Dallas officials on the Dallas County Commissioners Court recently voted on a resolution that would signify July 7th as a day to honor all Dallas officers killed in the line of duty. The date is significant, as it was the very day last year when five Dallas police officers were gunned down in a coward-like ambush by an assassin.
Although hardly anyone could possibly find fault in declaring a day honoring law enforcement officers like the five who lost their lives last year, there was one official who refused to vote on the resolution that is John Wiley Price.
According to KTVT-TV, Price “abstained” from the vote, stating the following reason for his stance:
“It’s interesting in this country how you again continue to try to frame a narrative with regards to other people who have lost their lives at the hands of law enforcement. Any loss of life is bad.”
As reported by KDFW-TV, it seems Price felt the ambush that inspired the date of remembrance and honor of police officers was one that was prompted by what he called unjust police violence.
In a way, Price is right. At least in the sense that the criminal, Micah Johnson, who killed the officers in cold blood did feel like he was doing so as a way to protest “unjust police” violence.
However, his hatred went above simply disliking cops or trying to improve the relationship between communities and the officers sworn to protect them. Johnson very much advocated violence towards all whites and Jews as well. His goal that day in July was to kill as many white officers as possible. He supported the New Black Panther Party, but had no direct ties to other known political or protest groups.
John Wiley Price implied that he felt it wasn’t good to honor fallen cops because the gunman felt justified by what he perceived as unjust killings at the hands of other cops. Well, if this logic is utilized, one could make the case that no Americans should be honored or remembered on 9/11, because the terrorists believed their actions were justified. The logic simply doesn’t hold up.
Looking into what caused a person to break and go on a rampage is a good idea, because society as a whole can hopefully learn more about how to help such people. However, the fact that the “killer” felt justified does not take away the fact that five innocent human beings were gunned down for no other reason but being a cop. This is wrong.
Sgt. Michael Mata of the Dallas Police Association shared how Price’s refusal to honor fallen officers made them feel:
“Once again, we have an elected official who is showing complete disregard and disrespect to the men and women who protect this city. I think the public would want him to do the right thing and apologize.”
Mata’s feelings are of course completely understandable. However, if he hopes to get an apology out of Price, he will likely be disappointed.
Price isn’t backing down even once his comments and actions were called into question. His response when asked if he would apologize:
“Not in this lifetime,” he said. “Until we start to recognize all life, then no life is more important than any other life.”
There are no lives valued above another. However, police officers choose to go into a profession where they know they will be shot at, spit on, punched, cursed out, laughed at, disrespected, beat up and possibly killed. However, they get up each day and go to work.
They make the choice to stand in front of civilians and take a bullet for them if necessary. They are men and women with families, hobbies, faith, and friends just like the rest of us, yet they willingly give up so much for all of us who are merely strangers to them. Therefore, a day to honor them is not only appropriate but most certainly warranted.
~ Conservative Zone
