WWJD?

Huh?

How inflamed with evangelical fervor would a person have to be to carve the phrase ‘JESUS LOVE  YOU’ into the flesh of a poor, defenseless cactus? I’m sure I don’t know. But, then I’ve never had the urge to carve a message into a tree, or anything else for that matter. Was this zealot not familiar with WWJD? Because it’s likely that if he (yes, I’m sure it was a he) had asked himself whether Jesus would do this, he would have come back with an emphatic no. I came across this idiocy on the paved path that leads up Mt. Rubidoux. I don’t often take this route while hiking anymore, because without fail cloddishness shows up along the way. And, this wasn’t the only example this visit …

Rounding the bend early-on I was confronted with the alarming sight of a pitbull running toward me at breakneck speed — with no leash in sight! Not sure whether to run up a nearby slope, scream, or both, I kinda froze in my tracks, trying to will myself not to feel fear (so the cur wouldn’t sense it and rip my throat out). Then suddenly, also moving at an obnoxious rate of speed, came the dog’s owner on a skateboard. Dog-dewd seemed blissfully unaware of the emotional havoc his awesome pup was causing, as he squealed past me and around the corner. Phew! About 50 yards ahead of me I could see a family — dad, two little kids, and a mom — and they were stopped on the asphalt path. Approaching them I was concerned, seeing that the mom was actually sitting on the ground in obvious distress, teary and red-faced. I stopped and asked them if they wanted to borrow my phone and the dad told me she would be okay;  that the skateboard dewd and his dog had knocked her over on their way down! Pitbulls off-leash on the Mt.’s path is one of the reasons I stopped taking it, so seeing this incident I’m swearing off it again … too many people just seem to lack common sense and consideration for others as far as I’m concerned. Again, WWJD?! I won’t attempt to speak for JC (there’s enough of that going on out there), but I’m almost certain he wouldn’t ride his skateboard recklessly with his pitbull off-leash!

Section 8.04.050 Riverside Leash law — Dogs. No person owning or having charge, care, custody or control of any dog shall, either intentionally or unintentionally, cause, permit or allow the same to be or run at large upon any street or other public place, or upon any unenclosed lot or place in the City or upon the private property of another without permission of the person owning or in possession of such property unless such dog is restrained by a substantial chain or leash and is in control of a competent person; provided, however, the provisions of this section shall not apply to any official police dog while such animal is on duty.  (Ord. 4803 § 4, 1980; Ord. 4112 § 1 (part), 1974)