Just in case anyone has forgotten the mindset of Big Bro in
the Land of the Freeh. Who knows? Maybe we could be
judged insane.
------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
By WebToday Staff Writers
Sunday, September 28, 1997
ROBY, ILLINOIS (Sept. 28, 1997)-- Illinois State police fired metal balls
into the chest of Shirley Allen Friday, September 26, thus escalating the
violence at the "Roby Ridge" Illinois government siege.
Miraculously, the 51-year-old widow did not drop to the ground as did Vicky
Weaver when shot through the head and killed by a federal sharp shooter
while holding her infant daughter.
During a 10:30 a.m. Saturday news conference in Springfield the Illinois
State Police Czar Terry Gainer changed his story once again. In an apparent
irrational justification of his assault squad's aggressive behavior, he
made several extemporaneous disjointed statements including: "We're here to
help" and "We are looking out for her best interests" and "It's our hope
that she (Shirley Allen) will grow to understand that we . . . are looking
out for her..." (All three quotes taken from the September 27 issue of the
State Journal-Register, the dominant newspaper of record in Springfield,
Illinois.
Staying consistent with his continually contradictory statements Gainer
claimed it was widow Allen who first fired at police. Puzzled journalists
questioned how that could be since all official prior statements from
Gainer and the Illinois State Police attested to the fact that Mrs. Allen
had never fired on any of the police orders prior to Friday.
A growing number of Mental Health observers are now comparing and
contrasting the extreme tactics taken by state authorities with the
rational and controlled self defense measures taken by the 51-year-old
woman authorities believe may be "mentally ill."
Perhaps stranger still are reports that the earlier estimate of $125,000
for the widow's estate have now grown to current appraisals in excess of a
million dollars. It has also been confirmed that there are two oil wells on
her large rural property. Yet unresolved is the question of who would
control the estate if the court order for mental evaluation succeeds in
keeping Mrs. Allen separated from her property. Questions also remain
unanswered as to the intentions of Mr. Allen's out of state relatives who
initiated proceedings for the court order for involuntary psychiatric
commitment.
The siege began Monday when Christian County Sheriff Deputies attempted to
have the widow Allen involuntarily committed into a hospital for
"psychiatric evaluation." Under current Illinois laws upheld by the soon
retiring Governor Jim Edgar, it is remarkably simple for virtually any
family member, no matter how distant, to commit someone against their will.
Once papers are signed, family members are extracted from their homes and
involuntarily committed. One mental health commentator coined the
phrase,"Crazy until proven (by the state) otherwise." This writer asks: "Is
it any wonder that anyone who is about to be "taken away" might be somewhat
less than eager to comply?"
According to the State Journal-Register, Illinois State Troopers fired six
bags at Mrs. Allen from their shotguns, with three bags hitting her in the
chest, stating that, "Normally, that's enough to knock somebody down so
police can run up and arrest the person. But Allen's bulky clothing
apparently absorbed some of the shock, and she quickly fired her gun in the
direction of the shooting troopers."
Terry Gainer told reporters in Springfield that he hoped the woman would
hear his message of peace through the media, especially since he gave her
the concession of turning her electricity back on last Wednesday.
Gainer seems to epitomize the mind set of advocates of big (brother)
government. He just doesn't get it. He's clueless as to why Mrs. Allen
didn't respond positively to his "I'm from the government and I'm trying to
help (commit) you" rhetoric. Furthermore he probably can't compute this
unrepentant widow's gross lack of appreciation for his generous concession
of turning her electricity back on. Perhaps he presumed that this "mentally
ill" woman also had a bad memory. Or maybe he has forgotten the fact that
it was his police who cut off her electricity in the first place-- not to
mention the other minor inconveniences, not the least of which was the
lobbing of a tear gas hand grenade into the window of the belwildered widow.
Regarding the gassing of this resilient woman, Christian County Sheriff
Dick Mahan made this astounding admission: "Mrs. Allen lessened the effects
of the gas by putting petroleum jelly on her face and running water over
her head." (Editor's not: Not too crazy.)
Meanwhile our government continues their headlong frenzy to fan the flames
of the tax-dollar eating furnace by maintaining 12 tactical team members to
surround the Allen home 24 hours a day, while reinforcements are retained
to keep the watchful eyes of concerned citizens virtually blindfolded.
Even members of the news media have been pushed farther and farther away
from the scene. Once allowed to report on the story from up to 450 feet
away from the scene, now police have completely banned all news reporters
within a half mile of the home, in flagrant violation of foundational First
Amendment rights of free speech and freedom of the press. Predictably,
members of the news media were only all too willing to comply.
Staying consistent with the precedents set at Waco and Ruby Ridge, police
have just succeeded in "evacuating" the last of the widow's closest
neighbors. Mind you, these neighbors say there is nothing insane or
dangerous about Mrs. Allen.
This writer finds nothing "crazy" about Shirley Allen's amazing skills at
implementing consistent common sense while under what is by most any
measure would be considered to be an enormous amount of stress. That may be
more than can be said about some of the actions levied by police. The State
Journal-Register reported: "Friday's use of bean-bag bullets was the most
direct action by law enforcement agencies since tear gas was fired into the
home Monday by deputies," and went on to say, Christian County Sheriff
Mahan agrees stating Mrs. Allen is "not a stupid person."
So what exactly is the compelling reason Illinois authorities have that
justifies their obsession to violently disrupt the peaceful existence of a
widow who neighbors say is quiet, sane and not troublesome?
Perhaps it is this widow's past crime record. After exhaustive background
probes made into Mrs. Allen's past, authorities were finally able to
unearth one token offense to which Mrs. Allen was guilty. Court archives
indicated that she once ran a stop sign.
If these extreme measures were being implemented in the former Soviet Union
rather than in the American rural town of Roby, we may have condemned the
actions of "The Evil Empire." Had this been the act of Saddam Hussein it
probably would have surprised us even less. But in the United States of
America, our citizenry seems to treading water not unlike the perverbial
frog in the saucepan. A rogue minority within government keeps slowly
turning up the heat until we boil and burst without knowing what hit us.
Political spin doctors have fine tuned their craft to the point that
millions of citizens are now desensitized to these escalating govenmental
abuses (some say tyranny). These usurpers have succeeded in
hypersensitizing the masses, addicting many to sports, O. J., or any other
strategic diversion that blinds eyes and deafens ears to the cries for help
from the widows and the defenseless. We simply relegate them to the
government for "help."
As governments gets bigger and the world get madder, all this writer can
conclude is with this kind of "help" it's a good thing we don't get all the
government we pay for!
Top Cop Gainer seems to think otherwise. As stated publicly he maintains
it's clear that "she's (Mrs. Allen) a danger" to either herself or somebody
else and, "We intend to stay until we can get her the medical treatment she
needs."
With all due respect to Mr. Gainer, it appears he may have forgotten that
the "court order" (remarkably not even a warrant) authorized the County
Sheriff to bring Mrs. Allen into a hospital for evaluation. It never
authorized Mr. Gainer or anyone in government to issue a medical
determination prior to an examination. Zeal and good intentions aside,
there are plenty of other government agencies that there to "help" widow
Shirley Allen.
>
>
>
>For further information you may contact the following agencies and
>organizations:
>
>Christian County Sheriff Richard Mahan's office: 217-824-4961
>
>Illinois State Police, District 9, Springfield, Media Spokesman Mark
>McDonald: 217-786-7109
>
>Office of Mental Health, Dr. Steiner, Associate Director: 217-782-7555
>
>Christian County Senior Citizens Center: 217-824-4263
>
>State Journal-Register:
>
>St. John's Hospital, Springfield: 217-544-6464
>
>Christian County Clerk: 217-824-4966
>
>Film footage is available from CBS Affiliate WCIA Television of Illinois at
>217-782-2216.
>
>To schedule interviews members of the news media may call: 616-924-1000.
Jim Burnes
Engineer, Western Security, SSDS Inc
jim.burnes(a)ssds.com
----
When the world is running down
Make the best of what's still around
- Sting
