Breaking Down Barriers Challenge

I am not on any other form of social media and I am not one to get on this platform to make political comments, and I won’t do that here. My comments are not politically charged, and they only come from a place of human decency and my appreciation for those who want to do good.

There are good and bad people within all industries and, while the affects can be more significant, law enforcement is no different. We cannot and should not ignore the facts - the need to eliminate law enforcement misconduct and our commitment to work together is more important now than ever. African Americans do not want to be viewed as criminals when interacting with law enforcement just as much as officers do not want to be judged for the actions of bad officers. We need to expose the bad and continue to evolve as a more understanding community; one with no discrimination, a willingness to listen, and a growing appreciation for each other’s differences. Without this, it is difficult to achieve peace and equality.

At the same time, the good people in law enforcement that continue to work hard while change takes place need to feel supported and appreciated. This is no different than those of us that want to feel appreciated for doing our job and doing it well. Being part of the solution is supporting the good so that they are not brought down by the bad actors around them. Let’s not forget that the good people within law enforcement should also have a voice and they can support our efforts from within to further progress the change needed in our society. Looking ahead, we need other good people to join law enforcement and that won’t happen unless the men and women interested know they will have the community’s support. There must be legislative reform in our law enforcement system, and we must also take steps in our community to support the good police officers around us.

We all come from different situations and have different gifts, but as long as we have a common goal, we can accomplish a lot together to start breaking down barriers.

So, what’s the challenge?

1. The next time you see an officer in your community, simply say “Hello” or “Thank You”, give them words of encouragement, or possibly buy their coffee if you are in a position to do so.

AND

1. I challenge you to have a conversation with someone who may not fit within the middle of the Venn diagram above, sharing the three overlapping views, to have a respectful and open discussion with a goal to building a stronger, more unified, community.

These small gestures to our law enforcement and having conversations with others are small steps, but many small steps can lead us to helping understand each other to move towards a more peaceful and inclusive community and country.

I challenge @felipebuzeta, @williekelly, @heidihutchinson, @bryanbrinson, and @bradbeard to the Breaking Down Barriers Challenge and to perform a kind gesture towards law enforcement and have an open dialogue with someone over the next week. I encourage you to challenge others!

As Andy Stanley said, “If you think the way you used to think, you’ll do the things you used to do."

It's time to think differently.

Matt Hene