Don’t be a moron like this guy, lacing food items with any kind of drug as a surprise and serving it to unsuspecting people is NEVER okay!!!

https://nypost.com/2022/03/25/i-laced-my-sisters-wedding-cake-with-marijuana-and-guests-got-high-as-kites/amp/

Important Disclaimers: I am NOT a clinically trained medically or mentally trained professional nor do I have a training in law enforcement or public safety, if you or anyone you know is in crisis, please contact emergency medical services, immediately!!!

Where an article or topic of this nature could end up becoming a crisis of sorts or cause major problems, I will make clear, soon enough.

As well as why I think actions of this nature, should be considered not just stupid but feloniously and criminally stupid.

It may sound like all fun and games and to honor a loved one by making a food item for any kind of event and lace it with marijuana, it’s no big deal, right?

It is a BIG deal though.

People think I overreact when people are surprised with food of any kind, whether it be surprising a vegan friend with a meat item or vice versa or a secret food item that could go against health or religious beliefs (i.e. peanut allergies, serving an item not disclosing it has pork and/or alcohol for example to Muslims and pork for example is also goes against people who are Jewish and follow Jewish dietary law i.e. keeping Kosher among other things, not mixing allowed meat and milk) .

So this is very dangerous though to do to someone, in multiple ways.

Let’s say okay, there ended up being no problems to any of the adults served any of the food items laced with marijuana in above article.

Unless someone has grown marijuana themselves, ya never know what it could be laced with.

Like Fentanyl or PCP or other dangerous street drugs.

You also never know if someone is allergic to cannabis (I have a lot to say in this blog, so I will I have to save my overdose story on 2 CBD gummies in January as an opioid tolerant patient who found out the hard way a severe cannabis/thc intolerance when prescription meds were pulled, had no other drugs in my system under the recommendation I try the gummies for pain by my PCP).

You also never know what drugs are already in someone’s system and in the case featured above, if someone was taking a prescription drug, drinking alcohol and then ingested unknowingly a food item with marijuana they could get super sick from multiple drug toxicity, they could be super impaired and not realize it and drive home and at best get a DUI, at worst they could cause fatalities hitting a car or a pedestrian.

Or it could be served to someone in recovery for chemical dependency issues.

It could cost someone their job if they get drug tested and they don’t know a drug is in a food item, they would never suspect.

And while the food was never served to children, that doesn’t mean they couldn’t get access to it somehow and get very sick, if not overdose.



It’s just never okay or funny to serve items with surprise ingredients as a surprise or a joke.

And it can be devastating emotionally, as it is a violation of trust to a lot of people, including myself. And it can be devastating physically, if not possibly fatal to people, causing potential fatal allergies, accidents or overdoses.

This is one trend we do NOT need and it needs to be called out, IMMEDIATELY, as well as people should never be doing this and there should be legal consequences for people who DO engage in behaviors of lacing food to any unsuspecting person, regardless of the substance, but especially, especially, ESPECIALLY if food is laced with drugs.

I’ll end this blog now, I really didn’t want to be in activist mode tonight but I couldn’t read this story and not respond given how unnecessarily dangerous and thoughtless the subject matter is and not respond.

And while I’ve never been served drugs as a surprise, I’ve been served other substances as a surprise or meant to be a joke and while I’m not a violent person, it still made me want to punch that person when this happened a long time in their stupid face or at least be able to have them charged with assault.

Note: While I’m open to respectful debate about this topic but I won’t change how strongly I feel about how dangerous and stupid it is. Maybe in cases past people didn’t know better, but you know better now, so do better.

I’m also NOT talking about patients with a legal prescription for THEMSELVES and only use them for themselves like with edibles, for example.

The dangerous ramifications of charging #MinneapolisPoliceDepartment officer in the death of #LenealFrazier …

https://kstp.com/news/post-board-sets-up-committee-to-take-closer-look-at-police-chase-policy/6335051/?cat=1

I’ve been watching this story in the news for awhile, now.

The death of Leneal Frazier who was killed in a collision with a vehicle driven by a police officer who was chasing a suspect and was hit at a high rate of speed.

The ONLY thing that made me check Leneal’s criminal record which is a matter of public record in Minnesota, was the day after his name was released because this was a newsworthy story that went global not only because he ended up dying but because he was the uncle of the young lady who took the video of George Floyd’s murder.

But his family insisted while he was a loving uncle, they said to the effect, “he was far from perfect” and maybe they did that knowing that the news outlets or other people may or not check his record and then find out he was convicted of multiple violent felonies.

Before one rushes to judge on whether or NOT I’m being racist, which I’m NOT, one thing has been haunting me.

He did NOT have though, a valid driver’s license at the time at the time of his death and when I went to go check again this morning his criminal record after reading above posted link, his license technically wasn’t reinstated until over 4 months after his death.

I know next to nothing about the record of the officer who’s been charged in his death.

And I have NO training in matters of public safety or law enforcement.

But someone needs to sound the alarm of the danger of changing laws in the name of public safety that could have the opposite effect, if decision could embolden even further, violent criminals which may NOT be the intention of the proposed law changes but certainly could be the outcome.

And someone also needs to say, that a police officer’s life and freedom shouldn’t be predicated on trying and risking their life to get a dangerous criminal off the street and someone dies while breaking the law to be in that exact place and time.

Again, did Leneal Frazier deserve to die for being at the wrong place and wrong time, which he was simply because he was driving a car when he shouldn’t have been?

Absolutely NOT.

But, the officer who did that police chase obviously shouldn’t be in legal jeopardy, as well as the emotional and physical jeopardy that comes from unintentionally and unknowingly killing the uncle of a young woman who brought attention that was necessary to show use of unreasonable force, especially in a situation that leads to a black man’s death.

That’s not right and if that officer is convicted, bad enough he was charged, we have to evaluate further if justice in this case and going forward is really being served.

Important Note: If one leads more to the left, to them I’m racist. If one leads more to the right, because I don’t think that law enforcement is perfect and I do believe law enforcement should be held accountable if negligence to willful reckless disregard leads to the death of a black man or anyone such as in the case of Justine Damond, but this isn’t the same situation, I’m a bleeding heart liberal piece of crap and in both instances I’ve received undeserved vitriol.

So spare me the death threats for once, Okay? Thanks.

If it’s the 5th of July where you live and you are still setting off fireworks, you’re an ASSHOLE!!!

I was going to write a blog a few days ago regarding summer safety, especially with a lot of the country being effected by heat and drought, but I didn’t.

It’s not because I didn’t want to or that I felt there wasn’t a need for me to say what I had to.

Such as concerns about being careful in the sun and heat for a multitude of reasons.

Being worried about whether or not people would increase risk to themselves in these conditions personally, where they would be at risk for heat stroke such as being under the influence of alcohol or drugs or not and also any kind of behaviors that occur more often in the summer that increases risk of injury, health syndromes and sometimes death to oneself or others.

And a less commonly talked about but important health issue that can happen in summer was to talk about which is hyponatremia, where that can sometimes be a more risk of people who are active and in considered in optimal physical health, but if one gets hyponatremia they are at risk for catastrophic neurological issues, if not multi-system organ failure and death.

I was going to put links in that blog that I actually started so it could help people learn summer safety tips, learn how to recognize the signs of drowning and how to perform first aid, whether it be for CPR, burns, heimlich maneuver in people of all ages and in conditions (i.e. pregnant women) and also pet safety.

I wasn’t going to in that blog, nor am I going to in this blog bring up COVID.

The reason why I wasn’t was because what I was going to write about was as equally deadly and could kill someone even unintentionally, before COVID could ever be an issue.

I get the reasons why people love celebrating Independence Day and doing that with either seeing professional displays of fireworks or lighting off fireworks they’ve purchased.

I also get that some municipalities do fireworks other than on the 4th of July.

What I don’t get though, is how people think it’s okay, for it being their right to shoot off fireworks and not being more considerate, as unless one owns a 20 mile parcel of land, that their right to shoot of fireworks privately and not understand the risk to themselves, the ones (human and pets) they love, their property and total strangers.

I think of the unnecessary taxing of first responders who have to respond to a fire, like firefighters having to wear heavy gear in a heat wave.

I think of Emergency Rooms that will be more stressed on a holiday because of firework injuries, when people statistically have a medical emergency that they have NO control over, whether it be a heart attack, a car accident or victims of violent crime and other non preventable emergent summer health issues.

I think of people like myself where the sound of fireworks literally makes our/their nervous system go awry and it causes physical distress even though I can intellectually understand that the noise is from fireworks.

I think of people and animals not like me, whether they be survivors of a gun violence, veterans, babies and young children, animals where their physical and emotional response is worse and unnecessarily traumatizing and for babies, young children and pets, they cannot understand what’s going on, especially those in families who love shooting off fireworks or those who unfortunately have to live in close proximity.

As of now, it’s 12:50 A.M. on July 5th, here in Minnesota and fireworks are still being set off in several areas within a 1 mile radius of where I live.

And while I’d feel for anyone injured by them, including those who are setting them off, so inconsiderately, if I’m to be honest, I worry more about those who are being adversely effected, even if the result is that no person is physically harmed or their property, regardless of where privately purchased and are being set off.

I just don’t understand how people though can not understand that their right to do something ends, when it has any kind of adverse consequence to another on their right to have a peaceful and safe life.

If anyone who reads this, thinks I’m being harsh by thinking people shooting off fireworks at all hours of the night, especially during heat and drought are assholes, I’m willing to hear constructive feedback.

Spare me the death threats though, OK?

Sending thoughts of thanks,love and care to the #MinneapolisPoliceDepartment and to any law enforcement officer who may need it…

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: I’m not here to defend to the actions of one police officer who committed a heinous crime to a black man that led to his death 9 days ago and the other 3 who were complicit or to cause hurt in a society where black people ARE still adversely effected, if not judged or killed by the color of their skin.

HOWEVER, I identify as someone who does care about human rights and systemic bias and hatred that does ALSO occur outside of racism, which I’ve already made clear I find repugnant and have risked my safety when calling out white supremacy and sovereign citizens and there’s a need for change immediately, a long time against systemic racism.

But, there’s also a war being waged against an entire a profession.

A profession that knows everyday they go to work, they may NOT come home but end up in the morgue in the municipality which they served.

I’ve blogged about the one non existent issue with the MPD a year ago, when there should’ve been one when I called 911 and no one responded to my call for help.

Again, I’ve gotten death threats before, normally because I’ve called out White Supremacists, Sovereign Citizens for hate crimes against blacks and Muslims and people who hate on others due to weight issues, issues based on differences of aesthetics.

So, if you are completely devoid of rational thought, just because someone has the opinion that an entire profession or in this case, an entire department of law enforcement is under hate and scrutiny globally, because of the despicable last actions on the job of 4 officers and feel the need to want to take me out, just let me know where to meet you, as the community I live in, shouldn’t have to be subjected to hate or violence based upon the fact I cannot keep silent and watch an entire profession, let alone up until 6 months ago, when I moved out of Downtown Minneapolis, after living there for almost 7 years, vilify the entire Minneapolis police force that myself and others of all socio-economics, race and genders who have felt protected by.

***

Dear MPD,

Saying I’m SO sorry that your entire department is being vilified and no one is willing to call out how wrong that is.

When I lived in Downtown Minneapolis, I lived in a building and a block where there was quite a bit of crime, due to opioid addiction despite the owner’s attempt to keep us safe as possible, whether in my building, my block or around the city.

I thanked every police officer, every fire department member (which they were at my building a lot) just like I did with HCMC EMS, who also was at my former residence a lot during the ENTIRE duration of my residing in Downtown Minneapolis.

I’m not saying my saying thank you makes me a wonderful person, cause it doesn’t as I’m kind of an introverted coward.

I said thank you though because it was all of your bravery and hard work and attempt to keep the city as safe as possible and be there when people were in crisis, where a simple thank you then, was not anywhere enough to express the gratitude I have for you and for all the great peace officers out there.

I know it took me awhile to get brave enough to say this publicly and I honestly believe I can’t be the only one who’s heartbroken at the hatred that’s been directed to the entire Minneapolis Police Department, let alone peace officers around the nation.

I didn’t have to be a niece of a NYPD officer to feel this way.

It’s surrealistic in the 2 years and 4 months since Superbowl 52, where people applauded the efforts of the MPD to keep people safe, that court of public opinion could change so drastically, with so much hate coming from people who NEVER in set foot in Minnesota, let alone Minneapolis who have no idea of how wonderful so many of you are.

Anyways, I am so sorry that all of you have to suffer, that others put shame that is not for every officer to bear, given your sacrifices and willingness to put your life on the line to save others.

Please know that others do care and are heartbroken for your suffering and some of us can never thank you enough for your service, the lives you have helped,if not saved and sacrifice.

With much gratitude, the still wordy disabled activist blogger but now former Minneapolis/ Hennepin County resident, Lisa …..

Important Note: Actually… Death threats to myself WILL be reported to appropriate law enforcement agencies.

I cannot and will NOT allow anyone to think it’s okay to threaten someone’s life, without potential legal consequences, just based upon a respectful verbal expression of disagreeing what’s wrong and what’s right, whether the threat is made against my life or any other, that’s one of the reasons why I’ve written this blog and many others on violent crime prevention and awareness.

#ViolentCrimePrevention initiatives HAVE to be strengthened NOW #COVID19

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/06/europe/russia-shooting-lockdown-scli-intl/index.html

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/akwpqe/shopper-upset-by-coronavirus-restrictions-runs-over-walmart-security-guard

https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/

https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/current-events/supporting-your-emotional-well-being-during-the-covid-19-outbreak/

Important Disclaimers: I am NOT a clinically trained medical or mental health professional or in matters of public safety.

If you or anyone you know, poses a threat to oneself or others, please contact emergency services (again, half my readers aren’t in the U.S. and aren’t even in North America).

***

When I saw above linked articles, I was really sad.

What made me even more sad, was that I wasn’t surprised.

I’m not trying to come off like  I’m this uncredentialed, unrealized and unappreciated genius, cause I’m not.

I’m saying though as an activist/blogger who writes about medical, mental health and violent crime prevention awareness, that I’ve been worried that  it was possible people could/would weaponize the virus itself, a vehicle or actual weapons intending to wound, if not possibly cause fatal harm either online and/or offline, psychologically and/or medically consequentially, in and around homes, places of businesses and in acute care facilities, including, if not especially in and/or around a  hospital.

And I’m also saying that it’s very possible that violent actions are going to still escalate and while I cannot be the person, nor do I think only one person can help solve this, we all must try as hard to be  vigilantly working  on our mental health, tenacity, level of patience and preparedness, as we move through this unprecedented crisis.

As tragic as so many people dying from COVID-19 due to the actuality of the virus, deaths are just as tragic because of it.

In hopes to honor a recently local fallen hero…

This above meme tragically doesn’t mean anything in relation to what I’m writing.

Because it wasn’t a local man who was 72 years old, and decided to drive drunk last night, who lost his car or his license.

He nearly lost his life and is in critical condition at a local hospital.

Horrifically though, he  killed a 30 year old female Minneapolis 911 operator who died tragically in that accident last night, on her way to work.

I’m heartbroken for the family, friends and co-workers of this amazing young woman.

I’m heartbroken as a citizen of Downtown  Minneapolis, who reveres all of our first responders, and feels safer because of them, whether they be 911 operators, police officers, fire department and our local HCMC EMS staff who are headquartered 2-4 blocks away from where I live.

I’m not saying the following, which I’ve said before, and after my last blog, the last thing I really wanted to be doing is writing another serious blog, given my disability sets and feeling so helpless about such tragic awful loss of life, in the last 2 weeks.

But in hopes that another person will NOT make the same mistake as that 72 year old man who drove impaired, last night, I will try.

As I thank our first responders, in person, everytime I see them, since moving to Downtown Minneapolis. I’ve thanked when I’ve had to call 911.

I’ve tried to thank them in past blogs and failed to do so because of my disability sets of not being concise, when trying to show being beyond grateful for their service, it was beyond readable.

I remember one instance, when calling 911, on July 4th in 2016, due to the PTSD triggers that I have, I thought because of being anxiety prone and having major panic attacks, due to fireworks that are set off in my neighborhood (I’m talking about people setting off fireworks not the professional display that occurs a mile away) , the year before, because it’s hard to distinguish I was so on edge, the next year, that I mistakenly thought there was a fire, across the street.

It wasn’t a delusion, it was a mistake on how light fell on a windy day, from where I could see, in my apartment window, in the parking lot across the street,  from being anxiety prone and when the 911 operator called me back, I realized what happened , that there was no fire and she made me feel better, because I felt awful, wasting resources when there wasn’t a true emergency, which I would any day, but especially on a day like Independence Day that’s super busy for first responders.

She kindly and patiently said, “we’d rather given the circumstances operate on a false alarm than not to not have the ability to help”, if there was a true emergency but it went unreported and it wasn’t so far fetched, and that I should feel good about caring about other’s people safety, as well as acknowledging and not minimizing my severe anxiety as it’s hard to tell when you can hear neighbors setting off loud fireworks, but cannot see them, if that’s what’s occuring or if it’s gunfire.

As such as in my case, where I didn’t feel safe enough, rational or not, to go outside and check.

So I’m writing this. I’m hoping that anyone doesn’t think that their actions, whether they get behind the wheel, drunk, looking at a text, looking at social media, being mad about something and driving recklessly, doesn’t have the potential to kill an innocent person.

BECAUSE IT DOES KILL INNOCENT PEOPLE.

And in this case, locally, we are mourning that we are NOW short one life saving hero, who didn’t have to die on her way to work, which she was an amazing first responder, because someone got behind the wheel when they had NO right to do that.

So hopefully anyone will think twice, before getting beyond the wheel impaired, for ANY reason, so this doesn’t happen again.

I’m so sorry for the loss of this lovely young heroic woman, for her, for her  family and friends, co-workers and the City of Minneapolis.

Editorial Note: I updated this blog, 3 hours, after I originally published, because at the time, that I heard more details about this tragedy, while the identity of the 911 operator had been released, I hadn’t seen any of the details released about  the identity of the drunk driver, who was a retired pastor.

I feel just as strong in my sentiment that people should not drive impaired, it shows that even people who do such good in the world, make horrific mistakes in judgement, that can tragically end a life of not just themselves, but an innocent other.

I’m trying to be as respectful as possible, given all the circumstances, in hopes that this doesn’t ever happen again. Or that it would possibly save one life, but I couldn’t ever do the greater good that both the 911 operator did in her life, as well as sadly from what is being reported about the retired pastor and felt I needed to be sensitive, as I could, given this particular local devastating tragedy.

“Perspective is in the eye, experiences and the mind of the beholder”…

(no copyright infringement intended with above image which I don’t own)

Trigger Warnings/Disclaimers: This blog is INTENDED to do activism for causes I care about and with no intention to harm or offend anyone, that I might not agree without what they say or how they go about doing something.

That being said, while some of today’s events, necessitate my saying this, my opinions are my own and aren’t of any organization or entity that I do activism for.

No profanity and this shouldn’t be very long.

Sigh…

It’s cold out. And while I can say, hey, as a complex disabled activist, that I don’t feel good and I’m exhausted from the sensory overload that living so close to the Super Bowl that’s now over and other than needing some major traffic control, in my neighborhood hopefully people will get to their destinations, safely, I’m grateful of what’s good in my life and fully aware of my privileges.

What made the news both locally and nationally, that I know of, was that certain groups decided several weeks ago, at least to protest the Super Bowl for different reasons.

I could and would NEVER tell any group of people, that their voices should NOT be heard.

Especially, in where I’m not a minority, I could never do any kind of activism that would do oppression, exploitation and brutality of another, properly like they are doing.

And I’m glad that they are making their voices heard.

I will say this and this is someone who had more of an issue personally, due to my own disability sets, of not being thrilled about the Super Bowl, that it wasn’t my place to judge those who love it and/or could afford to go to it.

I could see that that courage and perspective, depends on what side you can be of an issue and the need to make a point.

The problem with bigoty and bias, is enormous, still, I’m not saying it doesn’t exist, because it does.

Minneapolis is a sanctuary city. We have a Mayor, City Council and Chief of Police, who care enormously about oppression, bigotry and making sure that Minneapolis stays and grows even more into a thriving, safe and vital place for all it’s residents, employees and visitors.

I could say as an “armchair” activist, that I DO enormously care about homelessness issues, and I do volunteer work for it, as well as try to bring attention to the cause, locally.

I also know because I do that, lots of rich of people are to the credit of why affordable housing, gets built and remains funded, not just by tax dollars, but because of their donations.

But NO ONE can say that. Because I made a brief comment about being upset that the protest shut down a major intersection so close to the hospital, earlier this evening right in front of my building and was concerned for any patients needing access to HCMC.

And got accused of being a racist by a social media peer.

The protest that went on in Minneapolis this afternoon and this evening, ended up after it got dark, right in front of my apartment building. It shut down a road, that first responders need access to, to get to the local 1 trauma center/county hospital, that’s 2 blocks behind me.

Taking a stand against people who happened to afford to go to the Super Bowl, but had to take the light rail, probably didn’t change their mind for the better, when it came to the issues that the activists were rallying against.

It didn’t effect those who were super rich who could take limos to the stadium and the parties that are so close to where I live, nor do I feel those people should be punished, because they are wealthy.

I can say I can see others perspectives and try to understand them, even though I will NEVER know of their adversity and admire their courage.

But I also admire the courage of our Minneapolis first responders, police, firefighters, EMTs and 911 operators and have enormous gratitude for them, too.

It’s NOT  an either/or situation.

I don’t think it’s a conflict of interest, nor am I being unempathetic, racist or elitist (I’m a poor disabled activist)  to try and point out though, if people aren’t empathetic to your cause, they aren’t going to be, when you try to inflict duress to try to gain empathy to one’s cause, that it probably won’t advance it.

It will make others resent it, I don’t think anyone who’s prone to not having empathy, can get shamed or inconvenienced into thinking any  differently.

And I think it can be perceived by them, that if you can’t respect who they are, they might, even as misguided on their part, not to try to understand the oppressed and disadvantaged, when it appears that hypocrisy is in place, as it’s not being done with a dialogue on different sides trying hard to see the other’s perspective in a constructive way.

To me and again, I get where I have some privilege, such as in color, I won’t ever know of the daily bigotry and bias that other’s suffer. But to try and punish indiscriminately others, to me, just doesn’t makes sense and makes me sad, because I want to advance those causes, not diminish them.

I don’t sugarcoat things, I am incapable of that.

I’m also incapable of saying silent, when I could see that it’s a good thing that no one was harmed, in a protest, that used up valuable resources, because it’s intention was to interrupt some percieved slight of people, were all they were doing , was  attending an event that gets global recognition.

So I will say this, from my perspective. I wish the protest would have just been contained in one area.

Not in many areas of Downtown Minneapolis, where it had to burden first responders in any way. Prevent poor employed people, from possibly getting to work among other issues, but I’m glad no one was hurt.

Not where it could make anyone who was inconvenienced, such as Super Bowl attendees who took light rail transit, who where it might not be known, how much or how little they feel about those who are at risk, oppressed and disadvantaged and how much or how little they do about it.

Saying this doesn’t make me a bias, bigoted, unempathetic and uninformed jerk.

To either those who are oppressed and/or disadvantaged who I do care about and strongly believe in their voices, care deeply about their suffering, even if I can respectfully disagree in their actions, because of the reasons, I above state.

Nor, do I feel bad to  say positively or supportively, for those who have the means and desire to attend expensive events, make them out as  bad people, because it DOES NOT, just because they either were born with having more advantages or they worked in a way that was advantageous to them, financially.

And bringing up that “52” managed to raise a LOT of money for charities for people in need. Including the homeless and the hungry.

Peace to all.

Note: Blog published while still 2-4-2018 in Minneapolis, MN.