Time to Wake Up
By Sgt. Eric Spinner
These are serious times. We have just begun reappearing in public after a Covid-19 pandemic. We’re learning how to live the ‘new normal’ that’s been thrust upon us by the CDC, which didn’t really figure out this challenge until it was too late, and then gave us guidelines that may have hurt us even more- there is no ‘herd immunity’ which would have been a natural outcome of getting infected. We’re trying to survive the draconian orders of our NY governor and a disaster of a NYC mayor. Understood, there are dangers, but isolation has left a vast majority of our population at risk of a new round of infections. Was the advice of our NY governor, who failed to plan for the long-predicted pandemic in favor of failed projects, the right way to go? Was it right to completely stifle the economy and business thereby creating mass poverty? The court is still out on that and only time will tell.
Add to the pandemic another tragic death in Minneapolis by an overzealous officer, one who likely should not have been on the police force. To me, the video of an officer sworn to uphold the law with his knee on the neck of an already-subdued and handcuffed George Floyd was personally sickening, and it should cause the same reaction in anyone of good conscience. Whether Mr. Floyd was guilty of any crime or infraction then became moot- and the failure of other officers on the scene to intercede in this brutality and hate amounted to aiding and abetting murder at worst, and manslaughter at best. The situation has now risen to a new level of insanity and misdeed, especially for those domestic terrorists funded by those who would destroy our country.
I get it! Black lives matter! And white lives, and yellow lives, and red lives – ALL LIVES MATTER! How many on a protest line really understand the significance of their protest? How many of them are like sheep lured into violence by paid agitators? How many simply follow the herd as they are manipulated by the likes of ANTIFA and their agitators? It’s time for people to get back in control of their actions.
On Tuesday afternoon I passed the New Hyde Park Village Hall where about 40-50 young people were marching and carrying signs in protest. But understand that there have been no incidents of overt hate in New Hyde Park for the 25 years since I moved here, and protesting in front of our village hall really doesn’t accomplish much. Perhaps some of these protesters might want to try to sit down at a computer and write a letter to their elected representatives in Albany, NY or Washington, DC and offer their suggestions for how to solve these problems. I wonder, however, how many of them even understand history, or are familiar with who their representatives are.
If they insist on protesting, at least them resolve to be peaceful as they were in Merrick on June 3rd. The criminal behavior of the mobs does little to promote peace and change and will only anger the public. One has only to look back to the civil rights marches of the 1960s to understand that violence only begets violence. I served in the National Guard and was trained to handle the riots of the 1960s, but I was also brought up to believe in my fellow man. I will not prejudge anybody. Everyone deserves respect, but it must be a two-way street. To the protesters, I say to be a positive force for change- speak out. But first, understand what you argue for. We still live in the greatest country in the world, with imperfections, but I would not want to live anywhere else. As Americans, we all need to pull together for the common good. Change must be peaceful, but it also must be legitimate change.
Sgt Eric Spinner, proud US Army Veteran and one of the directors of the NY Metro Chapter of ACT for America
