It's one of the great hypocrisies of modern America: People shout that they don't trust the police, but the first number they dial in a crisis is 911. When the bullets fly, when someone's banging on the door at 2 a.m., when chaos erupts in the street, they're not calling activists, social workers or protest organizers. They're calling the very officers they claim to despise.
Why? Because when life and death hang in the balance, people know the truth: Police are the only ones who show up, trained and equipped to deal with violence and danger. The loudest critics, who sneer about "defunding" and "abolishing," still lean on the police when their world turns upside down.
That reliance doesn't erase mistrust, however. Many communities carry generations of skepticism about law enforcement.
But here's the rub: You can't have it both ways. You can't demonize law enforcement in the calm of the day and then expect unconditional protection in the dark of the night. If you call them anyway, you're admitting that, despite the slogans, deep down, you know society collapses without them.
Criticism is fair. Police, like any institution, must be held accountable. But pretending they're the enemy while begging for their protection? That's hypocrisy. Shouting down the police without even trying to help them improve is just non-productive nonsense and noise.
I'm Bill Lamb, and that's my Point of View.
