Friday, March 5, 2010
YOU CAN'T MAKE THIS STUFF UP
From the Shreveport (LA) Times:
The Bossier Parish sheriff's office is launching a program called "Operation Exodus," a policing plan for an end-of-the-world scenario involving a mostly white group of ex-police volunteers and a .50-caliber machine gun, inspired in part from the Book of Exodus in the Bible.
"The buck stops with Larry Deen," said Bossier Parish Sheriff Larry Deen. "The liability stops with Larry Deen. I am the chief law enforcement officer in this parish, and it is incumbent upon me protect all of the people in it."
Deen said he had been formulating a plan to protect Bossier Parish's vital resources, like food and gasoline, in the event of a catastrophic event, such as war or a terrorist attack. Deen said he had been thinking of the plan since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
....
These volunteers will be armed by the sheriff's office, using, among other things, shotguns, riot shields and batons. The members are mostly white men. Five are black. Women involved will only be used in "support roles," Deen said, which indicated non-combat activity. One of their first official training sessions was Feb. 20 when they learned basic hand-to-hand combat techniques.
....
Deen said in a press release last week that he named the program in part from the Book of Exodus in the Bible. However, on Wednesday, when asked whether he believed in a true "End of Days" scenario, he declined comment.
Last night, Rachel Maddow showed videos of the men during training sessions. A good many are - ahem - men of a certain age, and I spotted not a few pot bellies amongst them as they kicked the protective pads of their "opponents" in the session. You can imagine that Rachel had a good time with the scenes and even speculated about the Rapture, and that if a rather large group of Republicans are "taken", health care reform would be easier to pass. I can only hope and pray that the idea of "Operation Exodus" doesn't spread to other parishes in Louisiana.
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As you say, can't make it up. Pretty sinister stuff, all the same. Did the bumper sticker In the event of the Rapture, can I have your car? make it to Southern Louisiana?
ReplyDelete"he declined comment" Are your sheriff's elected or appointed? An answer to the question of "End of Days" might affect his chances for re-election if that's how he got in. There are nuts everywhere, not just in Louisiana, but we hope they're not in positions like this.
ReplyDeleteLapin, although I've seen pictures, I have not see the actual bumper stickers here.
ReplyDeleteAmelia, the sheriffs are elected. The people chose Deen.
Maddow made the point that a good many people, although they wave the flag and see themselves as patriots, have given up on our country and our government and feel oppressed and fearful.
"The buck stops with Larry Deen," said Bossier Parish Sheriff Larry Deen. "The liability stops with Larry Deen"
ReplyDeleteIn other words, if Operation Exodus is a really, really silly idea, there's only one person to blame.
I'm surprised the legislature hasn't passed a law allowing us to carry loaded firearms into church, since the rapture will obviously occur there first.
ReplyDeleteWill there be people in Church that need shootin', Ormonde?
ReplyDeleteOrmonde, I would not be surprised. Didn't a Louisiana legislator introduce such a bill in the last session?
ReplyDeleteSusan, you never know.
Susan S., I guess it depends on the sermon. But seriously, I remember reading about an Anglican priest in colonial Maryland who used to carrfy a pistol with him into the pulpit, in case any in the congregation got rowdy.
ReplyDeletean Anglican priest in colonial Maryland used to carry a pistol with him into the pulpit, in case any in the congregation got rowdy
ReplyDeleteThese Anglicans, they're outa control! I'm not sure I should be hanging around with such dangerous folk.
Spreading into other parishes would be bad enough. I hope it doesn't spread into adjacent states. Once one Bubba gets one of these "just slap me up side the head" viruses there is no telling how fast it can spread or how far it will go.
ReplyDeleteCathy,
ReplyDeletesome of us are willing to teach ya to shoot.
I always did think Bossier was a little too close to South Arkansas.
My sweets, voila! The YouTube demonstration for Operation Exodus added to my post.
ReplyDeleteWell thank you Johnieb - I hadn't realised it was a skill that one might be called upon to demonstrate while attending an Anglican service, but clearly I was wrong.
ReplyDeleteI was watching TRMS on my trusty iPod and thought of you when this news came on...yikes!
ReplyDeleteElected sheriffs, that is something.