[quote]Will207 wrote:
[quote]idaho wrote:
I have been LEO/ Military all my adult life. I will continue to strive to be the best professional I can be and will always follow to the laws of my country, however, deep down in the darkest corners of my heart, I know that if you are: LEO, Military, Firefighter, or any job that requires you to enforce rules, the “public” could give a shit less if you live or die. [/quote]
My woman’s cousin paid the ultimate price in Afghanistan 7 years ago yesterday. When he died, the entire city mourned him. His procession filled countless overpasses as he made his way down the Highway of Heroes. Businesses wrote his name on their signs. You couldn’t find a Canadian flag above half mast anywhere in the city. Thousands attended his funeral. The local hockey arena commemorated him by naming a rink after him, a huge honour for any Canadian. When you say his name in his hometown, everyone knows. Everyone remembers.
I share your thoughts from time to time, and I hate going there. It pisses me off when people talk about celebrities or TV shows when cops, soldiers, firefighters are dying protecting the people they serve. I remember when 9/11 happened. First responders and military were heroes. That eventually subsided and everyone went back to shopping and American Idol. When things are good, we are loathed. When they are bad, we are loved. It’s a Catch 22.
idaho, I hope everything is well with you. Know that people do care about what you’re doing. You know better than most that the work you do is rarely noticed until it stops, and it can never stop. You’ve been at this for a long, long time. I probably don’t know anyone as committed and dedicated to the cause as you. You’re a professional warrior and not too many people understand it. People are unaware and separated from the evil of the world because of guys like you. For all you’ve done and sacrificed, thank you. I know you weren’t looking for this, but you probably don’t hear it enough.
I hope I’m not rambling. I’ve had a long day and just came in from a jog.
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I would echo everything that Will has said here. I don’t have as personal an example, but reading your post idaho, I immediately thought of Cst’s Ross, Gevaudan and Larche of the RCMP. They were tragically gunned down in Moncton, NB on June 4, 2014.
Despite a few pretty rough years PR-wise for the RCMP, when the news hit the whole nation felt gut-punched. I live on the opposite coast and people here were reeling. The outpouring of love and support actually chokes me up even now as I write about it.
Idaho, I’ve not been where you’ve been, seen what you’ve seen nor done what you’ve done. That said, I still believe in my core that, deep down, the average, decent person supports the police. He may bitch about the ticket he got or the latest news story but deep down he knows that without the sheepdogs who go out into the dark to push back the ugliness, the violence and the chaos for a just a little longer, life would be unliveable. It’s dirty, dangerous, thankless work much of the time. Nonetheless, when push comes to shoot, the overwhelming majority of people still know who has their backs.
“People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.”
Stay strong and be safe, brother.