Althea Dunscombe: It's not the police who need re-training, it's the public

To the Daily Sun,

For the most part, I enjoy the cartoons. One was particularly offensive to me so I looked up the cartoonist, saw he was a liberal political cartoonist, understood that this area and The Daily Sun are liberal in their beliefs and read the next edition of The Sun. When the paper prints stuff so offensive I can’t stand it, I will find something else to read. We all have choices.

I distinctly remember those drills in school. What I also remember about that era was being lectured by my parents about the police; especially when I got my driver’s license. If you are stopped, you say “yes sir” and “no sir.” You answer their questions in a respectful tone, no sass or wise blank remarks. You do what your asked and you don’t peel out if they let you go. I also knew that my parents would be waiting for me in the driveway already armed with knowledge of this incident, I would lose my driving privileges for some time and suffer other consequences depending on the severity of the stop. I also knew that if I misbehaved in school or on the streets of my town I was faced with the same situation. We could not avoid the consequences of our choices.

I recently read an article written by Sheriff David Clark that starts with: “It’s not the police that need to be retrained, it’s the public. We have grown into a mouthy, mobile phone wielding, vulgar, uncivil society with no personal responsibility and the attitude of ‘it’s the other person’s fault’, ‘you owe me’. A society where children grow up with no boundaries or knowledge or concern for civil society and personal responsibility.” It ends with “If you want to protect your children, teach them respect.”

I follow politics but I don’t believe in any political party. I am free to make my choices based on what I believe will be best for America and I try to use common sense and logic. I’ve seen many of the “How can anyone support…” letters; well I support what I am for, not what I am against. I respect all the difficult decisions and choices those before us have made in shaping our country and it breaks my heart to see American citizens destroying the lives of other American citizens — in our own country! While I do not doubt there are some racists in our country and evil elements within; America is not a racist society, nor is America inherently evil as some are wanting us to believe and as some are teaching our children.

There’s a lot about the “good ole days” I wouldn’t want back or to live through, but the times when we were expected to treat each other with sincere respect or there would be consequences for our decision not to, would be nice.

Althea Dunscombe

Center Harbor