In light of more recent developments in the US, additional police arrests for homicide reported; officers and citizens marching side by side peacefully; violent rioting and looting calling for positive changes in our social system; the family of a murdered innocent man pleading for peace; some state’s leaders coming forward declaring to rid their communities of police departments altogether.
Clearly we are in transformative times, many answers are much needed. However, the looming demands for reform, beg these questions:
How far is going too far? What exactly is needed for absolute positive change? Is the whole law and order system corrupt beyond needed improvements? Is there an intermediary solution? Those are the million-dollar questions I suppose. And if someone has all the answers, will you please step up?
Some sort of meditation and intervention by us as leaders is obviously needed. Ponder the possibilities without emotions clouding our vision for long term stability, support, and safety with integrity and non-biased opinions. Or can we? We must, it’s mandated with our individual and collective duties to act in accordance with ethics and integrity. At a time in history when Peace, Unity, and Love are the principles we stand for, more than at any other time.
- What are the issues involved with making such life-altering decisions?
- How many thousands of police officers will be unemployed?
- Can our unemployment benefits fund, stand under that weight?
- What about the effects on the officers and their families emotionally?
- What about their children, their hopes of getting a higher education dashed on a whim?
- What about the ones who dreamed of walking in their parents’ footsteps, protecting their friends, families, neighborhoods, communities, and much more?
- Will the officers be paid a lump sum amount based on their time of service?
- How will policymakers replace our guardians? What is needed now, to stop the deep divisions in thinking and acting?
- This is just an inkling of the issues involved.
- What about the bigger picture?
- There are good and bad in every profession. Do we just eliminate the profession because of a few bad actors?
- Or do we look at the overall perspective of the value they impart as and unto the whole?
- We are the ultimate decision-makers. Is the contagion bigger than the solution?
- What will WE decide?
Let US put down our weapons, our defenses, our personal, social, and political agendas and do the right thing for everyone. Not just a chosen few. Not for the powerful, but for the good of all humanity, embracing and honoring our differences in the process of deciding the fate of thousands and millions, who depend on US.
