We look upon the tragic deaths in Minnesota, in Louisiana and in Dallas in recent days with sadness, anger, grief, confusion and certainly compassion, but it’s not nearly enough.
 This is more than a gut check; it’s a soul check.

Our souls are being tested by the sobbing young man whose dad was shot and killed at point-blank range by one of two police officers who had him pinned to the ground.


We’re tested by an extraordinary woman with the poise and presence of mind to carefully document her boyfriend being shot dead by a police officer for driving with a busted taillight.

We bear the solemn duty to find out not just how, but why five Dallas police officers were gunned down and murdered in a coordinated attack.


Fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers are being killed, and their families crushed. Police officers go to work each day shouldering the burden of risking their lives to keep us safe. Too many are falling.
At the same time, some other officers are making horrible, deadly choices that take the lives of those they’re sworn to protect.


Leaders at every level — government, labor, business, the faith community — need to put concerns about politics, personalities and public images aside and acknowledge what is obvious. Any divide, any hostility between our communities and law enforcement is dangerous, is deadly and threatens every part of our society.


Meeting our responsibility to deal straight up with this crisis, to stop these killings and restore respect and trust between police officers and those they are charged with protecting will be a measure of our moral strength and courage.

CLAUDE CUMMINGS JR.


Austin, Texas



The writer is a district vice president for the Communications Workers of American and chair of the CWA Executive Board Committee on Human Rights.