Remembering the True Heroes In California

It’s so easy to criticize someone in this day and age. It truly is.

Social media makes it all too easy for someone to jump on a political bandwagon and curse out at someone they wouldn’t even imagine getting into a real conversation with. Or jump on board with a cause they know very little about.

Case in point. Back in 2020, in the midst of what was going on with COVID, millions hopped aboard the “defund the police” campaign following the death of George Floyd. So many hopped on board that local governments drained their police budgets, leaving our dedicated male and female police officers to literally fend for themselves.

But we need to remember something. These police officers are not your enemy. They are here to serve you and protect you.

Am I saying there aren’t bad apples in the bunch? Of course not. A few police officers approach the job with the wrong way of thinking. But a majority of the men and women in blue out there fight for the better way of life – even if that means putting their own lives on the line.

And there’s no greater example of that right now than what’s happening in Los Angeles.

As you might have heard, several major brush fires are raging in southern California, rampaging their way through parts of Hollywood and Los Angeles. So far, over a dozen have been reportedly killed in the fires, with over one million left without power and thousands of people evacuated from their homes. Thousands of homes have burned and are gone.

It’s the worst kind of devastation. And yet, in the midst of all this, police officers are out there making sure that people are safe.

Thousands of officers are out there right now, working alongside firefighters to safely evacuate people from devastated communities and making sure no one gets hurt. For that matter, some officers are searching to find out how the fires may have started, possibly looking into someone who may have committed arson.

That brings me back to my point. In the worst of times – and in the face of relentless heavy criticism, most notably from Democrats and, at times, even President Joe Biden himself – officers pull through. They don’t show concern about who will criticize them or call them out for being terrible. They set out and they do their job.

I’m sure people will hop on social media and have their opinions, but the fact is that officers are doing more out there right now, alongside other brave citizens, than their critics ever would or could.

I think it’s a matter of jealousy. They wish they had the courage and opportunity to do good in the face of turmoil, but instead languish in the comfort of their easy chair, believing it’s easier to wag a finger than pat someone on the back.

It’s all too easy nowadays to forget who the real heroes are. The tireless citizens who set out to make sure that the right message is heard, even if they face the possibility of punishment as a result. The dedicated men and women who suit up in small-paying jobs just for the sake of making sure that others make it home in one piece.

The people who actually make a difference in this country, letting their actions speak more loudly than their words ever could. (Some of those Washington Democrats could easily learn a lesson from them.)

So here’s to the officers. The officers out in California that are pushing to keep others safe in the midst of a hellscape. And for that matter, the officers just trying to keep their local community safe in the face of ever-changing times. This takes a great deal of bravery and dedication, and, more importantly, being able to tell right from wrong. I’m proud of what our officers are doing, and cheer them on as they continue to do what they can to make the world a better place.

Consider this the next time you hop on Facebook.