Category: Public Order

Passengers Scared Off Subway by Crime Fear

by · Apr 13, 2021 3:00 pm

A new survey conducted by New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority found riders are more concerned about crime and harassment on trains and in stations now than they were six months ago. It also found that fear of crime is an impediment to people returning to the system.

Paul Berger has this story in the WSJ, with the finding above. The title of this post is the title of the story in the print edition.

For decades, government has tried to get people to use public transportation more and private cars less. Such usage is better for the environment, better for our energy independence, and even better for the people who remains in their cars as it will reduce their congestion. As the pandemic subsides, this will once again be a major government goal.

So how to do it? Well, for one thing, make people feels safe there. To do that, wake up to the reality that everything the “woke” say about law enforcement is wrong. Continue reading . . .

Covid-19 and Economic Hardship are not Responsible for Spike in Murder Rates

by · Mar 25, 2021 1:17 pm

A blog post by Hans Bader of Liberty Unyielding presents a comparison between the United States and Latin America in response to the notion that the rise in homicide rates in 2020 is a result of the pandemic and citizens being desperate for means to support themselves. Bader notes, “In reality, murder rates fell in much of the world during the pandemic. People’s situation was far more desperate in Latin America, where the pandemic left many people without adequate food, yet murder did not increase in many Latin American nations.”  While in the United States homicides greatly increased in many major cities.

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Misconceptions About Mass Shootings in the U.S.

by · Mar 23, 2021 3:29 pm

The manner in which the media reports on mass shootings leads the viewers to believe these rare instances are much more common than they are. Additionally, there is a false narrative floating around that more strict gun control legislation and more rigorous screening processes at gun stores would solve the issue. An article published in The Trace today addresses this misreporting. 

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Portland Economy Suffers at the Hands of Violent Protesters

by · Mar 22, 2021 11:58 am

In an article this morning by Ian Lovett of the Wall Street Journal, the months of protests that often led to riots and violence in Downtown Portland are now hindering the recovery of the economy. Lovett points out, “The violence downtown has become a persistent roadblock in Portland’s attempts to reopen and revive its economy as vaccinations spread, Covid-19 cases fall, and business restrictions are loosened.” Many small businesses have been forced to close their doors for months, while others have had to close them permanently due to the riots that began last June. 

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Should Prosecutors Take a Pass on Stealing?

by · Mar 8, 2021 10:28 am

For practical purposes, that is the question raised by this piece in the Washington Post authored by three professors at the Georgetown University Law Center’s Criminal Defense & Prisoner Advocacy Clinic.  You will not be surprised to hear that their answer is “yes.”  Specifically, they opine that, “The U.S. attorney’s office should stop criminally prosecuting nonviolent misdemeanors,” which means, in practice, that it should stop prosecuting almost all the massive amount of stealing that gets done in Washington, DC’s stores.

I respectfully dissent.

Continue reading . . .

Washington Homeless Shelters Support Drug Use

by · Feb 23, 2021 1:57 pm

In this article from 2017 Bob Young and Vernal Coleman from the Seattle Times reported on the status of homeless shelters in the early stages of planning that allow and aid in the residents’ use of illegal drugs, including heroin. According to Dr. Jeffrey Duchin, “The idea is that users could visit a supervised facility where they could get clean needles and anti-overdose medications as well as medical attention as needed and treatment options.”

The article written by Young and Coleman in 2017 was a preview of what was to come in just a few short years. According to this article yesterday by Jason Rantz of KTTH, “A Seattle-backed homeless shelter is instructing addicts to smoke heroin and inject drugs rectally. And the shelter is using tax dollars to help get addicts high.” Rantz acknowledges the dangers in encouraging use of heroin and brings to light the posting of flyers in public areas to inform the general public of the most ideal ways to administer heroin.

Continue reading . . .

Will Liberals Now Awaken to the Legitimacy of Police Display, and Use, of Force?

by · Jan 9, 2021 12:13 pm

This last week’s invasion of the Capitol by a mob seeking to prevent Vice President Pence from counting the electoral votes and certifying the election result leaves us with very few positives.  The country is rightly shocked that a mob would think it has the right to take the law into its own hands, and that this belief extended even to the most fundamental aspect of democratic self-rule (the peaceful transfer of power through legal process). At least one police officer and at least one rioter were killed in the melee.

There may be one silver lining, however.  Liberals (and not a few libertarians) may have awakened to the previously Neanderthals-only idea that we need police with sufficient numbers, weapons, confidence and authority forcibly to keep the peace against those who threaten it.

Continue reading . . .

Time to End Tolerance of Political Violence

by · Jan 7, 2021 9:22 am

President-elect Biden said this yesterday:

“Let me be very clear. The scenes of chaos at the Capitol do not reflect a true America, do not represent who we are. What we’re seeing are a small number of extremists dedicated to lawlessness. This is not dissent. It’s disorder. It’s chaos. It borders on sedition, and it must end now.”

That is entirely correct. It is high time that we came to a consensus as a people that in the United States in the twenty-first century violence, destruction of property, and occupation of any place belonging to the public or another person for political ends are never justified, never excusable, and should never be tolerated. Those who engage in such actions are criminals and should be treated as such. Continue reading . . .

Life in Progressive New York City

by · Dec 18, 2020 11:15 am

Progressive social and criminal justice policies are running the show, or perhaps I should say running amok, in New York City.  Such policies are said to aim to help the poor and those who must rely on public services.  Just now I received a small but valuable insight from the brilliant Rafael Mangual who lives in the City.  Judge for yourself how much “help” is being provided.

Continue reading . . .