Does BLM Hold the Moral High Ground?

Will “Attacking” Police Make Them Better?

In answer to the title and subtitle, yes and yes. Here’s why.

Many Americans believe heroes in blue uniforms are under attack. Critics of the Black Lives Matter movement make the following arguments:

1. All lives matter, including blue lives.
2. Most police officers treat people of all races fairly.
3. We should honor the good police, not focus on the bad ones.
4. We shouldn’t discourage police and encourage rioters.
5. It harms police departments to protest against them.

Defenders of the Roman Catholic Church made similar points when child molestation became an issue.

1. Child molesters serve in all professions — not just priests, but butchers, bakers, and candlestick makers.
2. Most priests don’t molest children.
3. We should honor the good priests, not taint their reputation by focusing on the actions of the bad ones.
4. We should neither prevent the church from offering redemption nor offer free ammunition to atheists.
5. It harms the church to accuse bishops.

These arguments share a common fault. They discourage people from taking action. They deny any urgency to protect the innocent from harm. They postpone and diminish humanitarian imperatives.

In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute. — Thurgood Marshall

If activists had remained silent, many bishops would still be protecting child molesters, not children. Without pressure, many police departments would continue to protect killers in uniform, not victims of their violence.

The Roman Catholic Church is a better institution today, thanks to those who “attacked” it. The same will be true of law enforcement.