You have to love it when someone reassures you of some threat, then says he’ll do something about it...and never does.

And by love it, I mean absolutely loathe it.

That’s exactly the position that the DHS and the FBI have put themselves in.  They’ve warned Americans that there could be some kind of terror threat due to the ongoing Israel/Hamas war, and said they would be monitoring the situation, but they’re doing little else to actually secure our borders or keep our street safe.

“But we got your back, guys!”  Sure.

In a statement made a little while back, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security announced potential “heightened” threats to public safety this holiday season, believing there are some extremists out there in the United States who could do harm due to what’s happening with the war.

“We take all potential threats seriously and will work closely with our law enforcement partners to determine their credibility, share information, and take appropriate action,” the bureau noted.

That’s great.  But...is that enough?

Over the last few months, I’ve seen a disturbing trend that’s still going on, and while the FBI and DHS insist that the matter’s in good hands, I’m not so sure.

That’s because, over the past few months, neither department has really done anything in terms of securing our borders.  There hasn’t been any talk about hiring additional Border Patrol agents to keep migrants out, nor has there been any discussion — aside from a quick promise by President Joe Biden — about fortifying it.

Not only that, but Biden has flat-out refused to visit the border in any capacity to see what’s going on firsthand.  His administration has also gone as far as to condemn the Republicans who actually cared enough to go down there and seeing what was going on, dismissing them as political stunts.

You’re kidding me, right?  Instead of actually seeing what’s wrong with your country through your own eyes, you’re instead assuming everything’s okay and quickly dismissing the opinions of those that have actually seen it?  Sure, Joe.

Let’s move on.  Several cities have been ransacked by criminal activity over the past few months.  Portland isn’t what it used to be; several businesses in San Francisco have closed; and don’t even get me started on the mess that’s taking place in New York City, with thousands of officers leaving their post.

And yet there simply isn’t any effort from ol’ Joe to hire new officers.  He promised long ago that he would “fund the police,” but there hasn’t been any sort of bill to provide them the much-needed funds that were yanked away years ago with the debacle that was the “defund the police” campaign.  He supports them, sure, but only so far.  Actual effort just can’t be provided.

That makes this whole thing ironic.  The DHS and the FBI warn of “threats to public safety” but won’t lift a finger.  It’s up to the officers still on our streets to keep people safe — the men and women who are often ridiculed for simply wearing a badge when, in truth, they are the greatest defense this country has right now.

With that, I offer a hearty “happy holidays” message to our men and women in blue.  They deserve it, having been through so much over the years and still getting little to no support from those government types who should be treating them better — especially in Boston, where all hell appears to be breaking loose, and a select few, who could resolve the matter, choose to do anything but.

I hope 2024 brings some much-needed changes, because, honestly, it’s about time we did something to stop these threats to the United States, instead of simply saying we will.  Let’s keep the promises that are made, rather than just throw them out there for that public exposure.

Have a great holiday season, all!

Michael Letts is the founder, president, and CEO of InVest USA, a national grassroots non-profit organization that is helping hundreds of communities provide thousands of bulletproof vests for their police forces through educational, public relations, sponsorship, and fundraising programs.  He also has over 30 years of law enforcement experience under his belt, hence his pro-police stance for his brothers and sisters in blue.  Those interested in learning more about Letts can visit his official website.

Image: Tom Ahearn via Flickr, CC BY-NC 2.0.