Well, a big part of this whole systemic racism/police brutality conversation is about "perceived" threats. Many have suggested that police officers don't have a legitimate reason to fear for their lives, both in general and in very specific situations that we've discussed at length (such as Jacob Blake walking to the driver's seat of his car). A dude walked up to these two officers and shot them, allegedly for no reason, and then a "small collection of dipshits" took time out of their days to stand outside the hospital chanting that they hope the officers die. Statistically, there aren't a ton of innocent, unarmed black people being killed by police in America, but I've been told that all black people fear or should fear for their lives during any run in with police. Could you not apply the same logic to police officers, using incidents like this one, which are relatively uncommon, statistically, to suggest that they should perceive threat more frequently as well?
Depends. What if someone was standing their saying that "their Jesus" believed that black people were chattel, and deserving of hell. Ya know, [uck fay] that person's Jesus. They said "your Jesus," not just "Jesus." So, whose Jesus?
Well, they can stop being police officers at any point they choose, an option not available to black people. They still have expectations for doing this particular job. If they are fearing for their life, then there is some breakdown in the social contract or communication between them and the community, which must be addressed or adjusted, the point of much of the defund movement. Otherwise, if it outside those parameters, they should just have the same concern over homicidal maniacs like everyone else. The shooting of the police officers isn't at all justified, for sure, no matter whatever context one could try and contrive. Essentially, if we have police officers going around and operating in a manner in which they address situations in terms of them fearing for their lives, then we have a breakdown which can't be allowed to continue in a similar fashion. But, they are a group given certain privileges which require certain expectations. The 5 kranks outside the hospital, again, isn't notable, though. I can find 5 kranks for most anything. Now, 500 show up to do this and then it is concerning.
That's not rationalization, that's reality. If they feel threatened and cannot perform their duties, then they should not pursue the career. It isn't justifying the shooting of officers, it's the realization they can't do what we, as a society, need and require of them, if they operate under the thinking they have to kill others before they get killed themselves. Protect themselves, of course, but they are a danger in those scenarios.