In today's world, we can still give thanks

I have said many times that we will train for the worst as we hope for the best, and much of that training unfortunately has been put to use too many times in such a short period. Over the last year we have made numerous drug busts only to see someone else take the place of selling deadly drugs on the streets again. We made an arrest of someone who cut a girls throat open, worked a double homicide and suicide, we are holding two people in our jail who are being charged with murder in Vernon County, and two people from neighboring counties who are also being charged with murder. We have worked other cases ranging from drunk drivers who harmed other people to cases of assault, burglary, stealing and more.

Not long ago we worked a case where someone drove a vehicle into a house during a domestic dispute! Sadly, most of these crimes are part of the daily reports deputies respond to each shift, but what is becoming more disturbing is the frequency with which these violent crimes are being reported. This year we have had two cases where deputies were assaulted, sending one to the hospital, and a neighboring county has had a deputy killed in the line of duty. When I see the news each day and read about the events going on around the country it makes me wonder where we are headed.

I have had some people tell me how much better things will be because of recent elections and some complain that things will only get worse now. When we arrest people we hear all about how bad society is. No jobs can be found, can't get enough in food stamps, can't get the medications needed from the doctor because the insurance isn't good enough; and the list goes on and on.

We are approaching that time of year when we put extra focus on being thankful for what we have and when you look at what others before us went through, there is still a lot to be thankful for. For example, Oct.29, 1929, also known as "Black Tuesday" when the stock market crashed and the country fell into the most devastating depression we have ever seen. Unemployment rose to 25 percent, the price of crops fell by nearly 60 percent, and they estimated industrial production fell by 46 percent. They call it the Great Depression, and if you read some of the stories of what it was like you even start to feel depressed. They say the grass is always greener on the other side. Are things as bad as they appear?

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor said, "I think I learned to appreciate and treasure each day, because you don't know how many you're going to be given." It is true that things could always be better, but it is also true that they could be much worse. No matter what political party you may be from, no matter what part of the country you live in, through all the crime, the hurt, and the sorrow some people are forced to endure, there is still hope, we are still in a free country and there is still a reason to be thankful. The employees of the Vernon County Sheriff's Office would like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!