Armed And Definitely Dangerous

By Baxter

Ever get a phone call from a fast-talking guy in a noisy boiler room, asking you to donate to your local sheriff's department? Do you still see yellow-ribbon bumper stickers urging us all to "support the troops"? We cats do. We always instantly hang up, or avert (or roll) our eyes.

Is that blasphemy? Or can we, as Americans who are lucky enough to have never felt menaced by police officers or seen military-style vehicles roll down our streets, come out and say that we have had enough? From sexual assaults in the armed services to the recent string of murders by police of black men and boys, we cats are up to here with so-called figures of authority stepping out of line, and over the line.

This isn't the first time we've felt this way, either. We well remember the ridiculously fevered excitement of 2003, when the US was invading Iraq and we all were supposed to... well, you know. We didn't support the troops then, and we don't now — because it always depends on what the troops are doing. If they're invading an innocent country at the behest of the Worst Person Who's Ever Lived, or if they're raping their fellow soldiers, or if they're murdering civilians — we withhold our affection and respect. (Sadly, it has always been thus. We cats recall how, back in the day, My Lai massacre mastermind William Calley had his defenders, too.)

And we sure as heck don't support law enforcement when we see outrageous killings of black citizens by white officers or wannabe cops, who then, of course, get off scot-free. (Even more sadly, this has always been thus as well. It's just that the high-profile cases of Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, Michael Brown and Tamir Rice have reminded those of us who are white just how terrible life is for Americans of color when they encounter police.)

So please excuse us cats while we hack up the world's biggest hairball. We are disgusted and ashamed. Is there a bright side to all this awfulness? Who knows? Maybe the nation's consciousness has been raised, and things will change. Indeed, they must. A country awash in guns must ensure that people who wield authority and its weapons do so with emotional intelligence. And when they're not, justice has to be done. In the meantime, we HISS.