That painting captured what America was supposed to be about. Officers were people to look up to and respect and you could trust.
Now days, the “thin blue line” bull and the attitude that pervades our law enforcement shamefully destroys any trust and respect that our police may have once earned.
The police state mentality that has been jammed up our backsides over the last few decades has helped to create the divides that are now coming to fruition. Cops are no longer trusted, but looked upon with anger and distrust. Cops are no longer our friend and someone to count on, they are a revenue collector for the town/county/state.
Today, cops demand a respect that they have not earned. The days of respecting law enforcement has been long gone and I fear will never return after things like Fast and Furious. Law enforcement is a disgrace to very ideals of our nation.
Rockwell immortalized something that politics has destroyed forever. Look at the criteria for hiring someone as a cop in the 1950’s vs. today. It’s frightening.