It Still Takes a Village

The institution of Law Enforcement initially stood for service and protection of the people within a community. However, since the inception of the enforcer of law, the paradigm of a good-guy-bad-guy concept has ultimately led to a disintegration of the line that actually defines who those good and bad guys are.

As a result, we’ve given power and authority to some of the most reprehensible criminals in our communities; and we’ve provided them a cape of invisibility that they wear like super-heroes, but in reality use to shield their own crimes.

Anymore, all we see is the brutal nature of “law enforcement”: boys with Wii remotes murdered on their doorstep; young boys held at gun point for building a treehouse; and worse yet, the militarized approach to apprehend a suspect that ended with an explosive device thrown into a baby’s playpen. His place of safety.

Obviously, there was a problem long before an infant or law enforcement became involved. But that problem was not an out of control police department; or even a problem of drugs. The problem was and still is the commitment of the community to take responsibility and be a community.

It’s an unfortunate plague that has struck the citizens of any region to believe they are not in any way responsible for the progression of their environment. Instead, they say “I pay taxes for heroes! Let the police take care of it.” And to the phone they run.

What about the part of the community responsible for the drugs being there in the first place. It’s simple, if the demand was not present, nor would the supply be. And because it’s so much easier to object to the problems rather than deliver feasible solutions, the taxpayers then fail to police their “heroes.” Any why? Because they are too afraid.

So, sadly, under the guise of a war on drugs, the community supports a team responsible for blowing up a baby, when the reality is that the community is the reason for the drugs to begin with. Well, here’s the truth. If the community believes the police are the only people responsible for maintaining the safety of their jurisdiction, they are just as guilty as the officers that launched a grenade into a baby’s playpen. Into the only place of safety Baby Boo Boo knew.

Today when you walk through your front door; when you sit on your couch watching your favorite shows; or when you go lay in your bed at night; I want you to consider how safe you feel in those places. Whether from your community or your elected officials. When you start having doubts, and imagining all the horrible things that could happen in your place of safety and comfort; I want you to think about what you did today, and what you’ll do tomorrow to change that.

You are the reason your community is the way it is and you can change it by changing the minds of your neighbors. You just have to claim your responsibility.