By Steve Pomper
When is enough, enough? This item may qualify. I listened on the radio to Seattle’s mayor speaking with a large group of radicals. Mayor Jenny Durkan listened to their complaints as they sought to hijack the meeting, snatching the microphone from her on several occasions.
One of their complaints was outrageous, and one I never thought I’d hear, but the mayor’s response was worse. The radical malcontents said they were offended by police officers wearing mourning bands, a black ½” band wrapped around a police officer’s badge to honor fallen officers.
In an article at mynorthwest.com, KTTH 770 radio talk show host Jason Rantz summed up the radical’s reasoning (a word I use loosely), “The push to remove what’s known as a mourning band stems from bad faith claims by Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant and activists arguing its honoring of fallen law enforcement officers is devious ways for cops to cover their abuse of power.
“This isn’t just a lie, but a transparent effort to sow hatred against cops.”
Two things to keep in mind as you read on: Mayor Durkan was one of the former Obama DOJ officials who inflicted a bogus consent decree on the Seattle Police Department (SPD). And open socialist City Councilwoman Kshama Sawant is infamous for accusing Seattle police officers of murder.
Apparently, radicals on social media started a rumor that the officers had their badges covered to “hide their names and badge numbers.” This is so ludicrous it doesn’t really deserve a response, but I’ll respond anyway, you know, as a teachable moment.
Police badges generally don’t include an officer’s name. The name patch/tag is separate, often sewn or pinned on or above the right shirt pocket. And, in Seattle, not every officer’s badge number reflects the officer’s serial number. Mine did not.
The actual reason the cops have their badges shrouded with mourning bands is because, aside from domestic terrorist insurgents shooting and running over with cars several officers, they also killed two cops. Looters killed retired St. Louis, MO. police captain, David Dorn, who was attempting to protect a store from damage and theft. And domestic terrorists shot and killed Federal Protective Officer Patrick Underwood, in Oakland, CA.
Both men were black.
I have had the unfortunate experience of wearing a mourning band on my badge too many times during my career. Cops wear the black band exclusively to honor fallen officers whether from your own department or, depending on the specific situation, to honor fallen officers from other agencies in the U.S. and Canada.
Even in the surreal state of our current disrupted nation, I never imagined anyone would take offense at such a cherished and revered symbol. But along with tearing down other American traditions, I suppose it’s not surprising their hatred for cops would conspire with their ignorance about cops to attack this sacred tradition.
And, now, Mayor Durkan and the Seattle politburo (city council) want to ban the city’s police officers wearing mourning bands even they know full well the solemn reason officers wear them. A ban on mourning bands is what the mayor callously tossed to the angry mob she was attempting to placate.
As Rantz wrote, “Durkan seemed to originally back the officers, repeatedly explaining to the public of the mourning band. But then she sold them out.” As I mentioned earlier, as bad as the radical’s complaint is, Mayor Durkan’s promise to the crowd she would ban officers from wearing mourning badges is worse, much worse, in fact, it’s heartless and despicable.
Mayor Durkan seemed intimidated by a crowd of who are effectively her people. Leftist radicals who repeatedly booed her for not caving into their demands immediately. When she finally sold out the cops, she said she couldn’t get it done “tonight.” They booed her again. But she would do her best to wriggle her way back into their good graces.
This was evident, as I listened to her press conference immediately following her pandering to radicals where she pandered some more. She bragged about being one of the DOJ officials who signed the bogus consent decree against the wonderful men and women of the SPD (okay, “bogus” is my word, not hers). Then she blathered incessantly about how racist America is and how she will work to stop “systemic” and “institutional” racism—especially in the police department.
Wait…
Seattle has been run by virtuous, social justice warriors for many decades, now. Aren’t they the “system?” Don’t they run the institutions?
I’ll tell you at least one thing too many city, county, and state government officials like Mayor Durkan and Comrade Sawant have been guilty of. A systemic and institutional bias against law enforcement officers. Banning mourning bands is just the latest salvo in the tremendous disrespect they’ve been firing at the cops.