Wednesday, July 13, 2016

This Cannot Continue

So would anyone tolerate a group called White Lives Matter? Of course not-it would be laughed off as patently racist. So why are we giving a group, and inviting to the White House, DeRay McKesson and Elzie Johnson, two people who created a brand of particularly offensive hate aimed at police in general and white police specifically? I'm not exonerating the role of bad cops, but you cannot exort your franchises in Seattle and St. Louis and New York to chant things like "What do we want...dead cops...when do we want it ...now" and then pretend like it wasn't some sort of fulfillment when two cops were ambushed in New York City and now five in Dallas.

As brand creators, the self proclaimed national leaders of BLM are responsible for the rhetoric and actions that ensue. So when innocent cops (and civilians!) get hurt or killed as the result of the seed they plant via their incindiery and often misleading campaigns, they cannot dodge the blood spatter that it creates. I think the American public needs to know who is funding this "movement" because quite honestly I don't think it's all that pure. It's strange how a self proclaimed "poor grad student" has been able to travel on a last minute ticket to any of the handpicked incidents they choose to exploit. And make no mistake, they do pick and choose cases where they believe they can get the most social media and economic traction.

Perhaps we could make sense of this had Dallas not been working hard to alleviate the very problems BLM lays out. But it is troubling that as we see this parade of grievances marched out, we also see in our communities and our schools, more young people out of control and defiant. I shudder to think what attitudes this school year brings. While nobody wants to see anyone else hurt needlessly, lets not make the mistake of thinking all people are angels. Left to our own devices, people will often take the easy way out. That is why we train and have trusted individuals to keep us on the straight and narrow-even when we don't like it, even when it maeks us mad. So can we please stop hyphenating groups, glorifying BLM and believing that race makes us victims or victors? In reality, ALL LIVES MATTER.

Saturday, July 09, 2016

Dallas:Yesterday

#OneDallas
This time yesterday, five Dallas cops were escorting a peaceful group of protesters down the street. There was no violence. There were photos and chants and maybe some prayers. People were showing they were angry and hoping that this action would bring attention to their cause. This time yesterday, people held some hope because such events being peaceful have become the exception, not the norm. This time yesterday five families went through their lives. They went to ball games, picked kids up from soccer practice, went to the grocery store. This time yesterday they did was was normal.This time yesterday five police officers were doing their job. They were helping control traffic, they were protecting protesters and businesses, they were chatting with protesters down the line. This time yesterday, five families hadn't been shattered by the mindless, vindictive act of a shooter. This time yesterday, fathers, grandfathers, husbands, brothers and sons were still alive.

But that was yesterday. Now it's today and we're left to pick up the pieces. Most of us are sick of the excuses from all sides and equally sick of politicians posturing for best effect. Does anyone really care about the people-and make no mistake cops are people too? Long after the floral memorials have faded and been hauled away the pain will remain. Wives will slowly give away the clothing. Children will find other teachers to learn how to ride a bike, or tie a tie. Fathers will gaze on the photos at holidays and hear the echo of "what if...." No healing can fill that hole no matter what people say. My son said today "We don't have a cop problem, we have a people problem." and no truer words were spoken. We've become a society of narcissists ruled by selfie sticks and social media. People are more concerned about their own narrow world than the world at large. Andy Warhol predicted "In the future, everyone will be famous for 15 minutes." He never said it would be a good thing. Perhaps it is time to start with the man in the mirror in order to clean up the world. And that doesn't mean some people, it means ALL. You cannot claim you are unbiased if you do not include all lives in your prayers.