The number of police officers killed while at work has increased by 13 percent over last year. Without doing a breakdown of numbers, let me move rather to what is missing in these numbers, or perhaps more appropriately put, who is missing in this tragic report.
The what or the who that’s missing are those people and the media that would show up en masse if the numbers were reversed and the number of criminals killed by police were to increase. That would be Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, Sean Penn, Chuck Schumer, (D-NY), and every other hollywood scurge, oh- and let me not forget that Obama himself (as he has proven eager to do), would find the need to castigate law enforcement.
It’s an insult to reasonable minds and a civil society, that the murder of law enforcement officers, carries less newsworthiness than the wounding of a criminal in the act of a crime. But that is what we have come to.
How many funerals of slain officers has Sharpton attended? How many times have you heard the NAACP or the ACLU protest the brutal murder of a law enforcement officer? In March 2003, “Detectives Rodney Andrews and James Nemorin were murdered execution style in cold blood, while trying to rid the neighborhoods of machine-gun dealing teen-agers, none save their fellow detectives, families and fellow brothers /sisters in police work grieved or attended their funerals. There were no protests. Susan Sarandon wasn’t there, Sharpton and Jackson didn’t lead marches. It was just two murdered detectives.” (Self-Inflicted Victimization; Mychal Massie; 5/20/03; WND.com)
It is Christmas and the families of law enforcement officers slain in the course of duty are alone without the person they loved, whose job it was to keep us safe. There were no parades to protest the lost of their lives. No lunatic, so-called community religious leaders were interviewed on television on their behalf. They are simply dead – no public outcry, no tears, from those that the officers, if alive would be prepared to face harm to protect if they were still with us. It’s ironic isn’t it – the very people who condemn the police are the ones the police would do their all to protect if same were facing threat?
Police as I wrote, may not be “Not Perfect – But Always There.” (8/21/07; WND.com) “We all owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to our domestic peacekeeping forces, i.e., local police departments. Local law enforcement is, in a sense, the stepchild of law enforcement. They receive none of the aggrandizement of their federal counterparts, and that is meant to take nothing away from the federal levels. Yet, they are the true first responders, and most often the ones who are maligned and litigated against. Let there be no doubt: There are bad officers in the land, and there are also bad departments as a whole. I personally know of two departments – one that harbored racist alcoholics and a pedophile, and another with an officer-operated brothel. But they are the ugly exception – not the norm.
“It is my opinion that if communities worked more closely with local law enforcement, two things would happen. The first is we would experience a dramatic decrease in crime – the other is that we would find that they are quite human.”
“It takes a special kind of individual to be a law enforcement officer. All of the officers I know, both on local and federal levels, are outstanding individuals, allowing of course for the erstwhile, villainous exceptions that darken the image of the good.”
“Those I know are not perfect, but they are human – and willing to die for our safety every minute of every day they are in uniform or on duty. How many of those who castigate and malign them can say the same? How many of their critics would sacrifice their lives for a family member, much less a stranger who may have, moments before, spit on them? What would happen to a community if law enforcement decided they cared more about their own safety than about stopping criminals, illegal weapons and drugs?” Perhaps that is a question we should ask those who are quick to scorn police.
To those sworn to keep our communities safe and to their families, I salute you and give you thanks for a job well done. And to those who have suffered the lost of a family member who served in law enforcement, please know that you are not alone in your sorrow. May our Lord keep you and comfort you especially at this time.
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Wonder if we will be blessed again by the ominous presence of members of the black panthers stationed at the predominantly black voting places and the large numbers of black voters being paid money by organizations like ACORN to vote more than once? What a rotten can of worms. As unfortunate as it is and for obvious reasons, it is a sure bet that just about every black in the U.S. will cast their vote(s) for BO much like there are those democrats/republicans who will vote for their party even if their party is represented by the devil himself. People just turn a blind eye on the facts. It would seem that this ‘darkness’ knows no depth.
tony: fear and ignorance my friend is not color or race sensitive…
I know I am a day late on this one Mychal but still wanted to express my appreciation for your acknowledgement of the service and sacrifices of the men and women in all levels of law enforcement. As one who spent nearly two decades as a law enforcement officer I have always been disgusted by the double standards of the people you named here and others like them including the media.
It is astounding and disgusting that when budgets start being cut, the first place the bean counters look at reducing are the very agencies that do the work necessary for public safety and protection. Law enforcement, fire fighters and other EMS personnel are always first in line for the chopping block. After the cuts take effect the public screams in protest as crime rates escalate yet the police aren’t instantaneously on site, houses and businesses burn to the ground due to inadequate response capabilities, and predators are turned loose back to the streets early because there aren’t enough operational facilities to house them. The courts are more concerned about the welfare of the criminals than about the victims past, present, or future, of those vicious predatory thugs.
wakinyan: I have the highest respect for those who serve in law enforcement and the ancillary services, i.e., ems, fire fighters, etc…there weren’t any politicians running into the crashing towers on 9/11…I didn’t see sharpton, belafonte, sean penn, or garofalo running into burning buildings nor do I see them showing up at the door when there is a call for help to the police dept…the number of corrupt law enforcement may bring shame on the whole but they are not emblematic of the whole…
Mychal
Thanks again for hitting the nail on the head.
This is a bit off the subject but as horrible as the disaster in New Orleans was. Where were these guys when North Dakota was under water. Not a peep from any of them.
don lee: its not off the subject at all…I wrote the very thing you reference…and as far as I know…I’m the only national essayist who blasted obama and the congressional black congress for not showing the same concern for the people Joplin, MO and the other areas that were storm ravaged…
Thanks for the rant, Mychal! Our local police, highway patrol, firefighters, EMT’s,…Great People to put their lives on the line each day they put on the uniform or the fire suit. They don’t get the recognition they deserve. Hell-o, even the returning live troops from Iraq have not had proper parades that I know of. Then, again, they aren’t would-be-movie stars or politicians. Politicians visiting a police offer’s funeral would not get their photo plastered all over the liberal Media for a “mere” policeman’s funeral. Makes me sick!
marilyn: indeed they not get the respect and acknowledgment deserved…and even more troubling is the fact that children from neighborhood that should embrace law enforcement are taught and encouraged to loathe them…
I posted this article on Facebook.
hallie roberts: thk you…you are welcome to do so as long as it is the link directing the traffic back to this site…
As usual you are not affraid to confront the cowards, I applaud you.I would like to bring something up off subject, hope you don’t mind. I visit a site called barenakedislam because they keep watch on what muslums are up to and thier attrocities so they are not sweep under the rug like the mainstream news always does. Well the site has been taken off the internet. Holder and Obama have thier stinky fingers on this in my oppinion. What the hell is happening to this country?
carpenter: I must admit that this is not the time to be weak or tepid…I am familiar w/ the site you referenced…I was not aware they had been taken down…this is one of the important reasons my site is 100% donor supported…that removes my concern for a company that may try to manipulate my opinions…freedom of speech is being stepped upon valued only as long as what is being said falls w/in a view that the enemies of our traditions favor…I am unapologetic in what I say…I refuse to be told what I can or should say…
From now on I am going to thank every police officer I come in contact with. We thank the troops but fail to thank our police. Thank you for bringing this to my attention.
roy: we owe them a lot…I will never forget Rodney Andrews and James Nemorin…the fact that they have not been given the respect they deserve for giving their lives is a national disgrace…
MR. MASSIE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE KIND WORDS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT. IT IS NOT OFTEN SUCH KINDNESS IS SPOKEN TOWARD US. FOR ALL THE AL SHARPTON’S, SEAN PENN’S, ETC., SHAME ON YOU; IT IS EASY TO STAND BEFORE THE CAMERAS AND CONDEMN LAW ENFORCEMENT BUT I WONDER IF ANY OF YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO STARE DANGER IN THE FACE AND MAKE A LIFE OR DEATH DECISION IN A MATTER OF SECONDS…I THINK NOT! MR MASSIE YOU ARE MY HERO AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU FOR BEING MAN ENOUGH TO STAND UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT.
j.mayo: I disagree…you and your brothers/sisters are the heros…it is disgraceful that no one brings up the fact that if even as penn and sharpton were inciting disrespect of law enforcement if someone attempted to harm them law enforcement would not hesitate to protect them…but somehow that never gets mentioned…how ironic…
Mychal,
Thanks for this kind recognition of our peace officers.
Spot on.
doug: its the least I can do…
AMEN!!
mary ann allen: thk you my friend…
Chuck Schumer wants to repeal the second amendment right to bear arms. He thinks there is a connection between the number of privately owned arms and the crime rate. Chuck, do us a favor and shoot yourself first, so we don’t have to listen to your ballyhoo again.
dave buls: I do not understand what part of “if guns are outlawed only outlaws will have guns”…how many law-abiding citizens were involved in the hundreds murdered by holder-obama’s fast and furious…how many law-abiding gun enthusiasts and sportsmen are involved in criminal activity w/ firearms…how many gun crimes are committed by law abiding juxtaposed to criminals…
Thank you, Mychal, for reaffirming this sad truth at the end of the year and amidst the holiday season. These awful people who you mention, among others, have no soul, nor do they have honorable character. There are not worth a scintilla of the blood shed by one of our policemen and women. Alas, no photo op, no interest.
memett: they have souls…it’s just that they’re blackened w/ evil…
well put mychal, as for the Al Sharpton,Sean Penn,Chuck Schumer,and Susan Sarandon’s of the world i know they hear you, but are they listening.
r.c.woods: they are aware that public sentiment is turning against them because of voices like mine…just as the dixie chicks were made to pay a price for their vitriol…it is up to those who understand to speak out against those who tear apart our communities…
I place firefighters in the same league as police officers, though they have a slightly different type of peril to confront when the bell rings. Let’s face it, neither the police nor the firemen get called when there’s good news; it’s always an emergency.
The Sharpton’s of the world bring nothing with respect to leadership, teaching, or understanding, and instead prey on the shortcomings of their followers, an endlessly disappointing mission and one to ironically remand their minions to mediocrity instead of raising them to a higher level. It is pure hypocrisy of course, but one can’t help but wonder how long it will persist before the thinness of their phony veils are seen for what they truly are.
It will last as long as there’s money in it. And there seems to be an endless stream of it.
sumitch: it will last until we get enough people to say enough is enough…people need to be involved in every aspect of government…we need to attend local and municipal council mtgs…even if they take turns attending on a rotating basis…they need to participate in the recall of judges…there is much that can be done…unfortunately it is the left that does what we should be doing…
dan bubalo: as long as their minions harbor resentment against those they cast as responsible for their realities of life…
Especially devoted are those that accept specific territories in hostile neighborhoods. It’s not much different that our brave volunteers in the military assigned to a forward observation post in Afghanistan except the police get to knock off every few hours and go home. They do get to wonder if the next person walking by will have a bomb vest, if a new sniper is moving in the hillside across the street or if their next step will detonate an IED.
sumitch: you make good comparison…