I’m stepping back today from my general rule of trying to stay away from politics to take a look back. Five years ago tonight, a man–and I won’t name him because he doesn’t deserve the notice–opened fire from a sniper’s perch in Downtown Dallas. A protest march was taking place. It was peaceful. It was approved by the powers-that-be. Law enforcement officers from the Dallas Police Department, Dallas Area Rapid Transit and other local agencies were on hand. These men and women, brothers and sisters in blue, did what they’d been trained to do. They didn’t flee. They waded into the firestorm raining down from above, doing everything possible to secure the scene, protect the civilians and locate the shooter. Five officers were executed, and there is no other word for it, by the shooter as they did their jobs. It was the worst assault on law enforcement since 9/11.
It has become vogue over the last few years to attack the police. It might not be a physical attack but many in this country have done all they can to verbally tear down law enforcement. The media has been complicit in the attacks on those brave men and women who put their lives on the line every day they report for duty. The entertainment industry makes them into the bad guys, while glorifying those who violate the laws of our land.
That isn’t to say there aren’t bad cops. There are. But they are the minority. The good cops labor on, often in situations that would turn your hair white or leave you a quivering pile of goo in the corner. They do their jobs because they have a calling to serve and protect. They do it so we can sleep safe in our homes. But that is in danger thanks to the calls to defund the police.
Don’t be fooled by the reframing of those calls. Don’t fall for it when you have the White House press secretary trying to convince you it is the Republican Party wanting to defund law enforcement. Look at who says what. Look at what they say in context.
And remember that almost each and every one of those politicians and Hollywood stars calling for police departments to be defunded or abolished completely walk around with their armed security teams. Of course they see no reason for police departments to exist. They have their own security forces to protect them from the lowly citizens of this country.
Yes, every dirty cop, every cop who abuses his or her position for favors, every one who abuses a suspect should be prosecuted. They are worse than most of the perps they go after. But just as you shouldn’t say everyone who lives in a certain part of town is poor or a crook or drug addict or whatever, you shouldn’t say every cop is bad.
Today, I remember the five officers who lost their lives. I honor their memory. I hurt for their families and loved ones.
These were five officers who lost their lives protecting the right of others to protest. Others were wounded. All for doing their duty.
Say their names. Remember their sacrifice. Don’t fall for the politics trying to destroy so many good cops today.
Remembering:
Senior Cpl. Lorne Ahrens
Sgt. Michael Smith
Officer Patrick Zamarripa
Officer Michael Krol
DART police officer Brent Thompson
If you are so inclined, WFAA (Channel 8, ABC) will dedicate its 10 pm (Central) newscast to the events of five years ago. Take a few minutes to see what happened and how these officers and others put their lives on the line to protect the protesters and others downtown that terrible night. Then tell me again why we should do away with police departments around the country.
Featured Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
