It's everywhere. Shootings and protests. Every news station is talking about it, every radio host sharing a new addition to the story along with their opinion on the matter. It happens in a rhythm. A shooting occurs involving a black life, and within hours protests are occurring all over the country. But what about the protests that won't happen?
A peaceful protest in Dallas turned hostile when 12 police officers were shot, five of whom are now dead. These officers were brothers, fathers, and sons. These men heard the call to serve, and yet are no longer able to.
Every time a black life is involved in a shooting a protest immediately follows. The event spreads across the nation like wildfire, and people are so quick to assume that the cop is corrupt and the black person was innocent. So many are quick to jump to their feet and argue that all cops believe black people are malicious and thugs, but the truth is that sometimes they really are criminals.
On Thursday night, five officers where shot and killed. Seven of their brothers where injured in the attack. However, across the country Black Lives Matter protests continue. The world hardly paused to recognize the lives of those officers lost in Dallas, but have halted everyday life to make sure the rest of the world knows that black lives matter. What about the blue lives?
What about Officer Brent Thompson, Officer Patrick Zamarripa, Officer Michael Krol, Officer Michael Smith, and Officer Lorne Ahrens? Where are the protests for these men? Why do their lives not matter?
Each of these officers were forced to leave behind a loving family, and grieving friends. These officers where not guilty of anything. They were five random officers who were shot and killed simply for being law enforcement members.
It is devastating to know that, today, we live in a world that cares more about continuing to protest a cause than remembering the men who were killed for doing their job. It is heartbreaking and maddening to watch such a large portion of society continue on without even pausing to see the repercussions of its actions.
Because of the deadly attack in Dallas, the country is less safe. A traffic stop won't happen, an officer won't report to a car accident scene, a robber will make off will a store owners money because no officer will arrive in time to stop it, there will be no officer to perform CPR on the young girl who collapsed on the street because that officer won't return home tonight; that officer is dead.
Blue lives matter and it is time that this country starts to see it that way. Today, we grieve with the families of the men who were killed, but their suffering will continue long after the media has stopped reporting on the attack.
Rest in peace, officers, you are loved.
