The mainstream media was abuzz today with the news that Chicago experienced 762 murders in 2016, the highest in 19 years. The mainstream media, in typical fashion, blames gun ownership and lack of policing for the surge in violence. The State of Illinois, and specifically the City of Chicago, has some of the strictest gun control in the United States, and their draconian laws triggered the McDonald v. Chicago (2010) decision, but that isn't the point that needs to be made. What is important is the statist response that has been purveyed on a national level: increase policing.
Leading criminologists contend that increasing the number of police officers on the street has never been proven effective. Leading criminologists agree (as reported by the Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy at George Mason University), yet this is exactly what the City of Chicago plans to do in 2017. In a department that has been party to kidnappings, extortion, and torture, adding more police will fuel a fire that already rages.
It gets worse...
This morning, I looked at my Twitter feed and saw President-Elect Donald Trump's most recent tweet, which suggests that if Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel cannot handle the crime in his city, he must ask for federal assistance. It is unfortunate that a man, who is set to take the nation's highest office in 18 days, does not understand that local crime is not a federal issue. The highest level of government that should be intervening is the State of Illinois. Other than that, this is a problem for Chicagoans to solve. Should residents of Indiana, California, Texas, or New York be forced to pay for Chicago's local problems? Absolutely not.
What would federal intervention in this case look like? Would the assistance come in the form of policing grants? Used military equipment, including advanced weaponry andMRAPs? How about martial law? Troops patrolling the streets under curfew. You can imagine where it goes from here: a beautiful and historic city flushed down an Orwellian toilet.
What Must be Done?
- Government is not the answer; it certainly did nothing to quell the current state of violence in various neighborhood throughout the city. In fact, government is the problem!
- Put the gangs out of business or force them to become legitimate. End the War on Drugs that the government fueled, started, and has perpetuated for the past four decades. This is an area where Donald Trump can help, if he has the courage.
- If there must be police, bring them back to a community policing model. Police are not - and should not be seen as soldiers.
- Chicago voters should demand that their representatives reject any amount of federal funding to assist in local policing. Federal funding will only increase the enclave of citizen slavery that exists in the City of Chicago.
We must work to secure a society that is free of government overlords. Until then, keep our local police local!
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