In Memoriam:

I lost a very good friend on Sunday, September 6th, Norbert (Bert) Castel de Oro. He was husband to an equally good friend, his wife Wanda.

I often think back to the day I suffered a serious injury which left me utterly helpless and remember Bert and Wanda. Both were responsible for my immediate care. I couldn't walk, I couldn't stand; they came to my rescue then and through the following days and months, at great personal inconvenience.

Bert and Wanda were true Good Samaritans (Gospel of Luke) and responsible for sustaining me through a lengthy recovery. At great effort they moved my wheelchair (in the rain), transported me to hospital, and supplied my food. Their efforts on my behalf were far and away beyond the call of duty. It is that assistance, when I was in great need, that I will forever remember.

Bert was an essential part of that mission of mercy and I continue to thank him through a perpetual stream of prayer. For more than twenty years I was privileged to have Bert as my friend and counselor. With his bevy of happy grandchildren, he enriched my life.

Thank you, my friend.

May you rest in peace with all the faithful departed.

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A brief response to Mary Scoles' letter:

Hi Mary,

About the handling of the Breonna Taylor case, and boyfriend Kenneth Walker:

In short, police were attempting to serve a warrant for the arrest of a former Breonna boyfriend, a drug dealer who left his product at this address in the recent past. The facts in this case were erroneously reported by the media long after corrections were available. This was not a no-knock warrant service (as reported)- the police identified themselves, and a witness testified to that fact. The warrant was issued for her prior boyfriend, but unbeknownst to the police, she had switched boyfriends. Boyfriend Walker fired at police, hitting two officers. As standard operating procedures demand, police returned fire, accidently killing Breonna in that dark room.

The Grand Jury indicted, and the DA dropped charges (no doubt in fear of riots). How do you know that the "police did not effectively identify themselves”? one witness heard the demand. I do, however, fault the police in this case for insufficient firearms training; 16 shots into the upper apartments? If so, that's bad. But would you expect the police to run away after being fired upon? The usual rule is for police to fire until the threat is eliminated. In this case I guess the threat ended when Walker finally stopped shooting at the police - too late for Breonna.

Mary, we don't "allow" guns to everybody so they "feel safe"..." Gun ownership is not a privilege to be trifled with - it's a CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT, God given, which cannot be infringed upon! Big difference. It's your right, why not acknowledge and be thankful for it? Millions continue to sacrifice their lives to assure its preservation.

You say "...violence is almost never the correct response." Well, it certainly wasn't the correct response in boyfriend Walker's case. He was the proximate cause of Breonna's death. Would your assessment apply in a rape threat if the victim could resist, with a firearm?

Takeaway: Had boyfriend Walker not fired those reckless first shots this incident would never have happened. Am I to conclude from your statements that further million-dollar riots and mayhem are justified following Breonna's tragic death?