There seems to be no limit to the number of fuzzy thinking people who want to dismantle/defund police departments. Initially, after the George Floyd death, nine Minneapolis city councilors, including the council chair Ms. Bender, loudly demanded such. It was a time of chaos, and the city hired private security at large cost, to protect those same councilors. They, as well as Mr. Vandeberg, who wrote in the Sept. 16 Herald, focused on specific incidents by police and thus condemned entire departments made of scores of dedicated men and women who put their lives on the line every day and night performing countless duties which I appreciate.
I have little regard for most of the “protestors” who never seem to have jobs and are almost always accompanied by looters and other thugs. I’m reminded of the old adage, “Birds of a feather, flock together.” They can’t even police their own ranks, and in the case of Minneapolis, destroyed many minority owned businesses, for no reason, and now us worker bees are supposed to pay for the rebuilding! Minneapolis has lost over 100 officers to retirement/resignation since this spring, and crime has surged, especially black on black murders. Where are the two unbelievably reverent East Coast preachers to comfort those families?
The protest groups are demanding change, yet I have never heard or read how they are going to change. First, I’d like to see them get legitimate jobs and start pulling their weight in society. Secondly, stay home at night with those families which you claim to cherish and don’t put yourself in dicey, late night questionable situations. All forms of media are quick to publicize police shootings of minorities, but they rarely do real journalism and provide follow up of why minorities seem to be targeted, and are thus fueling the situations.
The murder of a fine young Grand Forks policeman and wounding of other officers by Mr. Pendleton, a career felon, and his AK-47, scarcely made the news other than locally. What a shameful commentary on American news coverage.
There are many fine people in this world, irrespective of their skin color, and all lives should matter, especially those of our law enforcement and military personnel. Reform of police departments may be needed but has to be accompanied by reforms in the very people who are protesting the loudest.
