BLOG: Return to the Founding Principles.
A conversation about gun violence in the aftermath of the mass shooting in Highland Park, Illinois, on the 246th anniversary of Independence Day, July 4, 2022.
There is nothing more tragic than the innocent loss of life, except for maybe the avoidable loss of innocent life. I will begin by providing context to what you are reading. This article is not specifically about the tragedy in Highland Park, Illinois, and I cannot in good conscience speak specifically to the incident that unfolded as we again celebrated the birth of the greatest country on earth. I cannot speak about it because I was not there, and I do not know all the facts. Unlike so-called "news" organizations and propaganda outlets, such as NPR, I choose not to try and indoctrinate the reader with lies and counter-productive non-arguments (https://www.npr.org/2022/07/05/1109793161/highland-park-chicago-july-4-shooting-latest).
Instead, I am writing this to bring awareness to two fundamental truths that arise from these tragedies and how they affect law enforcement. First, to bring attention to these incidents' toll on law enforcement mental health. Also, to bring awareness to the lies and attacks on American ideals and rights that are sure to come after this and other similar incidents. Before the proverbial ink was even dry, the President of the United States was pledging his continuing attack on the Second Amendment. In fairness, he articulated it as "fighting the epidemic of gun violence" (https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1544085092842209281).
The President was not alone in his response. Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney made sure to state his love affair with Canada and to lament that only police officers should have guns in the United States (https://www.foxnews.com/us/philly-mayor-second-amendment-officers-shot-july-fourth). Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering was calling for us to "reexamine gun laws" (https://www.npr.org/2022/07/05/1109793161/highland-park-chicago-july-4-shooting-latest), something I could agree with if the term "reexamine" actually means to "move in line with the founders original intent." Unfortunately, I doubt that is what any of these responses mean. These statements were all made less than twenty-four hours after this tragedy occurred. All the victims were not publicly identified, and politicians' only "answer" was to eliminate the rights of law-abiding American citizens.
It is always ironic when states, counties, cities, and towns with the strictest gun legislation are the first to argue for more restrictive laws (Highland Park bans semi-automatic weapons https://www.npr.org/2022/07/05/1109793161/highland-park-chicago-july-4-shooting-latest.) Clearly, the existing laws aren't stopping people from doing bad things. Restrictive laws seem to be one of the only areas where the more it doesn't work, the more it is demanded by political elites. Never in my personal life have I ever been so blinded by a product's claims on what it should do that when it didn't do what it claimed, I would simply demand more of the product. Most prudent and reasonable people would discard what doesn't work and go back to that which does.
“This article is not about gun rights or what actions to consider. This article reminds us that we must start with a turn back to the Creator and then to the Founding principles of this great country. ”
See, this is the simplicity of these arguments in America. Unlike socialist-wanna-be countries such as Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and the growing number of others worldwide, America has the answer written in black and white. There is no debate; in fact, there can never be a meaningful debate. Even a young child can read the words "shall not be infringed," and after possibly needing the definition of the word "infringed," I.e., "violate, defeat, breach, encroach," the young child can arrive at the intended meaning of the amendment. The great thing about the recent SCOTUS rulings is that, for the most part, several of these Justices seem to be able to read and comprehend at a child's reading level and are impartial in their rulings. The recent majority opinions chose to side with the Original Intent of the Constitution and precedence rather than try to legislate from the judicial branch. What a refreshing change for the highest court in the land. However, I digress.
I am sure someone is saying I have completely ignored the first issue of law enforcement mental health that I wanted to discuss. Instead, I moved on to the second point, a point with which I am sure some readers may disagree. Some may even argue that law enforcement mental health and the overstep of the Constitution have nothing in common. However, I respectfully disagree.
Law enforcement comprises men and women who do not live in a bubble; they are part of the community they serve. When Law enforcement officers respond to these scenes to see innocent victims slain by evil, it will forever impact them. We cannot forget when these tragic incidents occur that someone, a brother or sister in blue, is dealing with that scene. Someone is trying to bring the perpetrator to justice and provide as much comfort to the victims as possible. These investigations take a tremendous toll on these officers and agency members that respond from all over the area.
“The answers will never lie in law. They reside in the human heart. The answers will never lie in the removal of rights from American society and an increase in a Totalitarian State. They are only found in responsible freedom.”
Simultaneously, they often must hear the non-ending attack(s) on the Constitution they have sworn to uphold and against the country they love. These are not mutually exclusive issues. Sadly, this happens over and over in numerous situations across this country. Something tragic happens, a non-ending assault on the greatness of America and her documents begins, and law enforcement must continue to try and hold the line in a country they love but is hell-bent on destroying itself. Watching the attack on the Constitution and the Country is the second tragedy. It can have as great of an impact on the psyche of the law enforcement officer as the first tragic incident to which they responded.
I say this from first-hand experience. The last few years have been excruciating. We have training for dealing with tragic incidents, and the scenes you will respond to that will never leave your mind. There are a growing number of resources for officers to get help with processing the effects of the job and a call for a renewed focus on Officer's mental health within the agency. Critical Incident Stress Management Teams, Chaplain groups, mental health counselors, and other resources are available at many agencies across this country. However, there is little to prepare you for watching your country be torn apart by those elected to protect it. In many cases, by those who took a similar oath to the one you took when you started your career. The response to these tragedies by these officials makes the job of a law enforcement officer harder, less safe, and arguably impossible.
I know this may seem like a hyperbolic statement; however, this anti-American rhetoric threatens to continue to divide, dismantle and destroy this country. In turn, this cycle of violence can only increase, not decrease. Evil exists, but evil tolerated and celebrated to support a destructive narrative can only grow and further destroy. This country, America, our system of government, our Constitution "was made only for a moral and religious people," as John Adams wrote (https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/99-02-02-3102). We cannot hope to solve any of these societal issues if these conversations do not begin with how we return to being a moral and religious society.
The answers will never lie in law. They reside in the human heart. The answers will never lie in the removal of rights from American society and an increase in a Totalitarian State. They are only found in responsible freedom. All these conversations that call for eliminating or decreasing inalienable rights are non-starters for anyone who loves this country as they should be for all citizens. They are also non-starters for many law enforcement officers I know who love this country and have sworn to uphold its Constitution. We find the answers by looking back at the foundation of this country. Looking back, we see how far we have slid away from the foundational structure(s) that ensured the stability of that which was built upon it. We must go back to the foundation.
I wrote this article to elicit more questions than to provide answers. The answers are too voluminous to even begin in a simple blog post. Society has moved so far from the original intent of our great forefathers that the road back can only be long, arduous, and tedious. However, there are a few saving graces for all the ills of modern society. We live in a time where information can travel fast—we can support opinions with numerous facts available at your fingertips. And a time when the dollar has the power to sway organizations.
These facts mean that change is in your hands and mine. It is time to change the narrative. It is time to make it unprofitable for organizations and so-called media to be the anti-American propaganda arm of a political party. It's time to support bringing governing as close to the home as possible and only supporting a federal government that fits in the Constitution. It is time to strengthen the nuclear family and to fight- yes, I used the trigger word fight- anything and everything that arises against the family. And it is time for men, yes, I said men, as opposed to women- you know, the opposite of the feminine when discussing the only two genders, to stand up for what is right in their families, communities, and country.
We will never eliminate mass shootings in my lifetime, which is a sad truth. We can start on the road to being a moral people, grounded in truth, supported by the Constitution, and once again a beacon for the entire world. I believe that with a renewed call for American principles, protection of inalienable rights, and the rise of moral fortitude along with firm reliance on Divine Providence, we can once again be that shining city on a hill (https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/address-before-joint-session-congress-the-state-the-union-0).
My thoughts and prayers go out to those affected by the Highland Park shooting and the other recent tragedies. I also pray for the safety of the men and women working these scenes and trying to keep their communities safe. This article is not about gun rights or what actions to consider. This article reminds us that we must start with a turn back to the Creator and then to the Founding principles of this great country.
This Blog Post Appeared first at OnTheBlueLine.com. All Rights Reserved. July 2022
Wayne Mulder is a law enforcement officer, speaker, writer and the host of the On The Blue Line podcast. Wayne is an advocate for law enforcement officer total health programs and a believer in empowering law enforcement officers in their personal lives. For more on his mission visit OnTheBlueLine.com.