Fond du Lack, Wisconsin cop shot

While the rest of the country continues it's day to day activity associated with their jobs, school and family, Fond du Lack, Wisconsin has lost one of it's police officers in a gun battle that wounded two other cops. While tragic, we will now have to endure days, weeks and even months of eulogy for the slain officer. In a way, this is okay, the position that police officers put themselves in, through their jobs  requires reverence when one loses his life. The real victims however are remaining family, the wife, kids, brothers sisters and the mothers and fathers. They are expected to stand tall, eyes clear and brave the days and weeks of intense exposure that today's media seems to demand and that the police department almost requires.

In ever instance, when a cop loses his life in the line of duty, things are written and said with regards to the deceased. Things like "good cop", "a model for what an officer should be", "fearless" "a good family man and father." It amasses me that without exception, not one of our (public) officials, (cops, firefighters, dog catchers, code enforcement officers or parking utility people) are anything else but the best of the best.

It makes me cringe when  I hear about "one of our own," a family member," or "a brother or sister" has lost his/her life in the line of duty. The same is true when one of our military men or women are killed in some foreign overseas war. "The brightest and best" is how it's put in news coverage.

In actuality the vast majority of these people are just like you and I, normal everyday people tiring to get by day by day, they just happened to get caught up in a situation and paid the ultimate price, their lives. Public service is way overrated, usually by those people in the service itself. Almost without exception people in the public service sector are in it for the benefits and paycheck. Don't believe me, find out how many will do their job without pay, or benefits.

My point is simple and obvious, money and benefits are the two swizzle stick that stirs the pot. These people chose their professions, (mostly), nothing was thrust upon them. I have known dozens of people that hungered to be a cop, or reached for the position in a fire department. NOBODY SCREWS WITH THOSE PEOPLE.

This attitude of public service, to (serve and protect)  breads an atmosphere of  entitlement and a position of superiority, you know, above the laws that are supposed to be enforced by normal everyday people just like us. Very seldom do police admit a mistake, or a misstep in their procedures in pursuing a convection.

When we subscribe to the family or brotherhood mentality and act every time one loses his life in the line of duty, we are perpetuating a flawed system. Maybe the truth of the matter is that the guy that lost his life was a real dick, an asshole with an attitude, a guy with a gun.

Only happens in big cities, ya  right. You've never known a small town dick or asshole?  What happened in Fond du Lack is sad and the guy needs to be remembered and whatever good things he did. However lets not get carried away every time something like this happens, lets move on.