Oppose promoting ISIS-style attacks against police.
ISIS. We’ve all seen those horrific scenes of Christians, Jews, Muslims, and non-conformists being executed by beheading. Now some want to import that kind of violence here, into the United States, and use it against our friends, neighbors, and family members who serve our communities as police officers. No less than a member of the National Football League — the NFL, that didactic font of fashionable moral certainty — favorably published and promoted the image of an American police officer being beheaded by an ISIS-clad terrorist. The NFL, this same organization that has undone democratic legislation in a half-dozen states and has banned others, has allowed this member to continue to represent them. Such is their morality. They act against democratically enacted legislation, but stand down when terrorism is promoted from within their ranks.
NJ Legislature should condemn police beheading image.
The New Jersey Legislature has issued formal condemnations, in the form of resolutions, of everything from the Flag of Saint Patrick (because it looked a little like the Confederate Flag, even though it was around hundreds of years before the Confederacy) to the State of North Carolina (because it has a law that keeps trans-men out of girls’ toilets). We would like to draw their attention to something tweeted the other day by an NFL player.
This is unacceptable. Isaiah Cowell running back for the Cleveland Browns has since apologized for his appalling Twitter post. However the damage has already been done.
As we know, sports stars, particularly football players, are often held as role models by children and young adults. The citizens of New Jersey, led by their Legislature, should make clear their collective position on such violent images aimed at the police officers who are our friends, family, and neighbors.
While we cannot and should not attempt to ban free speech, even free speech that is disturbing, we can and should reply to such speech with speech. A strong unambiguous condemnation will let the publishers of such images know that their efforts have backfired.
Now at the urging of the Center, for Garden State Families, NJ State Senator Steven Oroho R-24, and Senator Fred Madden, D-4, have introduced SR-63 which “Condemns the publication and distribution of images inciting, glorifying or justifying violence against law enforcement officers.” Urge your state senator to cosponsor this legislation and send a strong message to our law enforcement that we are behind them.
Recently The Center for Garden State Families was in attendance at breakfast of conservative leaders. GSF President Gregory Quinlan and board of director member Rev. Dominick Cuozzo announced SR 63 to those gathered there. The following day the New Jersey Family Policy Council sent out a very long email supporting our public servants in blue. We appreciate the support.