Have you ever noticed those “Thin Blue Line” decals on car bumpers and alternative license plates? Usually these cars belong to an officer or a family member. Understand that I fully support Law Enforcement, (Heck, I damned near married a cop from Staunton, Virginia! (Hey, Karen!)), even when I’ve been caught in speed traps. After all, I was breaking the speed limit and therefore the Law. On these ocassions I apologized to the officer for my errors, stayed polite, and then I paid the fines, kicked myself in the ass, and went on my way. To be totally honest though, I’ve also had the misfortune of meeting officers that were worse examples of human beings than the criminals they were supposed to be arresting. Fortunately for all of us those bad ones are rather a rare breed. Anyhoo…
I’ve studied symbology for years. Being a Pagan, it almost is a given that symbology is a huge part of your Life. Symbology is in everything from our churches, to our schools, to our Armed Forces, and to our Federal and Local Governments. Symbols really do mean things.
That’s where the confusion comes in…
Let’s take a quick look at that “Thin Blue Line” symbol. What we see is a BLUE line seperating two fields. Well, that works. The problem is that the BLUE line is seperating two BLACK fields. What difference does that make, you ask? Well, like I said before, symbols mean things. In this case the BLUE line symbolizes the police. In the most commonly accepted Heraldric terms BLUE stands for Truth and Loyalty. (Ok. No problem.) BLACK means Constancy or Grief. (I think “grief” is the most appropriate of the two terms here, don’t you?) Seems like no problem, right?
Supposedly the Police are there to “protect and serve”. Ostensibly to protect the Law-abiding citizens from the criminal element. So why is that “Thin Blue Line” seperating two BLACK fields? Now if that line were standing between a BLACK field and a WHITE (Meaning “Peace and Sincerity”) field, then I could understand it. Not this though… This seems to say that the police stand alone, surrounded by “grief” on all sides. No good guys, only bad guys. Where is the “protect and serve” if we are all “grief” to the police?
Of course, I may be full of crap and be looking at this all wrong. So if there are any officers out there reading this, please, tell me what that “Thin Blue Line” symbol means to you.
Bull, out.
-Christine
Call it an Honor badge. Not a “Thin Blue Line”. That still appears to anyone paying attention that cops are stating that they alone are the lawful. Either you are a cop or you are against them.
There has to be a better way.
Still, IMO, there needs to be a re-design or a re-naming.
On a side note, while we are speaking of rememberance of fallen, the most common form of tribute to the recently fallen is a black band worn around one’s badge. You will occasionally see them on TV officers or firefighters. We all wore them after September 11th, until the flag went to full mast.
While I readily concede that there are bad eggs in this profession, the same holds true for any profession. Understand that this profession is readily scrutinized in all media. How many other workers must don bulletproof vests just to start a workday? We are held to a much higher starndard of conduct than most professions. A doctor can get a DUI and continue his career, If I get one mine is over. We hold one of the highest divorce rates, and suicide rates, of any profession. “show me a cop who hasn’t been divorced and I’ll bet he’s a rookie- or a rare breed”
I say all that to stress the importance of the brotherhood that so many hold contempt for. The blue line is often held in contempt. But until you put your life in another’s hands, you can’t fully appreciate the existance of fraternity.
Tony wrote: “without rules/ laws/ “policyâ€?? – there would be anarchy.”
That is a fact we can ALL agree on, withthe exception of the unwashed, anarchist-wanna-be teens spray painting walls that is…
Also, I agree whole-heartedly about there being FEW, very few, bad apples in the barrel of Law Enforcement. Certainly the national news over the last few years should show us that. True, too, is the statement about divorces! I dated a cop who was married to a cop – AFTER her divorce. Our relationship bit the big one as well.
I’m hoping that my statements concerning the symbol in question has not been mis-interpereted as anti-law enforcement garbage. If it was, my Grandpa would come out of his grave – badge and all – to strangle me! No, it is simply to clear up some real confusion over what seemed to be an unfortunate choice of pattern.
I see your point, Bull, but I think having black on one side and white on the other would lead to a whole new (and much worse) set of misinterpretations, if you know what I mean.
The solid blue line also represents that when a law enforcement officer is killed in the line of duty or catastrophically injured that the line is broken. The line is than made solid again when another officer steps forward to fill the other officer’s place in the line. It is also the line between anarchy and evil. The line represents the presence of law enforcement and their service and protection to citizens by creating a solid force between them the citizens and anarchy.
P.S. For those in law enforcement and involved in law enforcement the logo of the blue line through the black line makes total sense! The design wasn’t made to make sense to others outside of the law enforcement community. In fact most leo don’t wan’t people to know their occupation so they like the simple and plain design so their cars are not damaged or vandalized by someone recognizing the purpose or symbol of law enforcement.
Laurie
Survivor of Trooper Byron J. Erickson, killed in the line of duty by a felon on parole, Michigan State Police and founder and
Executive Director of the Thin Blue Line of Michigan
I am a 61 yr old retired police officer since last December. I must say that I see your point but doubt if anyone else overcranializes it to the same degree you have. If so, then no color scheme could ever be agreed upon because there is always a member of the public someplace who will emerge from the woodwork with some type of objection. The designer of the symbol should be consulted about its design and if you agree with the concept, honor its display , if not, then don’t. I for one, enjoy a brief moment of encouragement whenever I observe these symbols in my travels. I would prefer for it to henceforth have that same effect for you regardless of the fact that there are even bad apples within the ranks. Because, overwhelmingly, the barrel is filled with more award winning apples who go un-noticed, than it is with those few blemished specimens.
wildbill
He hoped his shoes were shining, Just as brightly as his brass.
“Step forward now, old warrior, How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek? To My Church have you been true?”
The warrior squared his shoulders and said, “No Lord, I guess I ain’t, ‘Cause those of us who carry guns Can’t always be a saint.”
“I’ve had to work most Sundays, And at times my talk was tough And sometimes I’ve been violent, ‘Cause the world is awfully rough.
“But I never took a penny That wasn’t mine to keep. Though I worked a lot of overtime When the bills got just too steep, “And I never passed a cry for help, Though at times I shook with fear, And sometimes, God forgive me, I’ve wept unmanly tears.
“I know I don’t deserve a place Among the people here, They never wanted me around Except to calm their fears. “If you’ve a place for me here, Lord, It needn’t be so grand. In life I didn’t expect nor need too much, So if you don’t, I’ll understand”
There was a silence all around the throne, Where the saints had often trod, As the warrior stood quietly. For the judgment of his God. “Step foward now, my warrior, You’ve born your burdens well, Walk peacefully on Heaven’s streets, You’ve done your time in Hell.”
-Auther Unknown
The blue line is as simple as it gets.
Friend, if you think that I am “insulting” Law Enforcement, then you are most assuredly the “ignorant” one here! More times than I can count I have said openly that there is not enough money in this Nation for me to have the job of an LEO. NO way! I have not the necessary restraint for the work. Over the years I have gone on perhaps a dozen or so ‘ride-alongs’ in various jurisdictions in three different States. I even did two with an officer that was my girlfriend. I sat in that patrol car and watched her, (at 5ft. 3in. & the biggest thing about her being her boobs), back down half a dozen gang members who were out for blood – and other things that made my skin crawl. I’ve held her when all she could do was cry and shake after a long, bad night on the streets. Me? I would have just shot the bastards down like the dogs they are! I have also seen the destructive effect that the job can have on families. This, in my opinion ONLY, comes from the long hours and stupid shift rotations that officers everywhere are oft forced into taking. Sadly, it sometimes comes from another problem that too often comes into play – Officer Arrogance. This happens when the, (usually young) officer lets the power of the badge and the gun swell his head to where he thinks that he himself is either above the law or that he IS the law. (At times I think that mandatory counseling would be a good thing for every officer in every jurisdiction.) Chris, if you can sit there and deny any of this then you, sir, are a in serious danger of this yourself.
No, I don’t want the job of Law Enforcement Officer, even though there have been many in my family and one of those, Columbus Jones of Pickens County, SC, gave his life in the performance of his duties.
And I still stand by my opinion of the symbolism of the Thin Blue Line bumper sticker.
Bull, out.
Here we have the classic “no one can know us but us” horse shyte attitude that is the reason for so many broken marriages among young officers – and – as Grandpa Middleton (retired 30 year veteran of the Baltimore, MD Police Department) said, “…the reason that ‘The Blue’ is losing the respect of the people.”
Yes, Department approved ‘ride-alongs’. Did I at any time say that made me an expert or hero? No. I said that it amazed me to see the shyte officers deal with on a day-to-day basis and that I do NOT want the job. Yet ol’ Dennis here is so invested in his being better than us non-officer mortals that he could not see it or the compliment I gave all who are willing to pin on that badge and walk into the streets. Proved my point for me better than any words I could have written, really…
Dennis said that I’m a dumb ass and should get a hobby. Well, Dennis, you may be right on the dumb ass part. One or both of us is wrong here and if it is me then I could conceivably be considered ‘dumb’ on this topic. Of course, I did, (in my original post), ask for edification from LEOs. Then we have your inane response. (Sad, really, the state of American education today…)
Well, I guess we’ll just have to leave the ‘dumb’ question unanswered for the moment.
As for a hobby… Sir, this blog is one of my hobbies. Don’t spend as much time tinkering at it as I would like, but life can be that way at times. I still enjoy it though, and I have learned much in the few years that it has been in operation. One of those things is the value of setting up guidelines for both myself and the Readers of this blog.
Dennis, did you take the time to read the Rules?