Is it just our country or is the entire world over-stressed? We seem to be re-enacting the past. Major conflicts, referred to as “race riots” occurred in the 20th Century throughout the U.S. In 1967, more than 100 deaths resulted from riots in many major cities. The problems flowed into 1968 and when firefighters responded to calls, they found themselves under fire by rioters.
Why would anyone want to kill those who were risking their lives to help?
It needs to be understood the only reason police are present during the current events is to help keep the peace, which is their job. Any police personnel who make an appearance in uniform should be respected and supported because they are there to help. How inconceivable that when they attempted to do so in Dallas, a person with a rifle in one hand and pistol in the other began shooting them, killing five and wounding seven. And in St. Joseph four days later, before the Dallas officer’s funerals had taken place, three more law enforcement officers were shot, two fatally.
I worked as a police officer and encountered gun violence. I have many good friends who work in law enforcement. I also have a family member, with two young children, who is serving his community’s law enforcement department. It is beyond my understanding that we are killing people who are dedicated to help others. Why would they want to participate in the grueling training to qualify and then become targets?
We may all have the “right” to bear arms, but nowhere in the Constitution does it state we have a “right” to shoot or kill each other. Why is our country regressing, going back to the days when Dr. King announced in 1963, “I have a dream”? We all still have our dreams and none of us dream of dying, yet the shootings and killings continue daily. As we become immune to these events, soon no lives will matter.
How will our country be a few years from now? We have slid back 50 years in Civil Rights actions and have decided our law enforcement people are to blame. Can anarchy be on our horizon? Will any man or woman be willing to serve as our guardians? I’m certain many are considering retiring early or finding other employment.
Without police protection we may all be on our own. Will we be comfortable walking the streets carrying our guns, knowing if something happens, it’s up to us to take care of it?