PONDER THIS

" All that is necessary for the triump of evil is that good men do nothing"
Edmund Burke


 Questioning the system is what good folk are meant to do. MOI is passionate about that. One must never forget that elected officials and folks placed in charge are to act in the interest of 'The People'. Lawyers and Judges uphold the LAW and at times JUSTICE is not had. If what was said by Chief Justice Holmes is true, that it is not about justice but the law, we need to correct the law.

My dears, how many of you reading take the time to get to know the coppers who patrol the road you live on? The coppers who are trying to protect you? Do you just have contact with when there is a problem? Ignore the rest of the time? Do you remember that the men and women who serve as coppers, are your neighbour?

MOI has had many a chat with a copper. Can tell you true that the 'urban legend' of them being 'jelly roll eating , coffee drinking' do nothings is not true. Many a good copper is on the road, and there are many coppers in command positions that care deeply about the community they serve. "The police are the people, the people are the police" Sir Robert Peele. Wonder how many of the folks in Fresno are aware of the truth of that.

Yesterday, as the afternoon gave way to early evening, MOI chatted with neighbours. Old neighbours and new neighbours. Home owner and renter. Yes, MOI does sit and chat, wonders at times if folks still do that, or have we become so guarded that we no longer try to know one another.

Bit hard to know who lives on the road if one only sits in front of the telly. MOI got to see many of neighbours during his chat. They walked by on way to 'cash and carry'.  MOI knows who lives next to and at the Linda Villa.  They are very real to this old geezer. They have names that go with the faces. They are the community that MOI is a part of. Not all are brilliant. Many are of a different colour, or faith, or economic background. The path of life for some is hard, made mean by lack of cash. Each of us has hopes and dreams.............to get a home, keep a job, be safe. United all, in the common belief that life on the road will get better. Be better than it has in the past.

As the afternoon shadows turned into the early evening, MOI watched as lights were switched on, the road settled down for the night to come. It was quiet. Some folks were going to go out with mates and some were going to watch a film. There were meals to prepare and children to get ready for bed. It was a good afternoon on the road lived. Quiet. The road was at peace. A peace made possible by the efforts of neighbours caring enough to make problems take flight from.

Some time back, MOI was questioned by an elected official about his railing on about wrongs on the road. Questioned about attitude about rubbish and graffiti. Why call attention to if you can just pick up or remove? To be true, this old geezer does that much on road, pick up and remove. At times, things are left to sit, to draw eyes to, to force folks to act. They do not always do.

There was a discarded mattress left on the pavement. Sat on pavement for a few days it did. MOI watched and waited to see of folks at house it was in front of would remove it. They did not. Neighbours walked round it, or drove bicycle round it. It sat on the pavement, ignored. MOI paid someone to place it in the rubbish bin, or it would even now be on the pavement. A sign of neglect that drug dealers look for in finding a road to kill.

My dears, it was a good day on the road yesterday. Neighbours went about the road and even chatted with one another.  An elected official stopped by for a chat.  A copper known to this old geezer, came by on day off to say HI!  Mind, the copper is a most brilliant chap and have become close mate to.  Just turned 47 he did.

Has just gone past 1am....................the road outside is still and all is quiet. Another night is ending and a new day is beginning.