Proof That I Am The Classic Bleeding Heart Liberal

[filkertom]

This is a story of heroism -- at least, that's obviously how the TV station is playing it. And it is, no question -- many kudos to Brent Alvarez and Billy Denney, not merely for stopping a crime but for their humility and compassion while doing so. But it's also a story of luck, good and bad

Comments

[wyld_dandelyon]

"Surely we need a father more than we need another guy in jail." Yeah--this. We also need honest and honorable ways that fathers--and mothers--can provide for their children.

And so long as so much of our wealth is concentrated in making such a tiny portion of the people mind-bogglingly wealthy, that will continue to be a problem.

It's not just having nothing left to lose it's also having already lost hope that you will ever be able to earn a minimally decent life.

[filkertom]

On the nose, m'friend.

[alverant]

I disliked one of the comments, "there are so many ways to make some cash in a honest way." as if the guy didn't try that first; as if the millions of those in poverty didn't try that. I bet this guy actually believes the "hard work will make you rich" like the 1% has been feeding us.

People are cheering because things went right. They could have gone wrong very easily. One commenter mentioned his father's friend who fought back only to fall victim to the lookout with the gun.

Honestly, I'm not sure whether to stand on principle and cheer that a crime was stopped or chide them for not leaving well enough alone. THIS time we got lucky. How many times were we NOT lucky.

[bryanp]

Am I missing something? How does the story give it the ring of truth? I heard one reference where he was trying to escape and told the guy who was holding him he needed the money for his daughter. Could it be true? Maybe, but criminals tend to tell very believable lies.

Am I jaded? Having been lied to and scammed myself, yes. I hope the daughter isn't real. And if she is, hopefully she'll end up in the custody of a responsible relative.

[dornbeast]

Career criminals tell believable lies. They have to.

People who are desperate enough to turn to crime for money don't necessarily tell believable lies. There's no reason for them to have picked up the skill.

Is Luis Rosales a career criminal? I don't know. Do you?

[bryanp]

No I don't, and my default attitude is to assume someone is decent and honest. When they start waving guns around and demanding cash, that attitude is subject to modification.

[alverant]

Desperate people do desperate things. What do you think the gun was worth? Do you think it would have done anything?

[chaotic_nipple]

There's a saying common in NRA circles that goes "A gun will get you through times with no money better than money will get you through times with no gun". Ostensibly it's about hunting and not having to buy food, but I have my suspicions about what they're REALLY thinking.

[catlin]

Considering the average Joe living in town doesn't actually know how to hunt, yeah. That and while there are alot of squirrels in the average backyard, it isn't actually legal to hunt them.