MY 2 CENTS

I’m a Yankee fan because of my family. My Mom and Dad got it from their parents and I hope to one day pass it on to my kids. The Yankees have always been a touchstone through the generations. From the time the first of my relatives stepped off the boat from old Ireland, they “Bled Yankee Blue”…but many of them also wore the color. No, I can’t say that someone on my family tree suited up in the navy blue cap and pinstripes, but they wore, and still wear, another iconic New York uniform…the blue of the NYPD.

This is in no way a political post, and is not intended to anger anyone. I just wanted to throw in my 2 cents when it comes to the brave men and women that walk the beat in the Greatest City in the World. We see them at games in the Bronx. They are just like us. They are tasked with watching the crowd for any disturbances, but you’ll always catch them sneaking a peek at the field and cracking a smile when the Yanks break it open. My grandfather, uncles and cousins have all encouraged me to say, “Hello, officer” and “Thanks” When I pass a cop. It goes a long way with New York’s Finest and cops all over the country.

Now every profession has individuals that have no business in their chosen line of work. That is true of cops, mayors, ballplayers, doctors, lawyers and so on. It seems that more and more we find ourselves listening to radio and TV and reading editorials of people telling us why this nation is so terrible. We have forgotten how to simply listen and talk to each other…in person, without the cover of social media. It’s sad, and it’s not why my relatives came to New York or why they decided to serve on the City’s Police force.

The social climate of late has made this holiday season shine a bit dimmer. There is a tension that you can feel in the 5 boroughs. People of all races and religions seem hesitant to smile or make eye contact. It doesn’t have to be that way, and we are capable of turning it around like the first knock of a big inning.

I’m extremely proud to be from a New York City Police Family. They helped make me a Yankee fan, and told me that cops are regular people doing an extraordinarily difficult job. They aren’t all saints, they wear a badge not a halo, but as my Uncle Pat once said, “Cops in this city love the city, sometimes they just need to hear that we love them back.”

I apologize if you were looking from a baseball escape from the recent news. This one just hit home for me and I wanted to post something.

Wishing you and your families a healthy, happy, holiday season and a great 2015.

**Merry Christmas. Here’s one from the legendary Nat King Cole**




--Mike O'Hara Senior "Features" Writer
Twitter: @mikeyoh21







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