Roy Exum
Trevon Johnson, a 17-year-old thug, was just shot and killed in Miami after a 54-year-old female homeowner was notified someone was in her house by her security system. She rushed home and caught our newest Trevon climbing out of a rear window at her house. Words were exchanged and shots were fired. Johnson was pronounced DOA at a nearby emergency room.
As you can surely imagine, the thief’s family is outraged. His cousin Nautika Harris told WFOR: “I don’t care if she had her gun license or any of that. This is way beyond the law … way beyond. He was not supposed to die like this. He had a future ahead of him. He had goals … he was a funny guy, very big on education, loved learning.”
Then Nautika explained her true feelings: “You have to look at it from every child’s view that was raised in the ‘hood. You have to understand … how he gonna’ get his money to have clothes to go to school? You have to look at it from his point of view!
“It’s no reason she should have waited until I think he walked out in the yard to try to shoot him. If she called the police already, why would she shoot him?”
I am telling you, the apocalypse is getting closer!
The police are taking a different view, saying the shooter was simply trying to protect her property.
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REP. LITTLETON WANTS BETTER SERVICE
Mary Littleton, a member of the Tennessee State Legislature from Cheatham County, was having lunch recently with another state representative, Tillman Goins of Morristown, at a Hooter’s (!) in Nashville when she wrote “sorry” in the tip line of her $36.36 tab.
That caused Amanda Anderson, her server, to post a picture of Littleton’s signed receipt on her Facebook page with the message, “State representatives are supposed to exhibit class and integrity … this one acted like a child.”
Since then the picture has gone viral and will doubtlessly be used by her opponents if the misguided politician ever plans to run again.
Rep. Littleton told reporters the no tip was due to “the quality of service” but, after the Facebook post went ballistic, the legislator conceded she would have done better to speak to the manager than being held up to much-deserved and wide-spread ridicule. And people like Mary Littleton wonder why politicians are roundly scorned.
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REMEMBER WHAT TEDDY ROOSEVELT SAID
Every day I get a political briefing of sorts on Tennessee politics from the Crockett Policy Institute and the other day it included a quote from Teddy that is delicious ‘food for thought’ -- "The things that will destroy America are prosperity-at-any-price, peace-at-any-price, safety-first instead of duty-first, the love of soft living, and the get-rich-quick theory of life."
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I GOTTA SHARE THIS ONE !!
I get gobs of emails and treat them as “personal correspondence,” which is to say I protect the privacy that is so often invaded by the social media. That said, I must share this note from Tim and Debbie Bittenbender for three reasons. First, it is the very essence of what teaching is all about.
Secondly, it proves vividly that there are far more good souls in the Hamilton County Department of Education than bad, and, third, it almost made me cry. I am very humbled that this was sent to me and take great delight in sharing it:
“Roy … I have read through some of you columns regarding the HCDE and issues that the students, teachers, administrators and parents have faced. I would like to provide a positive side of HCDE and special education.
“Our son, Andy, will be graduating from Red Bank High School this spring. Andy has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and has been in the Hamilton County school systems since Pre K. I want to express my dear appreciation for a few special people in his life, not many people -- really -- will be recognized given their roles as teachers which help develop and grow our children but also make a difference in their lives.
“Mr. Dan Shell, who is the middle school band teacher at Red Bank Middle School, for letting Andy ‘beat’ on drums and teaching him how to read music. Mrs. Marcie Smith for providing a place for Andy in the Red Bank High School Marching and Concert Band, for giving him a chance to succeed and, in doing so, allowed him to achieve his dream of being in a Marching Band.
“Miss Megan Giesel and Mrs. Lisa Taylor for providing the special education services needed for Andy to graduate RHBS with honors (he has a 3.5 GPA).
“Nothing is perfect but, in my eyes, these teachers and educators are ‘angels.’
Tim and Debbie Bittenbender
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Emails like this make my day. This is why we must all be more involved in the lives of children and this is why “a village” can indeed raise a child.
royexum@aol.com