Coffee Cops and Prejudice

In case you didn’t know, the first Wednesday in October is National Coffee with a Cop Day. (see nationaldaycalendar.com) In small towns like Blanco, we are likely to welcome such an observance. It seems like most of us in small towns still appreciate and respect our police. As I was reading through the webpage about Coffee with a Cop Day, it occurred to me that there was a time, not too long ago, when I silently agreed with someone who said: “Only criminals are afraid of the police.” I have since asked myself if I am prejudice. That possibility had not occurred to me until recently. As I consider my son, who is a police officer, my long-held prejudice that only criminally minded people would not welcome a friendly sit-down with a police officer, is dying a terribly slow and very hard death in me. The police are members of our families, aren’t they? They are our protectors and defenders against the ‘bad guys,’ aren’t they? If my ideas are antiquated, I appreciate there is an ongoing effort, that hasn’t yet been abandoned, to foster goodwill between ourselves; all of us, law-abiding citizens. From the mentioned web page: “…the observance encourages… an event that will bring citizens and those on patrol together…provide an opportunity for open dialogue… improve communication… break down barriers and create a valuable bridge to relationships… The community as a whole will also be able to see officers as approachable and their ally in protecting and caring for their communities.” We could talk about the effects of coffee on overall health (did you hear about California passing then rescinding a law requiring carcinogen warning labels on coffee?), or we could talk about the percentage point changes for a multitude of health concerns for police officers compared to those of us who don’t offer our very lives to protect and defend the law and law-abiding citizens (for instance, cops are more likely to suffer with depression, high blood pressure, have a higher incidence of sleep disturbances and of heart-related health issues). Rather than delve into that, I thought it might be interesting to remind us all that there is a general consensus among the powers that be, that “prejudice and discrimination are believed to be important contributors to the production of health disparities.” (Unequal Treatment by W. A. Nelson, National Medical Association, August 2002) Loosely resaid, prejudice creates health problems. How prejudice and discrimination affect the production of health disparities is a broad topic for discussion. Over the next few weeks, we will explore it together. Be well.

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