The intense reaction of disgust and horror that I experienced while (and long after) watching that notorious clip of Pat Lynch blaming de Blasio and the peaceful protestors for the murders of the two NYPD police officers... that intense reaction motivated me to do a Google search for online petitions addressing the situation, and I found one on MoveOn.com: http://goo.gl/...
Having already shared it on Twitter and FB, I figured it makes sense to share it here as well -- doing my part (still fueled by that intense reaction to Pat Lynch's obscenely inflammatory declarations about "blood on their hands" etc.) to make sure this petition gets as many signatures as possible.
Unlike most online petitions I've signed, with this one I took the time to go deep in contributing my own thoughts (in the Comments section) prior to submitting my signature. Those thoughts added up to, essentially, a letter to Mr. Lynch. I doubt it would see the light of day if I were to simply send this letter directly to him. Instead, embedded in the Comments in the petition package, it will at least be on record... and may even be read by someone who would be in the position to pass it on up the chain.
Please please please, check out the petition: http://goo.gl/... , SIGN it, and then SHARE it generously!
As for my own Comments to Mr. Lynch, proceed beyond the orange squiggly thing below.
Mr. Lynch,
Until a few months ago, I knew very little about the NYPD union, and practically nothing about you.
That changed last summer (2014). Over the past few months, I've watched and listened to you very closely in various TV appearances, and read various news and commentary about you and the union you represent. And I've been increasingly dismayed by these observations.
Both the content and the attitude of your contribution to the ongoing national dialog -- about the challenges around racial tension and excessive use of force by a small segment of the law enforcement community -- have been, to put it simply, unhelpful at best, and abusive at worst.
This culminated in your comments following the tragic murder of two police officers yesterday (Saturday, December 20, 2014). You exploited the tragedy to make false equivalencies, to place all the blame for this tragedy on mayor de Blasio and on protestors -- whose fundamental aim is peace. The irony was so painfully obvious: You blamed everyone else for polarizing the community and for inciting violence (and everyone knows that those accusations are baseless), but with every word you spoke you, yourself, were committing the very inflammatory act you were criticizing.
You gave me the impression that your union is corrupt, and that you, Pat Lynch, are not at all interested in peace and justice.
My conclusion -- and as you can see, I'm not alone -- is that you are not worthy of a leadership role in public service. Your worldview is part of an archaic world order, one that condoned white supremacy. It's time for a fresh start in every corner of the public-service community. It's time for you to retire.
And I wish you all the best -- and most of all I wish you the blessing of a truly open heart.
Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year!