The recent demonstrations against the killing by police of unarmed black men seemingly overlooked the fact that both the Michael Brown and Eric Garner cases involved criminal activity.
I'm not saying the perpetrators should have been killed, but when you make a decision to break the law anything can happen, from getting away with it to a fatal encounter.
The role police play in society is indispensable. They put their lives on the line every day. Now we have two policemen shot and killed in New York City because "black lives matter" and "I can't breathe."
Those carrying banners and demonstrating against the police doing their jobs have licensed lawbreakers. They should have been carrying banners that said "all lives matter" — and another saying "I can't breathe if I get involved in criminal activity."
The bottom line is that if people stay clean and avoid the criminal scene no police officer will ever confront them.
Robert Pallone