There are a few things in life that are hard to overlook. It’s demanding to hold a conversation with a person who refuses to admit their mistakes. It’s challenging being attacked by a person who thinks they know it all. Its problematic being in the presence of a person who assumes power over their critics and it’s hard to forgive a person who refuses to apologize.
These are some of the reasons people don’t like the police.
When I say people, I mean primarily black people, but others
are beginning to read between the lines of defend and serve to get to the fine
line of do what we say, not what we do.
I’m saddened to make this claim. Why? Because some of my
best friends are members of law enforcement. I know, insert upchuck beside “some
of my best friends are black”. That’s the common line used to wiggle out of the
assumption that you’re carrying judgment related to a group of people.
It’s true that I grew up calling police “pigs” and “popo”. I
hated police because of what I witnessed – unfair treatment of people who look
like me. So, after working with and
getting to know the men and women who wear those uniforms, I moved past the
assumptions I made.
I learned to respect law enforcement. September 11 helped. Americans wanted to love and support police
and firefighters after so many gave their lives to rescue people after the twin
towers came tumbling down.
But things have changed.
Their arrogance is showing.
People are turning their backs on the police and it’s not the fault of
those who protest. It’s because of a
lack of humility after the deaths of black men and women.
People are screaming “Black Lives Matter” for a reason. Stop. Don’t get insensitive by screaming back
“all lives matter.” Of course they do.
Everyone knows that. The point of
it all is a lack of sensitivity coming from those so bent on making a point
that they refuse to say “I’m sorry.”
After a grand jury set Darren Wilson free, instead of saying
I’m sorry, he said he would do it again.
No remorse. He defended his
judgment. He failed to apologize and show the pain related to killing an 18
year-old. He called Michael Brown demon-like.
Excuse me!
That spirit seems infused in the culture of the police. Not
only are they demanding respect for defending and protecting us, they promote
the right to not be criticized when a mistake is assumed. They attack people
who attack them under the veil of legal jargon and police policy.
Now, police unions are moving beyond defending and serving
by demanding a different type of law enforcement.
On November 30, St. Louis Rams wide receivers Tavon Austin,
Kenny Britt, Stedman Bailey and Chris Givens came out of the Edward Jones Dome
with hands raised in the fog. The next day, the local police union demanded
punishment. They wanted to team to take a position. They wanted the league to stand up.
No takers.
Cleveland Brown wide receiver Andrew Hawkins decided to
protest by wearing a shirt. The shirt read,
"Justice for Tamir Rice and John Crawford III." Both were shot and
killed by police.
"They are there to play football, not to judge what we
do out there. … They owe Cleveland Police officers an apology," said Cleveland
Police Patrolmen's Association President Jeff Follmer.
Cleveland police shot 12-year-old Tamir Rice as he reached
for an air-soft gun that looked real.
Tension was rising.
The bullies were out of control.
Then the madness intensified.
On Dec 20, officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos were gunned
down in their patrol car by Ismaaiyl Brinsley after Brinsley had made online
threats, including a vow to put "wings on pigs" and references to the
Garner and Brown cases.
All of us grieved their deaths. There was space for healing and
understanding.
Nope.
Within hours of the death of Liu and Ramos, the head of New
York City’s police union blasted Mayor Bill de Blasio and those who protested
the deaths of Michael Brown and the 48 others killed since Brown’s death.
They blamed protesters and the Mayor rather than mental
illness. They used the meaningless deaths
of their colleagues to affirm a point that should have been off limits – we told
you so.
"There's blood on many hands tonight," Patrolmen's
Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch told reporters outside the
hospital the day officers Wenjian Liu, 32, and Raphael Ramos, 40, died.
"Those that incited violence on the streets under the
guise of protest that tried to tear down what New York City police officers did
every day. We tried to warn it must not go on, it cannot be tolerated,"
Lynch said. "That blood on the hands starts at City Hall in the office of
the mayor."
The mayor's office responded to Lynch’s attacks in a
statement reported by CBS New York.
"It's unfortunate that in a time of great tragedy, some
would resort to irresponsible, overheated rhetoric that angers and divides
people," the statement said. "Mayor de Blasio understands this is the
time when we must come together to support the families and friends of those
brave officers New York City lost tonight -- and the entire NYPD
community."
Others supported Lynch’s claim.
"Sickened by these barbaric acts, which sadly are a
predictable outcome of divisive anti-cop rhetoric of #ericholder &
#mayordeblasio. #NYPD," tweeted former New York Gov. George Pataki.
Can you hear the unwarranted conjectures?
When people protest it leads to the death of police? This is not a case of mental illness, but
this is about protest. We told you
so. We know it all. We’re not sorry for
what we did, and, yes, we would do it over and over again.
I want to support the police. How can you when they refuse
to adequately apologize for the death of a 13 year-old for carrying a toy gun? How do you trust police when they demand
silence? How can you move forward when police
establish a culture of us against them?
It’s a simple lesson.
Confess your mistakes and give us a chance to forgive.
We all make mistakes, but, when lives are lost because of
those mistakes, gives us time to share our pain and don’t assume it’s easy to forgive.
No comments:
Post a Comment