Waiting for help, officers keep a lonely vigil

The Boston Globe ^ | 3 September AD 2005 | Brian MacQuarrie

[lightman]

Waiting for help, officers keep a lonely vigil Loyalty binds them to victims By Brian MacQuarrie, Globe Staff | September 3, 2005 NEW ORLEANS -- Across from the mass human suffering at the fetid convention center yesterday, before a convoy of Humvees finally delivered hundreds of National Guard troops to this crime-ridden intersection of dashed hopes and mounting anger, a city police officer touched his finger to his eye and began to I'm going to stay here till everything's done," the officer said. ''I love this city." Until the troops arrived at midday, the police officer and five colleagues had been the only round-the-clock security for the convention center, where a few thousand displaced residents had languished for five days without food, water, medical attention, and the transportation that federal and state officials had promised them...

''We think of these people as our people," one officer said, referring to the displaced people in the convention center...

''We know there are [officers] who have said, 'That's it. I've had enough.' But some [missing officers] may be still trapped in their houses." ... 'I made a commitment to the city," said the officer, who paused for nearly a minute as he looked at the pavement. ''I made a commitment to my [police] district, and I made a commitment to these people out here and to my fellow officers. That's why I'm here." Thomas Farragher contributed to this report from Baton Rouge, La.

[lightman]

God Bless these soldiers of the Law and those whom they serve.

[ALOHA RONNIE]

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Because Sacrifice begets Sacrifice:



MEL's -PASSION- sparked by -WE WERE SOLDIERS-

http://www.Freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1085111/posts

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[Avenger]

"I made a commitment to my [police] district, and I made a commitment to these people out here and to my fellow officers. That's why I'm here."

Good to hear. We shouldn't allow the thugs, the negativity of the media, and the political posturing obscure the big picture: many good Americans stepping forward and making sacrifices to help those who are in need.