Senseless Shooting in Dallas

We’d be foolish to think racism does not exist all across our country and we are now at a point where what divides us seems to be more paramount than what unites us.

Thursday was marked by mostly peaceful protests over two separate incidents earlier in the week in which black men were shot and killed by white police officers with those killings captured on video for all of us to see. The images were graphic and horrific and one could understand the reaction of African-Americans and those who protested but at the same time we should not jump to conclusions and allow independent investigations to determine right and wrong.

With that said what took place in Dallas last night is something that should concern all of us because it will at least for the short term impact the way those in law enforcement view their jobs and the general public.

During the late portions of a peaceful protest Dallas police officers on the scene to insure safety were victims of an orchestrated and calculated ambush which left five of them dead and six injured. It’s the worst mass-casualty for the law enforcement community since 9/11 and while too early to draw conclusions would appear to be a reaction to what transpired earlier in the week.

While we don’t know all the facts we do know the men and women we trust to protect us are now clearly targets and you can only imagine how they and their families across the country feel today.

Those of us who are rational know that the overwhelming majority of police officers do their jobs in a professional manner and their motivation is to serve and protect. Today they mourn the senseless murder of five “brothers” and we need to come together and show our respect and unity for all of those who carry a badge.