Stretching the Thin Blue Line Even Thinner

By: Steve Huston

 

I recently saw a police officer sitting in his County Sheriff vehicle monitoring traffic. I pulled up to where he was working and approached his SUV simply to thank him for being on the job, express the appreciation many people have for the police force during these trying times, and to let him know that I pray for them and would pray for him personally.

This was his response:Thank you for taking the time to stop and let me know. Things have never been this bad and many of my fellow officers would quit but we have families to support and bills to pay. He expressed his gratitude several times and shared how one motorcyclist rode by giving him a thumb’s up. “You know what that told me?” the officer said, “It tells me, ‘I don’t hate you.’” Normally, such a gesture would indicate “good job” or “thanks;” but now these public servants need to take it as a sign that someone simply doesn’t hate them. I felt saddened by that realization as he reached his arm out the window to shake my hand.

Pray for the safety, encouragement, and constitutionality of our police force— state, county, local. Go out of your way to let them know they are appreciated and prayed for. Send a card, letter, or pay for their meal if they’re behind you in line.This has been my habit; and with things as they are, it will continue to be.

What’s brought us to this place in history, where those whose desire is “to protect and to serve,” is now to retire in droves; or as one Atlanta police officer emailed Steve Deace: “Atlanta police officers are refusing to answer the radio and walking off of the job. The county can go screw themselves. If you want a society without police we’ll give you one. Let it  burn!” 

Simply put, how long can people be undervalued, over-stressed, falsely accused, have their integrity questioned, and have their every move and motive scrutinized before they no longer have a desire to put their own lives on the line to protect a society that expresses hatred for them?  Sadly, this is where we are, even though the above doesn’t represent a majority of those who depend upon those who hold the thin blue line.

Without our personal expressions of gratitude and encouragement, why should these honorable men and women think otherwise? After all, the media is constantly berating and belittling them. Amazon and Microsoft refuse to sell facial recognition technology to law enforcement, NOT because they have a problem with how it’ll be used, but because they have joined the antipolice movement. (For the record, I don’t want any part of the government to have access to facial recognition software; but I DO support our law enforcement.) When various mayors paint BLACK LIVES MATTER on their city’s streets; when others call for defunding the police department instead of defending it; and when the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives promotes a police reform bill that reads like an anti-police bill; how would you or I feel if we were in their shoes? Don’t be fooled; legislation from both sides of the aisle is being proposed that would regulate those we call upon to protect and to serve. It’s no wonder that these brave men and women are feeling attacked from all sides. Find ways to encourage them.

I’m not blind to the fact that there are some knots in the thin blue line; but neither am I blind to the fact that they are mostly good people who put on their uniforms and badges daily, putting themselves in harm’s way for my safety. I know that the statistics don’t support the cry of systemic racism; and I know that there is a Marxist agenda behind the BLM and defund the police movements.

Briefly, let me tell you that it’s first and foremost an issue of authority. For a long time the Left has desired to remove itself  out from under the authority of God and His  Word. Next, they’ve done their best to unshackle themselves from the authority and restraint of the Constitution. Now we are watching them pick and choose when the authority of the law applies to them and society at large. Their desire is to remove all authority, being a law unto themselves; good Constitutional police officers stand in their way.

To defund and dismantle the local police is one of the dumbest ideas I’ve ever heard; but there’s a method to their madness. As President Trump recently stated, “Americans know the truth; without police there is chaos, without law there is anarchy, without safety there is catastrophe.” The Left is well aware of this too.

Doing away with the local police is part of the Left’s Marxist agenda. Without local law enforcement, anarchy and chaos will naturally ensue, imminently filling the void. Then they can implement a national police force. Why would they want that? Because they know a local police department is our greatest defense against them; and a national police force will obey the tyrant in charge. It’s all part of their well-laid out, patient plan.

We know that people from both sides of the aisle support these things; so we must always be watchful. As President Trump signed an executive order regarding police reform, these were his closing words: “Americans can achieve anything when we work together as one National family.  To go forward we must seek cooperation not confrontation; we must build upon our Heritage, not tear it down; and we must cherish the principles of America’s founding as we strive to deliver safe, beautiful, elegant, justice and liberty for all.” Good words to be sure; but words are just words. We must watch his and other’s future actions, recognizing that men are but mere men and our trust must be in God alone.

Pray that God will somehow direct President Trump in the ways of righteousness and that justice will be served throughout our nation for ALL people.  Healing for black, blue, and all lives will only come through turning to God in repentance.

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