All Lives Matter

We have heard over the last year or so through the media that black lives matter. That is a true statement especially with the deaths of young black men being killed by white cops. The truth is that most cops do a great job no matter what their skin color is or that of those they serve. It doesn’t change though there are a few bad apples. The key is for the police department to remove those bad apples.

Late Wednesday afternoon nearby Tacoma Washington a city cop was shot and killed while he was on duty; like he had done many times the last seventeen years on many occasions he was called to a home on the east side of Tacoma about domestic violence. This day a shot rang out where this cop did not survive. I am sure he knew this could happen however he loved serving the people of East Tacoma. According the people and the police department he did a great job. Many people turned out along with his fellow policemen for a vigil to honor him even before hearing that he had died going through surgery at Tacoma General Hospital.

 The shooter was like everyone as well going to work on a daily basis.  He was a barber in the Hilltop area of downtown Tacoma. When his grandmother heard that he was the shooter she was very surprised though he had gone through trouble the last year.

According to the shooter’s landlord the policeman did his job like he had done for all the seventeen years. He did his job all by the book. The landlord had lived in the house for the last seven months but then she moved out. She was in the basement of the house when the shooting happened. In the end the shooter was taken down by gun fire. He was asked to give up and he even spoke with his pastor for several hours.

This was a double tragedy with two families losing a husband, father and son. The policeman will be remembered as a hero while the other will be remembered as a shooter. There is not much of a difference between them or us. We can live our lives like the policeman doing our job and lying our lives down for those around us or be like the shooter in the end because of trouble or grief to choose to end the life of another and our own. I don’t think there really is much difference it all comes down to our choice. We must remember no matter how difficult things get all lives do matter and we can’t  decide to end lives of others along with our own. Please pray for the lives of both families and for the people of Tacoma along with the police department who are grieving right now.

If you are going through trouble and grief yourself right now get some help. Also you know someone that is troubled listen to them and get them help if necessary. We are here to help and comfort those in need. God bless you all.