Name:	Campbd -	Reply
Subject:	This article ticks me off!
Date:	9/10/2010 12:19:04 PM

Toon--Let's say, hypothetical, that you were an unarmed neighbor.  The house next door is being burglarized by multiple suspects.  What would have been your plan of attack?

As for the article, I believe our Marine Police do an excellent job when it comes to marine safety.  I suppose in a perfect world, we would have 24-7 patrols by police, fire, and medics.  I remember the "good old days" when passing boaters' would wave to each other.  In those days, a boater could count on one another for assistance no matter the situation.  I have towed in numerous stranded boaters, helped with a forest fire, and even helped extinguish a boat fire.  Let's all go back to the days of "good Samaritans" and help our emergency personnel out with OUR safety.

Name:	Lake Magazine -	Reply
Subject:	This article ticks me off!
Date:	9/10/2010 4:24:29 PM

I’m acting as the newspaper’s unofficial ombudsman here because I’m afraid this article was misunderstood.

I heard rumors earlier this week that people were concerned about the emergency response time to Sunday’s accident. I called around, but I didn’t find any concrete complaints. However, I did find that two Montgomery media outlets reported – key word here, they didn’t accuse – that strained resources could have affected the response.

Anyway, I thought that gave me an interesting opportunity to look into the marine police. What I found was, like many businesses and families in Alabama, the agency is struggling because of the economy. I spoke to several helpful marine police officers and learned a lot, such as the fact that they also perform homeland security duties and that they don’t expect to make new hires until 2014.

It’s been an interesting and sad story and we’ll continue to follow new developments, if there are any.

I write for The Record, The Outlook and Lake Magazine and I usually enjoy feedback from readers. If you ever have questions or comments, feel free to email me directly at katie.cole@alexcityoutlook.com.

Thanks for reading. 

Katie Cole

Name:	Malthus -	Reply
Subject:	This article ticks me off!
Date:	9/13/2010 6:16:45 PM

The funny thing about online boards is that they are clogged with insults and slights hurled by people hiding behind anonymous screen names. There is actually a psycological term for it called, “the online disinhibition effect”; and its fairly well documented that the more anonymous we can be the more freely we'll belittle others. I'm not really the psychoanalyzing type, but my gut tells me that the people throwing around insults on online boards are probably just champion level BS'ers and not much else.

Me personally, I'm probably what the liberals would consider 'armed to the teeth', but to most of you, I'd just be a normal Southerner. I like to think that I wouldn't hesitate to shoot someone if they were coming in my house. However if I think about it honestly and objectively, I'm pretty sure I would not cross open ground alone, outnumbered, and unarmed to confront 2-3 burglars (thats not bravery, thats stupidity).

I'd be willing to bet, after experiencing something like that next door, he isn't unarmed anymore.