Monthly Archives: August 2014

When cops are Rambo and soldiers are Barney Fife

Posted on August 27, 2014 by Jim

One positive outcome of the race riots in Ferguson, MO, may be a fresh look at the over-militarization of law enforcement. It’s about time. Deployment of SWAT teams by local police departments has been increasing for decades, often unnecessarily and … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary | Comments Off on When cops are Rambo and soldiers are Barney Fife

Neither Catholic nor Jewish

Posted on August 14, 2014 by Jim

I grew up as a member of a religious minority: a Protestant in a Catholic neighborhood. In those days the Austin neighborhood on Chicago’s West Side was mostly Irish. Although my family claims Scottish ancestry on my father’s side, our … Continue reading →

Posted in Idle Ruminations | 2 Comments