Several high-profile occurrences have placed our first responders in the crosshairs of hostile entities both here and abroad. But a retired local attorney and frequent contributor to The News Courier says it’s time to turn those sentiments around.

“That ‘thin blue line’ is all that separates us from chaos,” said Jerry Barksdale.

Barksdale is spearheading a movement he calls “Together We Stand,” which recognizes the contributions of all first responders to a safer society. He hosted the organizational meeting at the Alabama Veterans Museum and Archives in the past week to begin gathering momentum for an event that is tentatively scheduled for June 12.

“I was sitting alone at night about 7 watching the news and I wondered what is happening to our nation?” he said. “Two policemen were sitting in their squad car not disturbing anyone, eating, and someone walks up and kills them. The next night, I saw people on the news carrying signs that said ‘Kill all cops.’

“I was raised up in a place where you didn’t even lock your doors and you didn’t feel like you had to have a gun in the house. You were not afraid. Our way of life is under attack. I don’t feel safe — not at all.”

But Barksdale says it’s not only domestic crimes we have to worry about.

“I’ve heard that Islamic terrorists have been given an order to go out and kill our first responders,” he said, and paraphrased Irish political philosopher Edmund Burke by saying, “Evil triumphs when good men do nothing.”

Barksdale said we could begin to be “responsible for our destiny” by “supporting the people who protect us.”

Positive response to idea

“I threw out the idea on Facebook and I was flooded with responses,” he said. “I was surprised to learn how many other people are out there who feel the same. They want to help and improve our community.”

Barksdale said this effort is not a political statement.

“This doesn’t have to do with rich or poor, white or black, young or old, Democrat or Republican,” he said. “What if all our policemen called in sick for a whole week? Who do we call — the crack dealer down the road?”

Barksdale is not suggesting that the public form vigilante groups to combat both domestic crime and potential terrorism but to support those appointed and trained as our protectors. He said we need to stop looking on them as our enemies, hence the slogan “Together We Stand.”

“I was thinking that every great movement in history has its own anthem,” said Barksdale. “I have this writer friend, Randy McDonald, who lives down on the river, and I told him we needed a song for our effort. Pretty soon he emailed me the words and he said the music would soon follow.”

Barksdale played McDonald’s original composition “For Each Other” for the crowd of about three dozen, which enthusiastically applauded the piece.

Banquet set for Event Center

As a starting point for this inclusive show of support, Together We Stand has tentatively scheduled a banquet and entertainment to honor Athens and Limestone County first responders to be held at the Limestone County Event Center. Barksdale said he has already received financial contributions and pledges for more.

Honorees will not only include police officers and their families, but also firefighters, dispatchers, rescue squad, and emergency medical services. But feeding what could possibly be some 1,000 people when including immediate families, will be a costly effort. The general public will be admitted by a reasonably priced ticket.

Sandy Thompson, executive director of the Veterans Museum, agreed to allow the museum to be a sponsoring organization. That means museum officials will be responsible for accepting tax-deductible donations from both the public and also legislative discretionary funds.

The museum’s address is: Alabama Veterans Museum and Archives, Box 1500, Athens, Alabama 35612. For walk-ins, the address is 100 West Pryor Street, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, except Sunday. Please write in the check memo line: Together We Stand.

Jack Greenhaw, who has produced several fundraisers for the museum, will be entertainment director for the event.

Kathy Hooper of Hazel Green, who is CEO of the newly formed Thin Blue Line support group in Madison County said the public has been very responsive in that adjoining county to public shows of support of first responders. She said dispatchers “the first line of defense” are called “The Thin Gold Line”; firefighters, “The Thin Red Line”; rescue squads, “The Thin Green Line”, and, of course, police officers, “The Thin Blue Line.”

Hooper told the crowd that Madison County residents have been burning blue porch lights in support, so much so that large retailers such as Lowe’s and Home Depot have sold out of the blue bulbs.

“What affects one line, affects all lines,” said Hooper. She said many people through the month of January are wearing blue clothing or blue ribbons to show their support.

Together We Stand will meet again Jan. 27 at 6:30 p.m. at the museum for those who would like to join the effort. Still needed is a catering chairman to identify a caterer, set the menu and obtain cost estimates.