I know it’s old news by now, but I feel compelled to give my two cents worth on the arrest of the surviving alleged killer of Ed and Minnie Maurin nearly 27 years ago. If I were Rick Riffe, I’d waste no time in trying to bargain a confession to a lesser crime instead of hoping to win a victory in a jury trial.
Why? Because, if I were Dennis Hadaller I would be tempted to be my own judge and jury if Riffe were to walk out of the courtroom a free man. How many cop shows have we seen on television where a person is found not guilty by a confused jury, only to be gunned down by a grieving survivor on the courthouse steps.
Yes, if I were Riffe I’d choose a shorter prison time over the very good possibility of death from a person, who, nearing his own end of life after more than a quarter century of working to achieve justice, would have nothing much to lose by taking matters into his own hands.
I remember a conversation with former Sheriff Bill Logan many years ago when he said, “Oh we know who did it, and we know where they are. We just can’t prove it in a court of law.”
I know I’m labeled a bleeding heart liberal, but I was raised to believe in the Biblical dictum, “An eye for an eye.”
To those who claim that the death penalty is not a deterrent to murder, my answer is, of course it isn’t a deterrent, because it isn’t enforced. Except in Texas.
•••
I officiated at two weddings last weekend (July is a busy month with eight weddings already on my calendar.) The reason for mentioning this is because in both of the weddings I had also officiated at the wedding of the bride’s parents roughly 20 years ago! That realization was enough to go back to my records to see that I have tied 875 marital knots since I began in 1990.
•••
There is one commercial on television that is particularly galling to me. It’s the one for a company that makes jams and jellies and has the slogan “With a name like ----- it has to be good.” You know the one. Two boys — known as children of the company CEO from previous commercials — are playing a game of Hide and Seek.
They both have fresh haircuts. Their hair is carefully combed and plastered down. They are wearing brand new, freshly cleaned and pressed clothes, and THERE IS NOT A SPOT OF DIRT ON EITHER ONE OF THEM!
Now, how can we believe the product is any good if the commercial is so obviously phony? Someone at the advertising agency either had a very bad idea or caved in to pressure from the client.
•••
I see where someone spotted an odd formation in the bark of a tree, and immediately it was touted to be the face of the Virgin Mary. We shouldn’t have been surprised. Whenever an image appears which has a faint resemblance to a human face it’s always either Jesus or the Virgin Mary. It’s never W. C. Fields, or Myrna Loy, or a half-wit cousin from eastern Pennsylvania. It’s ALWAYS Jesus or Mary.
•••
Here’s one from the “Can’t Win” department. For as long as there has been civilization, gays have been criticized for their perceived promiscuity. Now they’re being criticized for just the opposite: wanting to settle down into a traditional family life by making a commitment and getting married.
That’s enough for this week.
•••
Bill Moeller is a former entertainer, mayor, bookstore owner, city council member, paratrooper and pilot living in Centralia. He can be reached at bookmaven123@comcast.net.
