The editors of the Wall Street Journal make an observation very similar to the one I made:
The shooting in Buffalo on Saturday has horrified Americans, but it was massacre as usual in Chicago this weekend and few outside the Windy City noticed.
At least 33 people were shot, five fatally, according to police. Five of the victims were in the 1st police district, which covers the downtown Loop and Near South Side. The city’s daily mayhem isn’t limited to high-crime neighborhoods but has spread to busy commercial areas. Shootings in the 1st district are up 60% over last year.
Sixteen-year-old Seandell Holliday was shot in the chest and killed in downtown Millennium Park. He’s the 97th child shot and 20th slain this year. The previous weekend 24 people were shot, six fatally.
Sunday was the first day in three weeks without a homicide. The balance of the editorial is devoted to an analysis of Mayor Lightfoot and the City Council’s strategy for restoring peace to downtown Chicago.
Missing from their analysis is a reality: Chicago has more police officers relative to its population than either New York or Los Angeles. Frankly, I’m skeptical that more police officers even more better-trained police officers will do much about the situation in Chicago. What will they do when flash mobs consisting of a couple of hundred teenagers suddenly appear downtown? My guess: nothing. There is clearly a pathology at work far beyond the capacity of the Chicago Police Department.
“There is clearly a pathology at work far beyond the capacity of the Chicago Police Department.”
Starting a couple years ago the notion that criminals were not behaving in a criminal manner took hold. They had “grievances.” More practically, this took hold in, first, the unwillingness of prosecutors to prosecute. And then, feeling unsupported if not blamed, the police started looking the other way. The animals were let out of the cages.
It was predictable, and predicted.
NY, Chicago, St Louis, Baltimore, Seattle, San Francisco, Portland, LA. What’s the common thread?
†Missing from their analysis is a realityâ€
An honest view of reality missing fits a number of scripted narratives being used for a number of different issues. Also missing is the application of common sense, undiluted by political warfare.
Chicago, however, is but one of many urban areas where the rule of law has evaporated under the wrong-way leadership of socially progressive mayors/governors/legislatures/DAs. Here in CA, a democrat majority state, cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles follow the tongue-in-cheek slogan of “the inmates running the asylum.†However, unlike your take on Chicago police numbers, these CA cities are losing officers which is merely aiding and abetting a weakening of law enforcement. Add in initiatives passed here lowering shoplifting felonies to misdemeanors etc., there are fewer and fewer reasons for people NOT to break the law. Also, much like Chicago, flash mobs and crime in general, is not limited anymore to high crime areas, but are manifesting more in Los Angeles popular, high end places like Melrose Ave, Beverly Hills, Venice Beach, Marina Del Ray.
100 most dangerous cities when you include murder, rape, aggravated assault and armed robbery. Monroe, LA usually at the top. Surprised to see Salt Lake City on the list. South Bend made top 10.
https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/blog/top100dangerous
Steve
That’s so disingenuous, steve. You should be embarrassed. Aggravated assault in drunken bar fights or domestic disputes, and knocking off a liquor store will skew statistics. Especially in low population centers.
Do you really want to stake out the position that the major cities have not had a remarkable increase in crime? And that podunk is where the problem lies?
They had a riot in Centenial Park in Chicago this weekend. Shot a guy at the “bean.” That’s a block south of the river on Michigan Ave. Not some trailer park.
Recalling a comment by steve awhile back about “the great southern rock bands” here is a tune to be played while considering a typical JB week. 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bqa1s4jhkQ8
And a bit more upbeat tune:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0En8iD2uVI
No, Dave its not La Traviata, but its fun. And look at the bright side – its not Politics of Dancing.
Actually, I like nearly all good music not just opera. Classical, jazz, R&B, country, folk, Great American Songbook, musicals. Rap is poetry not music; IMO hip hop is music for people who can’t sing or play instruments.
I visit my nephew in Philly about once a month. I dont panic about going there. The homicides are mostly limited to certain areas and to certain groups. I dont belong to a gang. I dont worry. The armed robbery, assaults arent so limited. AS a practical matter they are of more concern. I never said the big cities did not see an increase in crime, just pointing out that the cities you like to talk about dont even make the lists as most dangerous cities.
Duane Allman inspired me to spend many hours trying to play slide guitar. Enough to finally make me admit I have no real talent. I think he and Dickey were the best lead guitar combo ever. Duane died before I got to see band live. Still pretty cool even without him. Sold my Les Paul a long time ago but have held on to my Telecaster for some reason. (Pre-CBS so its worth something.)
Steve
Have unreported crimes increased, decreased, or remained the same? And how do you know? Here in Chicago crimes against persons and those against property have both increased and I suspect that unreported crime has skyrocketed. A lot of crime goes unreported because people have just given up.
When does it stop being crime and just become a feature of the culture the residents admire and aspire to?
Why , when African Americans become a majority in a city or neighborhood, should outsiders continue to try to impose a culture of monogamy, civility work, responsibility, and so forth when the residents do not support that?
Let them write their own rules, select their own heroes and leaders and get the hell out of their way.
Racists
Here in Chicago most of the people in black neighborhoods work hard for their livings and don’t engage in criminal activity. The criminals are a fairly small minority in those neighborhoods. They suffer more from the activities of criminals than others.
The “antiracists” seem to believe that any relation between behavior and outcomes is inherently unjust. IMO such a relationship is unavoidable and stepping in to offset the consequences of that relationship is foolhardy in the extreme for reasons of moral hazard.