The Meaning of America

Friends-In the last few weeks we have had two high publicity cases where police officers were gunned down. One case happened here in Houston, the other in Illinois. By all accounts Both officers were good family men. It’s natural to feel great sorrow for their families. 

Nationally, the police officer’s deaths have been politicized. There are wild claims by some that the police are under attack. The statistics show otherwise. The “Black Lives Matter” Movement has been wrongly blamed for the officer’s deaths. There are calls for greater demonstrations of community support for police officers. The public has dutifully responded as requested. 

Let us not in this emotionally charged moment forget two things:

First, We live in a Pro-cop society. Cops are already lionized on every network every night. The public has been fed Pro-police dramas night after night since the advent of television. The networks are not alone in their Police Worship Fest. Local News “reporters” nightly fawn over the cops. So the current assertions that cops don’t get enough love are false. In this country the cops are idolized & loved and always have been. 

Second, the bad cops only get away with murder because of the so-called good cops. The code of silence between cops is ” exponentially greater” than the Mobs own “omertà”, or code of silence. Bad cops get away with bad things because good cops remain silent. The good cop’s silence is complicity that allows the bad cop’s bad conduct to thrive. 

Consider what occurred when North Charleston, Officer Michael Slager, shot Walter Scott in the back 8 times. Shortly after Officer Slager murdered Mr. Scott, a second cop arrived. While the presumptively good second cop stood over the body, Officer Slager dropped a ” throw down” near the body of Mr. Scott. Officer Slager did that in the presence of the good cop, apparently confident that the good cop would remain silent. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jc49JDjWHsw&sns=em

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBwOyKpEbwU&sns=em

But for the video Slager’s murder of Mr. Scott would very likely have gone unreported. Why?

Because the good cops honor the Blue Code of Silence. Under their Blue Code of Silence, good cops remain silent. Good cops don’t report the misconduct and crimes committed by bad cops.  Under the Blue Code of Silence bad cops get away with assaults, beatings and even murder because good cops remain silent.

What kind of cop remains silent in the face of assaults, beatings and murder? 

In remaining silent, the good cops dishonor the very badge they wear,they enable the bad cops and they forfeit the title “good cop.” 

No doubt many cops are good and honorable men and women. But not all good cops are good cops.

It is our right and our duty to make certain that public servants serve the public. It’s our right and our duty to make certain that cops serve and protect. A society that encourages blind faith in police officers, is a society that is choosing not to protect its own liberty. 

Keep videotaping. 

Robb Fickman, Houston, Texas