The Reality Is

Going to be a rough day today. I’m running on empty because I woke up way too early and, instead of going back to sleep, I logged onto the bedroom laptop, read blogs, news, looked at what TikTok had to offer.

One of the things TikTok had to offer was the video, that's been circulating on the news, showing the Minneapolis PD No-Nock Murder of Amir Locke.

Of course, the video focused on Locke with a gun in his hand and, the more privileged individuals commented on that being a reason for murdering him.

Common sense wanted to ask those privileged individuals what would you do if you were suddenly awakened by the noise of your door being knocked down, no idea of what’s going on, no time to focus, not hearing anyone announcing "police"? You'd reach for whatever you have nearby to defend yourself ... amiright?

And I refer to those making excuses for the police as "privileged" because their lives must be nice, safe, nothing bad ever happened for them to not understand why someone would sleep with a weapon nearby.

The reality is that some of us, for one reason or another, are forced to live I’d not say in fear, but in a state of readiness.

I myself put a burglar bar on the patio window every night before I go to bed. I also put one on the front door. On the nightstand next to the bed is a taser, pepper spray and a knife. Not to mention two katanas as wall décor that I can quickly retrieve and go all Walking Dead Michonne on an intruder.

I know what I’d do if I were awakened by the sound of the door being knocked down. I’d reach for one or all of my many tools.

There has been a time or two when I was awakened by a noise that didn’t seem right, whereupon you can bet I picked up one of those tools and searched to make sure I was alone in the unit.

The fact that Locke had a gun nearby isn’t at all strange for those of us who’ve experienced various aspects of trauma; and had they announced, rather than shot, he'd at least have had the opportunity to quickly grasped it was not intruders and dropped it.

No excuse. It was the usually shoddy police work — wrong address, wrong person, too quick to shoot, no drugs found in the apartment after-the-fact to try to justify bad police work.

I don’t know what everyone else does around here, except I do know Casino Lady’s sister keeps a weapon at the ready and The Baker says she keeps a few something somethings on her nightstand as well.

Hansome man has a side security business, is licensed to carry, so I'm sure he keeps weapons in his unit.

My readiness doesn't end when I step outside.

I always keep a taser in my hand, pepper spray in my pocket. If one fails, I've always got a backup.

Also, there's a larger taser under the seat of the car, and a screwdriver in the armrest, just in case of an attempted carjacking.

It pays to be prepared. Too bad it didn’t work out for Locke, but I understand why he was prepared.