 |
Editor's ViewpointMeditations Of A Minnesota Mossback |
The Plague du Jour . Civilized Discourse . and Calamitous Consequences.
For thousands of years, people have needed something to discuss with the next-door neighbor - and the stranger.
Plague, pestilence and affliction have always served as good topics of conversation. There is no doubt that the great plagues of Egypt, as recorded in the book of Exodus, were talked about for generations.
Now, I don't for a minute suggest that the plague du jour was condensed to a simple snippet of early Monday-morning quarterbacking ("So, Joshua, what about them frogs?"), but that those calamities of Biblical proportions were discussed at length goes without saying.
Hail mixed with fire - Plague No. 7 - was surely a reason to converse with the others queued in the grocery line, stockpiling supplies in anticipation of Plague No. 8 (locusts).
Being beyond the control of pundits and politicians, weather (which I believe falls under the "affliction" category) has always been a safe topic to jumpstart any civilized discourse.
Complete strangers can strike up a conversation in a Minnesota parking lot: "Say-y-y, I see you have your jumper cables out, there."
"Yup."
"Sure is cold. Need a jump?"
"You betcha."
In Minnesota, we take full advantage of any opportunity to engage in this enjoyable pastime.
Every man Jack who owns a shovel is a bona fide expert on the subject, and the less the other party knows about Minnesota winters, the more fun it can be.
Last week we hosted a wedding rehearsal dinner for the oldest daughter of our good friends. We had the pleasure of meeting her new husband's family, almost all of whom hail from the balmy state of Mississippi.
Since their teeth were chattering for much of our social time together, we had ample opportunity to stress to our guests that winter was "still warming up," so to speak.
In fact, I said, somewhat perversely, that I hadn't yet retrieved my winter coat from the closet.
"More hot cider?" my husband offered our wide-eyed visitors.
Of course, the temperature dropped to 12 below zero the next day, just in time for the wedding ceremony. As a precautionary measure, I took my winter coat with me: the consequence of being caught out in the cold unprepared could be calamitous.
But having lived in Minnesota for over 22 years now, I think I can call myself (almost) a native.
When I got to the church, I left my coat in the car.
*
Speaking of consequences, I was pleased to hear last week that the Minnesota Court of Appeals upheld the sentence imposed on Steve Douglas Stanke, whose actions 2-1/2 years ago resulted in the death of Lino Lakes Police Officer Shawn Silvera.
Stanke fled police in a stolen vehicle at speeds up to 110 mph on a busy interstate at rush hour, driving aggressively and steering with his knees so he could use a cell phone and inject himself with methamphetamine during the chase.
Officer Silvera was killed as he was carrying out his duties, which at the time included placing stop sticks on the Interstate. Stanke did not attempt to brake or avoid Officer Silvera.
Stanke pleaded guilty, agreeing that he would likely be sentenced to twice the normal incarceration time because of severe aggravating circumstances.
However, when the district court did just that, sentencing him to 480 months in prison for fleeing a peace officer resulting in death and a consecutive sentence of 21 months for fleeing a peace officer resulting in great bodily harm, the appellant took issue with the reasons underlying the decision.
But the court didn't buy Stanke's argument, stating that the record supported the sentence based on the "atypical egregiousness of the crime."
"We are very pleased with the appellate court's decision in this terrible tragedy," Assistant Anoka County Attorney Marcy S. Crain said.
Me, too.