The Ruination of Minneapolis

What will reining in the police, refusal to pursue property crime and trespass charges, going easy on “mostly peaceful” hooliganism, and other aspects of criminal justice “reform” bring?  That’s a hugely important question, given the increasing number of (one party and hard Left) jurisdictions that are adopting it.  Los Angeles is one.  Portland, Seattle and Baltimore are others.  Minneapolis is certainly in the mix.

One young woman tells her story, “I’ve lived in Minneapolis my entire life. I’m leaving Friday. I no longer recognize my hometown.”  For an on-the-ground view of what “reform” means for ordinary people, I found the account revealing and very, very sad.

Here’s the start:

Minneapolis is my home. My happiest memories are here. It’s where I learned to ride a bike, had my first date, received my high school diploma.

But today, I’m too afraid to even walk in my neighborhood by myself.

The ACE Hardware down the street? The one that I used to bike to in the summer? Robbed twice in the past five days.

The Walgreens next to my elementary school? Molotov cocktail thrown into it.

The Lake Harriet Bandshell, where we spent countless Mother’s Days? Homeless encampment popped up next door.

These are the things you don’t read about in the news.

Ten minutes from my house, at 38th and Chicago, there is still an autonomous zone. Police are not allowed to enter. Residents have died because medical authorities couldn’t get through, and carjackers (of which there are MANY) will speed into the zone to escape officer pursuit.

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And how about the week of the 2020 riots?

We lived under a curfew for days while looters seemingly roamed freely. Friends fled their home at 3:30 a.m. because the auto parts store behind them was on fire. And then we watched in horror as our City Council members demanded that the city defund the police — as they hired armed security for themselves.

I no longer recognize Minneapolis. I no longer want to live here. We are done, and I am leaving.

I’ve spent the past year watching this city crumble. Burning it wasn’t enough, I guess. Every day, I watched another piece of sanity and stability fall to the hysterical, bloodthirsty, self-righteous mob.

You distinguish between rioters and protestors? Racist. You do not want Marxist-inspired racial justice theories to be promoted in schools? Racist. You thought that maybe “Justice for George Floyd” should be left to the courts, and not mob rule?  Super, super racist.

I don’t doubt that criminal justice “reform” is good for criminals, as intended.  It’s its effect on the rest of us that’s the problem.