Opinion/Commentary the Independent / Tuesday, May 8, 2012
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P A G E A 7 OPINION/COMMENTARY THE INDEPENDENT / TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2012 IN OUR VIEW Justice at last? After 40 years, arrest made in Clay County sheriff’s murder n what must be one of the and more indictments may be coldest of cold cases, an ar- forthcoming. When asked if rest has been made in the Brumley had accomplices, Gre- Ideath of Clay County Sher- gory repeated more indictments iff James M. “Matt” Sizemore may be forthcoming. nearly 43 years after the sheriff “I think you can decipher was shot five times by a high- that,” Gregory said. powered rifle as he stepped out The commonwealth’s attor- of his car. ney was 12 years old when the Oran Brumley, now 61, has shooting occurred, but he says been indicted by a Clay County he remembers it well. “It was grand jury on charges of mur- just a big community event at dering Sizemore on June 1, 1969, that time,” he said. While gun- as the sheriff was serving war- shots aren’t uncommon in the rants southwest of Manchester. region, the slaying of a sheriff Brumley, who was living in was anything but commonplace. Clay County at the time of the After a while the case went murder and had been ques- cold, but tips continued to flow tioned by investigators in con- occasionally into the sheriff’s of- nection with it, later moved to fice or state police. Until be- Hamilton, Ohio, near Cincin- tween six and eight months ago, Cliches conservatives say nati. When Kentucky investiga- none of the tips led anywhere — tors wanted to reinterview him, in some cases they were nothing ike many of us who even the Rev. Martin Luther pontificate for a living, King Jr. was viewed as a terror- they found Brumley in the Ross more than rumors sweeping Correctional Institution in Chill- my column-writing col- CLARENCE ist by those whose segregated through the mountains with no league Jonah Goldberg way of life he set out to upset. icothe, Ohio, where he’s serving L substantiation. Then came the apparently toils away in daily PAGE In fact, I would argue that one time after being convicted in frustration that so many peo- Syndicated person’s cliche is another per- call that led investigators back columnist 2004 of murder, attempted mur- ple fail to take his political ad- son’s wisdom. to Brumley. vice. To illustrate and offer a bit of der, aggravated robbery and ag- you?” Sure, but why blame the Trosper isn’t sure what the That would explain his new balance to what Goldberg has gravated burglary for a knife at- innocent guy for the 10 guilty connection between Brumley book, which takes on one of the initiated, here are a few of the tack on an 80-year-old man. guys next door? I would blame and Sizemore was. When asked world’s least-threatening prob- most annoying cliches, in my “A tip came through that he lems: the political cliches that our criminal justice system for if Brumley was a colorful local its failure to do what taxpayers view, that I often hear from the may need to be revisited,” said many people utter as a substitute political right: character who would have been expect it to do: protect not only Kentucky State Police Trooper for original thoughts. “We don’t solve problems by familiar to the sheriff, Trosper It is titled “The Tyranny of our lives and property but also Dan Trosper, a spokesman for our constitutional rights. throwing money at them.” Sure. laughed. Cliches: How Liberals Cheat in the London KSP post. “It was This barroom argument But you don’t solve many prob- “That’s putting it lightly,” the War of Ideas.” With a title lems by sucking money out of just a tip as to who might be the like that, need I bother to men- would not annoy me as much if Trosper said. there were not 289 exonerations them, either. perpetrator in the crime. Tips tion that the author is a conser- “Poor people need to pull Gregory said Sizemore had a vative? of convicted individuals thanks have come in on our cold cases ... to DNA evidence since 1989, ac- themselves up by their own role in sending one of Brumley’s As such, he focuses on the we always follow up on tips we cording to the Innocence Proj- bootstraps.” Easier said than cliches that trouble him most, family members to prison a few ect. The DNA era confirms some done, my friend. I tried to pull do get. It was something to the which happen to be those that years before the shooting and re- of our worst fears: We’re getting myself up by my own boot- fact that he needed to be reinter- he has heard uttered by liberals. the worst of both worlds. Inno- straps and almost tumbled over viewed.” taliation may have been a mo- That’s sort of like reading Play- cents are suffering while guilty on my head. tive. boy for the articles; it’s interest- At the time of the shooting, go free. And Goldberg jokes “Keep the government’s ing, but something important is Sizemore, the father of 11, had “I think there were some bit- about it. Whoopie. hands off of my Medicare.” Not missing. ter feelings,” Gregory told The And the author doesn’t like easy. You’ll have better luck been in law enforcement for sev- I do agree that some cliches “Diversity is strength,” either. with your bootstraps. en years. Investigators always Associated Press. “He just devel- like “violence never settles any- (“Cool,” he writes. “The NBA “Liberals love free speech as oped a hatred for the sheriff.” thing” need to go, at least until suspected the shooting was in should have a quota for midgets long as it supports the left.” Un- Maybe so, but Brumley has we find a good substitute for the connection with a crime Size- and one-legged point guards!”) like conservatives, who love free word “never.” In fact, history of- more had investigated, but they yet to be convicted of killing Yet, without getting into the speech as long as it is does not fers many examples of violence Sizemore, and trying any case deep weeds of affirmative action come from the Quran or the Dix- remained stumped as to who settling things, although not al- debates, this country has pros- ie Chicks? pulled the trigger. after 43 years is never easy. ways in ways that were expected pered as a result of its mulligan “America: Love It Or Leave Memories fade and some key by its initiators. Vietnam, Iraq Questions remain as to stew of ethnics — its Pages and It.” Funny, but I haven’t heard and the secession of the Confed- whether Brumley will be re- witnesses have likely died. Oth- Goldbergs, etc., etc. — and our that one much since President eracy come immediately to turned to Kentucky to face ers may have moved away and ability, more often than not, to Barack Obama’s election. Can mind. work together with a sense of we bring it back? charges. He has no attorney on are difficult to find. But the pros- But the more of Goldberg’s common purpose despite our “Why are all the news media the Kentucky charges, and one ecutor thinks he has enough ev- book that I read, the more ap- differences. slanted to the left — except Fox idence to convict Brumley. preciation I feel for the pithy would have to be appointed for And, surely, Goldberg is not News?” Maybe Stephen Colbert power of the bumper-sticker tru- him. Arrangements must be Time will tell, but regardless serious in his pot shots at this isms that he ridicules. got it right. He said, “Reality worked out with Ohio for Brum- of the outcome of his trial for old gem: “One man’s terrorist is I like, for example, the old has a liberal bias.” another man’s freedom fighter.” ley’s return to Kentucky, Clay killing the sheriff, Brumley will chestnut, “Better 10 guilty men That was a joke. It’s not a Sure, he writes, “if the other Commonwealth’s Attorney remain behind bars for his mur- go free than one innocent man cliche yet. But give it time. man is an idiot.” But, so what? suffer.” Goldberg responds, “So Gary Gregory said. der conviction in Ohio. He’s not An idiot can kill you just as CLARENCE PAGE is a columnist for the you won’t mind if those 10 The investigation is ongoing about to be released from jail. dead as a sane man can. And Chicago Tribune. His email address is guilty men move next door to [email protected]. WRITING PUBLIC OFFICIALS IN YOUR VIEW U.S. Senate ing, Washington, D.C. 2055. Telephone: (202) youthful enthusiasm in the with such things as the butter- 225-3465. Ashland office: (606) 324-9898. Voters can thank State House. fly release on Mother’s Day. And Mitch McConnell, 317 Russell Senate Office Email: [email protected]. 4th I urge all voters to go to the even though I have other family Building, Washington, D.C. 20510, Telephone: District. Rep. Tanya Pullin polls on May 22 to show Tanya members buried at private (202) 224-2541, Fax: (202) 224-2499, Email: Tuesday, May 22 is an impor- Pullin how much we appreciate cemeteries, that doesn’t stop [email protected]. Kentucky Senate tant day for the people of the hard work and dedication Rand Paul, 208 Russell Senate Office Building, them from allowing me to in- Walter Blevins, 777 West Broadway, West Greenup County.