Disclaimer:
Let me first start by saying that, as per the first amendment, I acknowledge and support the people's right to protest and the right to freedom of speech. That being said, I think that it's important that all voices are heard, especially the voices speaking out against societal norms, even if they are voices expressing unpopular opinions, so here you go:
Last week, what should have been a "peaceful" protest over recent police shootings took a bloody turn, becoming a scene of chaos and terror when a young black male, Micah Xavier Johnson of Mesquite, Texas, who had been deployed to Afghanistan with the U.S. Army, opened fire on the crowd below him, killing five police officers and wounding seven more. There is evidence that the attack was premeditated, well thought-out and planned for.
The sniper fire was followed by a standoff that lasted for hours, during which the shooter (Johnson) told authorities that he "was upset about the recent police shootings" and that he "wanted to kill white people, especially white police officers." Upon searching for Johnson's Facebook page, it was found that he had made his profile picture an image of himself raising his fist in the air, a symbol associated with the Black Power movement of the 1960s, further supporting the idea that the attack was a race-based hate crime, an act of revenge that officials are now calling the deadliest single day for law enforcement officers since September 11, 2001.
But the violence didn't end there. Officers were also shot on Friday in Georgia and Tennessee, as well as in Missouri. In Georgia, police officials report that a man called 911 and then shot at the responding officer, leaving him in critical condition.
It's no secret that tension runs high amongst civilians and police officers all over the country, creating uproar, rioting and a call to arms. However, it is the work of hypocrites murdering police officers that allows the cycle of death and violence to continue.
People can debate about Michael Brown and Eric Garner, both of whom did not deserve to die, but there is one thing that is not debatable:
Almost all of the men and women of law enforcement are "living, breathing human beings" who are symbols of hope, justice and safety, and they, just like Michael Brown and Eric Garner, do not deserve to die simply because they wear a uniform and carry a badge.
Notice that I wrote almost all of the men and women of law enforcement. I will not deny nor refuse any statement made that there are some cops who don't do what they are expected to and should do. I am aware that there are police officers who take advantage of their position of authority, but why should the majority reap the consequences of the minority? Former New York Police Commissioner Bernard yKerik stated, "What no one realizes is that when you hear about some major violent assault, it was the cops who put their life on the line, yet they rarely get the recognition and credit." All the good that police officers do is so often overlooked and fails to shine anything but negative light upon them.
Patrick J. Brosnan, a highly-decorated former detective with NYPD, states, "We are no longer considered New York's finest, but racist thugs. This irresponsible rhetoric has consequences. This should not be allowed, just as yelling 'fire' in a crowded movie theater is against the law... These deranged individuals that attempt to attack the police... are susceptible and will soak up the rhetoric of hate like a sponge... People must recognize that the police are not monsters."
I took the liberty of reaching out to NYPD officers, asking each of them some generalized questions about the stigma surrounding police and the biased opinions of the public. Allowing me to quote him, one officer stated the following:
"There is certainly a consistent and negative perception of police in this country. And there are a host of reasons for that. I place a lot blame on the media. What was once a noble profession has resorted to stirring controversy to sell newspapers or as a way to get clicks. The headlines, half-truths and misinformation they spew are inciting people.
I respect everyone's God-given right of speech and assembly, and we should always encourage it. But the protestors don't seem to be interested in a conversation. They want to yell without opening up a dialogue, and the media uses them for their own profit."Police officers across the nation are heroes and deserve to be respected and treated as such. Every day, they put their lives on the line regardless of their race, religion or sex. I am disgusted at the lack of support and incendiary remarks made against them, and it is my opinion that those who feel so strongly that the system is corrupt and that all cops are bad should forfeit their right to call law enforcement for help. It is completely and utterly nonsensical when some of those protesting police "violence" and "brutality" in turn commit crimes of passion, doing the same thing they condemn.
The world is becoming an increasingly dangerous place, and something must be done to stop that. An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.
