Folknography...The Art of Giving Voice!: Shoot Out at the Walmart Corral

Folknography...The Art of Giving Voice!: Shoot Out at the Walmart Corral:  Walmart in Logan, WV  Jesus Canul traveled to Walmart after work to cash his check. He washes dishes at a local restaurant and that...

Shoot Out at the Walmart Corral



Walmart in Logan, WV

 Jesus Canul traveled to Walmart after work to cash his check. He washes dishes at a local restaurant and that's hot work. He wanted to cash his check, get a cool drink and chill. Lots of people do that. He had much on his mind. He wanted to enjoy the weekend. He wanted to spend time with friends. Logan, West Virginia may not be the hot spot for the social scene but you can stir up a fuss on the weekend if you're so inclined. Jesus waited patiently for his turn in line, stepped up to the counter and smiled as the clerk counted out his cash. Time to party! With not one care in the world, he stepped out into the evening air and the busy parking lot only to be accosted by a man with bad intentions. Jesus worked for the money but this guy wanted the cash. Just another robbery at Walmart right? Nope. Not this time. The scissors toting bandit took on the wrong guy. Jesus had connections. Never mess with a man named Jesus. He has a way of  sending a message.          

David Abbot from nearby Chapmanville had been watching for a mark. He figured Canul would be easy pickings. When Canul stepped out into the bustling parking lot, he through a headlock on Canul, shoved his scissors close to his neck and demanded his wallet. Bandits in the Walmart parking lot. Reminds me of the Wild West. Only in this case it is the Wild Walmart. Surprised and shocked, Canul complied with the robber's demands and surrendered his loot. "Too bad," he thought, "man works hard for his money and some bum shakes you down in the parking lot of a national chain. What's the world coming to?"

Abbot scurried off, thinking to himself that the pickins seemed fine in the Walmart asphalt lot. Probably the last thought the guy had. You see, that's when things changed and became more like Wyatt Earp and the Shoot Out at the OK Walmart (er...the Logan Walmart). Jesus pulled out his six shooter, drew a bead on Abbot and busted a cap. Yep. Dropped the guy right there in the parking lot in front of Ma maw Harrison, Billy Joe Riley and Ernie Crump. Wow! What's the world coming to? http://www.wvmetronews.com/index.cfm?func=displayfullstory&storyid=47308


Gun Shop, Logan WV

 Jesus had a permit for that gun. Abbot didn't have a permit to carry scissors and rob people. The news went wild (It was Logan you know). WSAZ television announced, "Logan Police say Jesus Canul, 26, of Logan, was approached by David Abbott in the parking lot of the Wal-Mart at Fountain Place. Police say Abbott had a sharp object and attempted to rob Canul in front of the store. During the confrontation, Canul pulled out a gun and shot Abbott in the head. Canul is being charged with murder. He did have a legal permit to carry his gun." Well it wasn't the OK Corral...sorry...it was Fountain Place in Logan, WV. http://www.manta.com/c/mm7j7j5/fountain-place

Abbot died. Shot in the head or so they said. Jesus ended up in jail. The powers-that-be charged him with murder because "the crime was committed and then Abbot was walking away from Canul. That's when he shot him!" Yes...Abbot walked away with Canul's hard-earned salary. Jesus said, "Self defense...and my gun is registered. I've got a concealed carry permit." So now what do we do?

Well the big question about self defense in West Virginia is: Do You Feel a Threat? Canul said, "Sure I did. The guy robbed me with a sharp instrument, took my wallet...maybe he was coming back for my keys or something!" Everyone got upset. Just like back in the days of Wyatt Earp. This caused everyone to stop and think about right and wrong, justice and injustice, crime and punishment. Whew! Makes moral philosophers so weary. Check out the self defense law in West Virginia. They drafted it back in the 1800's!  http://booneexaminer.com/logan-walmart-shooter-charged-with-murder-p1945-1.htm

Friends rallied to Canul's cause. They posted bail. Someone had a video camera and captured the entire incident (stay tuned...you may see the whole scene on America's Top Guns). Candlelight vigil's were scheduled (but...Canul didn't die...Abbot did?) What's the world coming to? Cost Cutter Hair Salon...that's where Abbot died. You know that I couldn't make this up. http://www.loganbanner.com/view/full_story/15503733/article-Candlelight-vigil-for-Canul-set-for-Sept--20?instance=secondary_news_left_column

Gun owners unite! They did. They sprung Jesus (by now some people are calling him Jesse because they're just not too comfortable calling him by the "name of the Lord Jesus." Posted bail, out on home confinement and awaiting trial, Jesus quietly visited with neighbors and friends. "He's our hero," said one neighbor. "I don't mean to speak ill of the dead but David Abbot got what was coming to him. That's the way it is." Another woman who knows Jesus stated, "This is downright awful. If you can't go to Walmart in peace...what are you gonna do?" Good question. Shop with your six gun on your hip. Reckon?

Well just relax now. They dropped the charges against Jesus. He's out of jail, no leg bracelet and no impending charges. Gun owners rejoice. Abbot's family grieves. Walmart wishes this would go away and Cost Cutter Hair Salon made sure to note that Abbot was not shot in the head as earlier reported but rather in the chest. Blood stains are barely visible and hair cutting schedules are back to normal. All of this does make you wonder though..."what's the world coming to?" http://www.dailymail.com/ap/ApTopStories/201109193707

In the OK Corral incident, it was a saloon and not a salon. But there are some parallels here. It was a corral...and this was a parking lot...same thing really? There were guns and bandits and well...you get the picture. Makes you wonder though...doesn't it? I mean if we have gun play at Walmart...what's the world coming to? Maybe the Wild West...the OK Corral...gun toting citizens defending their paychecks. Wow!
http://www.statejournal.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=105963

Take It To the Limit

I've been an Eagles fan for years. For some reason, their music speaks to me. You know how it is, right? A song that you really like comes on in a public place and you start singing regardless as to what others around you think? Yeah...that's me when it comes to the Eagles. I have several songs by the Eagles that I claim as my favorites. Generally it depends on the day, my mood or what has happened to me that determines which one of the songs I claim as my favorite that day. I sing along with Hotel California (although some of the words kind of scare me). I like Seven Bridges Road too. http://eaglesband.com/tour.php  I went to see the Eagles live once...and then once again. I never go to concerts (I can't afford it, frankly). I splurged those two times. I enjoyed the music because the live concert sounded just like the recordings. The band impressed me. I like the song Take It To The Limit, too. I think that's what we need to do in our country. Each one of us now...we have to Take It To The Limit. Permit me to explain. http://www.last.fm/music/Eagles/_/Take+It+to+the+Limit

First I think we need to hit the highway. Go visit friends...better yet, go be with family. Our lives seem to be caught up in this frenzy of materialism and it takes a tragedy, serious illness or a brush with death for us to realize how important our relationships should be to each of us. So, count out your pennies, buy the gasoline and head out on the highway to the home place just as soon as possible. Put me on a highway so I can  visit my Mother, my sons and daughters, my friends and those I care about. We depend much on the Social Media today but there's no substitute for sitting on the front porch, sipping a light beverage and chatting it up over not much at all. Let's take our relationships to the limit. Let this be your sign!

Next, let's spend as much time as possible spreading the love. There's plenty of mean people in the world. We need a few more smiling, laughing, happy people. I know that you get frustrated, angry, blue and sometimes flat out depressed. We have to raise up inside ourselves and make happy. I love that movie Happy Feet. Did you see that? I wish I could dance like that. I love those Hispanic characters too. If you don't know what I'm talking about you have got to watch that one. We need some happy feet, sweet smiles, whistling workers, singing young people and let the good times roll. Let's spend our time spreading the love!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEx06KKwm1E

The time has come for you to claim your own Freedom. We can't depend on anyone else to set us free. As Americans, we have to claim the Freedom that the Constitution guarantees each one of us. We must start holding politicians accountable for their promises. We must demand truth from our pulpits, our religious leaders, our community governments and our Republic. I am deeply interested in the welfare of our country but I'm sick of the name calling, the empty promises and the lack of leadership. Today, I take my stand. I want my Freedom. I'm taking this purpose to the limit. I will not let someone else manipulate me, coerce me or shove me around. Join with me and let's take our Freedom to the limit!

Now take a trip down Seven Bridges Road and Take It To The Limit! http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=11799

Flattened Expectations

Charles Dickens wrote a literary classic entitled Great Expectations. The main character in the book, a youth named Pip, struggles through the challenges of life with the hope of becoming something. In the end, Pip realizes his expectations and even exceeds them. Pip becomes a gentlemen when the word really meant something. Though the work remains very English in context and language, the hope and determination resemble American heart and attitude. We Americans have traditionally been very positive about life, the future and our possibilities. The problem? Something has changed in our culture. I cringe as I write this contribution to my blog. Americans' expectations appear to have been violently flattened. Who smashed our dreams? What happened?   http://www.dickens-literature.com/Great_Expectations/index.html

In April of 2005, Tom Friedman published a book entitled The World is Flat that gained international attention. The concepts in the work detail how the information age along with the virtual explosion granted access to information to people all over the globe. The accessible information leveled the playing field and people in obscurity could raise to prominence simply through the click of a mouse. The convergence of technology and events allowed India, China, and so many other countries to become part of the global supply chain for services and manufacturing, creating an explosion of wealth in the middle classes of the world's two biggest nations, giving them a huge new stake in the success of globalization. This flattening of the globe requires Americans to run faster in order to stay in place. The world appears too small and much too fast for human beings and their political systems to adjust in a stable manner. http://www.thomaslfriedman.com/bookshelf/the-world-is-flat

Friedman did not predict, however, that Americans would lose all confidence in their congress. The poor approval ratings for congressional action recently hit new lows. http://www.pollingreport.com/CongJob.htm  We all seem so frustrated and shaken by the lack of leadership, action, civil dialogue and cooperation. We teach our children not to fight or bully others at school while our representatives rage at each other on the congressional floor. What has happened to our political system? The talking heads and commentators proclaim that "Washington is broken." Cliches like this seldom work. The city of Washington is not broken. The Beltway does not control your heart. American dreams have evaporated in the smoke of 9/11, the winds of Katrina and the fierce flames of the Texas wildfires. We need a hero but we just get more disappointment. Where's Batman? Someone fed Kryptonite to Superman. We're not waiting on Superman; we know he's not coming.

In January of 2008, the then newly inaugurated president Barak Obama enjoyed a strong approval rating when elected. Pundits predicted that he held strong political collateral and a high degree of popular power. Many Americans held their breath as he took office expecting a new age of cooperation, participation and change. Now his approval rating ranks at a new low. His message of hope and changes seems to have slipped into shadows of the cold rains of  hurricanes. Someone smashed the dreams. Instead of hope and change, we see unemployment and a broken economy. Who would have expected this?   http://www.9news.com/rss/story.aspx?storyid=217702 

Our economy, productivity and employment remain flat. We're suffering. We don't seem to dream anymore. The Grinch has stolen Christmas. We can't even call it that anymore. We have to call it a holiday or something like that. Frankly, I long for the day when neighbors loved their neighbors. I yearn for someone to enter the room whistling. I want to spend more time with my friends laughing and sharing. I don't want to think about the flat-lined stock market. So many around me have flat expectations. The time has come for all of us...you know...Americans...to stop feeling so dull and flat and take up the cause of our Liberty. http://www.enotes.com/topic/Positive_liberty

This emerges as our moment. We must cast off the doubt, fear, anguish and anger and take up once again the determined spirit of Americanism. http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/Americanism  We have nothing to fear but a flat spirit, bad attitude and broken expectations. I believe in the ingenuity, strength and potential of Americans. I believe in you. Together we can restore, rebuild and recover. We don't need a stimulus...we need each other. Let us vow to rekindle our loyalty, commitment and joy. Let us commit to be America.