Uncommon Sense

I have traveled fairly extensively across our great country. The people here are amazing. Wherever I have gone, I have run into friendly, accommodating, helpful, kind people who share their stories and are eager to help a stranger if they need it. But recently there has been a change. A change in how people think, how they interact with each other and how we as a country seem to identify. And, that change has not necessarily been positive. People are certainly politically divided, but it’s more than that. It’s how we think and process information.

For example: over the last few of years I’ve seen an increase in municipalities urging dog owners to bag their dog’s excrement. I guess it makes sense. There are more of us, more dogs, and if we don’t clean up after them it’s messy and contributes to increased nitrogen levels in local waterways. Recently I’ve noticed a trend. People taking the time to bag dog feces and then leave the bag on the ground. Completely dumbfounding. The bags are not biodegradable why bag in the first place if you are just going to litter? One example of many of how people are processing information and coming to some sort of conclusion that simply defies logic and understanding when examined carefully.

On April 17, 2025, a wolf made it inside the fence that I have previously written about. At 11:57am that wolf walked on to the Florida State University campus and began murdering and attempting to murder people’s sons, daughters, husbands, wives, friends and family. As soon as law enforcement was made aware of the incident, literally hundreds of law enforcement officers from multiple agencies drove and ran to the sound of the gunfire and within minutes, a brave officer had encountered the suspect, shot him and ended the rampage. In doing so, the officer limited the damage. However, after the shooting, I became aware that apparently some people thought that brave officer who stopped the shooter should have warned him to drop his gun before he shot him! First, let me say that I don’t know for certain that he didn’t. Second, I hope that he didn’t. If as you read this your emotions roil and you feel that the shooter who had been running around a college campus executing people deserved a verbal command, let me frame it for you this way. If some of those in harms way were your loved ones, would you want the officer to pause seconds to utter a command and thus allow the shooter more time to murder your loved one? We came perilously close a couple of years ago to having law enforcement force applications permanently screwed up preventing officers from doing what they need to do in these extreme circumstances. That also would have meant that any young person in their right mind would never have gone near the profession. Fortunately, that did not come to fruition and we still have people who run toward the sound of gunfire when a wolf slips under the fence. Maybe, if people don’t understand something, they should use resources and learn about it rather than vilify it. If any of my readers have questions about active shooter response, I have taught it at multiples levels before, including to academy cadets.

I don’t pretend to understand why people make decisions the way they do. I have no idea why our society is as polarized and as fractured as it is, but I do know this; it doesn’t have to be this way. If you only get your news from a conservative source, try broadening your horizons. If you only get your news from a liberal source, try broadening your horizons. Make decisions based on research and fact rather than emotion and presumption and things will turn out better for everyone than bagging dog feces and leaving the non-biodegradable bag full of poop along the path. Social media is entertainment and information. NOT news. Finally, the world needs veterans and first responders more than ever.. The group as a whole is taught to make decisions based on fact. They are taught careful analysis, planning and contingencies. They are NOT trained to shout a verbal warning to someone murdering or trying to murder your loved ones. They are trained to keep Thanksgiving dinner tables full and happy. Even if you are retired, your skills are needed. Volunteer. Mentor. You are valued.

If you or someone you know is struggling, there is help. Call 988 or if you are in the Big Bend of Florida call 211. The 2nd Alarm Project has many resources available as well (2ndalarmproject.org). If you are interested in getting notified when a new blog is posted and are not subscribed, please consider subscribing by entering your email in the “subscribe” icon on the home page. Then you’ll get an email each time a new blog is posted. If you appreciate what you have read here, please feel free to share as you are led across your social media or via email. There just might be someone out there who needs to see this content. Thank you all and stay safe.