By Motorcop
I’ve noticed something increasing in my various and sundry news feeds of late. That is the record amount of cop-bashing.
I recently read a great post by Melissa Littles over at The Police Wife Blog entitled, “You’re Just a Cop. For What it’s Worth.” It was a heartfelt piece that many of us behind the badge have echoed, if not out loud, then certainly in the depths of our being as we smile (or grimace) and carry on.
Unfortunately, the comments included the following:
“They chose this job! We’re supposed to have sympathy for someone who isn’t smart enough or ambitious enough to pursue a meaningful career? For everyone that is killed in “the line of duty” there is another idiot lining up for a nice pay check to be an asshole. If my son ever came to me with that kind of crap, I’d rather shoot him myself than ever say my son is a cop. It is not an honorable job so get off your high horse and see your husband for what he really is, an extortionist with a thirst for blood who loves to ruin lives! Until your so called good cops stand up against the injustices the “1%" their kind make, THEY’RE ALL THE SAME! Look around you, there’s a reason the American people are pissed with your breed.”
I won’t spend my time commenting on the obviously skewed perspective this individual has, nor his use of threats of violence against his own son. The point remains, however, that between this person’s point-of-view and the seemingly constant barrage in mainstream media of “cops gone wrong”, it seems like popular culture reviles those of us who have sworn our very lives to defend them and, by extension, their right to hate us.
It seems that somewhere along the way society as a whole (which includes cops, by the way) has lost perspective on what it means to be a police officer.
People seem to have forgotten that we are, indeed, a part of the very society we have sworn to protect. We have mortgages. We have families. We have problems. We make mistakes.
You know, just like everyone else.
The issue, more often than not, is we have by and large stopped taking responsibility for our own actions and are much more inclined to point the finger at someone else. God forbid we admit our faults and attempt to improve our lives.
No, it must be someone else’s fault. Our parent’s. Our teacher’s. The government. The judicial system.
I actually understand why the commenter mentioned above could have that perspective. The pervasive (and misplaced) mindset of popular culture dictates that police officers are mostly arrogant, power-hungry, abusive assholes that don’t actually care about the community. The reality, however, is vastly different.
I know more cops than I can count. Almost all of them are decent, hard-working folks. There will always be the ones that make bad decisions and have no business being in law enforcement. You know what, though? There are people in every industry.
The problem is, people get real brave typing away on their computer. In a custody setting, we call them “Door Warriors”. They talk a big game calling you out, but when that door gets popped, it’s amazing how quickly the tune changes.
I would venture to say this is the case with this commenter as well. He talks tough when his anonymity is (at least on the surface) fairly protected, but when the chips are down and he needs emergency assistance?
