I’m sure by now, everyone has seen the reports on the news about the biker shootout in Texas that left 9 dead, and resulted in over 170 arrests. When the story first broke, everyone thought these bikers, who have been branded by society as thugs, criminals, and scum, were deserving of everything they got. But what you saw just the top layer of the incident, and only part of the investigation. What actually took place was a mixture of fear and stupidity by these officers, and politics. The first and most dangerous thing that took place was that these officers, according to rumor, fired first, and fired into a crowd of people, resulting in several deaths, although ballistics cant prove who fired the fatal shots. The next thing that took place was that many of these suspects were held without bail, of had a bail so high, that they were unable to post it.

Now to scrape off the top layer of this story.

The judge and the district attorney used to be law partners, and are still friends to this day. So if you go before a judge, and his friend is responsible for your bond recommendation, of course he will go along with whatever is recommended. The investigation is being handled by the Waco Texas police Department, instead of the Teas Rangers or the FBI, which is protocol for this type of incident. Also the Sheriff’s brother is one of the Chief Investigators handling the case. This is one of the main problems with law enforcement today, it is this system where officers cover for each other and look out for one another, right or wrong.

The problem is perception.

This is what causes a lot of problems in the black community, because, like bikers, they are branded as thugs or drug dealers. This problem has dated back to the very early days, when fire hoses, billy clubs, and side of the road beat downs occurred. Unfortunately some of this still goes on today. With the power of public office comes great responsibility, it means making sure your officers are monitored and well trained. Not all officers are bad, but it only takes those few to ruin the reputation of law enforcement and make people sneak up at gas pumps or behind cars and execute these officers. I’m going to skip the whole “officers are the first ones to run to danger or to a dangerous suspect, and just tell you that the majority of these officers are good guys, want to help, and most of all, want to return their families at night and not die. Right now, there is a war going on between officers, Black Panthers, and groups like Black Lives Matter.

Its not about any of the Facebook posts or on-line rants.

To these officers, it is about survival. Imagine going out to fight crime with no weapon at all. These officers would be killed in an instant. The fact remains that there are evil people out here who want your money, property, and even your life. What stops them? Police. Now, does the law enforcement system need an overhaul? Without a doubt. Criminals and thugs wear badges and guns too, just read the stories about senseless killing or excessive force. The problem is, they get through this screening process, and use the job to their advantage. And this creates the problems in Ferguson, and other cities where people have been shot by police in questionable circumstances. But it doesn’t mean riot, or loot, or even resort to violence.

What we need is a leader.

In 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King marched to Washington, and there was no looting, nor was there any violence. The black community needs a true leader to step up and take control of this before it gets worse. The people they have trying to speak for them now, Louis Farrahkan, Al Sharpton, and Jesse Jackson only want to be involved if there is money around. Black or white, step up and make it better. If we all come together, we cannot be stopped, until that happens, we will be one step behind, always. We cannot go down in flames while these people prosper off of the loss of life. We need to stop pretending that all cops are good, because there are bad people in every profession. Bad cops just seem to shine brighter than others when they do wrong. We have to stop supporting bad cops and give the good ones credit. There are hero’s, we need to recognize them.