I have some thoughts this morning about the National Guard coming to my hometown of Memphis, Tennessee.

I’m 66 years old.

I have seen a lot of turbulence and trouble in the Bluff City over those years.

I can remember being 9 years old watching the Lone Ranger on my parents’ blonde wood black and white console TV, wondering if the rollie pollies that I’d put in a pill bottle on the top of it were going to survive, when all of the sudden a Civil Defense sign came up and a voice told all National Guard members to come to the Armory immediately.

My mother was already at home in Midtown Memphis, having returned from work at Sears Crosstown, which was basically down the street, but my dad had to come about 15 miles to make it home.

Those were anxious hours.

As time marched on, I was part of the busing generation beginning in 9th grade as black and white students were bused to schools that they were reticent to attend with a lot of the white students leaving their homeschools to go to private schools that their parents placed them in out of fear.

Back in the day, those of us who were in school at that time learned that we weren’t so different from one another. We all had parents who expected us to behave and to achieve.

Over the years, I have watched Memphis, formerly known as the City of Good Abode, become anything but with violence growing, carjacking, assaults, robbery, and murders happening every night and even in broad daylight.

I left Memphis for DeSoto County Mississippi 25 years ago after the “yutes” on the block set up their basketball goal right at my driveway giving my former wife and I dirty looks as we came in from work, later breaking into our house and robbing us.

Since then, the crime in Memphis has gotten worse and worse with every succeeding city administration as individual criminals and gangs took over the former annual winner of the City Beautiful Competition as crime spread out to the suburbs. Been out

The current mayor even invited the gangs to City Hall for tea or something… probably to receive his payoffs.

President Trump has decided to send in the National Guard this week to try to help get the city back under control from all this chaos.

Good luck.

First, he’s going to have to overcome the corruption in both the county and city administrations and even the school board.

Y’know, Elvis Presley would not recognize the town that he used to ride through on his Harley with his girlfriend on the back.

The rest of us who grew up there don’t either.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Until He Comes,

KJ