A song entitled "Silence is Violence" came out just a few years ago. I personally am not familiar with this song but I know that the ideas presented in the lyrics of this song served as a spring-board for an organization called Silence Is Violence, organized for the purpose of helping and encouraging children in New Orleans to turn from violent activities and engage in constructive activities and experiences instead. This is a very worthy organization, and similar groups have sprung up around the nation. Since then, "Silence is Violence" has turned into a slogan calling for people to take action to end domestic violence, street violence, date rape, and several other worthy causes. Unfortunately, in one of the many "protests" televised by the national media concerning Ferguson and New York City (you know, the "unjustified killing" of unarmed Black men by police) I saw some people carrying signs proclaiming "Silence Is Violence." I could only infer that these people were implying that those who remain silent with regard to Ferguson and NYC, as well other "unjustified" killings of citizens by the police are furthering violence. So, I will remain silent no longer!
First of all I would like to break my own silence by re-stating the obvious, and what has been common law ever since we were English colonies: Any person, including any police officer, has the right to defend himself with force, including deadly force, when that person believes that he is in immediate danger of losing his own life at the hands of another. Since the states have been formed one by one, over the past two-hundred plus years, each and every state has enacted laws specifically stating that a police officer who is in imminent fear for his life may use deadly force to defend himself. Further, the states have all added to this law another provision, that is that police officers have no duty to retreat prior to using deadly force. The reason for this proviso was that the police were appointed by our civilized society to stand as a barrier between law-abiding citizens and law-breakers. Given this responsibility, it only followed that the police needed to be given the necessary authority to carry out this task.
Second, I would like to restate what must have been an obvious observation by most people during these past troubled weeks, and that is that, notwithstanding the hype forced down our throats by a head-line hunting media, grand juries failed to indict (that is they No-billed) the two police officers involved in both of these most infamous situations. In other words, after hearing both witnesses and experts, and seeing the forensic evidence, grand juries found that there was not enough evidence to indict these officers for murder. Grand juries are the foundation of our rule by law, not by men, system of justice. But "protesters" continued to tear up their own neighborhoods even after the grand juries spoke.
Third, the news media and certain Black "leaders" are responsible for fanning this apparently growing refusal to acknowledge that the actions of these "unarmed" (and in some cases ARMED) suspects were themselves responsible for causing the events that led to their deaths. For instance, in Ferguson the "teen" was a hulking young man who was in fact just as tall and several pounds heavier than the officer who confronted him. This "teen" proceeded to beat the officer to the point that the officer feared for his life! But the "teen" could have submitted to arrest at any moment, and ended the situation without bloodshed. In New York, we are told that a man was "only" selling cigarettes without paying taxes (bootlegging). When confronted by police the man resisted arrested. He was breaking a minor law. BUT...he resisted arrest. All he had to do to stop the situation was submit to his clearly lawful arrest. But he resisted to the point that several officers had to hold him and attempt to handcuff him, then to the point that drastic action had to be taken to subdue him. Even then, it was clear (to the grand jury) that the officer did not intend to kill the man, but used the force he believed necessary to stop the resistance. Even now in Texas, another Black man was shot by a White police officer, and, AS USUAL, the media and race-baiting "leaders" are on the scene and protesters are protesting right on cue. In this case, the poor man was shot because he had a pistol in his hand and turned toward the officer AFTER THE OFFICER ORDERED HIM TO DROP HIS WEAPON. This one does not even warrant comment. But the constant railing by the media and by the "leaders" has directly led to the deaths of at least three police officers, and at least one incident where officers unnecessarily placed themselves in mortal danger because they were White and the suspect chasing them with a butcher knife was a minority.
If Silence Is Violence, then I do not want to foster more violence by not speaking out against this continuing and ludicrous national trend of condemning our police officers for carrying out their sworn duty and responsibility, and that is standing between us and criminals, even if it means using deadly force. There are laws in place to deal with unlawful police actions. There are laws in place that call for the automatic review of shootings of citizens by the police (who are citizens themselves, by the way). I realize that there was a time when minorities could not rely on these laws and procedures, but that was several decades ago. If anything, the law now goes the extra mile to ensure fairness to all concerned. I expect and demand that police officers protect me and my loved ones by first protecting themselves while they do their most dangerous job. I am sure I would be very angry if one of my relatives were killed by a policeman, but I also know that I would rely on the grand jury to decide whether or not to indict the officer. And, even if the officer were indicted, that officer would still be entitled to a trial, just as would be any other citizen.
If Silence Is Violence, then I do not want to foster more violence by not speaking out in support of our police officers. No, I do not like everything the police do, but overall I appreciate the work they do. I understand both first hand and as a bystander that the police are in danger every minute they are in uniform. The murdered New York City officers are a loud testament to this fact. I believe in the Second Amendment and I frequently exercise it. But, most often I am unarmed and depending on the police to protect me. I am confident that the police will act in a lawful manner. Why? Because the police, like most of us, are law-abiding citizens. And, like most of us, they go to work to do their job in the best way they can. I am also confident that very few police officers wake up each day with the desire to kill someone during their upcoming shift. Most police officers, like most of us, just want to do their jobs, have successful careers, and live long enough to retire. Most of us know that most police officers are here to protect us, and that is why we can live our lives as worry-free as possible in a free society.
So ....if Silence Is Violence, then I am shouting out loud here on this page that I for one stand behind our police officers, that I for one will NEVER protest when a cop is forced by a criminal to use deadly force to protect himself or herself, because that cop, by dealing with the criminal, is not only saving his or her own life, but is saving your life or my life as well. I for one will never protest a police officer's power and authority to use deadly force. I refuse to stand silently by anymore when certain "leaders" and the media use these events for political or monetary gain. And above all, I refuse to be a part of the portion of society that has grown so unreasonable and so ignorant that they feel the need to riot and ravage in the guise of "protest" when the very thing they are protesting is trumped up by that media and hawked by the supposed "leaders," up to and including the President of the United States.
If Silence Is Violence then I shout loudly from this page...
COPS' LIVES MATTER!!
God bless you,
And God bless America
First of all I would like to break my own silence by re-stating the obvious, and what has been common law ever since we were English colonies: Any person, including any police officer, has the right to defend himself with force, including deadly force, when that person believes that he is in immediate danger of losing his own life at the hands of another. Since the states have been formed one by one, over the past two-hundred plus years, each and every state has enacted laws specifically stating that a police officer who is in imminent fear for his life may use deadly force to defend himself. Further, the states have all added to this law another provision, that is that police officers have no duty to retreat prior to using deadly force. The reason for this proviso was that the police were appointed by our civilized society to stand as a barrier between law-abiding citizens and law-breakers. Given this responsibility, it only followed that the police needed to be given the necessary authority to carry out this task.
Second, I would like to restate what must have been an obvious observation by most people during these past troubled weeks, and that is that, notwithstanding the hype forced down our throats by a head-line hunting media, grand juries failed to indict (that is they No-billed) the two police officers involved in both of these most infamous situations. In other words, after hearing both witnesses and experts, and seeing the forensic evidence, grand juries found that there was not enough evidence to indict these officers for murder. Grand juries are the foundation of our rule by law, not by men, system of justice. But "protesters" continued to tear up their own neighborhoods even after the grand juries spoke.
Third, the news media and certain Black "leaders" are responsible for fanning this apparently growing refusal to acknowledge that the actions of these "unarmed" (and in some cases ARMED) suspects were themselves responsible for causing the events that led to their deaths. For instance, in Ferguson the "teen" was a hulking young man who was in fact just as tall and several pounds heavier than the officer who confronted him. This "teen" proceeded to beat the officer to the point that the officer feared for his life! But the "teen" could have submitted to arrest at any moment, and ended the situation without bloodshed. In New York, we are told that a man was "only" selling cigarettes without paying taxes (bootlegging). When confronted by police the man resisted arrested. He was breaking a minor law. BUT...he resisted arrest. All he had to do to stop the situation was submit to his clearly lawful arrest. But he resisted to the point that several officers had to hold him and attempt to handcuff him, then to the point that drastic action had to be taken to subdue him. Even then, it was clear (to the grand jury) that the officer did not intend to kill the man, but used the force he believed necessary to stop the resistance. Even now in Texas, another Black man was shot by a White police officer, and, AS USUAL, the media and race-baiting "leaders" are on the scene and protesters are protesting right on cue. In this case, the poor man was shot because he had a pistol in his hand and turned toward the officer AFTER THE OFFICER ORDERED HIM TO DROP HIS WEAPON. This one does not even warrant comment. But the constant railing by the media and by the "leaders" has directly led to the deaths of at least three police officers, and at least one incident where officers unnecessarily placed themselves in mortal danger because they were White and the suspect chasing them with a butcher knife was a minority.
If Silence Is Violence, then I do not want to foster more violence by not speaking out against this continuing and ludicrous national trend of condemning our police officers for carrying out their sworn duty and responsibility, and that is standing between us and criminals, even if it means using deadly force. There are laws in place to deal with unlawful police actions. There are laws in place that call for the automatic review of shootings of citizens by the police (who are citizens themselves, by the way). I realize that there was a time when minorities could not rely on these laws and procedures, but that was several decades ago. If anything, the law now goes the extra mile to ensure fairness to all concerned. I expect and demand that police officers protect me and my loved ones by first protecting themselves while they do their most dangerous job. I am sure I would be very angry if one of my relatives were killed by a policeman, but I also know that I would rely on the grand jury to decide whether or not to indict the officer. And, even if the officer were indicted, that officer would still be entitled to a trial, just as would be any other citizen.
If Silence Is Violence, then I do not want to foster more violence by not speaking out in support of our police officers. No, I do not like everything the police do, but overall I appreciate the work they do. I understand both first hand and as a bystander that the police are in danger every minute they are in uniform. The murdered New York City officers are a loud testament to this fact. I believe in the Second Amendment and I frequently exercise it. But, most often I am unarmed and depending on the police to protect me. I am confident that the police will act in a lawful manner. Why? Because the police, like most of us, are law-abiding citizens. And, like most of us, they go to work to do their job in the best way they can. I am also confident that very few police officers wake up each day with the desire to kill someone during their upcoming shift. Most police officers, like most of us, just want to do their jobs, have successful careers, and live long enough to retire. Most of us know that most police officers are here to protect us, and that is why we can live our lives as worry-free as possible in a free society.
So ....if Silence Is Violence, then I am shouting out loud here on this page that I for one stand behind our police officers, that I for one will NEVER protest when a cop is forced by a criminal to use deadly force to protect himself or herself, because that cop, by dealing with the criminal, is not only saving his or her own life, but is saving your life or my life as well. I for one will never protest a police officer's power and authority to use deadly force. I refuse to stand silently by anymore when certain "leaders" and the media use these events for political or monetary gain. And above all, I refuse to be a part of the portion of society that has grown so unreasonable and so ignorant that they feel the need to riot and ravage in the guise of "protest" when the very thing they are protesting is trumped up by that media and hawked by the supposed "leaders," up to and including the President of the United States.
If Silence Is Violence then I shout loudly from this page...
COPS' LIVES MATTER!!
God bless you,
And God bless America
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