The San Francisco Board of Supervisors have unanimously approved a "Day of Remembrance" for a man shot and killed by Police after harming another person with a knife and threatening to do it again.
The day will be July 22nd, what would have been his birthday.
They must, since the cast has been set, immediately announce April 9th and August 14th as Days of Remembrance for my friends Lt Vincent Perez and Firefighter/Paramedic Tony Valerio who died in the line of duty following a fire June 2, 2011. Vince died that day, Tony 2 days later. You can remember them on either of those 2 days also.
January 13, 2003 I was working when Mindy Ohler died in the line of duty. Where is her day of remembrance?
Or how about I remind you of the night I was working the ambulance when a sea of blue flooded into the trauma center escorting a stretcher carrying murdered SF Police Officer Issac Espinoza? That was April 10th 2004. His then toddler daughter is probably old enough to hear your excuse for remembering a criminal instead of her hero father. Where is his day of remembrance?
Dismiss it as "Liberal San Francisco" all you want but this is a slap in the face to the firefighters and police officers who have stood in front of these law makers and said "I'll put my life in harm's way to protect you" now being pushed aside to honor a criminal.
What this day of remembrance tells me is that if I want to be recognized by the local law makers I shouldn't learn CPR, take my turnouts to work, earn a badge and patrol the streets, I should just go stab someone and threaten police.
Here's a list of more people who deserve a day of remembrance more than the criminal being honored. Here's another one. I am sorry that a human being died. I wish SFPD had other methods of dealing with armed criminals, but those issues are separate. I'm not challenging the manner in which he was killed, I am challenging that we are honoring him and not others who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect people instead of hurting them.
On July 22nd I will not remember this criminal or speak his name, as I have not here, instead I will share stories about my friend Tony and Mindy and Issac the Policeman with my children so that they will grow up remembering people who matter instead of the random folks some law makers think are important.
The day will be July 22nd, what would have been his birthday.
They must, since the cast has been set, immediately announce April 9th and August 14th as Days of Remembrance for my friends Lt Vincent Perez and Firefighter/Paramedic Tony Valerio who died in the line of duty following a fire June 2, 2011. Vince died that day, Tony 2 days later. You can remember them on either of those 2 days also.
January 13, 2003 I was working when Mindy Ohler died in the line of duty. Where is her day of remembrance?
Or how about I remind you of the night I was working the ambulance when a sea of blue flooded into the trauma center escorting a stretcher carrying murdered SF Police Officer Issac Espinoza? That was April 10th 2004. His then toddler daughter is probably old enough to hear your excuse for remembering a criminal instead of her hero father. Where is his day of remembrance?
Dismiss it as "Liberal San Francisco" all you want but this is a slap in the face to the firefighters and police officers who have stood in front of these law makers and said "I'll put my life in harm's way to protect you" now being pushed aside to honor a criminal.
What this day of remembrance tells me is that if I want to be recognized by the local law makers I shouldn't learn CPR, take my turnouts to work, earn a badge and patrol the streets, I should just go stab someone and threaten police.
Here's a list of more people who deserve a day of remembrance more than the criminal being honored. Here's another one. I am sorry that a human being died. I wish SFPD had other methods of dealing with armed criminals, but those issues are separate. I'm not challenging the manner in which he was killed, I am challenging that we are honoring him and not others who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect people instead of hurting them.
On July 22nd I will not remember this criminal or speak his name, as I have not here, instead I will share stories about my friend Tony and Mindy and Issac the Policeman with my children so that they will grow up remembering people who matter instead of the random folks some law makers think are important.
Comments
Of all people to quit or strike and demand to be heard, you do. Of all people to have better pay, hours, better gear, better rules and laws, you do. Of all people to be taken off the town's emergency budget chopping block, you do.
I know you won't say it HM, but this is why people in your work area are the better people in this world. I know you guys/gals aren't all perfect but the fact is still there: you and your friends are the ones that DID take up the responsibility. Too many people are content just to pick up the phone and dial three magic numbers.
I'm truly sorry you guys have to pay such high prices to go to work. Not only the sacrifices you make far too often, but the little taxes society places on you such as what you discussed in this post, those small ones that make you question whose side society is on. The small ones that wear you and your family down bit by bit over time.
Well, if you guys are the new bad guys, I don't want to be a good guy.
-Sorry for the long comment/rant. I couldn't hold back anymore after reading this news. I hope/pray you have a career as epic as MC's hair. Well, almost as epic. :)