Blue Lives Matter
In early October, police officers in Palm Springs, California, responded to a domestic disturbance and a gunman shot two of them dead. One of the victims, a Latino veteran of the force, was a father of 8 who had served 35 years and planned to retire in December. His fallen colleague, a 27-year-old female, left a four-month old baby without a mother.
The killer was a known gang member with an extensive record. But this tragic double murder received scant national publicity, in contrast to police shootings of civilians, especially if those civilians happen to be black. It makes no sense that when cops shoot civilians, even if they’re armed felons, there’s intense coverage, but when armed felons shoot cops, there’s far less media attention.
Law enforcement personnel deserve more support and encouragement from politicians, from the public and, above all, from the press. Yes, blue lives matter too.