The Rest of the Story

If you were ever a fan of Paul Harvey, you may have heard this narration before.  It was new to me, Even though it was written as a newspaper article in 1970,  I thought it was incredibly appropriate for today's circumstances.

Below is a transcript of the narration, as well as an audio clip:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUUZ2fKVqcs

“Policeman.  A policeman is a composite of what all men are, mingling of a saint and sinner, dust and deity. Gulled statistics wave the fan over the stinkers, underscore instances of dishonesty and brutality because they are ‘new.’ What they really mean is that they are exceptional, unusual, not commonplace.

“Buried under the frost is the fact: Less than one-half of 1 percent of policemen misfit the uniform. That’s a better average than you’d find among clergy!

“What is a policeman made of? He, of all men, is once the most needed and the most unwanted. He’s a strangely nameless creature who is ‘sir’ to his face and ‘fuzz’ (or worse) to his back. He must be such a diplomat that he can settle differences between individuals so that each will think he won.

“But if a policeman is neat, he’s conceited; if he’s careless, he’s a bum. If he’s pleasant, he’s flirting; if not, he’s a grouch. He must make an instant decision which would require months for a lawyer to make. But if he hurries, he’s careless; if he’s deliberate, he’s lazy.

“He must be first to an accident and infallible with his diagnosis. He must be able to start breathing, stop bleeding, tie splints and, above all, be sure the victim goes home without a limp. Or expect to get sued.

“The police officer must know every gun, draw on the run, and hit where it doesn’t hurt. He must be able to whip two men twice his size and half his age without damaging his uniform and without being ‘brutal.’ If you hit him, he’s a coward. If he hits you, he’s a bully.

“A policeman must know everything and not tell. He must know where all the sin is and not partake. A policeman must, from a single strand of hair, be able to describe the crime, the weapon and the criminal, and tell you where the criminal is hiding. But, if he catches the criminal, he’s lucky; if he doesn’t, he’s a dunce. If he gets promoted, he has political pull; if he doesn’t, he’s a dullard.

“The policeman must chase a bum lead to a dead-end, stake out 10 nights to tag one witness who saw it happen — but refused to remember. The policeman must be a minister, a social worker, a diplomat, a tough guy and a gentleman. And, of course, he’d have to be a genius — for he will have to feed a family on a policeman’s salary.”

Well said, Mr. Harvey.  You nailed it.  Well said.

Warm Fuzzies

There are still good people out there in the world.  With all my heart, I believe they far outnumber the bad folk; they just don't make as much noise.  I wanted to share three experiences my husband had while on duty this week.

Just a day on the job

First of all, my husband was working security at our local supermarket.  A black man entered the store with his three children and gave my husband a sideways look.  His children appeared frightened by the presence of a police officer so near.  After shopping, the man approached my husband.  "Can I ask you a question?" he asked.  "Sure," Hubby replied.  The man continued to explain that his children live with a fear of law enforcement.  He said he got a certain feeling about my husband when he entered the store, and he could tell he was a good cop.  He wanted to know if it was OK for the children to meet my husband and talk with him, so they could realize that cops are good people.  I commended that father for his actions.  He stepped out of his comfort zone and acted in a way that society doesn't expect.  The best thing he did that day was teach his children a very valuable lesson about how to see the good in each individual person, not to judge any given group as a whole.  

A local citizen posted this online

The following day, a 10-year-old boy approached my husband's cruiser as he was patrolling a rough  neighborhood.  Hubby greeted him and the boy replied, "Can I tell you something?  I like cops.  The police are the good guys because they help people.  All these rioters out there are the bad guys.  They want to hurt cops and that's not right.  You be extra careful out there."  Hubby said he was nearly moved to tears.  This boy acquired more character in his ten years than some people do in a lifetime.  Hubby asked about his family and the boy said his father had passed away.  Someone, somewhere raised that boy right and I hope he someday makes something of himself.  

Finally, Hubby was hand-delivered a care package on his shift today.  The card had a Lego police officer on it thanking the police for protecting and serving during this time of turmoil and unrest.  Also included was a homemade face mask and a McDonald's gift card.  The older couple did not want to drop off the packages at the station; they wanted to personally hand them to each officer on all three shifts.

Just when I begin to lose all faith in humanity, a week like this comes along and makes me thankful for all the good people who are still out there.  I appreciate each and every one of you who go an extra mile to make someone else's day just a little bit better.  Thank you.

Stressin'

I'm exhausted.  It's all I talk about.  It consumes every conversation and nearly every thought.

People are sending me texts about disturbing things that are happening in both the police and demonstrative communities.  I'm sure they think they're doing me a great service, but I'm shielding myself from news outlets for a reason. 

Apparently, Amazon has allowed the sale of anti-police shirts that condone hate.  I will not repeat the slogan on my blog because I don't want to give credit to this horrible atrocity.  Basically, it lumps all officers into one group and labels them murderers.  I just don't understand.  I thought that was the purpose of the entire movement- to stop prejudice, stereotypes, and labeling.  How can someone condemn one kind of hate and condone another?  Fortunately, the listing that sold the shirts has been removed, but similar shirts are sold elsewhere. 

As I stated before, I have removed all news media from my world, so forgive me that I have no concrete facts or actual data regarding the recent events in Atlanta.  From what I hear, the victim was running away from the officer and was shot in the back.  For that reason, the officer was criticized and charged.  I cannot judge or defend his actions, due to my lack of information, however, I will offer one thought to ponder.  Cops have had very specific training, and they have milliseconds, combined with a great rush of adrenaline, to implement that training.  When someone points a weapon directly at a cop, his initial reaction is to fire.  If that taser would have struck the officer and left him incapacitated, the shooter could have easily helped himself to the officer's firearm.  The officer did not have minutes to consider the current state of affairs, nor was he able to question his initial reaction to determine if it was the best course of action.  His response was immediate, and his first line of defense (his taser) was missing.  Hubby said his training officer taught him that, when confronted with a life-threatening situation, it's better to be judged by twelve than carried by six.  Although, never in the past have officers been fired on the spot and charged with murder.  Up to this point, a leave of absence has been standard while investigations were taking place.

The closest my husband has ever come to shooting someone is when he was faced with a disgruntled man who was not in his right mind.  The man reached into his waistband, pulled out something dark, and aimed it at my husband.  Hubby said he felt his finger twitch and he nearly fired.  As it turned out, the object was a cell phone.  The other man almost got shot for making a really stupid choice.  If my husband had hesitated for a fraction of a second too long, and if it had actually been a gun, I would now be a widow.  Too many decisions have to be made too quickly.

As I stated in an earlier post, I do not defend the actions of Derek Chauvin in any way.  I'm so angry that my husband is being lumped into the same boat as this terrible excuse for a police officer and a human being.  Consider the worst possible version of a worker in your own profession, whether that person is a rapist, pedophile, child abuser, or murderer.  Now imagine how terrible it would be if you had to endure the wrath of that individual's crimes.  That's what our good officers are facing every day.  I can't imagine how anything shy of countless years can undo the damage that is being done right now.  May God have mercy on our society. 

The Silent Police Wife

I'll admit- one of the main reasons I returned to my blog after such a long time away is because I need a platform to manage all these emotions and a release of my new anxieties.  I've always been a very focused, calm, relaxed person in the past, but I'm starting to experience the other side for the first time in my life.

You see, I'm the silent wife of a police officer.

I can't watch the news.  I can't get on social media.  I just can't.  My stomach turns and does flip-flops; I sob and mourn for the other women in my position whose husbands have been taken from them because of these violent and despicable times in which we are living.

I'll start right off the bat by saying that racism is wrong.  The movement that law enforcement and racism go hand in hand is ridiculous.  Both my husband and I are supportive of the human race, no matter what nationality or ethnicity a person is, or what color of skin they have.  Now that I have clarified that, please consider the rest of my thoughts.

People who are judging all police officers by the horrendous actions of one (or a few) are committing the same acts as racists.  Judging an entire group of people by a stereotype is wrong.  Derek Chauvin was a creep and does not deserve to represent the entire police force of the United States.  In that same manner, a black criminal should not be the representative for the entire African-American race.  Fair enough?

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/04/opinion/
the-argument-protest-riot-violence.html

Two months ago, everyone loved the police.  My husband was called upon several times daily to lead parades through neighborhoods to celebrate kids' birthdays during the quarantine.  Everybody loved that.  In 2001, cops were the heroes of the country.  Talk about solidarity- people bought police officers meals and would give them the shirts off their backs.  Today, people are writing racial slurs on police cruisers as they bust out all the windows.  How did all of this change in such a short time?

In my opinion, most of the people who are against the police are people who have been in trouble with the law.  I have no statistics for that; it's my opinion.  A young adult who grew up close to my family has stated his disdain for law enforcement very openly.  He is a disrespectful punk who breaks into buildings to take extreme photography and to skateboard.  He gets mouthy with security when confronted about trespassing.  I'm not surprised he doesn't support the police.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/mar/30/
devonte-hart-police-information-portland

A lot of the opposition says that police are only out to catch people doing wrong.  That couldn't be further from the truth.  I have done countless ride-alongs with my husband, and I see what a day in his shoes looks like.  He does a welfare check on an elderly woman whose out-of-state daughter hasn't been able to contact her in a week.  If he finds her dead, he has to tell that daughter.  He has to persuade a mentally challenged adult that her group home is a safe place and she needs to return with her case worker.  The promise of a 5th Avenue candy bar and a Mountain Dew (that he purchases himself at the gas station) is what convinces her to go back.  My husband comforts a terrified mother who was crouched on the floor of her home because a bullet just sailed through her teenage daughter's bedroom window.  Her ex-boyfriend is in a street gang and they were making a point.  On a bitterly cold winter day, my husband noticed "David" crouched in the dugout of the ball field.  He didn't kick out the homeless man or berate him.  He opened up his trunk, pulled out a bag and took it to the man.  It had some non-perishable food, a hat, and other basic supplies.  I asked why he didn't offer the man more help, but he informed me that David refuses public assistance.  He chooses his life on the street, but will accept occasional supplies.

All of those stories are true.  I witnessed them.  And half of them involved African Americans.  Was my husband less willing to help the black people?  Absolutely not.  They're all his people, the citizens of his town. 

My hope for this country is that all hate will be eliminated- hate against people based on their skin color (red, yellow, black, or white) and hate against people because of their profession.  What good can come from hate?  We are on the verge of a civil war, and we are going to split this great nation in half if the hate doesn't stop.  Before you act, before you speak, stop and think if it will do good or stir up more anger and strife.  We need to decrease the tension and attempt to restore faith in the human race.

Stop the violence.  Stop the hate.