By Rodney Beard
Speaking of racists in high (or low) places that need to just go away and live in obscurity, how about Rudy Giuliani? What does he mean when he says that the Mayor of New York needs to apologize to the policemen? Apologize for what, a madman who had nothing to do with the Movement committing a horrible crime because he was deranged?
Giuliani needs to apologize to Mayor De Blasio, the voters of New York, then the rest of us for inciting public servants to be disrespectful to the elected authority with rhetoric that further polarizes all of us along a stringent line. After all, it was policemen and their policies that have brought us to this point in social order reform, and I pray that we don’t quit now.
It’s scary to think of “peace officers” sworn to “protect and serve” having the audacity to turn their backs on the Mayor at the funeral of their fallen brother, which disrespected the deceased and his family that invited the Mayor to speak. Now, will they turn their backs on their duty to us as a form of protest next? When will they think about their sworn oath rather than their agenda for sympathy and attention?
The officers, who participated in this impetuous display of personal police politics, have tarnished their own image and broken their vow. They should apologize for acting like a bunch of juveniles rather than respected “officers of the law” that we can trust and rely upon to do their jobs. Because of their blatant, very public insubordination at the highest level, it’s imperative that they should be purged from the ranks. Their emotional display would lead one to think that at some point, they could all go rogue and wreak even more havoc by establishing their own police state or marshal law what with all the guns, bullets, and military equipment (government issued) that they possess and will use.
The community that these officers have turned their backs on gives them an 80% positive level of support. We know that the number of good cops trumps the number of the bad ones, but the bad ones are so bad, while the others won’t stand up to them. If anyone should be rooting out the bad apples it should be their own. In the meantime their hypocrisy is conspicuous and frightening.
How can we be expected to respect the authority of those who will not submit to their direct authority? Their actions are unacceptable and quite alarming to say the least, even disturbing. Comments like those made by Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association chief Pat Lynch claiming that Mayor De Blasio “has blood on his hands” for supporting the protests against violent policing and abuse toward people of color insult us. He was even busted telling his officers to “follow the stupid rules when dealing with our enemies, but to be discrete and that the rules are made by them (would that be us?) to hurt you so (cops) we will use them to protect us .” How do you feel about that?
By turning their backs on the Mayor who was elected by “we the people,” these officers are creating a broader and deeper chasm in the community rather than being a force for the positive change even they know, must occur. Our law enforcement officers need to realize that we actually have their backs, the ones they are turning on us
One of my best friends of nearly twenty years is a “top cop” that I have had the chance to actually ride with on that “god-forsaken” job. I was with him and his team one night on a drug raid as a drugged crazed suspect that had super-human strength, tried to grab his gun and three other officers had to subdue him to protect his and their lives. If I had not seen it for myself in the moment, I would have thought “police brutality.” Instead, I thought “Thank God for these truly courageous men.”
Now, I greet every officer that I see and thank them for their service to us, and I mean it because I know that they are just as afraid as we are, but have a job to do as well. We are in this together, so let’s come together.
Enough is enough. Tell me your thoughts.
Rodney Beard…pastorbeard@comcast.net.