A Lack Of Respect

 

 

I’m greatly disappointed at the scope of interest displayed in the shooting death of St. Louis police officer Tamarris Bohannon.

Bohannon, a 29-year-old African American police officer, was shot in the head a week-and-a-half ago . He died the next day. His white attacker has been charged with armed criminal action, first degree murder, assault, burglary, resisting arrest  and unlawful use of a firearm. But so far, I haven’t seen any recognition of his passing by the NBA, NFL, NHL or Major League Baseball

The baseball Cardinals honored the memory of Lou Brock…a worthy honoree… by putting his uniform number on the field. The team did tweet their respects to the officer’s family. But I think it fell short.

You see, for me, this thing cuts both ways. I detest bad cops…and support efforts to find them, weed them from the ranks and prosecute them when they violate the law. But what of the 35 officers who have died nationally from shootings this year? How do you minimalize that number?

I weep for Officer Bohannon’s three kids. Because he chose to put on a badge to protect the people of St. Louis, they will be raised fatherless.

Pundits will point to the 100 police officers in the US  who have died from COVID-19. In their mind, that makes 35 murdered cops a manageable number.

Not for me.