Are New Yorkers passive aggressive or just passive? Another impromptu conversation about guns has got me thinking about who we are as a whole: New Yorkers, it’s time to think about it.

No doubt New York is full of friendly people, but many bad guys are running around too. New Yorkers often call themselves “tough,” but are they?

There are many videos of subway attacks and assaults where the people stand around and take videos hoping that the police will catch up with the bad guys with the information they gather. In my family, that’s called being a cream puff. So, tough, like the kid who gets his lunch money stolen daily. The bully kicks the shit out of them, and no tears flow. Is that tough, or just numb?

The “Defund the Police” movement has had more significant consequences than the average New Yorker is willing to face. It’s not just the early retirement of the police but the long-lasting effects of their mistreatment over the last few years. Though many New Yorkers have backstepped their support for the notion of defunding, the police have not forgotten. It was a fad for the bourgeoisie to support the aggressive masses during the pandemic riots, and it was a colossal mistake. The police faced the biggest challenge of their careers, and we, their support system, bailed on them. So I find it shocking that so people are surprised they are leaving. So why are they leaving us? Because the police are people too, and they’re no longer interested in doing their jobs. Ignoring this fact is not going to make it go away. Taking away guns will not stop murders, robberies, muggings, rapes, and molestations. So using it as an excuse not to face what turn-coats we became in the face of a viral plague will not help matters. These occurrences are here to stay until there is REAL contrition and self-actualization.

What does genuine contrition mean? It means being willing to walk side by side with a police officer. Offer them a living wage. Truly appreciate their choice to serve the public. Show remorse for the herd behavior that unfolded over the past few years, and don’t deny you were part of it. Feel apologetic. New York is a very liberal city, so I find the lack of empathy astounding. Jump that hurdle! Remember that though their emblem is a shield, they are not a whipping child of old; instead, treat them like part of a team of which you are a part. And, just because they’re paid with tax dollars doesn’t mean they don’t pay taxes themselves.

I don’t know if this is a recoverable situation. Anyone who is underappreciated is likely to walk and find greener pastures. Just look at marriages; there is always an unrecoverable breaking point. Sometimes, a relationship is recoverable, but once someone feels beaten down, freedom of the unknown feels better than the hell they know, so the odds are slim unless a grand gesture is made on our part. And they shouldn’t have to beg for it. We should be offering without their asking.

So, New York, the ball is in our court. What will we do to make our partner, the NYPD, feel appreciated, and how will we prove we can change? After all, it’s a marriage, and our partner is pissed off and ready for a divorce.