It’s been a little over a week since I shook my head in absolute whizzed-offedness (don’t bother looking that bit of editorial licensing up, you won’t find it). What can I say? I was miffed.
Angry I was at our long-legged governor, Jennifer M. Granholm. I know I should not be angry with her, having never met the woman. But, upset I still am — not that she cares that I’m sore.
Why, you’re asking, has she gotten my ire?
Am I cantankerous ‘cuz Gov. Jen kicked my dog? Nope, I do that all the time myself.
Am I aggravated because Gov. Jen let all them mean old, gun-totin? Neanderthals blast poor little cooing morning doves just so the state can make a few extra pennies off hunting licenses? Nah, though I do rather enjoy listening to them and given the opportunity, I wouldn’t kill a morning dove.
Am I sulking about because Gov. Jen hasn’t made it easy for small business to help turn around the state’s poor economy? Negatory pigpen.
Am I cross because Gov. Jen is a Democrat import from Canada? Of course not, our friends (the Canucks) have trucked over lots of good stuff from their side of the river to ours — not to mention, mounds of their own refuse.
Nope. I got grumpy when Lapeer’s Gayle Garcia phoned me at home, early on the evening of Feb. 13. Gayle has been busting her butt to get her brother, former Lake Orion-ite Larry Drum, released from prison. The family put their hopes and dreams squarely in the lap of Governor Granholm. They prayed that with knowledge of Larry’s case she would wave her magic pen and sign his release. They wanted a commute on his life-sentence. Gayle called to tell me the governor’s office put the kabosch on his release.
A sentence imposed upon him under a law that has since been stricken from the books. A law so draconian that the governor who signed it, Gov. William Milliken, called it the worst mistake of his years in office. A governor so moved by Larry’s case that he personally contacted Gov. Jen twice to plead his case.
A case that has garnered the attention of reporters, columnists and editors across the state. These reporters, columnists and editors reviewed the information, saw the merits and opined, Larry should be set free for letting a friend sell cocaine out of his apartment. By the way, the friend who was trying to sell the cocaine to a narcotics toady, was set free by the state 13 months ago.
I guess I am ticked off at Gov. Jen because I read today in The Detroit News of a man who turned himself over to police for a 1975 triple homicide he confessed to . . . the thing is, this man was out on the streets, paroled by the state, even though he was convicted of three armed robberies in 1989 and 2000. Why would the state parole a three-time loser while sticking its head in the sand for an individual who all agree should be free. Excuse me, not all. The state only lets idiots out and keeps others locked up for at a cost of $30,000-$50,000 a year because the state coffers are over-flowing with extra cash. Yeah . . .
So, as you can tell, I am a little bitter.
Larry, 68, was imprisoned under the old 650-lifer law. He’s been behind bars for 15 years, and it looks like he’ll spend more time there.
Gayle says she isn’t done fighting for her brother. ‘As far as I’m concerned, the letter Larry got was signed by somebody other than the Governor. She has the final say and until I hear from her personally, I will fight to have my brother freed while Mom is still living.?
‘Mom? is lifelong Lake Orion resident Ione Drum, who’ll be 93 this year.
You know . . . as I type here, I reckon I am not really fuming at Gov. Jen. Nope. My tantrum is directed squarely at the man who looks at me in the mirror each morning when I shave. Yes, I am angered at myself because I actually believed in Jennifer Granholm. I truly thought with the facts before her own eyes, she would see the merits in Larry’s case and for his release.
I really thought she would . . . guess I won’t make that mistake twice.
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Folks can read about Larry on-line. Go to this newspapers website and in the editorial ‘search? box to the right type in ‘Larry Drum.?
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