Editor note: This article was originally published after our interview with Megan a couple of years ago. But with the escalating attacks on law enforcement, we thought it was a good time to remind everyone of both the evil… AND the good… that’s out there.
FLORIDA- She’s just a kid trying to help make peoples’ lives a little easier. A little less painful. And now she’s under attack for it – and her family is facing death threats.
You’ve probably heard of Megan. Her non-profit is called Blue Line Bears. She, with the help of her family, takes the uniforms of fallen police officers and turns them into teddy bears for the surviving family members.
In an episode of Behind the Uniforms from season one, she shared the story of how she started her non-profit to help them.
Meg is the daughter of a cop. As such, she understands what families of law enforcement go through. In addressing why she started her company, she started with this:
“There is so much negativity aimed at police in general.”
Sadly, the recent high school graduate is coming face to face with just how vile and depraved some people can be in their hatred for EVERY cop and ALL those who love and support them.
Recently, she posted supportive statements on her personal social media page, only to have people, many of whom she considered friends, lash out at her and her family and then block her.
The post that led to all of the horrific comments, which included things too vile to print, but wished death on her dad and other officers:
“It’s a sad day in our house, and I know many of you would understand and relate.
How do we explain to our sweet, passionate, empathetic, amazing daughter why so many people around the world hate her dad (and so many of the officers that she has met around the country) simply because of the uniform he wears?
“He’s never done any of the things he’s accused of by association. She knows that he, and the overwhelming majority, does his job with passion and integrity. She is so worried and we have no answers for her. It’s a sad day.”
One woman commented:
“Very white of y’all to pose for a sympathy photo so you can get likes on FB. Yikes. ACAB (All Cops Are Bastards).”
She felt compelled to follow that now-deleted post with this comment:
“Saying I am heartbroken is an understatement. 3 and a half years ago when I started Blue Line Bears tensions were high in the United States and police officers were under attack. I received hate comment after hate comment, most along the lines of ‘I hope your dad is the next Officer you make a bear for.’
“The hate comments never truly disappeared, but they became less frequent until these past couple of weeks. I posted something that was pro-police on my own personal social media and got attacked by my own classmates calling me all sorts of things.
“People who I saw as friends blocked me and called me toxic. I watched the increase in police injuries in New York and wondered if those were officers I’ve given a patch to. I scrolled through social media posts to be met with nothing but anti-police rants.
“My heart broke more and more everyday.
“Yesterday my family made the decision to get rid of the wrap on my Jeep, because it’s not safe for me to drive anymore. My heart shattered and I finally let myself cry over this (as seen in the deleted post from yesterday).
The comments were positive in the beginning until we got hundreds of comments wanting my dad dead and saying they hope he gets shot in the face.
“I have stayed silent until now, but I’m not doing that anymore. These people can troll and hate on my dad and me, but all they’re doing is fueling the fire that will make Blue Line Bears more and more successful. I will not stand down.”
Here is part of the vehicle wrap she was referring to.
And another:
And she is being shown support, not only by Law Enforcement Today, and thousands of individuals, but also organizations like Brothers Before Others (no strangers to LET readers) and the Illinois Sheriff’s Association.
One comment mentioned something that many of us around the country have done or are considering to do.
“Megan, I cried yesterday when I took my thin blue line off my car, and am crying reading that you had to do the same. Something is very very wrong in America right now and we all have to be strong and stand firm for what we believe in.
I believe that 99.9 pct of all the blue are not only good people, but the best that God made. All that is necessary for a evil to triumph over good is that good men say nothing.”
We are hearing from many people who have pulled their Thin Blue Line flags from in front of their homes, or stickers out of their vehicle windows. And much like Megan, they aren’t doing it because they no longer love and support law enforcement.
They are doing it to avoid becoming a target.
So, what exactly does Blue Line Bears do that agitate the anti-cop fringe of America?
“Blue Line Bears is a nonprofit organization with the goal of helping the children of fallen Law Enforcement officers cope with the devastating loss of a parent.
Blue Line Bears is the creation of the daughter of a police officer whose goal it is to help the children of fallen officers through the difficult loss of their parent.
“Children of law enforcement officers grow up realizing that their parent’s life is at risk every day they go to work.
Add to that the fact that there is much public ridicule of law enforcement officers, and deaths in the line of duty are sudden, shocking and violent.
“With all of this in mind, Blue Line Bears will not only provide a lasting keepsake to help keep the officer’s memory alive, but will also help their child to see that there are caring individuals who respect and appreciate men and women in uniform.
Children of officers killed in the line of duty are oftentimes young, perhaps too young to remember the parent who died. For those children, a bear from Blue Line Bears will provide a tangible reminder that their loved one will always be with them.
“The organization will reach out to Law Enforcement agencies across the nation in order to get information about the fallen officer, as well as a uniform shirt(s) to create a personalized bear for each of the officer’s children.
“Blue Line Bears will contact a Victim’s Advocate, Public Information Officer, or Watch Commander to assist with making contact with the appropriate individual within the agency. Once contact is made, Blue Line Bears will request that uniform shirt(s) that will be transformed into a teddy bear keepsake be mailed to Blue Line Bears.
“Due to concerns that agencies may have regarding the release of uniform shirts and/or patches, Blue Line Bear recommends that the agency remove one of the patches and cut off the shirt collar to ensure that it could never be used to impersonate an officer.
The agency will be given the option of mailing the shirt(s) to Cape Coral Police Department to the attention of the Victim’s Advocate. The shirts will be cut, sewn and stuffed into a teddy bear.
“Additionally, a personalized badge with the officer’s last name and badge number will be sewn on the bear’s stomach while the officer’s Department patch will be stitched onto the back of the bear.
If the officer had stripes for rank or service, those will also adorn the bear as well. Finally, each bear will be given a St. Michael medal and blessed by a priest before being mailed to the family. All of this will be done at no expense to the family.
“Through the use of donations and other contributions, Blue Line Bears will purchase all materials, as well as cover the cost of shipping.”
Megan, from all of us here at Law Enforcement Today and on behalf of the families that you have uplifted through your actions, keep doing what you do. Take heart and comfort knowing that you encourage and uplift many. You are an inspiration to countless people.
We have your six!
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