Retired police officer Chris Amos, a
father of three, had the spotlight shone on him while he was still in uniform.
Amos shot and killed a young minority male and was given paid leave.
He is exactly the type of police
officer that Kaepernick spoke about when he said, “There are bodies in the
street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”
However, Amos decided to show
Kaepernick something that the NFL player didn’t know: that they were more alike
than he realized.
The open letter addressed to Kaepernick
that Amos posted on Facebook was absolutely spectacular. See the full letter
below:
Dear Colin guess you
have been pretty busy these last few days. For the record I don’t think any
more or less of you for not standing for the national anthem. Honestly, I never
thought that much about you, or any professional athlete for that matter, to
begin with. I’ve read your statement a few times and want you to know I am one
of the reasons you are protesting. You see I am a retired police officer that
had the misfortune of having to shoot and kill a 19-year-old African-American
male. And just like you said, I was the recipient of about $3,000 a month while
on leave, which was a good thing because I had to support a wife and three
children under 7 years old for about 2 months with that money. Things were
pretty tight because I couldn’t work part-time. Every police officer I’ve ever
known has worked part-time to help make ends meet.
You know, Colin, the
more I think about it, the more we seem to have in common. I really pushed
myself in rehab to get back on the street, kind of like you do to get back on
the field. You probably have had a broken bone or two and some muscle strains
and deep bruising that needed a lot of work. I just had to bounce back from a
gunshot wound to the chest and thigh. Good thing we both get paid when we are
too banged up to “play,” huh? We both also know what it’s like to get
blindsided. You by a 280-pound defensive end, ouch! Me, by a couple of rounds
fired from a gun about 2 feet away into my chest and thigh. We also both make
our living wearing uniforms, right? You have probably ruined a jersey or two on
the field of play. I still have my blood-stained shirt that my partner and
paramedics literally ripped off my back that cold night in January.
Fortunately, like you I was given a new one. Speaking of paramedics aren’t you
glad the second we get hurt trainers and doctors are standing by waiting to
rush onto the field to scoop us up. I’m thankful they get to you in seconds. It
only took them about 10 minutes to get to me. By the grace of God, the artery
in my thigh didn’t rupture or else 10 minutes would have been about 9 minutes
too late. We also have both experienced the hate and disgust others have just
because of those uniforms we wear. I sure am glad for your sake that the folks
who wear my uniform are on hand to escort you and those folks that wear your
uniform into stadiums in places like Seattle!
I guess that’s where
the similarities end, Colin. You entertain for a living, I and almost 800,000
others across this country serve and protect. Are there some bad apples within
my profession? Absolutely, and they need to be identified and fired or
arrested! But you know what, the vast majority do the right thing, the right way, for the right reason. Did
I mention that seconds before I was shot, an elderly African-American gentleman
walking down the sidewalk, turned to my partner and I as we rode past and said,
“Get them.” Get who, you ask? The thugs terrorizing an otherwise good and
decent neighborhood, home to dozens of good, decent African-American families
trying to raise those families in communities not protected by gates and
security guards. No these folks and families depend on America’s law
enforcement officers.
Colin, I have buried
7 friends killed in the line of duty and three others who have committed
suicide. I have attended more funerals than I care to remember of neighboring
departments who have lost officers in the line of duty, during my career. Law
enforcement officers with different backgrounds, upbringings and experiences
united by their willingness to answer the call to protect and serve their
fellow citizens.
Colin, I am sorry for
the endorsement deals you may lose and the dip in jersey sales, but please know
you will NEVER lose what these men and women and their families have lost. And
so whether you stand or sit during the national anthem means very little to me.
As for me and the men and women on whose team I was privileged to serve, we
will put on our ballistic vests, badge and gun, kiss our loved ones goodbye,
for some tragically for the last time, and out into a shift of uncertainty we
will go. We will continue to protect and continue to serve and we will be
standing at attention, Colin, not just for the playing of our national anthem,
but far more importantly for the playing of Taps.
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