I’m not a police officer. I don’t know what it’s like to suit up every single day and serve a community that doesn’t always appreciate me. I don’t know what it’s like to be hated because I have to enforce the laws that I didn’t write. I don’t know what it’s like to work a shift that turns into an easy 18 hour day. I’ll likely never know what it’s like to have someone’s life in my hands. I’ll never have to look into the eyes of a terrified child because he just saw his daddy beat his mommy for the third time this month. I’ll never know what it’s like to pull a child from the wreckage of an accident that didn’t make it. I’ll never be responsible for photographing the bruises and marks of child abuse and sexual assault. I’ll never have to pull up to a parents house and tell them that their teenager won’t be coming home because he was involved in a fatality. These are the things that I will never have to do.
I am, however, the wife of a police officer. I am the mother of a police officer’s son. And even though I am not an actual officer, my heart bleeds blue. It bleeds blue because I have been given an opportunity to be deeply embedded into their community and their family. It bleeds blue because I know. I know these men and women who do all the things I mentioned in the first paragraph. I know the men and women that are being crucified by liberal media and public figures with a political agenda. They are being villanized in a court of public opinion and they are being hunted by people who have hearts filled with ill-intent. The people who fill social media with their ill intended anti-police rhetoric are calling for something that you aren’t prepared to experience. Let’s call it what it is. They are calling for anarchy. In their eyes, the world no longer needs a hero. The world needs a platform that doesn’t hold people accountable for their actions and a dialog that victimizes the criminal and assassinates the character of the victim. This is a blatant call for twisted views on our civil liberties.
Let’s make something perfectly clear here before someone goes insane in the comment section of this blog post. I don’t like bad cops. I’m not so naive to believe that they do not exist. I’ll go even further and say that good cops do not like bad cops either. They don’t enjoy being misrepresented by the few bad eggs. And when the few bad eggs make mistakes, they want them held accountable for their actions. The media has created this idea that police officers enjoy hurting people. They enjoy killing young, black men. It is being implied that these men and women wake up each day with one goal; murder an unarmed teenager. I would really love to see the statistic of how many lives these men and women save vs. the lives that they unfortunately have had to take. Even without seeing the data, I can guarantee you that the goodness that they have deposited into this often dark world is far greater than the lives that have been claimed by their hands. Where is the data on that? No one seems to care about that data because, let’s face it, positive news doesn’t sell in a world where the loud minority gets a voice.
Am I the only person that remembers the police officers who ran towards Sandy Hook when an armed man was taking the lives of numerous innocent children? Am I the only person who remembers when an entire nation watched the Boston Police Department hunt and capture the terrorists responsible for the Boston Marathon bombing? I know I’m not the only person who remembers the men and women who ran towards the two towers as Al Qaeda claimed the lives of thousands of people in the name of religion. Have we forgotten? These situations beg me to ask this question. Do we only love the police when we need them? Do we only need heroes when no one else is willing to step up to the plate? Had you been present for any of these events, would you have been running towards the danger or would you have been fleeing to safety? It’s easy to assume who you would be in these situations but, unless you’ve actually been in them, it’s unfair for you to answer.
We are creating a world where we are discouraging people of bravery to sign up for the job. We are allowing the people who protect and serve us to be labeled as racists and bigots. We have created an environment where they are being executed for the uniform they wear. We are allowing large social media platforms to host pages that revolve around the death of police officers. Who protects the ones who protect us? Who runs towards them when they are being assaulted? I’ll tell you. They do. They only have themselves. They only have each other. Furthermore, we are creating a world where it’s okay to rob a convenience store and assault a police officer, because if you do, large political figures will rally behind you and justify your actions. In fact, they will even turn around, raise you up to hero status, and give you a job with their city after you have openly admitted to being involved with illegal activity involving drugs and violence. This is happening while they drag the character of the officer through the street because he chose to live that day. His only crime was choosing life.
My heart is broken over the state of our nation. My heart is broken for our police force. My heart is broken because I fear for the life of my family as I see people calling for someone to hurt my child just to spite police officers. Humanity isn’t about combating perceived injustices with more injustice. It isn’t about hurting the lives of the innocent to honor the lives of the dead. Humanity doesn’t want to see people fail. Humanity doesn’t want there to be racisms, hate, and prejudices. That doesn’t just include race. That also includes occupations.
We lost three police officers to hate crimes this past week. We lost another young black teenager who made a decision that cost him his life. There is a problem. No one can deny that. But the problem isn’t central to a police force. It’s central to a element of learned fear. We are teaching young black teenagers to fear the police. We are teaching police officers that their lives are expendable because they willingly signed up for a job that could cost them their lives. What do we expect to happen by allowing people to “peacefully protest” with signs that say “A Good Cop is a Dead Cop” or “Kill a Cop a Day and Keep the Bad Guys Away”? I’m not a police officer. I’m not but, I guarantee you that I would picture those words in my head every single time I had to interact with someone and it would make it extremely difficult to not fear for my safety. It would be difficult for me to give someone the benefit of the doubt that their heart is good.
I know what you are thinking. You’re thinking that I am biased and all I can say is that you’re right. I’m biased because I know them. I’m biased because I’ve heard the voice of someone who nearly didn’t get to come home. I’ve seen the eyes of a man who pulled a child from a wreck that looked just like his. I’ve heard the heartbeat of the person behind the badge. And it’s a heavy heart beat. I’ve seen their acts of kindness to strangers, their fearlessness in the face of danger, and their humanity when they have to watch a world bury their brothers or sisters. And, I love them. I love all of them.
We need to rally behind our men and women in blue. It shouldn’t take another large scale tragedy to remind us that we need them. We should just know that we do when we go safely into our homes at night. We should know we need them by appreciating the due diligence in keeping us safe and secure. If you haven’t truly thought about what a police officer does because you’re still angry about your last traffic violation, you’re missing the bigger picture. If you haven’t put yourself in their shoes for a split second, you’re way off base from reality. If you haven’t hugged a police officer and told them you appreciate them, you’re missing out.
The silent majority needs to find their voice. We have to rise up. We have to come together. I just feel like the world has forgotten and we have come to a place where we can’t afford to forget any more.
this is so true more white die then black and you dont see the white people going and attacking the police. i have been to jail and not once did i dis respect the police officer why its their job do they come harass you at your job? To have respect is in your own self and they way the world is it is long gone in family these days to many spoild brats n im only 27 no not from the 50s
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GOD BLESS YOU AND YOURS AS A RETIRED FIREFIGHTER I KNOW HOW UNDER APPRIATED POLICE AND FIREFIGHTERS ARE UNTIL THEY ARE NEEDIT
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To be fair… If we have a warrant for someone, we’ll go harass them at their job… lol
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I commend you for these written words. I once wore the blue and a current wife of an officer. I know many officers and have attended several Funerals. The media is partially to blame and our President of the USA. When you only look at the act of a white person against a black…who is the racist act? Black people (those who wear the blue included) have killed white people, but that is not news….why? You need to be present to feel your heart beat and decide who will live and die…I choose LIFE!!! Society teaches children to fear the uniform from an early age…this needs to stop…white people didn’t begin slavery in our country…one needs to be educated before assuming..acts shouldn’t be based on the color of skin but on the decisions made by the human being…..like in every occupation their are good and bad….look at the evidence …the jury was decided by its peers. ..we are not GOD….we must keep the faith!
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For me right now ,words can’t express how deeply grateful i am for your honest & loving message that hopefully will open the eyes & hearts of all Americans. I so agree with you 100% & i pray for God to keep you & all our Men in Blue Safe as they do their job to protect us all.
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Could not have said it better, while I wear and bleed Deputy brown not Police blue the sentiment still applies across the board love you for putting it in words!
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Thank you for your service!
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your words are beautiful, raw and gritty. you love fiercely. i do, too. keep on loving fiercely. keep on sharing your words. thank you.
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Would you consider emailing me at coplife.net@gmail.com to discuss using your articles on our site in the future? Thank you.
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Amen. I am the mother of 3 police officer 1 is also a volunteer firefighter. I also had a special forces son who gave his life for this country. My children and their brothers and sisters are true heroes. The media is fake. I love police officers.
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Reblogged this on Wayne A Delk and commented:
Not much need for commentary from me…this hit home and made me wish so many could for but a moment see what we see and live what we live.
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Thank you so much Wayne. Thank you so much for stopping by and reblogging this.
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Reblogged this on Venus Michael.
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Thank you!
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So emotional…well said…your heart speaks to us…to our souls! God is good and He has used you. Thank you so much. Dallas, Texas
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Thank you for your blog, brought tears to my eyes. I will stand behind the blue and behind emergency personnel as a whole. Some of my closest friends wear the badge. I fear for them, and love them. They step up to keep my little family safe. Thank you all!
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Thank you for sharing your thoughts. This is truly reality and I pray this reaches and opens many hearts.
God bless our heroes!
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Exactly the words of my heart, I am a daughter, niece, and great grandchild of law enforcement officers and a civilian victims services worker with local service……..no matter what branch of peace officer #policelivesmatter
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My heart has always bled blue, and now, in the last six years, my husband and daughter have donned the red (Canadian mountie’s serge). Thank you for your words. I’m with you, sister.
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Thank you! Have faith we will rise up. I support my Police Officers. Firemen and first responders. When we are hurt who do we call? Who stands in front of an innocent person to protect them from harm? Who carries you when you cant breath from a fire. Its most likely not your neighbor. If there is a bad apple then lets pluck it from the bunch and keep moving. When I have an opportunity to speak to an an officer, fireman or a first responder (EMS tech) I always wave or say GOD BLESS YOU.
I SAY ,LETS START A REVOLUTION OF KINDNESS TO ALL FIRST RESPONDERS . BE COURTEOUS, AND KIND.. Lets remember they see more horror and ugly then we will in our entire life. AGAIN, RISE UP PEOPLE AN OWN UP.
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I am a retired State Trooper. Have been in many of these situations during my career. One that sticks out in my mind is when a Blackman shot and killed two white policeofficers. We searched g or him for several days and lost a deputy in an accident working on this search. No one got excited or caused riots over this. It is unfortunate that blacks get killed, but it does not matter the color and should not be considered racist. every time.it does happen. All badge carriers are out there to protect, help, and have a heart and feelings like everyone else. It is a Blessing from God that you get through your career and not cause harm to anyone. God Bless and protect all officers and pray that they can get this accomplished. The article was well written and those words and feelings are so true to all badge carriers, their families and the good ones deserve respect.
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God Bless all the men and women in blue who carry badges!!! I support all of you!!! POLICE LIVES MATTER!!!!! I truly believe that! I respect every thing you do and go through. I applaud everything that you do. I am a Greyhound Bus Driver and let me tell you this…..I even give all of you guys free rides when ever you want. It may not be much but it does show that I have respect in you and you deserve what ever kind of respect any one can give you. I pray for you all the time. Thank you for all that you do!!!
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