By Jim Glennon

Mount Prospect is a suburb of Chicago. Their Village Board recently voted 4-3 to remove the “thin blue line” patch from its police officers’ uniforms.

In my opinion that decision was—to say the very least—a misguided, political correctness- motivated, cowardly act on the part of those four individuals.

The argument over the past two years has been centered on the idea that the symbol has been “hijacked” or “co-opted” by hate groups such as white supremacists, the KKK, and others of their detestable ilk.

But is that true? Because some people carried the flag, which is an abomination of its history and meaning, then those who value its historic purpose are supposed to abandon it? That’s not only ridiculous on its face, it is dangerous as well!

Very dangerous.

I’ve never understood this argument: “Since bad people have displayed it, then 100 years of storied and meaningful history should therefore be discarded.” It’s just dumb.

And it certainly won’t appease or accomplish a thing outside of placating those who lack critical thinking abilities and have a vision that extends about two inches past their bent-out-of-shape noses.

Those same idiotic hate groups that demonstrate to draw attention to their warped views of the world have also “hijacked” and “co-opted” many other storied and celebrated symbols, emblems and representations. Should those all now be eliminated no matter their true meaning?

Take for instance, the American flag. It’s used more than the Blue Line. Much more. Is Mount Prospect going to eliminate that? These factions of fanaticism sometimes sing the Star Spangled Banner as they drunkenly stumble forward. Some scream out the Pledge of Allegiance in their attempt to mangle its true meaning.

Many of these cretins wear white sheets. Some don the color black. Others cover their bodies with clothing adorned only with the colors red, white and blue.

Will white sheets be banned? Will people who choose black clothing be investigated?

Will the American flag be discarded and the pledge not said at government meetings out of fear it may “trigger” the emotions of some unknown person?

Sound far-fetched? Nope! It’s already happening all around the country.

Appeasing those who have no idea what they are saying simply because they “have feelings” or “believe” something lacks any sort of common sense.

Eliminating something that I guarantee means a lot to those who put their lives on the line everyday for the citizens of a town, city, or village is a massive insult.

And know this. The old adage, “Give an inch and they will take a mile” is absolutely accurate.

Cave to those who lack the ability to think logically and their illogic will only increase.

Mount Prospect disrespected every single police officer in that village. That’s at least what I believe. And it isn’t over.

Now, those who the four board members tried to placate want it all. They want the Blue Line completely eliminated from all village property.

I suspect they’ll win.

I have a Blue Line flag flying in front of my house all the time. If I lived and worked as a police officer in Mount Prospect, would I have to take that “symbol of hate” down? I wear clothing with the Blue Line on it regularly. If I’m seen in a bank by an easily offended person who recognizes me as a police officer while I’m wearing that, will I be subjected to discipline?

It’s a cliché but as my son says, clichés exist because they are real: The Mount Prospect Police Officers willingly put their lives on the line every second of every single day. Police work is not a job. It is more than a vocation. It is a passion, a 24/7 commitment, a lifestyle. It is something that drags their family into a world that most people don’t really want to know about.

These officers don’t ask for much in return. They don’t expect to be thanked or called heroes. But this small group of dedicated people do have pride in their symbols and they expect to be able to display and share that pride.

Four people in Mount Prospect stripped that storied, hallowed and honored symbol away from these women and men.

Shame on their cowardice. Your capitulation and misguided beliefs have done more damage than you know. Soon comes the tsunami that you unleashed.

For those who did support the police, thank you for that support. It means more than you know to those who wear the uniform in your village.

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