Our America: Holding the line
/WE THE PEOPLE of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution for the United States of America.
The preamble to the Unites States Constitution … and so it begins in 1787. Our founding fathers were all about putting out fires, not starting them. Having lived and worked in urban, suburban and rural area law enforcement, I have found that politicians, modern lawmakers and even some rural enforcers have failed to understand the importance of self-reliance and personal responsibility for one’s own safety, security and welfare.
If you ask the average citizen about being victimized by criminal activity and what they would do if and when confronted with violence, the typical response is “I would just call 911 for help.” There is a false sense of security created with the 911 system that has some believing that with a single call, an officer will be dispatched immediately to save you and your family within minutes of the call. Unfortunately, this couldn’t be further from the truth with an ever-shrinking thin blue line tasked to cover increasingly large geographical areas or sometimes within areas of greater population density than before.
While rapid response times of emergency responders in urban and suburban areas have historically been of top priority, in rural America individuals and families have always understood the importance of self-defense capability without reliance on government to come to the rescue when faced with emergencies and threatening encounters. The United States is estimated to consist of about 97% rural areas, though only about one-fifth of the overall population resides in these rural areas according to the United States Census Bureau. In many areas of the country, law enforcement response times are measured in hours, not minutes, if there is any response at all. It wasn’t until more recent times that there was even 24-hour on-duty law enforcement coverage of my home county here in West Virginia. With diminished staffs and funding, even urban and suburban areas are now experiencing a longer wait and increasing response times for police arrivals, too.
Even those with good intentions often mistakenly promote the idea that government, through law enforcement, will be able to protect against criminal intrusions or violent confrontation. I hear politicians, especially those with no concept of rural life, promote the frequently repeated adage that law enforcement is all that protects us from succumbing to violence and anarchy. While it is the intent of law enforcement to be a first-line defense, it is not a realistic expectation nor possible in many situations and scenarios. The truth is that it is the American people who are tasked to protect our land, lives and livelihoods, with law enforcement to be relied on for help and guidance to assist in that effort.
Lately we hear stories where citizens are arrested for raising a firearm when confronted with intruders at their residence after being placed in fear for a family’s safety; then having guns confiscated under court order or resulting from “red flag” laws. While there may possibly be other circumstances used by the courts to justify such charges or action, when this occurs law enforcement is put into a difficult position with a public perception that the police are taking away the individual right to protection of one’s self and family. With extended response times in many communities, this adds to citizen insecurity and becomes a “hot” topic on social media and in the towns and neighborhoods where this has occurred. It is situations like this which serve to further the divide in our country and put law enforcement squarely in the cross hairs of the current debate on reforms.
The reality is that we all have a personal responsibility for our own protection, and our Constitution’s Second Amendment ensures that citizens are reasonably afforded the opportunity to possess the tools which may prove necessary to do just that.
Isn’t it odd that some of the same people who promote “modern interpretation” or changes to our Constitution’s Second Amendment are, in many cases, the same people who are advocating for less police? Should law-abiding citizens be placed in no-win situations at the mercy of those with intent to cause harm? Ironically, even rioters have gone from yelling “defund the police” to “call the police” upon being confronted with violence.
During this time of reflection and reevaluation, let us view the world how it really is and not the way many wish it would be with a view toward making sure that WE THE PEOPLE move ever closer to that more perfect union envisioned by our forefathers.
Joel E. Gordon is a former Field Training Officer with the Baltimore City Police Department and is a past Chief of Police for the city of Kingwood, West Virginia. He has also served as vice-chair of a multi-jurisdictional regional narcotics task force. An award winning journalist, he is author of the book Still Seeking Justice: One Officer's Story and founded the Facebook group Police Authors Seeking Justice. Look him up at stillseekingjustice.com
