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This morning while driving across town for a stop at Doughnut Pantry, I noticed that Fire Station #1 had added the "Thin Blue Line Flag" representing fallen law enforcement and first responders. I called Chief Tim Dunphy and asked what the deal was. His response was, "When Officer Wilbert Mora, passed away yesterday. The second police office to die in that terrible shooting in NYC, I just got sick and had to do something. IT is getting crazy out there." He went on to say, "None of those people wanted to die, none of them, now here we are, what is wrong in the world. Everyone is so stressed and high-strung. We have to get back to treating each other better."
It is a hard thought to argue. The world has gone nuts.
To all of Lakewood's first responders, even the part-timers and volunteers. Many of us appreciate you more than we will ever tell you.
Peace/Love
Jim O'Bryan
Lakewood Resident
"The very act of observing disturbs the system." Werner Heisenberg
"If anything I've said seems useful to you, I'm glad.
If not, don't worry. Just forget about it." His Holiness The Dalai Lama
“Sometimes, a cigar is just a cigar.” Sigmund Freud
While I understand your concern, and appreciate itm because it is a part of the narrative now.
Chief Dunphy nor is the Lakewood Fire Department racists.
I take him at his word.
"The Thin Blue Line emblem was established to symbolize all law enforcement personnel similar to the Red Cross symbol representing all medical personnel. ... The Thin Blue Line is a small token to remind us that the presence of law enforcement is to bring forth peace and diminish hostility and violence."
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Jim O'Bryan
Lakewood Resident
"The very act of observing disturbs the system." Werner Heisenberg
"If anything I've said seems useful to you, I'm glad.
If not, don't worry. Just forget about it." His Holiness The Dalai Lama
“Thin blue line” was adapted as a motto for police after two policemen were killed in New York City by a guy who had just shot his girlfriend. The policemen were Hispanic and Asian. 57 percent of the patrol officers in New York City are not white. Even more if you count the Italians. Patrol officers are the most likely to be shot. Non-white patrol officers do not like getting shot just as much as white patrol officers do not like getting shot.
Despite the original intention of the Thin Blue Line flag, unfortunately, it has been usurped by the right-wing white supremacy faction of our society. Therefore, it has become a symbol of that movement more than it has become a symbol for the police.
Is the thin blue line flag now associated with white supremacy? I guess I didn’t know that. Sometimes I wonder if people just look for bogeymen these days. But what do I know….
Last spring / summer/fall I rode my bike down to the Whiskey Island Still probably 25-30 times to get some fresh air and exercise, and to listen to great music. I rode there on Labor Day and watched the air show Thunderbirds and listened to the Armstrong Bearcat Band. AMAZING event! The Thunderbirds everywhere, great blues-rock, the Lake and marina, boats, dancing, sunshine, just a fantastic time.
There were a couple older men waving flags and dancing. The man dancing and waving the thin blue line flag must not have known of the white supremacy connotations either, because he was black. Probably still is! I chatted with him some.
BTW that was just an amazing time, to see the air show Thunderbirds and hear Butch Armstrong. That man can flat out play guitar. It was a sensory blast. And free because I just hang out at the fence with the bike and listen. The guy with the ZZ Top beard who works the entrance from Wendy Park knows me now, we chat. He has the best job in the world. I’d post a couple videos if I knew how. Labor Day there was the most fun I had all year. I see where Butch Armstrong is already booked there again for Labor Day 2022 and it’s in my calendar. Seven miles there, air show, blues-rock, sunshine, water, good non-obsessive people. Butch is just fantastic. You don’t dare cover Joe Bonamassa unless you can really play. An hour or so at the Still, then seven miles back. I saw a Santana cover band there the next weekend, Evil Ways. That man can play too. Somebody help me post a video....
A lot of things went off the rails during the Trump era. Support fallen police officers? Absolutely. Support white supremacy? No thanks. But that blue line is real blurry these days.
“Never let a good crisis go to waste." - Winston Churchill (Quote later appropriated by Rahm Emanuel)
Here’s a link to the video I referenced above: Click Here!. It’s down at the Whiskey Island Still last Labor Day, a man waving a thin blue line flag. Just a phone snippet.
And here’s a few short video snippets of the Butch Armstrong / Airshow Thunderbirds at Whiskey Island last Labor Day. Did I mention what a good time I had? Anybody wanna bike down there with me next September and partake?
