Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Hell in a handbasket

My response in reference to Jen Hatmaker's posts on FB about recent activities in McKinney:
I am so glad that people are praying, but please also remember law enforcement in those prayers.  They get hit from every direction and are under constant scrutiny from  their communities, media, administration, and government.  The very jobs they are hired and trained to do become the reason for investigations, loss of employment, death threats, and disrespect.  Not all officers are bad, not all teachers are mean, not all cooks spit on your food.  We all make mistakes but very few of us have people with a camera ready to catch yours and post it for the world to see.  Now all you have to do is mention "police" and it becomes a scandalous report of violence, racism, and loss of accountability.  I am finding that many of the journalists and public figures that I watched and listened to are very one sided.  They are quick to judge and report that some of these incidents are caused by malicious law enforcement.  What if, just what if, someone reported on the lack of respect for authority, disregard for the law, a common sense of entitlement and blatant absence of manners for fellow man?  It starts with US people.  Discipline your children, don't make them afraid of the police, if it isn't yours-don't take it/use it/break it/or set it on fire.  When you are told by someone older than you or in a position of authority to sit down, be quiet, hands to yourself, leave this area-then do it!  Don't be where you shouldn't, doing something you shouldn't.
Most men and women who choose this profession, do so with a passion.  A desire to make a difference and help people.  Most of the bad employees get weeded out along the way, and what you are left with are people who are willing to give up personal lives, birthdays, holidays, sleep, money, and support to be available for their community.  We should all value each other. It has nothing to do with color or even profession.  It is Biblical.  Every life matters to someone.  From the top down.  Everyone is important.  Administration should work harder to acknowledge and appreciate their officers.  Pay raises don't come, trainings are denied, time off is hard to get, and you never know when you will be thrown to the wolves should an incident occur. 
These officers have days they can't always talk about.  Things that get held inside in an effort to put on a normal face.  Dead bodies, children hurt, people fighting over where to eat for dinner.  Hard stuff, dangerous stuff, dumb stuff, funny stuff, and great stuff.

This all makes my head hurt.  I just don't know how to help anymore.

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