This news release may not make the mainstream media. But although it is local in subject matter, it is iconic of a national problem. Are we going to be forgiving of lawbreakers, or are we going to be a nation of laws? Will we favor those individuals who would tear the fabric of society, or will we protect the law-abiding citizens who work at their jobs and make a contribution to the general good? I’m proud to be in Olde Virginny where criminals get shot!

From: Office of the Sheriff
Sent: Monday, March 13, 2006 10:22 PM
Subject: #442 Hostage Situation at Ashburn Gas Station on Loudoun Co Pkwy Ends wIth Suspect Fatally Wounded

Loudoun County, Virginia — A hostage situation at an Ashburn gas station ended Monday night with the suspect fatally wounded.

The man, whose name is being withheld pending notification of family, walked into the Flagstaff Plaza Exxon gas station on Loudoun County Parkway around 4:40 PM. It is unclear at this time as to his motivation. The man took a female cashier hostage and held her for several hours.

During the course of the evening members of the Sheriff’s Office Crisis Negotiation Team attempted to contact the man. Several times the phone inside the store was called and would be subsequently disconnected. At one point in the evening negotiators did speak to the suspect who made statements that he would kill himself and the hostage.

Around 8:15 PM the suspect walked out with the victim with a weapon near her head. Deputies observed that the victim had blood on her shirt and injuries to her neck. At that time a member of the Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team took action and discharged one round from his weapon.

The female victim was transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

At this time members of the Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division and Crime Scene Investigators remain on the scene.

More information will be released on Tuesday or as it becomes available.

For those who haven’t seen the news footage, the suspect appeared in the doorway of the gas station with the hostage held in front of him by means of a choke hold on her neck. There was an instant when he presented a slight side profile to the distant law enforcement personnel. One of them felled him with a single well-placed shot.

It takes years of dedication and constant target range practice for these men to develop and maintain the skills that protect us. We should be very grateful for their service.

Read this article to discover how Dummycrats are produced!

Classroom brainwashing
Mar 14, 2006
by Thomas Sowell

Governor Bill Owens of Colorado has cut through the cant about “free speech” and come to the defense of a 16-year-old high school student who tape-recorded his geography teacher using class time to rant against President Bush….

Unfortunately, there is much confusion about both free speech and academic freedom. At too many schools and colleges across the country, teachers feel free to use a captive audience to vent their politics when they are supposed to be teaching geography or math or other subjects….

All across the country, from the elementary schools to the universities, students report being propagandized….the propaganda is almost invariably from the political left….

This is a very important article about one of the greatest threats to American values — the liberal brainwashing of our youth in the nation’s classrooms. We urge our readers to visit Townhall and read all of it.