Editor’s Note: Police1 recently launched a new series, “First Person,” where P1 columnists and members candidly share their own unique cop’s-eye-view of the world, from personal nsights on issues confronting cops today to observations and advice on living life behind the thin blue line. This week’s feature is Jim Glennon’s follow-up to “Arrogance and Ignorance,” posted in this space last month. Do you want to share your own “First Person” perspective with other P1 Members? We’re on the lookout for well-written opinion from our members, so Email us your short article.
“The world has never had a good definition of the word liberty, and the American people, just now, are in much need of one.” Abraham Lincoln, April 18, 1864
A few weeks ago I wrote a “first person” essay for Police1 entitled Arrogance and Ignorance. It was an editorial concerning my thoughts and my beliefs about how our Country’s citizens have lost perspective about many things: our history, our present, the role of media in a free society, and what it takes to maintain our way of life and the freedom to which we are accustomed.
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By Lt. Jim Glennon
Lombard (Ill.) Police Department
The response from Police1 readers was swift, significant, and sometimes emotional. Many of the comments can be viewed by looking at the article and the accompanying readers’ remarks that follow it. But in addition, I received a significant number of emails. And many of those pieces of electronic correspondence contained opinions and emotions that dwarfed those posted in plain view on the website. Many of these I wanted to share with you here so I reached out to those who emailed me and requested permission to cite their words. Interestingly, while most agreed to let me use their thoughts, almost everyone had a curious caveat: I had to promise not to reveal their names or email addresses. Several asked that I not even mention their departments as they were afraid that someone would be able to figure out their identity and associate the opinions cited in my article with them.
What sparked my interest is that their collective fears demonstrated a minor point that was alluded to in the original article: political correctness is endangering one of our most basic rights; Freedom of Speech.
I received a few criticisms that included labeling me things such as: stupid, ignorant, racist, or anti-Islamic. This actually illustrated another point in the original article: that the calling of names and the labeling of others is meant to distract from the point, stop serious debate, and thwart discussions that are absolutely necessary for a free society to exist. I even received some sort of form letter from a human rights watchdog group that advised me I was being reported to the Chief of the San Francisco Police Department. I wrote back that I didn’t really care if they reported me as I don’t work San Francisco and even if I did what the hell would the Chief of Police do to me for expressing an opinion that had absolutely nothing to do with that department? I also found it stupidly ironic that an organization that exists for the purpose of preserving the basic rights of individuals was threatening me for simply expressing my personal views.
But, let me address a couple of issues raised, clarify some points, and express my beliefs as a free citizen of this, the greatest of countries.
In the Comment Section after the article on the website there were dozens of great observations and thoughts posted. Some of my favorites were from ‘sempervigilo’ my Scottish brother in law enforcement. He dialogued very respectfully about a number of things, but I want to address two of them here: the Koran being treated with respect at Gitmo and Timothy McVeigh, a Christian, and his domestic terrorist act.
First, my point about the Koran being handled as a “fragile piece of delicate art” as they are handled by soldiers and/or handed to prisoners at Gitmo (as this was also an issue with the E-mailer – not ‘sempervigilo – who advised me I was a racist). I have no problem with any religious article from most any religion being treated with respect; including the Koran. My objection in this case is that to these (and allow me to make this point very clear) RADICAL CRIMINAL TERRORISTS, the Koran isn’t a Religious text; it is a Terror Manual. They don’t focus on the peaceful passages in the Koran, they search the manuscript for verses that justify their murdering of populations! That isn’t anti-Islamic rhetoric—that is reality! These people use the Koran to rationalize killing us!
I’m sorry, I’m probably stupid, but I don’t know where it says in our Constitution that TERRORISTS have an unalienable right to read a book that commands them to kill anyone who has a different view than they do, including the soldiers handing them the Koran. Again, just to clarify: these are not citizens who wish to practice a religion, these are killers looking for marching orders.
While on that subject, a law enforcement officer who is also in the military wrote and advised me of the stories he is told by friends of his who have been stationed at Gitmo. He related the following:
“You are right about people not having a clue about what really goes on at Guantanamo. The media has portrayed the place like a torture chamber run by sadistic criminals while portraying the prisoners as defenseless victims. Did you know that there have been hundreds of attacks on the guards there by those peaceful detainees? That the prisoners have balanced meals of over 4,000 calories a day? They have tremendous health care, recreational opportunities, and when they pray they set up barriers to keep the guards out and only certain people are allowed to touch the Korans? And these are prisoners of war! Our media never acknowledges that reality but fall all over themselves depicting our military personnel as war criminals! Our media cares nothing at all for truth if it shows the United States in a positive light. Why is that?”
Second is the matter of Timothy McVeigh. I received a couple of emails about Christian Terrorists being as dangerous as Islamic Terrorists. Bottom line, he didn’t invoke the name of Jesus when he committed his despicable act, he didn’t cite the New Testament in order to justify killing children, he didn’t believe in an afterlife, and he declared himself an “agnostic.” So in my opinion, he wasn’t a Christian. What he actually was, was a psychotic, murderous, asshole.
Several officers echoed my frustration with the media and their view of reality when it comes to both the War on Terror and law enforcement in general. Each noted that the media appears to seek out examples of corrupt behavior on the part of cops and/or the military while ignoring the reality of Criminals and the Terrorist agenda. One officer noted:
“The main stream media would rather discuss Jen, Brad, and Angelina than have a serious debate about our porous borders and the illegal penetration of our Country that is threatening our very existence! Cops and soldiers are scrutinized as they risk their lives to defend our freedoms and conservative politicians are belittled and called racists for believing in secure borders and punishing criminals. Meanwhile, Hollywood actors such as; Sean Penn, Danny Glover and Kevin Spacey are given a pass as they openly embrace Hugo Chavez an anti-American, dictator, who has practically eliminated free speech in his country as he shuts down radio stations and newspapers who have the audacity to criticize and question him. Does no one see the irony and danger in this?”
Finally, I received an email from an attendee of the Street Survival Seminar in Deer Park, Texas. In the Seminar we do a block of instruction on Terrorism and the reality of that very real war and how it pertains to law enforcement. I censored his exact position with Homeland Security but other than that, here is what he said:
“I (work) for U.S Customs and Border Protection. (In the Seminar) we talked about terrorism and how Americans have become lax and don’t care anymore, that night the DHS Secretary made her speech to Congress and avoided mentioning terrorism by name and mentioning attacks!!! This is our boss ignoring the cold hard facts!”
I had already read several articles and caught some commentary about his reference to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano avoiding the terms “terrorism” or “Sept. 11" in her remarks prepared for her first congressional testimony since taking office. Is this the attitude we really need from the person in charge of our nation’s security against foreign enemies?
Have we gotten to the point that the person who sets the tone for over 200,000 Homeland Security employees is afraid to acknowledge that September 11th really happened and Terrorists did it. Or as one reader noted: “Are we going to politically correct ourselves into extinction!”
