Friends, there are few Americans braver and more essential to our safety and well-being than police officers and other law enforcement officials. Nonetheless, many on the left think they can malign and even threaten our men in blue with impunity. Hatred of the police, and violence against police officers, is on the rise. Part of the blame lies with those who give aid and comfort to police-hating zealots. Be that as it may, President Trump has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with law enforcement throughout his campaign and his presidency. How refreshing!
Do I support an automatic death penalty for those who kill police officers? No. I support the rule of law, and fair but severe punishment for anyone who commits a violent crime. We don't need to make policemen into superheroes, nor do we need to give them special rights or privileges. All we need to do is support their efforts to enforce the law, obey their lawful instructions, respect their professionalism, and thank them for their service to our nation and to the ideal of justice. Is that asking so much? No!
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/05/15/trump-anti-police-prejudice-589034
Dr. Waddy: This one is a real sore point with me. The assault on the American police is utterly intolerable. Those who may have plausible concerns with the behavior of some police personnel must stand firmly against this outrage in order to be heard. I have some sense of police work from 4 years in the military and 20 years as a civilian worker in NY state prisons. I had intensive contact with inmates and worked very closely with Corrections Officers, the prison's police; I participated frequently in the prison disciplinary system.I wholeheartedly endorse your advice on how best to show respect and gratitude to and for the police and to aid them in their vital task. In Corrections, we wanted mostly to be supported in the actions we took against inmate misbehavior rather than constantly being put on trial ourselves, when we took inmates to task. Sometimes the inmates themselves were inappropriately empowered by wrong headed regulations and spineless administrators and worse, far worse - leftist policy makers in government who believe that society and its law enforcement are by definition oppressors and criminals are the oppressed. Tell that to crime victims and taxpayers!For we in the general public, aside from affording genuine respect to police officers when we are contact with them we can also do the following: Express our support; one way to do that is to write to Officers who are being unfairly charged for misconduct - I wrote to Officer Darren Wilson, care of the Ferguson MO. Police Dep't, when the President and the Attorney General sought his demise for doing his duty.He wrote back and said it helped him deal with it. I sent a copy to the local paper and they printed it. I put signs in my truck praising the police and I wrote to some embattled police precincts to show concern for them. I cite these actions only to show that there are things we ALL can do to confront the insanity of prejudice against law enforcement; it only takes a little effort. Kudos to our President for standing with them.
ReplyDeleteWell said, Jack. You're right -- the police officers who are unfairly judged in the "court of public opinion" need expressions of support more than anyone. Darren Wilson certainly found out who his real friends were. I think it's magnificent that he made a few new ones, including you. That was a very decent thing that you did, and I hope people will be inspired by it, as I was.
ReplyDeleteDr. WaddY: Thanx; I hope his life is finally getting better. I forgot to add that when the President stands foursquare with the police it is in marked contrast to the patronizing lectures and threats directed at them by Obama and Holder at the behest of Al Sharpton.
ReplyDeleteIndeed! Sadly, there are still plenty of public officials and journalists who reflexively blame and despise law enforcement... We have a lot of work to do.
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