"POLICE LIVES MATTER"

AN OPINION PIECE

I am crushed by, and our nation mourns, the recent terrible shootings of our police.

Here's a suggestion. When you see a couple of police officers in a restaurant, or say a Dunkin' Donuts, walk over to their table and tell them what some of us tell our military service personnel: "Thank you for your service." If you can, pay for their meal, or even pay a part of it. You may be able to do this by speaking to the wait staff or the cashier. I wouldn't be surprised if even a "token" $20 bill given to a table of three officers would be appreciated.

I heard the other day about policemen who paid for the meal of a restaurant party who had asked to be seated away from the police. This is the time for us to render appreciation and kindnesses to the police.

The terror and violence of today seems to be contagious. Maybe if hundreds—even thousands of us across the country—show our appreciation for the police, that will become contagious. Is it too much to hope that even some of those "black lives who matter" (and they do) might thank the police in this way?—for the police, as we know, are daily protecting many, many of those of all nationalities, religions and races.

Demonstrated appreciation—not the big events, but thousands of such little touches—might be a key to changing today's atmosphere of resentment and hate on all sides. Contagion can operate in more than one direction.