Thoughts on Obeying the Law

I’m having a really hard time understanding the few people of America who have declared war on American police. Granted, there have been a hand full of shootings of Black youth/young men by the police. I’m not addressing those events here. I’m talking about the ambushes of policemen and policewomen who are doing their jobs, namely helping those in trouble or preventing trouble before it starts. The men and women in blue that are hurt or injured are victims of senseless crimes just like anyone else in those circumstances.
I’m watching America deteriorate into a jumble of us vs. them groups. Pick any issue and you will find two opposing groups who feel each feel strongly that theirs is the only way. And any of those opposing groups have members who will stop at nothing to make their point. Even to the point of killing those who do not agree.
It’s sad that we’ve traded respect for differing opinions and civil debate for violence and a my-way-or-you-die philosophy (sounds similar to ISIS, doesn’t it). What happened?
Here’s my own theory. I’ll steal from a sermon I heard two weeks ago at our church camp meeting. The word ‘obey’ has become a four-letter word. No one wants to do it. Many have never had to do it before. Maybe they don’t know the meaning of the word. Maybe they don’t know how to obey.
Politicians don’t obey laws. People don’t obey laws either. People don’t obey warnings or instructions. Children don’t obey parents. People don’t obey the police warnings. After not obeying, people wonder why they get shot, put in jail, or get ruffed up. It’s called consequences of your actions. When you don’t obey when you should, consequences can be very harsh.
Maybe more people should try obeying. Do what you’re told by those in authority. The consequences may turn out much better. If told to do something you don’t like, try obeying, then proving later in a calmer and safer environment why you were wronged. There are avenues and methods to protest that don’t involve looting, killing, or destroying. Maybe people will discover there’s a better way to resolve conflict. Maybe they’ll discover we all have a right to our opinions. We can agree to disagree. Or maybe we’ll destroy our own country trying to prove our point of view. It would be a sad ending to the great experiment of democracy.