e devoe @elliemae0404 from twitter sent me this.
It’s wonderful. Please share it with your friends
Today I stopped Caring
By Lt Daniel Furseth, DeForest, Wisconsin Police Department-Via NYC Fire Wire
Today, I stopped caring about my fellow man. I stopped caring about my community, my neighbors, and those I serve. I stopped caring today because a once noble profession has become despised, hated, distrusted, and mostly unwanted.
I stopped caring today because parents refuse to teach their kids right from wrong and blame us when they are caught breaking the law. I stopped caring today because parents tell their little kids to be good or “the police will take you away” embedding a fear from year one. Moms hate us in their schools because we frighten them and remind them of the evil that lurks in the world.
They would rather we stay unseen, but close by if needed, but readily available to “fix their kid.” I stopped caring today because we work to keep our streets safe from mayhem in the form of reckless, drunk, high, or speeding drivers, only to be hated for it, yet hated even more because we didn’t catch the drunk before he killed someone they may know.
Nevertheless, we are just another tool used by government to generate “revenue.” I stopped caring today because Liberals hate the police as we carry guns, scare kids, and take away their drugs. We always kill innocent people with unjust violence. We are called bullies for using a Taser during a fight, but are condemned further for not first tasing the guy who pulls a gun on us.
And if we do have to shoot, we are asked “why didn’t you just shoot the gun out of their hand?” And when one of us is killed by the countless attacks that do happen (but are rarely reported in the mainstream media) the haters say, “Its just part of the job.” I stopped caring today because Conservatives hate us as we are “the Government.” We try to take away their guns, freedoms, and liberty at every turn.
We represent a “Police State” where “jackbooted badge-wearing thugs” randomly attack innocent people without cause or concern for constitutional rights. We are Waco, Ruby Ridge, and Rodney King all rolled into one lone police officer stopping to help change an old lady’s tire. I stopped caring today as no one wants us around, but instantly demands answers, results, arrests, when a crime takes place.
If a crime isn’t solved within the allocated 60 minutes it takes CSI on television, we are inept, incompetent, or covering something up. If we do get “lucky” it was just that and everyone with a Facebook account can post wonderful comments of how “they” would solve the case and how “we” are not nearly as clever.
I stopped caring today because a video of a cop six states away, from a department that you never heard of, screws up and forgets his oath of honor, thus firing up an internet lynch-mob of cop haters even though 99% of us work twice as hard not to end up in the news and to still be “the good guys.” We are “militarized” because we wear body armor and kevlar helmets when shots are fired or rocks thrown at us and carry scary looking rifles even though everyone knows that they are easier to shoot and are more accurate than a handgun or a shotgun.
I stopped caring today because the culture of today’s instantly connected youth is only there to take and never give back. To never accept responsibility for ones actions, but to blame everyone else instead of themselves. To ask “what is in it for me?” versus “what can I do for you?”
To idolize gangsters, thugs, sexually promiscuous behavior, and criminals over hard work, dedication, and achievement. To argue that getting stoned should be a right, yet getting a job or an education is a hassle. To steal verus earn. To hate versus help. Yes, I stopped caring today. But tomorrow, I will put my uniform back on and I will care again.
Queen Of Liberty™ 
Well written , damned fine article, lady…thank you for putting it out there. You and your work are very much appreciated -Matt
Thank you very much Matthew. Please stop by more often and share your thoughts. God bless you & Merry Christmas!
Thanks for sharing “Today I Stopped Caring”–I retweeted and emailed because it is an important statement.
Thank you Margaret. Please stop by the site more often. We love patriots like you. Merry Christmas!
One gripe. It is not the conservatives that hate the police, it is the far right radical libertarians that hate the police, and the “police state” they have determined it to be. They really desperately need to break off from the conservative movement. They’ve brought about more disunity than anyone else.
There is a difference between the police & a police state. I agree with you that it is radical libertarians who hold those beliefs mentioned in this piece. However, I’m not the author and I doubt he will ever see these comments but I get what you are saying. Take care. Please stop by the site more often and voice your opinion. We would love to hear from you! Merry Christmas!
I was speaking to the author QOL, not addressing you. Have a very Merry Christmas you as well. Love getting your pieces in my inbox. Great insight.
{{Hugs}} Much luv to you!
Right back to you. You do a terrific job of getting your (our) msg out. Very proud of you!
I agree with your comment, minpin06. It seems to me the radical libertarians are trying to overtake the conservative movement, that’s probably an easier “in” than going to the liberals. The party who appears to be the weakest at this point is the Republican party, meaning no substance, no direction. Also, the left allows very little sway, if you know what I mean.
A police state could be achieved at this point, it appears the left is working to that end. They seem hell bent on “transforming” the local & city police departments. I wonder what they have in mind. Federal control is what I think they are after.
Alexis, I hope you don’t mind. I put my thoughts on an earlier excellent post regarding the men/women of the blue. Maybe save someone from falling asleep!
Char- Thank you very much for your thoughtful and great reply. I do understand what both you and QOL referred to as a difference between the police, and a police state. Yes, Obama promised that he would have a civilian army, that was as well funded and as strong as our military, and he is working toward that end with now trying to federalize our law enforcement agencies. They are in fact using the Sanford and Ferguson and Staten Island shooting cases as the take off point. Who would have ever thunk that Al Sharpton, the star shakedown artist, would be assigned to help him and Holder with those goals.
No, the liberals/progressives do not allow much sway, or room for a difference of opinion. There are no blue dog Dems. left.
Just months after the 08 pres. election, Ron Paul took his money bomb funds and started the Campaign for Liberty org. I somehow happened upon a website that I am certain was not meant for public consumption. It appeared to be a site for those that appeared to be the leaders, or “team captains” that were going to go out and gather up as many supporters as they could. The article started out by saying that they had looked at both the Democrat and the Republican parties, and decided that they were going to try to overtake the Republican party, because the Rep. were lazy, and didn’t want to “get their hands dirty.” Yes, the Rep. party was much easier to infiltrate, and take over, as there was no pushback, even from the Dems.. I remember a time when in many districts, here in VA, the Rep. never even tried to recruit and run a Rep. in many many elections for local, state and federal elections. Here in VA., the C4L went out to every college they could get onto, and recruited as many young squishy minds as possible by pushing legalized drugs, don’t even think about ever having to go into the military because we don’t ever agree with going to any wars to defend our nation, and hey, if it feels good do it. I think many of us went through the stage in our young lives where you do believe you are smarter than everyone else, as though when you learned something, you were the first to become enlightened, and that utopias were possible, if only everyone did it your way.
I’m sure that we’ve all seen the comment sections on many sites, when Rand Paul is mentioned, you cannot say you disagree with anything Paul is in favor of without being called every name in the book. You are insulted, slammed, bashed and trashed because you are not on Rand Paul’s bandwagon. Unfortunately, the liberals, and the moderate Republican leadership and their ruling class, throw a blanket over all of the conservatives, as though those creeps speak for all of us, and represent all of us. I’ve said more than once, there are really three factions in the Republican party, the moderates or liberal Republicans, the Reagan type conservatives who still respect and honor all three planks of the conservative movement, and the far right libertarians. The libertarians adopted the “term” conservative, as it is the largest block of citizen supporters, but not the overarching idea of it as a way of living, as is supported in many of Russell Kirk’s works. They are not conservatives, they are libertarians.
I wonder if the officer that wrote the excellent piece above had in mind when Rand Paul, just days after the Ferguson shooting, when no facts were yet released said that he didn’t blame the blacks in the community for mistrusting the police. Adding the use of military equipment was incidental as Paul had told black audiences earlier that he sympathized with them because they were still treated unfairly in the American justice system. He used police stats from a far left org. that was started and funded by Geo. Soros, Res Republica I think it called. The stats were manipulated, twisted and tortured to get the results they wanted. Rand Paul has met with Eric Holder on the unfairness of the judicial system toward black citizens. He recently met with Al Sharpton if you can believe that.
Just try posting positive comments about Ted Cruz, who I support and respect completely in the comment sections. It’s as though the libertarian community bells all go off on their computers, and they come out in force to slap you silly. I won’t stop though, or give up. I can’t quit fighting for the best thing since Reagan.
Sorry for the long winded post. I’ve been thinking about all this alot lately.
Merry Christmas.
@minpin06 – Thanks for your wonderful post, the depths of which you have studied this is obvious. It has taken me a few days to check out the links and information you provided. Very interesting and confirms what I already suspected. Ah, I was reading just moments ago comments on a Washington Times article by Wesley Pruden (entitled Rand Paul, Marco Rubio debate in spirit of Founding Fathers) dated December 22, 2014 – the article discusses the current disagreements between Marco Rubio and Rand Paul regarding Obama’s recent decree pertaining to Cuba. The comments are wildly venomous towards anyone who opposes Rand Paul, but this is familiar as I recall a caucus I attended in my hometown when his father was running for the Republican nomination. Those Ron Paul supporters had their kids canvassing the place with all kinds of handouts, it was interesting as I observed the faces on the people who attended. People are fairly conservative here in mannerism, so of course nobody wanted to appear offended or appear annoyed by the chldren but honestly, they were like little soldiers. It was not a pro-Paul group at the caucus overall, our caucus selected Rick Santorum but the Paul-bots would not be deterred. They argued, tried to persuade and even, in my recollection, to intimidate. It seems to be their modus operandi.
Nice talking to you on here, you have a lot to offer and I truly appreciate your insight.
Merry Christmas to you and yours!
There is a tipping point where the police, tasked with maintaining civil order, loses the trust of the people that pay their salaries. On the wrong side of that tipping point civil order decays and policemen like Lt. Furseth stop caring.
It may not be easy to point out any single cause, but most of us will agree that the list includes a lot more than traffic tickets for overdue auto tags or for jaywalking. Certainly, the over-representation of drug crimes in our prisons is beyond dispute. The ability to confiscate and profit by the confiscation of property and cash in crimes, even presumed crimes, is notorious. The hiring of 100,000 police in the last war on crime led to the hiring of many ex-military types who have not adopted an attitude of public service. Training that uses targets of mothers holding children and assumes that force is required to control every confrontation is a problem. Turning Farm Bureau and EPA field people in to LEO’s is a problem. Using MRAPS to serve warrants is a problem. “Broken window” policing tactics are a problem. Once the police are no longer members of the community but a uniformed and menacing presence, the trust is lost.
ignorant politicians use police to enforce egregious and unpopular laws. The police take point positions for this attack, whether it is gun laws or smoking pot in the park. But the Lone Ranger only has so many silver bullets.
It only takes a few incidents to kill trust. It doesn’t require corrupt cops. A policeman who swaggers down the road with a chip on his shoulder to confront a guy who just had an argument with his wife is an explosive situation, and pouring gunpowder on it, from either side, is dangerous. It is exactly that kind of discretion, that kind of situation, that shows the difference between a police professional and a military cop in the wrong uniform.
It’s tough enough being a cop when he or she gets support and respect from the people on the street. It’s impossible when they do not.
We need more Lt. Furseths who care, and when we get them, everyone will care.