“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
How is it that this profound thought has so morphed into today’s mantra of “Black Lives Matter” and “defund the police”? Dr. King’s legacy of inclusion, peaceful protest, “equal rights” and individual responsibility is now construed into white shame, lawlessness, looting, and reparations. A great American like Dr. King must be rolling over in his grave to see how his message of peace and inclusion has been highjacked by radical extremists.
The murdering actions of a rogue police officer in Minneapolis has enraged the nation, and rightfully so.
This rage is misdirected to thuggery, anarchy, looting, arson and defunding of police; is this what Dr. King advocated? I think not! The actions of one (or four) murderous individual(s) should not lead to structural changes in our American system and structure of government. Seems like our system is working, as intended; the rogue officer has been fired, arrested and is charged with murder and will never see the “light of day”. His accomplices have also been fired and will be arrested and face similar charges and fate.
Rather than protest, loot, pillage, deface public and private property, and plundering of institutions and businesses, how about some constructive support in our communities? Citizens should constructively become involved in their local governments.
If we expect our police to be more involved in the community, don’t we all have a responsibility to be involved ourselves? Our police are vital to the safety and security of our community.
We need them and they should be supported, not denigrated. How about investing in our local city government and police to make sure we hire, get and keep the best individuals possible for our community? Support your local government and police!
Dave Asplund
Enumclaw, B.C.