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Was walking my dog as I do every morning. Nice day. Everything was great.

Then I see an older guy whom I've seen around before. He's out in front of his house. I'm on the other side of the street. I say hello! He responds with a flat hello. He bends over and looks at something in his yard by the sidewalk. His wife walks over by him. He says loudly and in a really agitated way "I feel like shooting whoever left this s**t in the yard!" as I'm passing on the other side of the street. His wife said nothing.

I guessing a dog left some droppings in his yard. Didn't see anything from my side of the street. I don't ever walk on his side of the street anyway.

I start to wonder if it's a veiled threat? I didn't see any weapons, so I continue to make distance down the street.

I always thought the guy was a little off, since during the last presidential election the guy had a John Kerry sign in his yard

On my way home I start to wonder what happens to the next guy innocently walking his dog down the street?... or heaven forbid he runs into whoever was responsible for the droppings?

Should I file a police report on the guy? Anything I can do differently in the future? What say the forum?

Since he didn’t make a direct threat against anyone I wouldn't make a report, but that's just my opinion. His comment was probably nothing more than a statement made in anger without any intention to follow through. Plus, no crime was committed.

Unfortunately, the media has done a great disservice by planting the seed that every statement or “strange� conduct must be reported to the police, or we’re not doing our civic duty. This started with second-guessing everyone imaginable after each school shooting. It spread to on-the-job shooting, alleged child abuse cases, kidnaped children and run away brides. Added to this is the federal government’s instructions to “report strange behavior� in an attempt to thwart terrorism in the U.S.

While we all want to prevent child-abuse, terrorism, school shootings, etc. the growing trend to report any and all suspicions to the authorities strikes far too close to the instructions given by Hitler’s Gestapo and the East German Stazi. Freedom loving people must remember that the ends do not justify the means! Innocent people’s lives can be destroyed by the suspicion created by unfounded reports and/or accusations; just ask the poor security guard who was suspected in the Atlanta Olympic bombing in 1996.

Sorry for the soap box speech; it wasn’t directed at you Paladin. It’s just that I’ve lived long enough to have a good idea where all of this is going and it scares me more than a little. Who would have thought that the vast majority of freedom loving Americans would have so blindly supported the Patriot Act, merely in the name of security?

Regards,
Chas.

I don't know how many times I've said something to the affect of "I could have killed so-and-so for....". Of course, I didn't REALLY mean that I wanted to kill them for whatever it was they had done. It was just a figure of speech.

That said, I believe a person should trust their instincts. If you just have a bad feeling about the guy down in your gut then there may be something to that. That's not any reason to file a report against him, but it probably is reason to at least keep an eye on him when he's around.

Charles L. Cotton wrote:Since he didn’t make a direct threat against anyone I wouldn't make a report, but that's just my opinion. His comment was probably nothing more than a statement made in anger without any intention to follow through. Plus, no crime was committed.

I agree with Charles here...

But isn't it amazing how much more politically and socially informed people who value the freedom and sacrifices of others before us are???

My philosophical slant on discussions like this is pretty simple...

The simple reason we carry a firearm for lawful defensive purposes is not (in my opinion) derived solely on what is enumerated in a document...It is more subtle than that...

Obviously it is a moral issue, that goes hand in hand with values complimented by freedom earned, and the sacrifices to protect that freedom...

When a person (citizen) understands the basic principles of why we are here, it becomes more of an issue of protecting the "Empowerment" of the individual...If you value your choice to excersise a right enumerated in our founding documents, you therefore understand and value all of which I just stated...It becomes an integrated part of your life, and how you conduct yourself in our society...Its like putting on a coat you never feel like you have to take off for any reason or occasion...

Those who do not choose to exercise a right, certainly have the right to do so...They therefore allow themselves not to be empowered and therefore understanding (or value) the responsibility and accountability of that choice...

They will think that anyone who "does", is a threat or imbalance to their interpretation of our culture and society...And will attack it...As we have seen in our history...

This nieghbor of yours fits that personification to a "T"...I could say I feel sorry for them, but thats just a based upon the little info I have at this point...

If they had a Kerry sign in their yard...They probably don't have a gun in the house, much less a desire to ever get one...Thats their choice...

Sorry for the rant...But thats just how I feel...

I think that was a figure of speech. Don't take it too seriously. I often say things like "I'll shoot myself if I have to hear that song again", but I certainly don't intend to.

I also joke with my girlfriend and say things like "bitch, bring me a beer before I come over there and smack you around", but obviously I'm joking there too, and she knows it. In fact, I don't have much success with that comment at all :)

One thing not to joke about, or use figures of speech are when it comes to things like airport security, border patrol, etc. They don't find it amusing. I remember when I was in college, a friend of mine was driving a group of us over the border in Nogales, Mexico. When we arrived at the border crossing, an INS agent asked the driver (an all-American looking fraternity boy) if we were american citizens. He responded by saying, "no, were _____ illegal aliens".

That was not a pleasant day.

If he lives in your neighborhood, and you're not under the belief he might harm you, why didn't you ask him what he was angry about? Go over & check it out? Instead of being concerned he might go nuts over someone's dog poop, find out what irritated him off. Certainly before you report him to some authority, who will ask him what he was angry about, and him find out you were the person who reported him, which will piss him off more.

You don't have to give everyone the benefit of the doubt, but I did not hear this guy gave you the impression he needed close inspection.

My take, not worth much else...

JVE

I'm probably a little over sensitive to the neighbor's comments because of some past history I've had in the neighborhood.

About a year and a half ago I had a very similar situation. Except that time a guy genuinely did threaten to sic his doberman on me. Funny part was the guy didn't even have his doberman right there with him. I filed a police report on that guy. Looking at the law, I believe that it was an criminal threat as he "intended to cause fear", but the officer who took the report said I had to "actually be in fear". Seems that LCPD ended up talking to the guy, because I haven't had any further trouble with him.

My neighborhood is full of people who don't like dogs peeing in their yard, more or less leaving droppings... so since moving in, I've always tried to be considerate about it.

But the unfortunate truth is that there are people out there who threaten deadly force over dog droppings in the yard. LCPD has had similar cases in the past, some with guns.

I'm not convinced that this latest guy even has a gun, but to get as upset as he did, over something like that, says to me that he's not all there upstairs.

I'll cut the guy some slack, and see if I can talk to him next time I see him.

Its not the dogs fault...

Yeah I know...I have a real soft spot for the canine of the species...Regardless of the breed...

I've been around them for most my life and am confident I would know if a dog is a real threat to me or others, or is it just scared/injured/abused and just trying to defend itself...

I do have a respect for the animals, their owners...Well thats another subject in some cases...

For an owner to threaten to unleash an "aggressive" dog on another person is definitely a crime...Whether the animal is truely capable of being used in that manner, to me, is highly unlikely, and for the most part a bag a gas statement by that owner...

Maybe I am more tolerant (I don't appreciate a dog poopin in the yard) than others...But I know they gotta go somewhere, and if it did happen, and the owner picked it up, like I do...Then I would have zero complaints...

Johnny Van Etta wrote:If he lives in your neighborhood, and you're not under the belief he might harm you, why didn't you ask him what he was angry about? Go over & check it out? Instead of being concerned he might go nuts over someone's dog poop, find out what irritated him off. Certainly before you report him to some authority, who will ask him what he was angry about, and him find out you were the person who reported him, which will piss him off more.

You don't have to give everyone the benefit of the doubt, but I did not hear this guy gave you the impression he needed close inspection.

My take, not worth much else...

JVE

I agree with what Mr. Van Etta posted.

Who knows, he might be a really nice guy. You could make a friend and maybe show him the error of his ways (Kerry sign).

I do not blame him for being perturbed by dog poopie in his yard. I too love dogs. But then, I too like my grass all green, and do not like piles in my grass. The man was venting his frustration, and undoubtedly needs lessons in the proper way to handle his frustrations.

My wife confronted our neighbor about her dog pooping on our lawn. My wife is much more tactful than I am.

If anyone threatens me, whether to whup my butt, or sick their dog on me, LCPD will certainly hear about it. Threats are threats, and they must be dealt with. I have never taken threats lightly. I personally do not make threats. Threats are a veiled atttempt to intimidate. People who know me know my actions speak for themself.

I do appreciate the response and professionalism of the LCPD. We are blessed with a fine department.

Anygun

Another opinion:

Keep YOUR dog out of MY yard!!

sensei

sensei wrote:Another opinion:

Keep YOUR dog out of MY yard!!

sensei

It'd be a long walk, but bring him to my yard. I'll take all of the free, natural fertilizer I can get. :D

I don't do chemicals on the yard because of all of the animals.