLASINGAME:
Ms Boyd
Your article has been forwarded to several professors and all my student
friends...they were stunned by your blantant disregard for life and you
have become quite popular overnite though i wouldnt bragg about why...i
must apologize for my foul language being an ex G.I sometimes its like 2nd
nature, though i meant every word i said about the killing of my
friend..and like the attorney who held a debate class on your spin today
we all agree..if the stephenvill police had answered macs call he would
probably still be alive. To have gave up 4 yrs of my life to duty for my
country makes me proud but when i see ppl like you and rush limbaugh abuse
and trample on the very rights ppl like myself and many others stood on
the wall to protect is disturbing. But I have faith in god and he will
have the final word...good day.
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BOYD:
Mr. Blasingame:
You and your friends should stay in
Stephenville where apparently the police officers have the time (and lack of
sense) to counsel troubled people waiving around
pistols. DPD officers have families and friends, too.
What would have happened had your
friend killed an officer or an EM on the scene if
the officer had not shot him when he pulled the
gun out (after claiming to have thrown it away)?
Do our people in uniform (and their loved ones) deserve less of your
concern?
I value the life of police officers
and firefighters above even my own, because they are better than the rest of
us. They forego any chance of acquiring wealth
and put themselves in harm's way so that the rest of us can
live in a very dangerous world.
I have a Liberal Arts degree from the
University of North Texas and had the same type of liberal, anti-police,
anti-military professors who apparently are
encouraging you and your classmates down a very wrong road. It is
typical of liberals to fear free speech unless the speaker is spewing
their touchy-feely, group-think propaganda.
Unlike you, your classmates or your
"professors", I do not need a class or a mob to
validate my thoughts or my writings. As a conservative in the History
Department at UNT, I learned early to trust my own heart.
Study hard. Your profanity bothered
me less than your very poor grammatical skills. As for calling me the "B"
word, I've heard it so often from those who
disagree with me that I sometimes fail to respond unless I hear it first. |
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HEATHER BLASINGAME:
Mrs. Boyd,
I am only taking the time to write you again because you have a couple of
things wrong and I would like to clear them up.
I want you to know that none of his friends or family are feeling any guilt,
we just won't put up with people like you slandering our loved one,
especially when you are so badly misinformed. We were always there for him
in his times of need, this time it was just a little different because he
wasn't close to home, and nobody really had a chance to make it there in
time.
I don't dislike police officers,in fact, I appreciate the ones who do go out
everyday to protect, and serve us. However, situations like these aren't
always handled in the best way, and people end up getting hurt or killed.
The only good that can come out of something like this is for people to
realize that things could have been done differently, and maybe it won't
happen in the future.
You called the DPD officer who shot Mac a hero, but he was called there (by
a concerened loved one) to bring Mac out safely.
When police were called he
was in a quiet lobby keeping to himself because he was upset. We dont' know
what truly happened once they got there, and we probably never will.
All I
know is that especially veterans of the force should know how to handle
being in these situations, because it is Dallas, and they will always have
to deal with them. You also told me he shouldn't have been carrying a gun in
Dallas, well a lot of people do, mostly for protection.
I do think that it is good for a cop to be put on a desk job, routinely,
while cases are investigated because it not only gives them time to find out
what really happened, but it gives the officers time to reflect on the
situation.
I don't expect everyone to agree with me, and being as you have a website,
and you are a writer you should expect good and bad criticism.
I will always--always stand up for the people I love. Dead or alive.
Sincerely,
Someone who cares (by the way it's not Mrs. Blasingame, it Ms.) |
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| CAL BLASINGAME:
Ms Boyd
im touched by ur concurnb 4 muh grammatical skills...could care less
about ur degree and if anyone is better thab the rest of us its the
troops that are dying everyday..i dont what the problem is with ur police
force if you cant afford decent training...thats ur problem...and if if
you wanna impress me and are so concerned with a troubled young man who
was shot in the back...which speaks for itself in the Army we called it
cowardice..why dont you go join the dpd and help them out instead of
sitting on your ass...i jojned the Army to give back to my country...what
have you done???
Im proud to be in stephenville, and i wouldnt live in ur screwed up city
unless i was forced to..God bless the troops, the real heroes.
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| **CAL BLASINGAME:
Hey ms boyd,
we're all here at the house marveling at ur reply...you must be really
insecure to think anyone is better than urself but hey...do what ur heart
tells you..or whoever pays for you're "senseless banter" that you call
journalism...all you did to my friend in your replys was to use empty
threats and and insult ppl you dont even know...ms boyd your a great
example of why a whole generation detest the media..keep up the good
work...and to reinterate what cal said...we dont really give a damn about
your pedigree..to us you seem like a damn fool...enjoy mandela and the
spinnerettes..you've been great...lol
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**CAL BLASINGAME:
LOL....another student speaks out...yes we are liberals...and we are
proud of it...we dont want 4 more wars..errr years of you and your kind ms
boyd..do something useful join the Army or your underfunded undermanned
dallas police which also tried to pass off sheetrock as cocaine last yr in a
massive scandal to frame minorities..im black and i have a real problem with
you and the dpd....your a typical brainwashed right wing fanatic..wake up ms
boyd...your the one with a real rough road ahead because in less than 5 yrs
blacks and hispanics will be the majority here...deal with it. |
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JARROD JENNINGS:
Mrs. Boyd,
This is another enraged friend of Mac's from Stephenville, and I think you
should keep your mouth shut. No one should allow you to
speak out in public. ust because you have a column on the internet doesn't mean
you have common sense. Your are an insult to American Society, and you need to
realize that. |
The two "**Cal" entries may or
may not be Cal. They were sent on his e-mail.
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I don't know the color of Mac Welch's skin or the color of the officer who
shot him or any of these Stephenville scribes. I own a house in a
neighborhood where there are as many if not more Hispanic families as White
families. That was the situation when I bought my home.
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JC:
Today's definition of a
racist:
Someone who is winning the argument against a liberal. |
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As I told Mr. Blasingame, I am more offended by the absolute illiteracy of these
purported college students than by anything they may have to say. That
does not mean I am not offended and concerned by what they have to say.
Mac Welch's ex-girlfriend (police say they broke up over a year ago) called
the police and said he was armed and depressed. According to Jason Trahan's
report,
Police investigate fatal shooting;
Officer on leave as inquiry
studies whether man killed himself
(10/6/04 by
JASON TRAHAN / The Dallas Morning News),
the officers asked him where his gun was. He told them he had thrown it in
the bushes.
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Welch told
the officers he had thrown it in the bushes. They talked with him for over 20
minutes. When Welch pulled out his gun, an officer shot him.
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Trahan says Welch fell back into his chair in a seated position. If Mr.
Blasingame, et al are correct that Welch was shot in the back, it would seem to
defy gravity for him to fall into a seated position. I wasn't there, and
neither was any one of these Stephenville scribes. Jason Trahan did not
know Welch either, but he wrote about the incident. Whoever it was at DMN
who wrote the article's title "Police investigate fatal shooting; Officer on
leave as inquiry studies whether man killed himself" didn't know Welch either.
The problem with the rantings from Stephenville is that they are all so
contradictory.
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The
Stephenville scribes admit Welch had problems, but are certain he would not have harmed
anyone. Really? So, what was he doing walking around with an unholstered gun?
To protect himself? That's what lots of cop killers say. |
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The
Stephenville scribes think DPD officers didn't talk to Welch long enough. Exactly how
long is enough once someone shows a pistol after saying he had thrown the gun
away? |
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They
Stephenville scribes think Stephenville cops would not have shot Welch. Problem is -- he
brought his gun to Dallas. |
I'm always amazed at how little regard people have for the humanity of police
officers. City officials don't want to pay them what they deserve for what
they do for us. Many people have the same mind set as the Stephenville
scribes -- that cops are expendable.
Police officers are just like us.
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Just like us, they have families who want them home at night when they
finish their shift, alive and in one piece -- even if traumatized by what
they may have seen or experienced or had to do that day. |
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Just like you or any normal person, police officers get scared when they see
someone they don't know (or do know) waiving a pistol.
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Just like us, police officers bond with their fellow workers. All the officers
(and even the EM's) on the scene of Welch's
shooting were very likely friends of the officer doing the shooting.
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Was the officer who did the
shooting supposed to hope Welch was only waiving his gun around with no intention
of shooting the officer or one of the officer's friends?
But, back to the censorship content of the Stephenville e-mails. They don't
think I have a right to comment on what happened to their friend because I don't
know him. They don't think I have a right to state any opinion with which
they disagree. Basically, they don't think!
I'm one of those people who are pro-choice, pro-euthanasia, pro-death penalty
and pro-suicide, and I'm a life long Republican.
A woman's body is her
property, but once the fetus is viable (6 months), I no longer support her right
to terminate the pregnancy for any other reason than to save her life. I
don't support abortion, but I support a woman's right to choose.
Someone who is terminally ill has a right to
decide to stop the pain. If the person has left a physician's directive
that was prepared while cognizant, then the physician can make the decision.
Murderers should forfeit their life. If they have shown no regard for
human life, they should be put down like we treat dangerous animals. The
officer did not murder Welch. He reacted to a gun to protect himself and
the other people on the scene. Yes, I do consider that officer a hero
because he knew when he pulled that trigger he was also killing a piece of
himself, damaging his career and creating a new fear for his family.
If
someone does not want to live and be part of this world, I support their right
to cease taking up space. I only ask the suicidals among us to do it
privately and consider those they are leaving behind and not harm anyone else as
they self-terminate.
The officer who shot Welch is suffering. No matter how justified the
shooting may have been (or not per the Stephenville scribes), that officer is
hurting. Welch put the officer in that horrible position. His wife
and children now will be less certain they will see him at home again when he
puts on his uniform and gun and goes out to fight the bad guys and protect us.
I do understand the pain Welch's friends are experiencing.
Back in the 70's, a very talented local singer killed himself after fleeing a
not so serious hit and run accident. I really liked the guy as a friend
and felt guilty for not sensing how troubled he must have been. Like
Welch, he was very charming, had a great smile and people really liked him.
I never saw one sign he was so unstable. Some might blame the officers who tracked him back to his house after the wreck
for provoking him. The reality is my friend committed suicide.
I'm sorry Welch's friends and family are suffering, but they admit they knew he
was troubled. They think he would not have harmed anyone, but the officer
only saw a strange man with a gun.
I'm more sorry
for the police officer whose life has been permanently changed because he
crossed paths with Welch. However, I am very grateful to God the
officer's family and friends have him still.
My comments will surely trigger another round of hate mail from Stephenville,
but being the "B" that I am -- I can handle it!
sb
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