August 9, 2011
A ‘shout out’ to correctional officers
They are the wall that separates the wolves from free society and permits every one of us to sleep soundly at night and go throughout the day without much worry. They are the ones who put themselves directly in harm's way so that we aren't. They are the ones who run and watch over our prisons so that we can live free to do pretty much everything we want to do that brings us -- and ours -- joy and happiness. They are the ones who confront threats to their lives every single day while they make sure that inmates get the care the courts say is prisoners' due. They are the ones getting gassed and stabbed, sworn at and derided. They are the ones who face assault with calm control, who manage masses of inmates who would rather see them bleeding or dead.
It's rather a sad commentary on us that many cannot see and appreciate this. Our correctional officers are an academy- trained, professional class of civil defenders whose only job it is to vouchsafe the safety of the rest of us who aren't walking their beat. It's also a sad commentary that many can't see beyond the misinformation spread about pay levels and benefits paid to those without whom we'd all be in deep trouble...
LINK - Bakersfield.com
