If you know me at all, you know that I try VERY hard to not be judgemental. This doesn't mean that I never am! Believe me!!!! I have opinions, just like the rest of you! However, I have learned in life, that the things I have always said I would never do, I probably have. The situations I swore I would never be in, I have. The thoughts and idea's I said I would never believe, I have or may. I just find that it is not my place to judge. I am not qualified to say why a person is where they are, what they should do about it. I have thankfully, never been called for jury duty! I am no one's judge. I leave that to a higher power. Someday we will all be judged by someone who knows every breath we have every taken. Until then, it is simply my place to either accept you for who you are or politely decline to have you in my life.
I didn't always feel this way. The "power" of youth giving me free luxury to think I owned the world and had the right to dispel my thoughts, beliefs and idea's on those around me. Like most "kids" I thought I knew the answer to all the problems in the world, why they were there and how to solve them.
Then, thankfully, I grew up and realized how dreadfully wrong I was.
With all this being said....I have watched my facebook status' updates from various friends and family fill up with various opinions on the tragedy that took place close to home today.
I have seen compassion, sympathy and yep, hatred.
Soapbox level 1........Now, let me stop right here and say..... One of my absolute closest friends is a cop. Additionally, I have many other friends who have spouses that are also in or want to be in Law Enforcement in some fashion. So let me tell you, I am grateful each day of my life for the job they do! It is certainly not a profession that you get into without realizing the risks and not one that any of them choose lightly to be sure. And definitely not one that I would chose (I'm afraid of getting hurt or being yelled at ;)
I am beyond saddened for the families left behind of the fallen police officers today. They are hero's!
Yes, THEY ARE HERO'S! I recognize, understand and accept that it is their job. They took an oath to serve and protect ordinary people with the risk and understanding that some day their badge number could be retired WAY to early. I understand that when they kiss their spouses and kids goodbye or hang up the phone with a friend, that in the blink of an eye, an ordinary night could become their last! They do, on some level, have routine nights and jobs. I also know, that they choose this profession, again, knowing the risks. So, before you say, well they are not really hero's...its part of their job....Let me say this.....EVERY job has risks!!!!! If you think they don't you are wrong! A secretary, while unlikely, could not come home from work at night because someone unbalanced came into their work place full of anger. A routine factory worker could be at the wrong place when a piece of equipment malfunctions. A teacher or teaching assistant could walk into a classroom (unaware) with a student already fueled by anger and in a millisecond have a student holding her by the throat with a pair of scissors at her neck (yep, true story and it did happen to me). A nurse, even with precautions could get poked by the very needle they just used in an HIV patient. Even Mr. Producer has risks with all the airplanes and helicopters he flies in. So make NO MISTAKE....every job has risks. A police officer, fireman, nurse, whatever, know and accept those risks. Yet they can not and do not dwell on them. They do not (usually) choose their profession or deny what they have been called to do because of those risks. They are just people like you and I doing a job they love! With what is usually the very rare chance that something may actually happen to them. The same with their families. It is a risk to be the spouse of someone, regardless of their job! It is a part of loving and accepting a person for who they are AND what they do!!!!!
What happened today, with the death of 2 law enforcement officers, injury of another and subsequent death of the convicted felon in question....is terrible!!!!!! I do NOT condone death! It will always leave families without a precious person in their life!
With soapbox level 1 you should have guessed how saddened I am by the death of these officers!
Soapbox level 2...... As despicable as the convicted felon in question is, and believe me, he had done some things that are beyond imaginable and almost unforgivable, he was still a human being.
***NOW PLEASE KEEP READING BEFORE YOU SEND ME HATE MAIL OR QUIT READING***
I can not find sympathy in me for the death of this man, in and of this man himself. But, let us remember, that this man was someones son, husband, friend. Yes, you could question the parenting that lead him to become the person he was, or you could simply accept that many serial killers were raised in great homes, with loving parents and that we ALL choose the decisions we make!!!!! Yes, you could questions the type of person that would marry or befriend such an individual or you could simply say that, you would politely decline to accept a person who makes those types of decisions in YOUR life.
Again, please understand, I do not condone what this man did. I find most decisions he has made in his life deplorable and beyond my understanding. Yet, he was a person.
Furthermore, I will admit, that while I do not condone death or killing, I am thankful that my tax dollars will not be used to defend and provide for this man that would have died anyway, perhaps years later in prison. I am thankful, that the families of the fallen officers have closure and do not have to sit through months and years of heartbreaking trial. I am not saddened that this man has gone to his eternal resting place.
Soap box 3.... I am however, saddened by the hatred that some have spread today. A few people that I know posted things that were hateful and 1 of them even sent me a beautiful email of apology BEFORE they knew I was going to get on my soapbox,, just simply because they felt bad by saying things they did not believe in and knew that I didn't believe in! (You know who you are, and I was surprised by your email to me, yet proud to call you friend and family that you actually went out of your way to apologize, as I knew you did not have that kind of feelings within you in general). I KNOW that a hateful situation often brings out hateful feelings in people. That is only human nature! I would be lying if I didn't admit to a moment of hatred myself for what this felon did today and the lives and families he tore apart. Yet, PLEASE stop for a moment friends and family and realize that when you verbally share those feelings of hatred, with even your spouse, let alone a whole public social forum, then you are A) spreading and encouraging those thoughts of hatred and B) giving the person who stirred the hatred more recognition and glamour than they should ever have.
Please think for a moment, that every war, every murder, every hurt, every bombing has been caused by hatred. Granted, your simple rambling on a page where only 100 or so people can read it, all that share your same views mostly, probably won't start a war or bombing or murder....BUT all of these things do have something in common. Of course, you will hate the situation, most people would and do. And yes, you may hate the person that caused it.....yet, sharing the hate only encourages it....some feelings may just be better left in your own head and heart!
side note..... one of the greatest mysteries to me is how people who do not believe in abortion can justify blowing up the clinic thus killing everyone inside??!!!!!!
So, I hope that all my friends, while saddened and maybe even hateful of today's event, don't continue to encourage the hatred by sharing it with others!!!!!
Soapbox out........
To all LEO the world over, thank you! To all my friends and family, I love you! To the families of the fallen officers involved in today's tragedy, my deepest sympathize, prayers and thoughts!
To all my readers, you know I do not "soapbox" often. I typically try to stay more on the light hearted side of life in my blog. If this has offended you and you are politely declining to be a part of my life any longer, I am sorry but I understand and accept your decision!!!!! If you accept me for who I am but don't share my same opinions, I respect that and won't judge you!!! I can agree to disagree!!!!
