Personal Reflections of a Middle-Aged Man

This was Mike O’Meara ranting earlier this week about how the press is treating the police. He also mentioned the police should stop being treated as “animals and thugs,” the police need to be treated with respect.

Mr. O’Meara, a white man, had this right. The police shouldn’t be vilified, treated like animals and thugs, and should have our respect. What is quite audacious, is to say these words during this time in which the nation is protesting in support of Black Lives Matter.

In case Mr. O’Meara forgot, hasn’t seen the news, or isn’t really paying attention, the reason for the protests is because our fellow black and citizens of color have been vilified, treated like animals and thugs, and disrespected. He and his fellow officers have had to deal with this treatment for about two weeks.

Two Weeks!

Two weeks and he is already upset with how the police are being treated. Specifically, our black brothers and sisters have had to endure this kind of treatment for over 400 years in our country.

Two Weeks!

Two weeks and he, and his fellow officers, are up in arms demanding they be treated better by the press, by politicians, and by citizens. I have to wonder, did he even stop to reflect what he was going to say in his statement? Did Mr. O’Meara take a pause after he spoke to realize the treatment he, and his fellow officers, that have them upset is how many black citizens have been feeling for centuries? And, does he not see our black brothers and sisters have finally had enough, and finally enough of us whites have finally heard their cries for help, for brother- and sisterhood, their frustration, and their pain? Finally we are acting as one!

Two Weeks!

How about 400 years?

Two weeks and you, Mr. O’Meara, didn’t stop to empathize with the protesters. You didn’t see how some, and I do emphasize some but enough, of your fellow officers were treating the citizens of New York, Chicago, Columbus, Indianapolis, Washington D.C., and many other cities. You couldn’t take a look in the mirror and see how you have been complicit in why we are at this moment in history. That is a travesty by itself!

I fully acknowledge, and am very glad, that not all officers act in the way I, we, have seen officers treating human beings over the past two weeks, young, old, black, white, men, women, and everything in between. For the acts of kindness, the empathy, the conversations, and yes, even kneeling, with protestors, I commend those officers. They still appear to believe in protect and serve, and that sometimes just being with fellow humans is much better than billy clubs, riot gear, pepper spray, tear gas, and rubber bullets.

I condemn officers, and their enablers like you Mr. O’Meara, for defending police officers not upholding their duty to protect and to serve. For defending officers who beat, harass, and kill our black brothers and sisters when innocent, and in acts of crimes, in which a white person would walk away from, or be arrested without incident.

Mr. O’Meara, at this time, those of you who are not standing up for the rights and life of all human beings, not just the white ones, have earned the vilification, are not deserving of our respect, and be seen as acting like animals and thugs. Because that is how some of your ilk are behaving, and very, very few of you are taking a stand and saying enough is enough!

Until you see how you, and some of your fellow officers, are part of the problem, and until you, and most of your fellow officers start arresting your uniformed brothers and sisters for their actions on the spot, making them back off from excessive violence, and preventing the shooting of a human being for just being black, you have earned how you are being treated.

If, Mr. O’Meara, you want it to stop, then it is time for you to stop, reflect, change, and join the cause for every single officer to either serve and protect us all equally and without bias, or to step down as officers. Then, and only then, will you have begun to earn back our respect. We very much want to give you respect for your service and duty. We do.

But, Mr. O’Meara, you have to earn, it should not, and will not, be freely given just because you believe you deserve it.

Enough is enough, no more. Black lives matter! Start showing us you, and all officers, believe that to be true.

This moment is yours to win or lose, to be on the right side of history. Choose wisely.

Choose wisely.