Careful What You Wish For
Careful What You Wish For
By Matthew White
Defund the police. Abolish the police. Rethink policing.
Regardless of the mantra, regressive radicals have made it clear they desire a greatly reduced police presence or even none at all.
Though I’ve been the recipient of a few unwanted driving awards (think tickets) down through the years, I can’t begin to imagine what a society without law enforcement would look like.
Consider their title for just a moment: Law Enforcement Officer (LEO). Their job is to literally “enforce” the “laws” of the land, the very laws designed to keep us free and safe.
Remove them from society and what do you have? Anarchy and chaos.
I’m not convinced that those promoting the idea really know what they are asking for. I’m reminded of the neighborhood dog that chases the car. It’s often been asked, “What happens if the dog actually catches the car?” The implication of course is that the dog will get more than he bargained for and have his paws full.
Furthermore, when anti-police advocates are pressed and asked to imagine what various scenarios might look like without policing, their answers sound like something a third-grader would concoct.
For example, Black Lives Matter (BLM) co-founder, Patrisse Cullors, was asked what a traffic stop would look like without police. Cullors said, “A county worker can pull over a vehicle and remind them, ‘you’re driving too quickly,’ not give them a ticket, and remind them why we should be driving at the speed limit.”
So let me get this straight. There would be no fear of a speeding ticket, but the expectation is that people would drive slower because you’re nice to them? On what planet does that work?
Cullors was presented the same situation, but with the stakes raised: a person driving under the influence. “There should be a hotline. There should be something in that person’s wallet that says these are my three people that you can call if something’s happening to me,” Cullors imagined. “And there should be an emergency system in place that doesn’t rely on policing or criminalization, but rather how we care for each other.”
Got it. That makes perfect sense. If a person is driving under the influence endangering themselves and others, rather than punish that behavior, just call a friend.
When asked to imagine other scenarios such as domestic violence or school shootings without police, Cullors and other anti-policers offer a great deal of ambiguity – a lot of “maybe” or “I would hope” or even more talk about hotlines.
Cullors summed the issue up well when she was asked if she envisioned the need for some kind of armed service. “No. I think I would like to live in a world where we don’t have to use guns to respond to harm and violence.”
Wouldn’t we all! But that is simply not a reality. You see, it ultimately comes down to a worldview.
Most non-Christian worldviews posit that there either is no right and wrong, and everything is simply relative. Or there is good in all people, and our conditions and environments need to be constructed to bring about that good, rather than evil.
Conversely, a biblical worldview recognizes that we are inherently evil, and without restraint, either by the Holy Spirit, law, or both, man will act out on those evil desires.
The truth is, a civil society can’t exist without laws, and if laws are in place, someone has to enforce them, thus, LEO’s. It’s just that simple.
I understand human nature pretty well, because, after all, I am a human. And because I’m a Christian, I understand our sinful nature pretty well. Can you imagine what it would be like if the restraints were removed? It would be an “every man for himself” type of society.
I spoke with AFA’s director of security operations, Kevin Parker Sr., to get his thoughts on defunding or minimizing police presence. Parker spent 26 years serving in various law enforcement roles, from working with DEA, MS Bureau of Narcotics, SWAT, as a detective, and more.
“People wouldn’t know what to do,” Parker said. “Whether it’s car wrecks, break-ins, or medical emergencies, who would you call for help?”
Parker believes the anti-police mentality has already affected the way officers operate. “Cops hesitate,” Parker said. “Things that were once routine, officers now question or fail to act quickly because they feel like they are lacking support.”
“Without the police, it would be a sad state of affairs,” Parker said. “It would be mass chaos.”
Parker doesn’t deny that, unfortunately, there are some bad cops out there. I don’t either.
There are bad cops, just like there are bad doctors, attorneys, preachers, teachers, and so forth. That doesn’t mean, however, that you don’t go to the doctor just because some are bad, or you don’t seek legal advice or assistance just because some attorneys are bad, or you quit going to church or serving the Lord just because some preachers are bad. That’s foolish. And it’s equally as foolish to consider doing away with all police, just because some are bad.
Concerning the idea of defunding the police, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott (R) said in a recent interview, “It’s the dumbest thing I have ever heard in my whole life.” I agree with his assessment.
It’s a fallacy as original as the original sin, the idea that man can throw off all restraint and be like God, or indeed, be his own god. It didn’t work then, and it won’t work now.
When you hear this foolish talk of defunding or abolishing police, dismiss it. Instead, when you see officers, make it a point to tell them you appreciate what they do. Pray for our law enforcement, and better yet, if you see one out and about, offer to pray for them right there on the spot.
They serve and protect us; they need to know we support them.
Join AFA’s efforts this Sunday, June 13, in an invitation for a nationwide day of prayer and appreciation for our LEO’s. AFA is encouraging congregations across the country to participate by praying for our officers, thanking them, and recognizing them for their courageous service.