Shumlin lifts veil on heroin abuse in Vermont

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Funny how this thread has Vermont written all over it, yet Gary is no where to be seen...

Whenever these pop up, I wait until lots of people say ignorant things and then I post. The best was when the Burlington city council "banned assault weapons" and all the anti-freedom nuts went crazy! Big yawn. The state does not allow cities to do that. It was a photo op. After all the freedom haterz posted thier nonsense I posted the state constituion references and the freedom haterz ran away.

When it is pointed out that Vermont has low crime because we carry guns...everyone who hates guns has a different reason. In other words guns can CAUSE crime but they cannot cause LOW CRIME. Every other possible rewason is touted...including in one case "magic unicorns". It is true we have more magic unicorns than any other state. They work at Ben & Jerry's making ice cream. Drugs are often the reason cited for crime.

But Vermont has an international border rife with smuggling and the highest opiate addiciton in the USA...and low crime. Because we have guns and we are not easy targets. We can still walk the street in any neighborhood any time of the day or night and not be afraid. There may be drug addicts...heck I can show you where they are dealing drugs at any given moment...and they dare not bother people walking by.

Governor Peter Shumlin is an NRA member, hunter, gun owner, fisherman and has increased the funding for firearms education in our schools. He is a liberal Democrat. I voted for him. He has an A+ rating from the NRA. You giys forgot to mention that

[OriZ 3,157]

I never said it was perfect, they draw that conclusion themselves.

Highest opiate addiciton and 2nd lowest crime. Because we can carry guns.

Good choice. By the way you passed me in your vehicle the other day on Williston Rd. I saw the sign on it. I haven't had a chance to stop in youjr store yet, but I did see it down there on Main St.

Congratualations and Welcome

I seem to pass alot of people in Vermont I'm used to much more aggressive driving. Although most times I am not in a hurry and don't mind being as laid back as everyone else is.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Because we can all carry guns (and always have been able to) we have low crime. Because we have low crime we spend more resources on education (3rd highest per pupil in the US) and have the highest HS graduation rate of any state. We do not need to spend money on overtime for police officers and video survellience of our people. We also invest in bike trails, spotlessly clean parks, hiking trails, clean water, clean air, healthy environment...all because we do not need to waste funds on crime. Imagine hiw much better YOUR city could be if all the money spent on crime were spent on education and parks and recreation and clean environment. Would it be a better place to live? Would you enhoy it more? Would you be more FREE? Even if you left the responsibility of carrying a gun to others?

We have earned the awards of "Cleanest State", "Safest State" "Best Educated state" "Healthiest State" "Best Place to Raise a Family" and even the best damn cheese for the last 10 years running...all BECAUSE we do not need to waste resources on fighting crime. The greatest threat to Vermont this addiction problem poses is the draining of resources from other good work. Vermont has excellent treatment programs for addicts. "Act 1", the Howard Center, two treatment facilities operated by UVM/FAHC in Burlington alone. The award winning "Maple Leaf Farms" We are determined to treat these people and make them better. But we do not want our resources (money) consumed and threaten future generations of Vermonters.

The only inaccuracy in the article is that there has been no "veil" This problem has been well known and discussed and a topic for our legislature for a few years. If someone outside of the state has been unaware of it, it is merely because they are not paying attention

It is another good reason to endorse the ability of every person in the state (even visitors) to be able to be armed and proof that doing so, even when faced with a drug issue, reduces crime and improves quality of life.

Thank you for posting this and helping to point out that EVERYONE can have a safe and good place to live.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I seem to pass alot of people in Vermont I'm used to much more aggressive driving. Although most times I am not in a hurry and don't mind being as laid back as everyone else is.

I was headed toward downtown on Williston Rd. You pulled nest to me at a light and as you drove away I saw the sign on your car.

I like that end of Main St. I like Big Fatty's BBQ! The place next to Big Fatty's used to be an architectural salvage place and I used to buy really neat old stuff in there for the house. But they closed.

Have you been skiing yet? Summer is awesome, you'll love it! You'll forget all about winter!

I also could choose to live anywhere when I returned from Ukraine my options were open. Heck, I'm a Texican so the climate is not what attracted me here, but it is just an awesome place to live. Not perfect (no where is, I suppose) but awfully damn close! We do not have the lowest taxes of any state (did you notice?) but we seem to spend it on cool stuff and have good results. It is not so difficult to pay when you actually have excellent schools for your kids to go to, and nice parks. We live right on the lakefront bike path in Mallet's Bay. I narrowed it to Arizona or Vermont. Vermont won.

Like most oither problems, we will grab this one by the knobs and fix it. And don't forget if you drive over to Montpelier, Shumlin's door is usually open. You can also get in contact with your state Senator or Rep. Mine has coffee with everyone every morning at "Mazza's General Store" before going to Montpelier.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Yep, until I run out of fingers. Which is every time.

Alas, it is a burden of being able to write more than one sentence, actaully addressing topics and speaking one's own mind. If I stuck to oneliners and only copying what other people write then my status would soar with ignorant people.

No thanks.

[GandD 5,966]

Alas, it is a burden of being able to write more than one sentence, actaully addressing topics and speaking one's own mind. If I stuck to oneliners and only copying what other people write then my status would soar with ignorant people.

No thanks.

And we wouldn't want that.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

Whenever these pop up, I wait until lots of people say ignorant things and then I post. The best was when the Burlington city council "banned assault weapons" and all the anti-freedom nuts went crazy! Big yawn. The state does not allow cities to do that. It was a photo op. After all the freedom haterz posted thier nonsense I posted the state constituion references and the freedom haterz ran away.

When it is pointed out that Vermont has low crime because we carry guns...everyone who hates guns has a different reason. In other words guns can CAUSE crime but they cannot cause LOW CRIME. Every other possible rewason is touted...including in one case "magic unicorns". It is true we have more magic unicorns than any other state. They work at Ben & Jerry's making ice cream. Drugs are often the reason cited for crime.

But Vermont has an international border rife with smuggling and the highest opiate addiciton in the USA...and low crime. Because we have guns and we are not easy targets. We can still walk the street in any neighborhood any time of the day or night and not be afraid. There may be drug addicts...heck I can show you where they are dealing drugs at any given moment...and they dare not bother people walking by.

Governor Peter Shumlin is an NRA member, hunter, gun owner, fisherman and has increased the funding for firearms education in our schools. He is a liberal Democrat. I voted for him. He has an A+ rating from the NRA. You giys forgot to mention that

Kind of like when you say you don't care and then post this type of stuff.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Kind of like when you say you don't care and then post this type of stuff.

Can you respond to the topic?

First you complain I don't respond, then you complain I DO respond.

I very much care about the state and city I live in. I would be glad to discuss our education, crime rate, gun laws and general quality of life with you and compare them to, say, St Louis.

You said that I turn every topic into things about Vermont, Alla, guns, etc yet there are THREE PAGES of stuff about Alla, Vermont, Guns, etc before I even made a single post. Even several lamenting my absence from the topic. Well, here I am, so let's go! What can you add about the fact that Vermont has a drug problem and low crime?

Now that I posted a response to the topic, there has been not a single response to the topic...only personal references.

Edited January 18, 2014 by Gary and Alla

[OriZ 3,157]

I was headed toward downtown on Williston Rd. You pulled nest to me at a light and as you drove away I saw the sign on your car.

I like that end of Main St. I like Big Fatty's BBQ! The place next to Big Fatty's used to be an architectural salvage place and I used to buy really neat old stuff in there for the house. But they closed.

Have you been skiing yet? Summer is awesome, you'll love it! You'll forget all about winter!

I also could choose to live anywhere when I returned from Ukraine my options were open. Heck, I'm a Texican so the climate is not what attracted me here, but it is just an awesome place to live. Not perfect (no where is, I suppose) but awfully damn close! We do not have the lowest taxes of any state (did you notice?) but we seem to spend it on cool stuff and have good results. It is not so difficult to pay when you actually have excellent schools for your kids to go to, and nice parks. We live right on the lakefront bike path in Mallet's Bay. I narrowed it to Arizona or Vermont. Vermont won.

Like most oither problems, we will grab this one by the knobs and fix it. And don't forget if you drive over to Montpelier, Shumlin's door is usually open. You can also get in contact with your state Senator or Rep. Mine has coffee with everyone every morning at "Mazza's General Store" before going to Montpelier.

Doesn't surprise me being I'm on that route dozens of times a week, between getting in and out(from and to Milton) and all the deliveries I do. What part was it? before or after the Sheraton?

I have never been to big fattys yet, but most people that ask us where we are we found that is normally the best way to explain it. It even works better than telling them we're a block in from battery st.

I have not had a chance to ski yet, but I don't mind winter at all. We actually landed in July so I did get to experience summer. Funny thing is my wife did not want to go back to winter(after living in wisconsin all of her life) but being so many other things attracted us to vermont it ended up being a trade off. Had to compromise on something. So like when we had that ice storm a few weeks ago or when we had those few days of -11 with a windchill of -30 she was like told you I didn't want to go back to winter. Me personally, between those two -11 days I had 12 deliveries to do and did not mind at all. I even drove to montpelier during the ice storm.

Yes, we did know even before we got here that taxes are high, but that is another trade off. I like the socially liberal aspect of this area, I do not like how fiscally/economically liberal it is. But what can you do. Arizona was really never in our considerations. It ended up being between NH, ME, and VT. Good ole new england. Are you near the colchester causeway? I love that area!

Rep Welch's office actually JUST moved from the big ICV building right next to us(30 main). I know sanders is on church st. Not sure where leahy is. Already got to meet Shumlin in person twice, he even wished my wife and I happy holidays and a happy new year.

[Darnell 8,478]

Vermont is the only true free state in the country. Even junkies can have guns. But at least they don't steal to support their habit because the people they steal from may have a gun too. Stalemate.

Ya, Sorry. Gary, of Gary n Alla fame, has written missives in the past, about the heroin usage in his state, citing it as one of the bad things about Vermont.

He knows about it, already.

[spookyturtle 9,465]

Ya, Sorry. Gary, of Gary n Alla fame, has written missives in the past, about the heroin usage in his state, citing it as one of the bad things about Vermont.

He knows about it, already.

I don't get what your reply has to do with my post. Vermont has a heroin problem yet they don't have an increased crime rate because of it.

[Darnell 8,478]

different state, different rule of law as to what is a crime, I suppose....

crime rate covers (mostly) what is countable, and if'n heroin usage isn't counted, or counted properly, what's the dealio ?

[spookyturtle 9,465]

different state, different rule of law as to what is a crime, I suppose....

crime rate covers (mostly) what is countable, and if'n heroin usage isn't counted, or counted properly, what's the dealio ?

I was thinking more along the lines that there isn't an increase in robberies, muggings etc that usually seem to follow areas with drug problems.

[Darnell 8,478]

apparently the populace is carrying, so maybe the smack users already know about it.

[spookyturtle 9,465]

apparently the populace is carrying, so maybe the smack users already know about it.

No minorities either. Probably a combination of the two.