Texas Sheriff: Cops Get Their Authority from God
Forget the Texas Constitution, Hunt County Sheriff Randy Meeks, who you may remember from his departments excessive force incidents, wants you to know that his authority is granted by God and you must obey him because the Bible says so.
Just days after a Hunt County grand jury cleared one of his deputies in the beating of then pregnant Deanna Robinson, Sheriff Meeks strung a few sentences together in a print only edition letter to the Herald Banner, titled “Can no longer be silent about what country allows.”
Meeks still can’t comprehend why anyone would be outraged when they see, with their own eyes, a deputy repeatedly punch a pregnant woman in the back while her unborn child is pinned against a kitchen counter. Meeks conveys his distaste for the international spotlight that has recently been shined on his department by claiming that criminals are innocent until proven guilty, while his deputies are guilty until proven innocent.
“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!”
I can only assume that the Sheriff is referring to the court of public opinion and not actual legal judgments, as everyone, including scumbag cops, are innocent until proven guilty.
Personally, I believe we all inherently know right from wrong. Most of us know that it is wrong to hit or steal. Therefore, when a video is released showing criminal behavior, regardless of the uniform, the average human being will exhibit some form of outrage. Whether it be a gas station robbery, or a cop strangling a man to death, the court of public opinion will not wait for the injustice system to play out. Video does not lie.
Meeks continues…
“Do officers make mistakes? Absolutely! Are there some bad officers? Yes, a few slip through the cracks, but not many… which leads me to the point of my letter. What has our country come to? When will we wake up to the fact that a country established “under God” is now a Godless nation. People evidently don’t want law and order. They want to kill, threaten and to harm the very officers who are in place to protect them.
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″
In case you don’t have that verse committed to memory, it reads: 1 Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.
We all know Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin and Mao Zedong were just doing God’s work, and their dissidents are burning in a fiery pit. I much prefer Thomas Jefferson’s motto, “Rebellion to Tyrants is Obedience to God.”
Since I became vocal against the police state, a lot of people have gone out of their way to remind me of the same argument the Sheriff makes that “not all cops are bad.” I generally give them the benefit of the doubt that most cops are in fact good people.
However, as governments around the world go broke, cops are increasingly used as a revenue generation tool, to shake down motorists and otherwise peaceful, law abiding citizens of their hard earned money under the guise of public safety. When an officer pulls you over for an illegal lane change, that officer is using the threat of violence to extract wealth from you to the ever growing political class and their cronies. Enforcing the whims of corrupt politicians without as much as questioning the morality of their actions leads even the most well-intentioned police officers to be considered bad. Otherwise they will ostracized.
Meeks closes out his letter by hilariously thanking the local defense attorneys (except one… and her assistant… and her investigator.) And he also thanks the local media, local television stations and other news outlets for being professional–“not all of you were, but for the most part you did your job professionally and with integrity.”
Lastly, the Sheriff thanks all the men and woman of law enforcement who “put their lives on the line every day.” Even though statistically, police work didn’t even make the top 10 dangerous jobs list.
This post brought to you by the real heroes: Loggers, fisherman, pilots, roofers, steel workers, garbage men, lineman, truck drivers, farmers, and construction workers. Thank you for your service!
Nothing “appears” any different than it is, you moron sheriff. If a video shows police beating a pregnant woman or shooting a man with his hands up, I think that’s a cut-and-dry case right there. You only want to justify your idiocy BECAUSE YOU WERE CAUGHT. Now, go slink away and leave the public alone.
No, sheriff dickhead, you DON’T get your “authoritai” from God, you are granted it BY THE PEOPLE. And I have the feeling we’re going to be revoking it very soon.
I am a retired Los Angeles Police Officer who now lives right on the boarder of Hunt/Hopkins county out here in God for saken eastern TexAss. I saw the video when this first went public– I also know that grand jury’s — juries as a whole; have a very difficult time convicting a police officer. Especially when the officer is from their local county. The first example that comes to my mind, are the four Los Angeles police officers charge for the beating of Rodney King in semi Valley in 1991.
I’ve seen the his sheriffs deputies working interstate 30 midway between Dallas and Texarkana; they’re very much an unprofessional lot. They are your typical small town, eastern Texas, rural cops.
They are tactically unsafe, they run speed taps on I30 with some of the local, smaller police depts. they are always looking for “narcotics”– oddly, most of the people that seem to get by law enforcement out here are either African-American or Hispanic.
Long ago, back in the 80s and 90s, my department had a renegade group of officers, who are religious zealots. We called them, “the God squad” they harassed gays and lesbians, people of color, and anyone who did not fit into their sick and twisted idea of what a police officer should be. They cost my department millions and punitive damages. An independant investigation into my department, after the beating of Rodney King forced many of these people out of office. The totality of their behaviors while acting as police officers was disclosed to the public. Their conduct was frightening.
This “sheriff” it’s pretty typical of this region. It is very heavy and Southern Baptist and religion. Religion plays a major part down here. Had I known in 2008 and 2009, what I know now–I would’ve never came to this area to live. In fact, I would’ve avoided Texas at all costs. Like all things that we do, “you get what you pay for”-it’s very affordable to live here but you have to put up with crap like this. My daily affairs and my wife include avoiding contact with the “locals”–I avoid them whenever I can. I simply do not want to be around them or talk to them.
I wonder how he feels about Kim Davis up in Kentucky? She’s breaking the law right now! She’s in violation of federal court orders! But he goes on this rant about other forms of law violators.
What the sheriff doesn’t understand is this; the public has the right to complain about a police officer’s conduct whenever they feel the officer acted inappropriately. The public also has the right to fair and impartial internal investigation into the officers conduct. This is why all officers wear name tags and have badge numbers. So officers can be identified and when appropriate formal investigations done on them when a member of the public complaints. I saw the video tape and yes a complaint should’ve been done and it should’ve been investigated.
This sheriff is an antiquated part of law-enforcement. He is a relic of days gone by. His views on modern day law-enforcement is inconsistent with modern-day policing. His biblical views have no place within the law-enforcement community at all. They belong in his church. His lack of education is stunning!
American peace officers draw their authority from the United States Constitution. Which flows down to the individual states, through state laws and then into local municipal ordinances.
This is the exact type of Podunk cop that gives all the law-enforcement a bad name. As a police officer, I was never like him. And I know many who are not like him. This man is what we call, “a dinosaur” he is a fossil of days gone by.
For him to publish and print article such as this is flat out unprofessional. The public cannot be guaranteed that he will not impose is biblical views upon members of the communities in which his deputies work. He is tantamount to Texas version of, “Kim Davis” up in Kentucky.
My advice to anyone would be to stay out of Texas, don’t live here, don’t vacation here, and try not to even passed through the state. I sadly live here now–with a little luck someday I will be able to return to California. Texas was probably one of the biggest mistakes of my adult life.
There are many people like the sheriff in Texas. This man is not alone. And they are dangerous.
I agree with everything except your myopic generalization of Texas as evidence of your disdain. In fact, Texas is far more advanced in the cause of individual liberty than your vaunted California (the single worst state in the country).
I’ll buy this uneducated Moron a ticket on the next bus back to his precious LA
Sheriff Meeks does not understand Romans 13, obviously. But, where ever you live don’t you think
no one likes a whiner. Get over it or get out.
Exactly! This guy must’ve failed, “AJ 101” in college–that is if he ever went to college in the first place. That badge of his is a symbol of public trust. He derives his authority from the constitution of the United States. Not GOD!
But yet that psycho county clerk in Kentucky thinks the same thing ! We know how it worked out for her
I know this may come as a shock to you, but most people haven’t used the bus to go back to California since about the 1930s. I know Texas is living in the past. And you probably don’t get out much. But believe it or not we have these things called, “airplanes” Texas simpletons
Oathkeepers, and there are many here in Texas fighting against this type of mindset.
Thats because TexAss is a lawless, paranoid, inbred state thats two steps away from ” paranoid schizophrenia”
Well if TexAss is so great the Olympic committee didnt see it because CA just secured the United States bid for the 2024 summer games, Los Angeles joins ONLY LONDON as the two world cities to host the games 3 times. That is right– leading the way for America! Libral California!
The projected fiscal impact to Los Angeles and CA due to the games? 161 million dollar profit AFTER it is over– and everything is paid for! TexAss cant do that! Never could or will! California has the eighth largest economy in the world
TexAss packed that anti Cali BS well but its not flying anymore.
Oath Keepers are on the FBI watch list too! If an oath keeper ever gets “side ways” of a real cop; they could find themselves in jail; IF I found out my fellow police officer was involved with them I WOULD CALL internal affairs myself personally and inform them– we have no room in our ranks for them!
This hick sheriff, from some hill billy eastern Texas county is just that– I don’t see them making movies about his county. In fact nobody even knows where it is.
He acts like that idiot Texass sheriff from ” smokey and the bandit” in the Burt Reynolds comedy. He is a moderm ” Buford T Justice of the great state of TexAss”
We’ll have world government by 2024 anyhow so why do they need the Globalist Games?
And you Texans talk shit about CALI being crazy BRAVENEW? Fuck put your damn tinfoil hat on, take your psychiatric medications , stop watching Fox news , and get out and see the world beyond whatever cult like- inbred Texass town your living in now! I know Hollywood whores on crack cocaine make more sense than you
I hate to break it to ya, but all but everyone is on the watch list these days . Wearing jeans, taking pictures or knowing your rights are some of the fastest way to get on the lists the gubmint keeps since the inception of the patriot act
LA24867, thank you for sharing. I’ve heard things about the rural Texas police, but it’s worse than I’d imagined.
If you Google the sheriffs name you’ll find out that he was the focus of a news article where he was investigated for public corruption. So is it any wonder that he couldn’t find any wrongdoing in this video. Most of these world deputies and small town police officers in Texas or paid very poorly. So the bottom line is, “you get what you pay for”
then quit paying them at all
SIR …..I have taken considerable time to read much of your comment history and find it a joy to read by reassuring me that the majority of Americans are not paranoid gun totting rednecks with a bizarre conspiracy theory to explain everything ; the fact that you are a retired police officer is even more reassuring , yes , a voice of sanity in an ocean of paranoia , narrowness of mind , and stifling redneck attitudes
I would like to communicate with you on a whole range of political , cultural and contemporary issues and will be interested in your views and opinions …I live here in England but have previously lived in the US for over 25 years in 9 different states ; I have a first rate knowledge of history and politics and am certain that we can both benefit from an intellectual correspondence
I was a former member of the Southern Poverty Lawsuit Centre in Alabama and an very interested in getting an experienced lawman’s view of the civil rights issues …I notice you haven’t posted in a year so I hope you are OK and get this message
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/3bdcf069fa92d769f7b879618d70008b462f22516a0f73cd0a956ef52849b1e5.jpg You may email me at [email protected]
I’m sorry for some of the typos in my last post but I’m voice texting and driving. Sometimes it doesn’t come through quite accurately
People love to pick a single verse from the Bible without showing it in context of the entire chapter. I think he needs to read Romans 13 in its entirety…
Romans 13:
1Let every soul submit itself to the higher powers. For there is no power but of God, and the powers that be are ordained of God.2Whosoever therefore resists the power, resists the ordinance of God, and those that resist shall receive condemnation to themselves.3For the magistrates are not a terror unto those who do good, but to the doer of evil. Is thy desire therefore to not fear the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same;4for he is a minister of God for thy good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain, for he is a minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that does evil.5Therefore it is necessary that ye be subject, not only for punishment, but also for conscience sake.6For this cause ye also pay them tribute, for they are God’s ministers, attending continually to this very thing.
7Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.8Owe no one anything, but love one unto another; for he that loves his neighbour has fulfilled the law.9For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not murder, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet, and if there is any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.10Charity works no evil to a neighbour; therefore, charity is the fulfillment of the law.
11And this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awaken ourselves out of sleep, for now is our saving health nearer than when we believed.12The night is past, and the day is come; let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us clothe ourselves with the weapons of light.13Let us walk honestly, as in the day, not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.14But be clothed with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not listen to the flesh, to fulfil its desires.
Government is not God…great woes and sorrows are surly to follow those who replace the Creator with false idols and satanic impersonators.
Show me in the 1st Amendment where it says “god” of Israel, jesus or christian faith is supreme in the USA? THe Core of Christian faith is 2nd chronicles 15 13 just like ISIS.
LA24687 Please run for sheriff.
Texas law-enforcement is so far behind the power curve it will take them at least 20 years to catch up.
I’m now a recruiter. I recruit other candidates for law-enforcement. Which we packaged up and ship out of Texas.
The pay, pensions, benefits, And living conditions are by far better in California. Training is superior to that of any other state in the nation except for maybe New York City. Once they do the full career in a major metropolitan department in California, many of our officers go on to market those skills in the private sector. The banking industry, personal protection, or government contracting. I did the government contracting. The pay is exceptional. I couldn’t of done that with the Texas background
Literally not something to be proud of: “I’ve been successfully conditioned and trained for acclimation in any military-industrial deployment — I’m a mercenary.”
Truly, truly grateful though, that you are so very forth-coming and verbose with your perspective and opinion. Most deniers don’t believe this manner of toxic vitriol is ACTUALLY present in front-line domestic terror operations; you are proof-positive to the contrary. There is simply no way to have fabricated better psychosis to cite.
For that, and the inadvertent fight against the tyranny of the police state, thank you!
#PoliceIsAVerb
If we are innocent until proven guilty, we would not need to be policed.
Our rights come from whichever higher power or just from being human if that is your intent. A sheriff’s authority comes not from a higher power but from an document, the Constitutions of both the US and Texas. The higher power is far above an piece of paper and to usurp that power has condemned this sheriff and all his ilk.
The “higher power” in Romans 13:1 give nothing to this corrupt Sheriff. This scripture has been abused for hundreds of years so corrupt leaders can abuse other. But the same verse says there’s on no power but from God. Romans 13 means the total opposite of what people like this man claim. It means that the only true authority is God and anyone outside that authority has no legal authority.
John Locke affirmed this long before the Constitution when he debunked the right of kings idea they used on us in the middle ages and said that any magistrate that violates the laws of life, liberty and property in that ceases to be an authority and may be treated as any other criminal.
We are all lesser magistrates. We are all called to lobe our neighbor as yourself. No lawless public official has any say over that. It’s time to remove these lawless people from their positions, stop their abuse and coercion and elect people who will obey the law that WE placed on them, the Constitution.
“And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die.”
According to his “god” he is supposed to cut his own throat for being a gluttonous FAT piece of fcuk. Typical christian hypocrite. Texas is full of fat fcuk christian scum like him.
his body is a temple alright.
His uniform appearance is absolutely atrocious. I wonder if he slept in it? He definitely looks like a poster child for nutrition or Jenny Craig. Not exactly a stellar example of modern-day law-enforcement
Sounds like someone who doesn’t understand the Constitution and who would be happy to have this nation run by a theocratic dictatorship.
I’m trying to think of some other countries like that…oh yeah. They are almost all muslim cesspools. The kind with religious police.
Just like the Holy Roman Empire.
Indeed. The people in this country who think that their God trumps Constitutional rights are terrifying, AND THEY VOTE. Those same types of people are beheading innocent folks over on the other side of the world, and their belief is equally as devout, and hypocritical. That is the extreme example of what can happen, but there hasn’t been a lot of time that has passed since Christians viewed justice in the same way.
If he’s working for God, doesn’t God want him to stop stealing his paychecks from the public?
Does this mean he has no right to tell atheists what to do?
But seriously, God works on donations, and if you are working for Him, you should too! Please send my tax money back to me ASAP!
Also, dude, put the guns away, it makes it look like you don’t trust God to have your back!
I’m amused that he wanted it published only in the print version. Good thing the internet didn’t see it! 😉
Some say that cop videos on the Internet show typical cops in action.
Clearly the cops caught on Internet video are just the tip of an iceberg.
Humanity is in the midst of a cooperation test.
Those really in charge really do want to cut back on humanity.
The New World Order folks like George Bush I just want about
500 Milion Human Being People left alive on earth.
It’s going to get messy soon.
The U.S. Air Force Space Command General says on 60 Minutes that he can attack any target anywhere on earth any time, in any weather by using attack killer drones commanded and controlled by Artificial Intelligence computer software called JADE 2. Typical Internet Cops are simply field training for UN Agenda 21 that seeks the depopulation of Humanity. Stay tuned.
That alleged “LA cop” needs to hit the bricks in Hunt County & TEACH his neighbors what manner of cretin they are. They’ll never change w/o someone such as him acting as their new messiah. If he really cares, that is…
actually, the scripture quoted refers to “higher powers.” The bible clearly teaches we (man) are, for the time being, below the angels. So, as I understand it, only God and his angels are above me. Where do cops fit in?
The bible also teaches the CREATION ( in this case, government) cannot be greater than the CREATOR (in this case, the people).
If God created man, man turned around and created government, government turned around and hired cops, seems to me the cops are the CREATION, the people are the CREATORS.
I agree that everyone is to obey governmental authorities, as the bible says, for their own safety and well-being. As long as man’s laws do not interfere with God’s laws…there’s plenty of scripture to support that (eg Acts 5:29).
This sheriff better make certain that he isn’t abusing his God-given authority. God is the ultimate authority over all, including those in authoritative positions. They’re blessed with authority and not superiority, therefore to abuse their authority and/or laws is a sin against man and God…the One who put them there in the first place.
“For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God’s minister to you for good.” Romans 13:3,4
Clearly, those in authority are also to do good, according to the law.
This was also, conspicuously, a letter from Paul to the Romans. Romans. As in the believers of Christ who were citizens of the capital of the prevailing secular empire. The same empirical force who crucified the Nazarene in question and laid asunder the Temple in Jerusalem. It was not only crucial for the sheer numbers, but the geo-political positioning of the recipients that Paul suggest a balance between homage to secular power (survival) and reverence to the divine (salvation).
To take this epistle outside of that overlying context is flat-out naive and dishonest. This had a very specific intended audience, the editorial canonical convening at Nicea notwithstanding.
Rubbish.
In Daniel 4 we read about the Babylonian King’s dream that was decreed against him by God. This is what it says at the end of his dream (vs17), “…in order that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, gives it to whomever He will, and sets over it the lowest of men.”
Then, Daniel interprets the dream to the king…revealing all the things that will fall upon him. The interpretation ends with (vss 25,26), “…till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses…your kingdom shall be assured to you, after you come to know that Heaven rules.”
Daniel 4:30-32 reads, “The king spoke, saying, ‘Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?’ While the word was still in the king’s mouth, a voice fell from heaven: ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you…until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.’”
At the end of the time, King Nebuchadnezzar “blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever” and said, “For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?'” (vss 34,35).
So, King Nebuchadnezzar finally knew that “the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.”
To suggest that Paul isn’t referring to Christians worldwide is not biblically supported…there’s enough scripture to prove otherwise. What is, always trumps what might be.
See 1 peter 2:12-16
Absolute and utter nonsense. You’ve cited, now, from the Old Testament, a story of requisite value, once again with a specified Judaic audience. It’s as if you are purposely burying your point deeper and deeper into irrelevance.
Scripture, with no understanding of intended audience and canonical implication in its editorial placement, hold little value when cited haphazardly.
You show a grave misunderstanding of both the scripture and its intention.
Considering, obviously, that the the canon to which you refer was ecumenically designated at Nicea centuries after any of the aforementioned “substantiation” occurred… there’s at least as good an argument that self-serving circular rationale impacted the selection of passages that made it in. Considering that the Church was the largest singular political entity in the known world as well as the largest land owner, there’s at least as strong a case as believing the text itself makes a permissive case for subservience to earthly “authority”. Get back to me when you have something to quote outside of the circular canon.