Texas Sheriff: My Power Comes From God–Wants To Get Rid Of ‘Innocent Until Proven Guilty’

Texas is often the incubator for the stupid and extreme. Hunt County Sheriff Randy Meeks wrote an op-ed in the Herald-Banner newspaper, and here’s what has been percolating in his brain:

“Due to recent events, I can no longer be silent concerning what our country allows. It is amazing to me that the criminals who break into our homes and steal from us, those who sell drugs to our children, those who abuse innocent and defenseless children, those who rape our wives and daughters, those who commit cold-blooded murders are all innocent until proven guilty. Yet, law enforcement officers are found guilty as soon as it ‘appears’ that the officer has done something wrong. Way before the whole incident can be reviewed and the TRUTH obtained, that officer is found guilty and nobody cares what the facts are. This folks, is a travesty!”

The real travesty is that a newspaper gave space to this asshat for his objectionable and ignorant views, but I will temporarily suspend my objections so I can continue.

Next, Sheriff Meeks complains that America is now a “Godless nation,” and he writes:

“Guess where that authority comes from to law enforcement? It comes from God. Read Romans 13:1 in the Bible. And while you are at it, you folks in Ferguson, Baltimore, Arlington and here, take a Gander at Romans 13:2.”

Yes, by all means let’s take a look at the verses Brother Meeks refers to:

“Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.”

If this is the case, then there’s no need for Sheriff Meeks to run for election, now is there? God will place him in his position of power.

Allow me to say what I have said many times in cases like this: We do not run this country by the Bible, we run it by a Constitution. If these public officials want to live in a theocracy, we should put them on a plane to Iran or some other country where religion comes before the rule of law.

So, Sheriff Meeks, how soon can you have your bags packed?

This article was originally published by the same author at LiberalAmerica.org.

21 thoughts on “Texas Sheriff: My Power Comes From God–Wants To Get Rid Of ‘Innocent Until Proven Guilty’

  1. Theow I am pretty liberal. I am known as the Whistle Blower against peanut corp, and ran for office with the green party. At 1st, I see his one half decent point. The media shows a clip of someone getting shot or hurt by police leaving out the minutes before hand where the suspect shot at the police. Or the infamous hands up , only to find out that the witness lied. Yes, wait for an investigation and show the whole story. I get that frustration as a cop may have. Now to the same ole stuff that makes Texas look bat sh&$& crazy

    • I don’t disagree (lots of uniforms in my family over the years) in theory, but I think you have to consider the numbers. The biggest problem with holding law enforcement officers who behave unethically or illegally is the infamous “Thin Blue Line”. Intended to protect officers from the types of situations you describe, it is misused far too often. I have long maintained that corrupt or unstable officers on the street is a very small percentage, but there is too often silence even when the officer(s) behave in reckless or unethical ways. Off the streets, there is (also far too often) a culture of silence around alcoholism, chemical dependency and domestic violence issues involving officers. Whatever the tradition is intended to do, applying it without question will continue to support the worst of law enforcement at the expense off all officers and the communities they serve. This dynamic fuels the tensions between law enforcement and the community. Until those in Law enforcement and the courts demonstrate discernment and frankly, common sense in determining the truth in each incident, and apply the same standards of justice to the very human officers as to those they apprehend, these kind off issues will persist at the high levels we’re seeing. This jackass and others like him put more officers at risk by inflaming tensions and increasing the perception that officers are above the law than critic of law enforcement practices ever could.

      • the fact that you don’t disagree BECAUSE there have been many uniforms in YOUR family is disturbing on so many levels. Right or wrong should not be subjective and because this country is made up of so many cowardly bonehead who’ve allowed themselves to be convinced to think this way. How is right ever to prevail when people are too childish, too cowardly to sort right from wrong because of their own personal circumstances? The word integrity means nothing anymore. Disgusting.

      • Any officer who would not hold another officer accountable for “acting illegally” is just as guilty. This “very small percentage” is much bigger than you suggest. I believe a “good cop” is in the extreme minority.

        • Any officer who would not hold another officer accountable for “acting illegally” is just as guilty. ” Agreed. As for the rest, my viewpoint is based on decades of personal involvement and observation. This includes participation in community oversight groups and advocacy organizations for citizen’s . There is definitely a culture of bullying, as there tends to be in much of American life these days. It’s a disservice to the officers who serve their communities to dismiss them all because the worst are finally getting long overdue press coverage. Factor in the other types of 911 calls, the medical emergencies, children at risk or in danger, etc. Most of what the officers do is never reported, and perhaps shouldn’t be, much of their duties are pretty mundane. Hostility from the community solves nothing, and I admit at one point I was in that camp as well. None of the issues we’re facing with community policing will be solved by recrimination without action to support the overall objective. Participation in these organizations is not easy or free of conflict by any means, but I heartily encourage everyone to get involved at their local level and investigate for themselves. I will concede that Texas seems to have more than their share, but look as who the governor is (Jade Helm, anyone?). On the other hand, look at the way local law enforcement pressed on with the investigations into Kansas Governor Sam Brownbacks evil and malicious brother Jim Brownback. They also cooperated with the Topeka Capital Journals expose of how he terrorized an entire county, finally putting a stop to it. (Google it). I hope no one here is naive enough to think there have not been political ramifications for those who did their jobs at the Linn County Sheriff’s Department. In spite of any wrongdoing at the KBI, local law enforcement was unified in doing their jobs in spite of harassment from the Gov’s minions. Supporting those kinds of officers is as important as calling out the criminals in law enforcement, but you rarely see the kind of exposure to that concept in the “mediasphere”.

      • He was saying judgement should be based on the FACTS in each case. These people risk their lives for us daily and get far less compassion and consideration than criminals.

    • This sheriff should know that a chasm exists between “innocent until proven guilty” by LAW; and moral condemnation in media. Conflating the two is ludicrous – and from the head of law enforcement.

    • 19 witnesses testified to the Grand Jury that Michael Brown had his hands up when he was shot by Wilson, over 100′ away. 2 people testified he did not have his hands up. One of those was put on the stand TWICE even though it was known she had not even been on the scene that day.

  2. “Read Romans 13:1 in the Bible.”

    I’ve read Romans 13:1. Does this mean the sheriff will also respect Obama as having authority from God?

  3. The most likely place for fascism to take root in America is at the county level, specifically in the office of sheriff. Sheriffs, after all, can empower deputies and posses – and there are your brownshirts, right there, ready to go. Check out http://cspoa.org, http://www.countysheriffproject.org, http://www.sheriffbrigadesofpenn.com

    That last site, for example, features this interesting quote: “Within his jurisdiction, the Sheriff has more power and authority than the Governor and the President of the United States.”

  4. Maybe he should become familiar with his God’s book of fairy tails. Just to name a few of his God’s comments regarding gluttony. Proverbs 23:20-21 – Proverbs 28:7 – Proverbs 23:2.

    This guys temperament is a classic sight of uncontrolled diabetes, which suggests that he should not have a gun, or a position of authority over other people. These are simple clinical facts.

    He has chosen doughnuts over a career. He need to go on disability.

    • You are indeed medically and clinically correct. However, 25 years ago when I first worked in social services, we were given in-service trainings in a variety of disorders, including a unit on managing uncontrolled diabetics. It’s rarely stated so bluntly, but it was made quite clear (with abundant peer reviewed research supporting the assertion) than an uncontrolled diabetic is as difficult and potentially hazardous to deal with as an alcoholic. With all that that entails. Whether or not he goes on disability or not is irrelevant, he needs to be removed from any position of responsibility, and his track record proves it. (see the Change.org petition I posted above).

  5. If videos of someone committing a crime were posted, the public would believe that a crime was committed, and that person is guilty. In this case, the public is acting like a grand jury giving it’s decision to indict. When these videos are of police, this does not negate the issue. If the public sees something that appears to be a crime, and calls for an arrest, this implies the person should be handled as someone indicted. Lots of innocent people are indicted and possibly arrested – the reason is to prevent further crimes, which in the case of police with poor training, sadistic tendencies, or believing “My power is from God, so die, n****r, die!”, this is a real issue.

  6. Why is it that people don’t have any imagination?
    When the next payday rolls around, don’t pay him.
    When he asks “what’s up” just look at him with either some innocent or simpleton gaze (doesn’t matter, they are interchangeable) and tell him, “our power comes from God also, we’re waiting for Him to sign the paychecks.”
    Problem solved.

  7. The criminals he described are the result of this socially engineered society, & this is the exact response that the creators of this system want.. The real criminals kill by the tens of thousands & call themselves our protectors.. I’m so tired of people blaming each other when we are all victims of terrible crimes against humanity.
    –the exact Behavioral Science terminology is displaced aggression.. A tactical & very effective weapon

  8. cOME TO jERSEY YOU PIG PIECE OF GARBAGE and I’ll take your night stick and shove it sooo far up yur ass it’ll hit the back of your teeth!

  9. One can only hope he is placed in a position where he needs to be found innocent until proven guilty before he just makes the wrong decisions out of anger.

    “GOD” won’t bless him with the correct answers either and these same courts will put him in general pop with the rest of the scum of the Earth. So “innocent until proven guilty” isn’t going any where soon. But somebody should tell him they don’t give a shit about the Bible in Court. Secular law rules over God’s law.

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