Something remarkable happened yesterday in Dallas. On the darkest day in American law enforcement history, a glimmer of hope and promise shined. Yesterday, a faction within America, deciding to act on their darkest thoughts, turned hate into action, killing 5 and wounding more. The only thing that has prevented this from happening in the past isn’t anything law enforcement has done: it is that someone hasn’t made the choice to do it. That choice – defining that evil – happened. And in that evil we glimpsed the greatest testimony to unified justice that we could: the law enforcement response.
As it stands right now the shooter – or one of the shooters – ended up in a standoff with the police. Holed up and actively resisting, making threats to the end, any one of us – law enforcement or not, American or not – would’ve done everything we could to have engaged him and ended his life. To settle the score. An eye for an eye.
And yet they didn’t. A negotiator – a negotiator – was brought in. Think of that…of what that means. An unseen attacker, from out of nowhere, has killed a handful of your coworkers – your family – and wounded handfuls more and you, in your justified fervor and anger exercise the one thing that you are condemned for abusing: restraint. When any response would be justified, you exhibit restraint. The utmost restraint.
So to American law enforcement, to specifically the valorous men and women of the Dallas police department: thank you. Thank you for doing what you do but mostly thank you for being who you are: principled, honorable, and just. You kept America from tipping over. In your darkest hour, at the edge of the abyss, you personified truth, justice, and the American way. In an era of superficial beliefs and misguided allegiance, you are true super heroes. I, for one, am honored to live behind the shield of freedom and justice you embody.
– Matt Graham
Thank you Matt, as a former LEO, and veteran, and resident of the greater Dallas area. It was truly a sad moment in this great city. Not since Kennedy has Dallas been more in the spotlight of this Great nation. It was a conversation with my children this morning as they tried to grasp this tragedy, that really brought it to light the futility of these actions. My daughter asking me why they don’t understand that two wrongs don’t make a right. Sadly this is the world our children are growing up in.
To those who have taken an oath, to those that have pledged your lives to protect us. Thank you, you’re not unnoticed.
I agree whole heartedly. As my son-in-law is a police officer, I know that he has a thankless job which is often maligned and demeaned by the media, despite the HONORABLE and RESTRAINED service that he and his fellow officers gave, day in and day out, often working under hostile and life threatening circumstances. So I thank you and join you in you tribute to our men and women in uniformed service.
Thank you.
greater love has none than to lay down his life……these brave men face this challenge everyday …
May the good Lord protect these men and women who do so !
Matt,
Thank you no truer words have been written.
Stay safe,
G Barr
Thank you for your thoughts and words…..articulate and on point as always.
Excellent post, and what I’ve been saying all along. What makes us better, is that we follow the rules – no matter what. It’s infuriating, it’s demoralizing, it’s condescending at times …. but it’s what must be done. Seventeen years in LE, and I still believe; we must work for the people who cannot protect themselves. I joined to protect the rights of the individual. Don’t become disillusioned, hold fast to you what you know is true and right. Be able to look back and be proud, even if the results aren’t what you wanted. *That* is the difference between the believers and the skeptics. I’m not well off, I have a smaller house than my IT and utility company friends, my kids don’t go to private school, but I every time I feel frustrated, bottomed out, and just plain depressed I look back at what I’ve accomplished. Doing things the right way, for the right reasons. And yes, it does make me feel better. I want to have lived a good life, and the sacrifices are worth it. Don’t lose faith.