Wow! First place for “Joe.” I thought it was a great short story. I’m glad to see someone higher up found it to be the best in its class. Remember to send this to president@trivalleyvalleywriters.org for the website and newsletter at trivalleywriters.org for the August newsletter.   Vi Moore vimoore@sbcglobal.netvioletsvibes.wordpress.com

I grew up in a small town where crime was almost nonexistent. Only after I moved to a big city did I see the hazards law enforcement officers face. They put themselves in danger every day, sometimes every hour, for people they don’t know. Yet, their wrongful deaths while on duty seldom receive more than brief mentions in the media. In reverse, when an LEO does something wrong, the media broadcasts it for weeks. People are demanding that all LEOs receive sensitivity training to avoid these situations. Perhaps it’s time to retrain the media in unbiased reporting instead.

I stand with you on this, brother. Let’s keep them both flying.

George:
I agree with you 100%, including originally thinking it was a desecration of the US Flag. I still have conflicting feelings about that, but to my mind the Blue Line Flag is a symbol very much needed by law enforcement in todays world. Then I began to notice that the death police officers, whether by accident, or murder were pretty much ignored by the public at large. There was a young Phoenix officer that was murdered out on I-10 about a year and a half ago, not far from my home. Killed by his cover officer’s gun stolen by a suspect who resisted arrest. Local media did cover the story and officers erected and maintained a road side memorial at the spot, but now I-10 has paved over the area.
Three days ago a Peoria PD motor officer died in a freak one vehicle while leaving a class of youngsters he had been teaching. There was a small, but informative article in the “Republic” paper, but that was it.
To the point, I try to fly both the American Flag and the Blue Stripe Flag, one on either side of my garage door. When assaulting police officers, and sometimes murdering them had become a sport, it is the least I can do.
You and I took an oath many years ago to “defend and support the constitution and the laws of the land”. As far as I know, that oath didn’t end with our retirement.
Semper Fidelis
JAK

A very good way to put it. I fly Old Glory everyday with pride. I have a Blue Line Flag, but have not put it out. Our flag, represents liberty to me. Liberty: “the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one’s way of life, behavior, or political views”