As I was sitting here watching the news about the looting and fires in some prominent U.S. cities, a gentleman stated: “There is a fine line between civilization and barbarism.” Very few people know exactly what happened in Minneapolis. The video that we have seen on the news is absolutely sickening, however, we should not allow a trial by video, although I am sure that the video will be used as evidence. Someone standing there, police officer or not, should have done the right thing and stopped what was happening. We trust police officers to protect us, no matter which side of the law that we are on. I have known many good police officers, which accounts for all that I have known throughout my lifetime. We must also realize that there may be a small number of people that should have never become police officers. It is my understanding that four of the officers involved in this situation were fired. My prayer is that each firing was justified. Do police officers have to be held accountable for their actions? Absolutely! We also need our police officers to hold people accountable for their actions. I know that some believe that our justice system is unfair, but we must give our justice system an opportunity to get things right. There is nothing wrong with protesting, but when it turns to destruction and bloodshed, then it has gone too far. I believe that there are mean and lawless people who look forward to the next opportunity to show up in someone’s locality to destroy property and possibly even inflict bodily harm.
As I think about that fine line, I am amazed at how quickly certain people resort to barbarism. I would have thought that we were a lot more civilized than what we show. Keep in mind, though, I have never had an injustice committed by law enforcement against me or my family. George Floyd deserves the justice in his death that it appears that he was not afforded at the end of his life. On the flipside, the police officers involved deserve their day in court, as well. Every person is innocent until proven guilty. Again, there is nothing wrong with protesting, as long as it remains civilized and peaceful. If George Floyd had been a part of my family, I would want to know what happened, and if wrongdoing occurred on the part of whomever, then deal with the wrongdoing and the wrongdoers.
The old statement, “Two wrongs do not make a right,” fits this situation. None of us is perfect, but there must be a standard by which we live. I heard the story of a Minneapolis firefighter who was about to open a business that now will not open because arsonists destroyed his building, in the name of “protesting.” I do not trust the firing of these officers as proof that they did something wrong. There are firings done in the name of political correctness that have nothing to do with right or wrong, but are a reaction to the uprising. Don’t get me wrong, law enforcement professionals have weighed in on what they saw in the video, and have all stated that improper things occurred. I heard one person, trained in law enforcement, say, “No matter what occurred previously, when the cuffs are on a person, the fight is over.” We all have a responsibility to do the right thing. When we choose to break the law, we eventually come face to face with our justice system. In the heat of the battle, everyone needs to keep their wits about them, and protect everyone involved. We live in a world of everything being videoed or at least having pictures taken, but besides all of that, somebody should have stopped what was happening, despite the costs, if what was happening was not correct. I believe that police officers and those in law enforcement have one of the toughest jobs known to man. Police officers are sworn to protect and serve, which sometimes mean that a person’s freedom must be taken away from him or her, when his or her actions warrant arrest. Police officers go through extensive training concerning the use of appropriate force needed to subdue a suspect. My nephew who is a police officer in another locality. I have the utmost respect for every person who puts on that uniform, leaves his or her family, and stands watch on our behalf. Now that there is a situation in our country where possible wrongdoing has occurred at the hands of the very ones sworn to protect and serve, we have some choices to make. I choose civilized over barbaric. I also choose justice over injustice. To those who are protesting, I think that you have been heard.
