WHO CARES?

by Dave Atwood

WHO CARES, WHEN A FAMILY RECEIVES A CALL LATE ONE NIGHT THAT A LOVED ONE HAS BEEN KILLED BY THE POLICE?

WHO CARES, WHEN THEY SIT ALONE IN THEIR HOME WITH MEMORIES OF THAT PRECIOUS LOVED ONE WHO IS NO LONGER THERE?

WHO CARES, WHEN THEY SEEK UNDERSTANDING FROM SO-CALLED VICTIMS RIGHTS GROUPS, BUT RECEIVE LITTLE SUPPORT BECAUSE THESE GROUPS ARE OFTEN DEFENSIVE OF THE POLICE.

WHO CARES, WHEN THEY ARE STONEWALLED BY POLICE AND COMMUNITY OFFICIALS WHOSE ONLY CONCERN IS TO LIMIT THEIR LIABILITY.

AND WHO CARES, WHEN THEY ARE DISRESPECTED BY THE SO-CALLED CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM WHICH SEEMS TO BE ALWAYS PROTECTIVE OF ROGUE AND INCOMPETENT POLICE OFFICERS?

WE CARE, WE CARE,

YES WE CARE. WE MAY BE FEW IN NUMBER, BUT WE CARE. WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO TOTALLY UNDERSTAND YOUR PAIN, YOUR SUFFERING, FOR ONLY SOMEONE WHO HAS HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE CAN DO THAT, BUT WE DO CARE.

WE CARE ENOUGH TO WORK WITH YOU TO ACHIEVE JUSTICE. WE CARE ENOUGH TO WORK WITH YOU TO HOLD POLICE OFFICERS AND COMMUNITY OFFICIALS ACCOUNTABLE.

WE CARE ENOUGH TO WORK TO ACHIEVE A RESPONSIBLE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, A SYSTEM THAT DOES NOT DEFEND ROGUE OR INCOMPETENT POLICE OFFICERS. AND PERHAPS, MOST OF ALL,

MOST OF ALL, WE CARE ENOUGH TO BE YOUR FRIENDS, AND TO BE THERE WITH YOU IN YOUR PAIN AND SUFFERING.

A PRAYER

THERE IS A SAYING THAT THE WORLD BENDS TOWARDS JUSTICE. I BELIEVE THAT SAYING TO BE TRUE. JUSTICE WILL BE ACHIEVED, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, OVER TIME. HOWEVER, THERE IS A LOT OF PAIN AND SUFFERING INVOLVED WITH ACHIEVING JUSTICE. A LOT OF PAIN AND A LOT OF SUFFERING. AND SO,

MY PRAYER TONIGHT IS THAT WE WILL REMAIN STEADFAST IN OUR RESOLVE TO ACHIEVE JUSTICE. THAT WE WILL NOT GIVE UP. WE WILL USE THE PAIN AND SUFFERING WE HAVE EXPERIENCED TO MOTIVATE US TO ACHIEVE A FAIR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM FOR ALL PEOPLE. TONIGHT WE ASK GOD, HOWEVER WE UNDERSTAND GOD, TO BE WITH US AS WE GO FORTH. WE WILL SEEK GOD’S STRENGTH, COMFORT AND WISDOM AS WE WORK TO ACHIEVE TRUE JUSTICE.

AMEN.