By Angelina Newsom, OpsLens:
It’s become emotionally draining even to read the news lately, let alone check my social media accounts. If there’s not a riot one day, there’s violence of some other sort the next. These clashes have been occurring consistently since election day. Hateful rhetoric spewing forth from various politicians always seems to be tied into it one way or another.
In the midst of all the protesting, rioting, and discontent, there is one constant—our unwavering law enforcement. So often caught in the crossfire of these demonstrations, they stick their necks out defending citizens in the United States, regardless of their individual political beliefs. While there are bad apples in every bunch, many members of law enforcement have been dragged through the mud, many times unwarranted. I have seen images across various social media platforms aimed at inciting discontent against law enforcement, yet these professionals continue to serve and protect through this volatile period in our nation’s history.
Corrections officers do this on a daily basis, serving in a very dangerous environment where anything can happen at any time. On Thursday, inmates in a Delaware prison added another shameful headline: they took hostages, and one guard lost his life.
Sgt. Steven Floyd was a 16-year veteran of the force. While held hostage by inmates, he reportedly called out and warned his fellow guards of traps that had been set. Other guards were beaten severely, but survived. The entire stand-off went on for 24 hours, when a backhoe had to be used to knock down walls in order to gain access. Among the demands made by inmates (to a newspaper) were better education for prisoners and transparency on how prison funds are allocated. They were also apparently angry that President Trump was elected and were fearful of “all he will do.”
While I’m not quite up to speed on the accommodations of the prisons in the United States, I’m going to assume that these inmates receive three meals a day. I’m going to further assume that they are still Americans and have been afforded their Constitutional rights before, during, and after their trials. It seems like every cause known to America has been coming out of the woodwork in the wake of President Trump’s election. While some are bringing dialogue and an open mind, others are doing just the opposite.
Rather than accepting the course the country has taken by electing President Trump, certain groups have taken extreme measures to “protest.” I wouldn’t even dignify this incident with the word “protest”– It was nothing short of terrorism. I guess I’m just wondering when it became the new norm to destroy property, take lives, and inflict violence for the sake of political views. I also wonder where all of this energy was when it was time to vote. Those people probably didn’t get out and vote because they assumed their candidate would win. Now, they want to fight the system. (Federal prisoners cannot vote.)
It’s become exhausting to witness the divisive state that our country has sunk into. While law enforcement continues to be vilified by a large number of Americans, they must continue to do their jobs. Sometimes, they come face to face with the very people who wish harm on them. They’re provoked in front of cameras in attempts to catch them acting out of character, subjected to ridicule, and berated for “not doing enough” about their colleagues who’ve done wrong.
For many incarcerated individuals, the stark realization that President Trump is a very different leader than his predecessor has come rolling in at full force. Given the number of commutations that former President Obama handed out, I’m sure there was a surge of hope among those incarcerated that they would be next, but the past few weeks have shown just how much is changing.
The Trump administration has so far exhibited a no-nonsense approach. President Trump continues to speak candidly about what’s on his mind, and has thus far taken steps to carry out promises he made on the campaign trail. In turn, we’ve witnessed a wave of irrational fear that President Trump will single-handedly dismantle life as we know it. For those currently serving sentences for criminal convictions, there is nothing but time to contemplate their actions. There is absolutely no way that prisoners taking the life of a correctional officer who served his duties honorably will translate to sympathy for the criminal justice system. It’s a disgrace, furthermore, to use these terrible actions to insinuate that our current President somehow triggered them into making a decision to take hostages and commit murder. Luckily for those prisoners, President Trump is a staunch supporter of law enforcement officers and maintaining law and order.
It’s important to remember that despite personal feelings about law enforcement, these professionals have very dangerous jobs. They need our support, and we should all stand in solidarity with them when an officer goes down. Here’s hoping that those who seek to break the law in America for any cause wake up. Stop using politics to justify destruction, violence, and hatred. Stop living in fear; rather, just live. There are many men and women working away from their families to protect us. Let’s show them our support and that these actions will not be tolerated or condoned.
Angelina Newsom is an OpsLens Contributor and U.S. Army Veteran. She has ten years experience in the military, including a deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. She studies Criminal Justice and is still active within the military community.
To contact or book OpsLens contributors on your program or utilize our staff for your story, contact [email protected]
