Just another day in the life for Officer Alex and a local "activist"
I was at the “Meet Your Muslim Neighbor” event on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon, and just as I expected, it was a hit.
As far as special assignments go, this was far from the worst. I mean it was 60 degrees, sunny, the venue was one way in and one way out, it was in a more isolated part of town, and best of all…it was catered.
Hello.
Were districts being emptied to accommodate the needs here? Absolutely, but at least there weren’t as many or as long as an event like Riverbend, and this crowd was a far cry from the once taxpayer-supported for-profit drunkfest we have all come to know and love over the years.
“Cops” take these events for granted on some levels; who they are, why they are—it’s irrelevant. People need protecting? They get protected. The five Dallas cops executed on the job by a cowardly sniper last year? They were providing security to an event organized largely to (wait for it!) protest cops. See my point? Equal opportunity offenders. As such, we see many of the same faces, as I did today.
“Officer Teach, how nice to see you!” a young lady named Cindy said. I make an impression, what can I say?
“Hi!” I replied non-committedly. (Cindy was an “activist,” which is a label that crazy people quite conveniently tend to give themselves.) I looked away; it did not work.
“Didn’t I see you at one of these events last fall?” she asked, fingers intertwined before her, head tilted to one side, a smile in full effect.
“Yes,” I said. “The Pride March at Ross’s Landing, I believe.” I smiled back, then tried to looked focused on nothing to our right.
“Well it’s just great to see you here!” she chirped.
“Me too. It’s a real surprise, I’m proud of you,” I said while again trying to break eye contact. Round #2, and I had already slipped.
“Surprised?” she said, her smile flat lining. What the hell, I went with it.
“Yes! I mean, given your LGBT support.”
“Clarify?” she stated, now the all-business activist I'd come to know and love in the last few years.
I took a deep breath and said, “You know, because of their stance on homosexuality. It’s still punishable by death in, I think…13 Islamic countries? A capitol offense in more? It’s just funny, having seen you at the Pride rally last.” I maintained my already fake smile, but barely. “The duality of humankind, right?”
Cindy had no immediate response but to literally ignore what I just said, her agenda being placed on pause. “Well, people try to demonize Muslims, paint them as terrorists. To make their religion something other than what it is. You have to take a stand against ignorance, you know?” she said knowingly.
“I couldn’t agree more. So, is anyone else from Pride here?” I threw out. (It’s all about keeping focus when you’re at my level of smartassery.)
“Oh, no. They have a lot going on,” she said.
I gave a subtle wink and replied “But not around a mosque if they know what’s best for them I imagine, am I right?” I laughed, again indicating I was joking, when clearly I was not.
“No,” she said. And left.
Irony. It doesn’t count as yet a sixth element to The Job, because it’s actually a pillar to the entire thing, but it definitely gets an honorable mention at times like these in police work.
God I couldn’t wait to get back into a district. But then, if I really thought hard about it…I still got to help someone, without even the intervention of a 911 call being dispatched.
“You’re welcome Cindy,” I said under my breath…and this time, with a real smile emerging.
LGBT, Muslim, even BLM…I’d risk my life for any of the above, but included in the fee for such is not letting them get away with hypocrisy when the situation presents itself. Cindy had forgotten which world she was trying to save, but I still give her total credit for trying to save any of them.
And besides…did I mention this event was catered? Maakroun’s, baby. You have no idea.
(Objectively, at least. Our gift…our curse.)
When officer Alexander D. Teach is not patrolling our fair city on the heels of the criminal element, he spends his spare time volunteering for the Boehm Birth Defects Center.