Silent Outrage

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chaskel-bennettBy Chaskel Bennett

Lost in the tumultuous and disturbing events of Ferguson, Staten Island and Baltimore are the thousands of daily interactions between police and local citizens that peacefully transpire with uneventful, un-newsworthy outcomes. For most communities across the country, it is the professionalism and unreported heroism of law enforcement officers that play a meaningful role in the quality of life for average Americans.

With the ambush and death of officer Brian Moore today, we in New York City have been dealt another very serious blow. Moore is the third NYPD officer gunned down in the line of duty, just in the past 5 months.

When police officers are murdered in the line of duty, it is a national and societal tragedy with enormous repercussions. 25 year old Moore was out doing his job, protecting the citizens of our beloved city when he was shot while still sitting in his unmarked police vehicle. His murder is unbearable for a city still feeling the excruciating loss of NYPD officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos this past December.

And like in December, there will be no protests in NYC. There will be no riots, looting or fires and no, there will not be mayhem from many struggling to make sense of this heinous crime on humanity. But make no mistake, there is a collective shock, grief and silent outrage from regular citizens. What is also shocking is the unbearable realization that it has become acceptable, again, to malign and physically attack members of law enforcement. NYC has been here before. We simply can’t go back to the bad old days. Society must emphatically declare that such a development is intolerable and our elected officials must know how we ,the people, feel. It also must be known that those who incite hatred of, and violence against cops will be held accountable both in the court of law and in the court of public opinion.

‎I believe the silent majority of law abiding citizens of our city and our country genuinely appreciate the heroic job done by the men and women in uniform every day. We must become more vocal. Jewish communities in particular, no stranger to threats and violence aimed at our people and institutions are particularly grateful to law enforcement agencies for protecting us. We understand well, the frightening threats we face and it is a source of security and comfort knowing that our police professionals are out on the front lines. For that protection, dedication and so much more, we take the murder of any police officer personally.

Religious and communal leaders must urge Americans of all faiths and ethnicities to support and respect their police departments as they go about keeping our streets and neighborhoods safe. Critics will argue that bad cops exist and some do not deserve to wear a badge. What we don’t hear enough from them though, is that most officers act with professionalism and valor and that bad cops are the exception not the rule.

Here at home it was the men and women of the NYPD who brought NYC back from the crack dens and crime ridden streets of years ago and New Yorkers can ill afford to take any chances with the historic progress they have made on our behalf. If nothing else we owe the memories of slain NYPD officers Ramos, Liu and now sadly Moore, to protect future cops and our city from such an awful fate.

Chaskel Bennett is co-founder of the Flatbush Jewish Community Coalition (FJCC)

follow @chaskelbennett on Twitter

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9 COMMENTS

  1. Respectfully disagree.

    My experience with a suburban police department — which started when I was reading a Hebrew Sefer on a bus and the driver called the police — indicates than many policemen are openly neo-Nazi. (They said so themselves.)

  2. Yes, we must PRAY for the welfare of our government (Pirkei Avos 3:2). As a distinct community, Orthodox Jews should indeed say aloud the prayer found in many siddurim and, most important, let our governmental representatives, as well as the rest of the world, know about that we do. Thank you Mr. Bennet.

  3. Yasher Koach. He is right, no riots from White people, burning down our own neighborhoods, to protest the animal behavior of our ethnic neighbors.

  4. Beautiful article, very well said. Keep up
    your amazing devotion.
    ??? ??? ???? ???? ??? ?? ???? ???? ??????
    We should respect the police officers who took jobs “in the field” not sitting at a comfy desk like most of us. The emotional toll on them and their families is a huge burden to bear. The least we can do is honor and respect them and express our gratitude for what they do every day.

  5. The Left has declared a 1960’s type of war against the cop “pigs” again.

    Agreed that our police force is NOT in existence to harm us; rather, they put their lives on the line every day for all citizens.

    Its a DISGRACE how the media, public officials, and yes, Barack Hussein Obama, are smearing and declaring open on our friends, the police!

  6. Thank you Chaskel. Very important issue.
    As you well know, this madness was caused by years of Democrat/Liberal policies. The racial divide that Obama and Eric Holder caused in this Country thru their race baiting “divide & conquer” tactics, has been devastating. I think its much more important to educate the public about the consequences that elections DO have. The difference in philosophies between a “right wing” government versus a “left wing” one. I know that you personally have endorsed Republican candidates on all levels (who can forget your support of Bob Turner?), but the Amon Am are mostly ignorant of anything political. They get their “advice” from some paid ad that they read in the local advertising rag. And that, is from the very few who actually vote. Most of the people DONT even vote. Very shameful.
    Chaskel, please keep up the great askanus that you are involved with. You are one of the few “Askanim” that I really like. Keep making a Kiddush Hashem and always remember “HOW CAN I BE MARBEH KVOD SHOMAYIM”. Hatzlacha Raba.

  7. As usual chaskell is articulate concise and to the point.

    a true “askan” noted,respected ,venerated and respected keep up the great work
    we love you!!!!

  8. I might have told you that I personally know a number of Jewish cops who can testify how Jew-hating their fellow cops are, but that would be just a hearsay. Do you want hard data? – tell me how did the “heroic” police save us during the Crown Heights riot. In fact, tell me how did the “heroic” police save life and private property during any major riot in the last 25 years. I hear crickets; if the police were willing and capable to stop a riot, there would not have been any riot longer than an hour or two – instead the “heroes” tread softly when things get hot. But our “heroes” do not hesitate to use full force in order to degrade or ticket a law abiding citizen. Admittedly, the police are indeed all “heroic” when they dress up in super soldier costumes and use battering rams on families’ dwellings due to idiotic “address mistakes”. They are “heroic” when they enjoy a superior legal status, and know that most buddy DA’s will not charge when our arrogant “heroes” break the law themselves. Please understand: the primary objective of the contemporary police is not to protect the citizen; the objective is to collect pay/benefits/pension on a personal level, and to enforce the government’s will and revenue collection on a global scale. Protecting a private citizen from a criminal is only a secondary job at best. Therefore, when things get really dangerous, don’t expect any police force to come to our aid. Who will defend us? We should daven, keep peace, and acquire means to defend our families and community.

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