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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rel" data-source="post: 2550836" data-attributes="member: 99">I'm a huge proponent of the concept of duty and honoring your commitments.  I take every chance I can to thank and shake the hands of those who serve in our military as well as police and emergency personel.  There is no higher calling in my mind than to place your own safety and comfort at risk for the sake of your fellow man.  I've got several family members in that line of work and they take what they do and the obligations that come with it very seriously.That said, these circumstances are far beyond what anybody could typically prepare themselves for.  There is little doubt in my own mind that the majority of the missing police officers would do their best to execute the duties required of them, even if it meant risking or perhaps even giving up their own lives.  But therein lies the problem.  I think that in many cases the missing officers were protecting those closest to them, family and friends, rather than the citizens at large.  I shudder to think what a terrible choice it would be to make and I'm guessing that it will haunt them (in more ways than one) for the rest of their lives.I think it is a bit uncharitable to judge them the way you would a deserting soldier.  A soldier is not typically in fear of what terrible things could be happening to his children at that very moment.  A brave man is willing to sacrifice his life for the safety of his fellow men in uniform.  But does it make him less brave to sacrifice his honor, dignity and perhaps career for the safety of his family?  I'm not prepared to say that.It may come to pass that we discover that many of those who failed to report to duty did so for less noble reasons than this.  If so then I would find that deplorable.  But it is far too soon to be judging these folks for my own comfort.</blockquote>

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