The Thin Blue Line

Last night I heard the news that two NYPD officers were assassinated in their patrol car by a lone gunman who later committed suicide.  After all of the protests and negative press about the two grand jury decisions, it was only a matter of time before something like this would happen.  Last week a comic in a local paper featured a group of black children asking Santa to protect them from the police.  Serving as a police chaplain, and having counseled and ministered to many police officers over the years, I see what these men and women have to deal with.  Most people have no clue, and yet so many are so quick criticize.  In one city, a councilman actually wants to have a policy where police officers will not be permitted to drawl their weapon or shoot until a criminal shoots at the officer first.  As I thought about the murder of these two officers in light of a local protest that took place, I was moved write the following Facebook post.  

Praying for the families of NYPD officers Liu and Ramos, and their colleagues. A striking contrast comes to my mind. This morning channel 6 featured the latest "die in" out on the main line, this afternoon two NYPD officers died in their patrol car. The first group have nothing to fear if they stay within the law, the second gave their lives enforcing the law. The first group had their right to free speech protected by the very people they are protesting, the second have their voices silenced, never to be heard again. The first gets to go home, the second to a funeral home. For the first it will be just another Christmas, for the second, there will be no more Christmas. For the families of the first, there was celebrating and high fives that they got their minute on the news, for the families of the second, there was shock and tears and grief at the news given by a commander and a chaplain. I don't begrudge the first group, but when I see the sacrifice of the second, it reminds me how much we all need to appreciate those who put the uniform on and put their lives on the line.

Blessings,
Dr. Paul