It seems I’m calling our local Law Enforcement agency more often than I’ve had to in past years, to register some concerns and complaints regarding what’s been going on in our neighborhood lately. Now I realize, mine is not the only area where these happenings are occurring. I do realize others in other areas have the same concerns/complaints.

Concern one: It seems more and more people have been riding motor bikes (mini ones, dirt bikes, and smaller versions of “hog” motorcycles), up and down streets, creating loud disturbances of peoples’ peace, often at evening time, when people are trying to relax on decks/porches, even sometimes after people have retired for the night. I’ve seen some riders riding mini bikes on sidewalks, and some ridden by young people without wearing helmets.

I’ve been, and always will be, appreciative of the responses I’ve received by our local police officers, and I know they’re only allowed to do what the higher ups in political offices have enacted with regard to what has to be done, or can be done, to stop the violation of laws in our communities. Our police officers can only do something if violators are caught in the act by them or their brothers and sisters in blue, and even if caught, the punishment is usually a desk appearance ticket and slap on the wrists. Basically, those of us registering the concerns are told, “We can’t do much because of the ways the laws are written.” I don’t blame officers for having to say this, and act in this manner regarding executing the laws, as there really is no apparent consequence for this kind of complaint or violation of the law.

Concern two: I’ve noticed both visually and audio-wise, the use of firecrackers/fireworks, allowed to be purchased in New York State (another way to get more taxes into state coffers), and set off, many of them illegally, again disturbing the peace of people of all ages, and forcing scared pets to have to be kept inside while people violate laws and disrespect others’ peace and privacy. I’ve found remnants of fireworks, on my deck and in my driveway, that I know are coming from a house behind us, which I’ve collected indicating our property is being compromised by others’ lack of concern, respect, and decency. Again, I’ve registered concerns and complaints on this issue, only to have law enforcers tell us that they can’t do anything unless they catch them red-handed.

I have a walking routine I exercise at least three times weekly, and have a course I usually follow which takes me through numerous neighborhoods on my side of town, through the downtown area, and a different route home. On my walk on July 5th, I found at least a half dozen areas which were used as firework launching pads the night before. I not only saw the remains of litter caused by these fireworks, as hey, if people are okay violating the law, why should they have to clean up the mess they made, but I could also smell the evidence that fireworks were set off recently.

In my discussions with police officers, I was again told, “We can’t do much about the violations.” Again, I have no issue with the officers as, ironically, they’re the ones handcuffed by what’s been decided by lawmakers, who really can do something about these problems. (Shouldn’t the offenders be handcuffed instead of the law enforcers?) But hey, let’s rejoice over all the taxes the state is receiving from fireworks sales that Joe Public will probably never see.

I’m not a big fan of the word “can’t. I love baseball, and am a fan of “small ball” (bunting, hit and running, hitting the opposite way to scratch out runs.) I get upset when I hear baseball commentators say, “He can’t bunt,” or “He can’t hit the opposite way.”

I was not a fan of my students using the word “can’t” as an excuse for not trying to do something, even if they had failed numerously trying to do it, and I’m not happy that law enforcers can’t act on these concerns, either.

I conclude this narrative with the fourth stanza of a poem by Edgar Albert Guest:

Can’t is a word that is foe to ambition,

An enemy ambush to shatter your will,

Its prey is forever the man with a mission,

And bows but to courage and patience and skill.

Hate it with hatred, that’s deep and undying,

For once it is welcomed ’twill break any man,

Whatever the goal you are seeking, keep trying,

And answer this demon by saying, “I can.”

Maybe our lawmakers can create more ways our law enforcers can start saying, “I can.”