by Vice President Dawn Morabe
Collectively, we are referred to as the thin blue line. We are the sheepdogs. We took an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California against all enemies, foreign and domestic. We watch over the vulnerable with diligence and we are willing to face, and defeat, the darkest evil lurking amongst us. We know there will be burdens, sacrifices, and risks. No matter what confronts us, no matter the danger, we will defend and come to the aid of citizens without reservation. We know the sacrifice may be our own lives, and we willingly surrender to that reality.
But who will come to our aid? We are the thin blue line masses without a voice. We are on the front lines without an emotional shield. We are the uniform you see, the person standing in front of you. The precious freedom of speech we protect for you is a right we ourselves no longer have; we relinquished that right when we took our oath to protect you and our Constitution. So, who will be the voice for us who have none? Will you?
My heart is breaking as I witness what is happening to this beloved profession in which I have been honored to serve for 17 years. We are supposed to protect life and property, yet we find ourselves sidelined, witnessing the erosion of civility, respect, and the adherence to our laws. In silence we have watched vandalism and violence occurring right in front of us, without the order to intervene. To the core of our being we are internally in conflict with these directives. We have been pressured to actively enforce the health orders of face masks and social distancing, yet simultaneously, we are told to passively witness buildings being burned and business owners getting looted. These contradictions are suffocating.
We, on the front lines, stand in silence unable to speak for ourselves. We are unable to tell you that we unequivocally denounce police brutality! We are unable to explain to you that we are caught in the middle. We want you to know that we are saddened and frustrated. We stand in front of you in a uniform and feel invisible. We are black, we are white, we are Asian, we are Pacific Islander, we are LGBTQ, we are male, and we are female. We are your sons, your daughters, your aunties, your uncles, your grandparents, your sisters, and your brothers. We want no harm to come to you. We are you.
I speak for the blue on the front lines. We have been forsaken. I call on our leaders in law enforcement, in politics, in community activism, and our fellow citizens to see us and speak for us. See that we bleed and feel as you do. We are not the enemy. May you challenge yourself to refrain from sweeping criticism which only villainizes all blue. Can you instead be willing to bear witness to the good in us? May you temper your politics in the pursuit of justice and hold only the evil-doers accountable. We are not in opposition to one another. More than ever we need you to stand with us and speak for us. We are all of one bloodline and one divine connection.
This is a time when we need great leadership; brave leadership to unify us; leaders without personal agendas motivated by personal gain. Which of you will speak for the silent blue?