Cops need support, not more scrutiny

I cannot hold my tongue any longer. I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore!

The current state of affairs in this nation is deplorable in many, many ways, but the current climate of violence against cops goes way too far and it has got to STOP! There is a huge difference between the peaceful civil disobedience that the Reverend/Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. utilized to bring about what became the civil rights movement in this country, and the violent civil disobedience being advocated by several different groups in America, as well as the outright criminal murders being perpetuated upon our nation's law enforcement communities.

I have served on three crime stoppers boards of directors - in Tucson, Ariz., Wichita, Kan., and Coeur d'Alene - and I have known many, many police officers, sheriffs and deputies, and even a number of FBI agents and other federal officers. I can tell you that these are the best people among us. They put their lives on the line every day to protect and to serve us, and they deserve to be honored and held dear, not murdered or slandered.

I am OUTRAGED by what occurred in Houston last weekend or in a Chicago suburb Tuesday. It's time for all law abiding citizens to stand up! If we allow this to continue, think what it might be like if our cops decide not to stand up for us. If that happens, we have anarchy. Western civilization, as we know it, ends.

These groups advocating violence against cops and these murderers need to be ostracized by all, and prosecuted to the full extent of the law with NO EXCUSES. I am also outraged that some in our local community have suggested that our police or sheriff's department lack integrity and take "gifts" from us on some kind of a frequent basis. That is sheer horse pucky! We would gladly provide large discounts or free pizza to local law enforcement if they would take it, but we learned a long time ago that they won't, or at least it's really rare. If we insisted on giving a $6 sandwich to a cop, he/she would leave a $5 tip for our employees. Many local businesses would do this if we could. Not because we are asking for special treatment or favors, but because we love having law enforcement on our property and in our businesses. We are safer when they are around!

We have turned to the "Wives of the Badge," an organization of law enforcement spouses. At least twice a year, we donate pizza meals to the WOTB, and then they in turn serve the food to the cops. We feed the Cd'A PD, the Post Falls PD, Kootenai County Sheriff's Office, the Rathdrum PD and even the Spirit Lake PD.

My sincere suggestion to all in our county: Support your local cops. You don't have to make a big donation - just shake their hand and thank them for their service, or if you can afford it, insist on buying them a cup of coffee! But by all means, get their back, because they have yours.

Jim Hightower and his wife, Melissa, own four Domino's Pizza stores in North Idaho and live in Coeur d'Alene.