close

LETTER: Blue lives phrase ‘a false equivalency’

3 min read
article image -

Blue lives phrase ‘a false equivalency’

I was 3 years old in 1965 when my father was shot and critically wounded in the line of duty as a city of Pittsburgh police officer responding to a domestic disturbance. Two other police officers were shot, one of whom died. My father was shot in the face, the bullet went through his neck, and lodged in his shoulder. He fell to his hands and knees and was shot again in the back. That bullet passed through his lung and out his chest. He had a lung removed and the bullet that lodged in his shoulder was never removed due to its proximity to his nerves. Once he recovered, he went back to work as a police officer.

My father chose to be a police officer to support our family. My mother never talked about it, but I am sure she worried for his safety every time he left for work. I believe taking up this line of work is courageous and noble. But you will never hear me say, “Blue Lives Matter.” In fact, I cringe every time I see or hear “Blue Lives Matter.” Those who say that are using it to juxtapose it with “Black Lives Matter” and it is a false equivalency. Police officers must apply to be hired, then go through training and testing to become police officers. They freely choose that line of work knowing that they are putting their lives on the line every single day. It is inherent in the job. Police officers are free at any time to choose a different line of work.

People of color do not have that option, and they should not fear for their lives at the hands of the police every time they leave the house. Their family members should not have to worry that they will not return home. “Blue Lives Matter” minimizes the point. The point is that people of color have historically been targeted by the police through racial profiling and police brutality. That is a fact. It continues to happen to this very day, and we are all now witnesses to it. “Black Lives Matter” is an important civil rights movement to draw attention to and stop the injustice of racial profiling and police brutality, and to ensure that police are held accountable.

My father came close to dying in 1965, but you will never hear me say “Blue Lives Matter.” “Blue Lives Matter” diminishes the very important message and necessary work of “Black Lives Matter.” The same goes for “All Lives Matter.” I implore people to stop using these phrases. Instead, let’s be allies and support our brothers and sisters of color in their fight for justice.

Sharon Laffey

Claysville

CUSTOMER LOGIN

If you have an account and are registered for online access, sign in with your email address and password below.

NEW CUSTOMERS/UNREGISTERED ACCOUNTS

Never been a subscriber and want to subscribe, click the Subscribe button below.

Starting at $3.75/week.

Subscribe Today