In the picture is Deputy Darren Goforth. He is no longer with us. His family will never talk with him nor hug him again. His friends will never enjoy his company. His coworkers will never greet him at work nor breathe a sigh of relief as they all head home after a grueling shift thanking God they made it through safely. He was assassinated Friday night. His crime? He wore the uniform.
At least that’s the suggestion by Harris County Sheriff Ron Hickman. Police say 30-year old Shannon Miles, a Black man, walked up behind Deputy Goforth as the lawman was putting gas in his cruiser and shot him multiple times. Investigators say after the deputy fell to the ground, the coward walked up and shot him several more times. Deputy Goforth died at the scene.
In making the announcement of the arrest to the media, Sheriff Hickman said there was no obvious motive for the murder. There was no apparent history between the two men. They were on two different sides of the law. Goforth enforcing it — Miles breaking it. The suspect has an extensive criminal history and now faces murder charges. The Sheriff then made a bold connection between the national rhetoric against police, the #BlackLivesMatter movement, and the loss of a 10-year veteran of the Sheriff’s department. He said:
“When rhetoric ramps up to the point where cold-blooded assassination has happened, this rhetoric has gotten out of control.”
He continued, “We heard ‘black lives matter.’ All lives matter. Well, cops’ lives matter too, so why don’t we drop the qualifier and say ‘lives matter’ and take that to the bank.”
Of course, he’s absolutely, unequivocally right. This continued drive to separate us by skin color, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and/or political persuasion is a concerted effort by those in power so they can keep that power. This not about righting wrongs. It is merely an attempt to control by keeping us at each other’s throats. Sadly, it’s been working. I say ENOUGH!
What needs to happen now? The good people of Harris County and well beyond need to join forces now and come together in understanding. We are all brothers and sisters in this incredible human experience. I promise to love and respect you until or unless you give me a reason not to. Will you do the same? All people are good until or unless they show they’re not. All police officers are there to protect and serve, until they show they aren’t. It’s ridiculous to prejudge someone by their color, ancestry, religion, uniform or background. Judge them for their actions. Why is that so hard?
What won’t happen now? There won’t be riots in Houston over this 47-year old deputy’s cold-blooded murder. There won’t be cars overturned. There won’t be Molotov cocktails thrown through the window of the Autozone nor CVS. Sporting events won’t be canceled for fear of violence coming to those who dare attend. Entire highways won’t be stopped by people holding signs containing the hashtag of the day. ENOUGH!
Rest in Peace Deputy. Thank you for your service. My thoughts and prayers are with your family… and with our nation as I dream of us unifying and stopping this madness.
jp