Following the murders of officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu by Ismaaiyl Brinsley, a spat between the NYPD and Mayor de Blasio ensued. Officers find de Blasio culpable in the murders of their fellow officers. Regrettably, the officers are taking their grievances to the funerals of these officers and following in the footsteps of Westboro Baptist Church.
Best known for their unsanctimonious degradation of funerals of soldiers, the Westboro Baptist Church is no idol to idol to find oneself put alongside. Yet, a large number of officers have taken up the practice of protesting at funerals.
At both the funerals of Ramos and Liu, officers turned their back on Mayor de Blasio when he eulogized the departed. Before this, it was circulated that the officers may have preferred that the mayor not even attend the funerals at all.
Shameful, that the officers are choosing to follow in the steps of Westboro. Mayor de Blasio, however, has implored the officers to walk a different path.
According to the Associated Press as reported by Syracuse.com, de Blasio said, “We are in a very difficult moment. Our focus has to be on these families. I think it’s a time for everyone to put aside political debates, put aside protests, put aside all of the things that we will talk about in all due time.”
It’s a shame that both the NYPD and Westboro Baptist Church have something in common. They both protest at funerals.
