I join those condemning the brutal and senseless murders of these two NY City police officers. This is yet another huge setback for unity and peace. Furthermore, I agree with the head of the NYPD police union when he says, theres blood on many hands tonight. Most of the fault belongs to the shooter. He is the one who pulled the trigger and sadly, the families of those officers are the ones who will suffer the most. If we are looking for places to lay blame (a practice which is usually immature erroneous, and unproductive), then I honestly think we have to start with the people who made and wore t-shirts that read, I Can Breath mocking the death of another human being and defending the status quo, while others suffer and die. The blood of these officers, sir, is on their hands as well. I feel sorry for the families of the officers who lost their lives trying to put food on the table for their families. Loss and grief are troubling burdens to carry, even more so when triggered by violence. The burden is heavy and troublesome no matter your race, creed, color, religion, or profession. Yet, despite having more experience than most when it comes to dealing with the loss of life, officers created and wore offensive t-shirts instead of coming together to figure out how deaths like Eric Garners and Michael Browns can be prevented. For the record, prevention includes action from the police as well as citizens. So, if were looking for somewhere to lay blame, it is NOT with protestors seeking to safeguard their own lives and the lives of their children. It is NOT with politicians who stand with them. It is NOT with police officers working to keep our communities safe. Blame lies with those who see the troubling footage, claim a law was not broken, ignore its implications, and provoke anger rather than de-escalate it. The blame-game, however, is unproductive and childish. Moving forward, it is important for us all to know and understand that the loss of life is bad for everyone. We must work together to prevent violence; take a proactive stance rather than reactive. That means coming to the table to discuss reforms in policing and in the justice system. That means acknowledging mistakes and being dedicated to improvements. That means establishing working relationships within communities and a willingness, on all sides, to hold accountable those who defend the status quo. That means understanding that #blacklivesmatter because #alllivesmatter and that an injustice anywhere is an injustice everywhere.
Posted on: Sun, 21 Dec 2014 19:12:15 +0000