Almost all kids dream of being different things when they grow up. Some want to be professional athletes, some want to be doctors, some may even aspire to be the president of the United States. For me, I wanted to be a cop.
I don't remember why, but that was what I wanted to be until I had my first airplane ride and then I wanted to be a pilot. I did get to try to make that dream a reality but as I have written before, it was not in God's plan for me to do that.
And, even though I have not achieved the other dream of being a cop, I am still interested in law enforcement. I have done several ride-a-longs with different agencies and I always come away with nothing but respect for what they deal with each and every day of their working life.
Because of my physical defect (my right foot must be heavier than my left one), I have also had a few interactions with law enforcement when I may be speeding just a wee bit in my car. And again, nothing but respect for how I was treated -- even when it might have cost me a little in fines.
I get that not every man and woman in law enforcement have the best of motives. They are human just like the rest of us and, just like every other group of professionals, there are good ones and bad ones.
But, what is happening around the country with regard to our dedicated law enforcement personnel is a disgrace. When elected officials turn their backs on people we depend on to keep us safe, it sickens me. Those individuals are to be despised and called out for what they are -- spineless.
If someone in law enforcement does something wrong or unethical, likewise they should be called out and held accountable. But don't paint them with a broad brush and accuse the whole profession of misconduct.
All of these "movements" going on around the country do nothing to solve the problems they are trying to fix. Instead, they tarnish the reputation of hard-working, dedicated men and women who put their lives on the line for us every day.
It is the right thing to do to hold "bad" cops accountable, but don't make it seem like all of them are bad, because they aren't. In fact, the "bad" ones are a very, very small percentage of that long blue line. But, if you listen to some in the media, it's all of them.
How many people who have bad run-ins with law enforcement don't show them the respect that the officers are showing them? I would bet that would account for most of the problems we see around the country.
Our law enforcement personnel have a very hard, risky and sometimes downright dangerous job. I, for one, appreciate all they do to keep us safe and condemn the attacks that are coming at them from several fronts. I just wish everyone would stand tall in support of them -- that's the right thing to do.
Kevin Wilson is a former state representative who was born in Goodman and now lives in Neosho. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
Editorial on 09/05/2019