Sam Riddle: Is he spinning out of control?

3 November 2009, it is the night of the most historic elections in Detroit’s history and there in the lobby of the Double Tree Hotel was Sam Riddle. I walked over to him put out my hand and said “Hello, do you think you can recognize me?”

He looked and said “Give me a hint.”

“Facebook.” I said.

“Oh yeah! You’re Herbie, nice to meet you. I read your stuff and I like it, you tell the truth. Are you going to run again?”

“ I don’t know?” I said unsurely. “Maybe.”

“You should, because people need to hear what you have to say. Although; I only agree with you 30% of the time.” He said jokingly “You should run again. Let me give you some advice. Use the media, if people don’t know what you stand for, they won’t give a damn. You could be right about many things, but if no one hears you, who cares.”

More was exchanged, but I’ll stop the story here. The advice was good, so good that I took it to heart and when I heard about an opportunity to host my own internet radio show, I jumped at the chance.

I meet Sam Riddle for only a short time, but he gave me sometime timeless, advice. The Sam Riddle I meet was in control, at that time, and seemed happy (Even with everything that was going on in his life.). He has said that he was scared. “If you have the People of the United States of America after you, you’ll be scared too.” Maybe the pressure was just too much for him too handle. Being indicted with too separate felony cases, his battle with alcohol, and being told not to talk on Facebook and Twitter (The judge said he could use the latter, but do not talk about the case. Which he didn’t in great detail.), Sam fought this order in the court of public opinion as a Constitutional issue. Which leads to my question? What was Sam thinking? Was Sam drinking again? Could all of this have been too much for Sam too handle? Could this have been avoided?

It all came to ahead when he was arrested Monday for allegedly pointing a loaded gun at his ‘live-in’ girlfriend, Mary Waters, after she caught him with other woman. Just hours before posting and interacting with his Facebook friends, he could have never imagined what would come next. Jailed, standing mute to the charges, spending the night in a cold jail with Christmas just around the corner. Not the way he planned his day, I’m sure.

I don’t want to sound like a Sam apologetics’, but does this sound like the Sam we think we know? Allegedly taking and or arranging bribes is one thing, but allegedly holding a gun up to someone is totally different. One is a white color crime of corruption, the other, a blue color crime of passion. If this is true, then his crimes are escalating and I’m afraid of what could be next. Mr. Riddle has a lot of soul searching to do in the coming months. With now three separate cases against him the pressure will only become greater and the mountain harder to climb.

If and when he gets out of jail and goes back on Facebook, he will find on his page that many people are both for and against him. Many send their love and prayers, while others send their hatred and detestation for him. No matter how you feel about the man or his actions, one thing is for sure. Sam Riddle needs help.

That’s my two cents, what’s your?

Mary Waters press release from Dec. 23, 2009 ‘Mary Waters Sets Record Straight’ http://www.thestreet.com/story/10652052/1/mary-waters-sets-record-straight.html