By William Haupt III | The Center Square contributor
Police
arrest a protester refusing to get off the streets during an imposed curfew
while marching in a solidarity rally calling for justice over the death of
George Floyd Tuesday, June 2, 2020, in New York. - Wong Maye-E / AP photo
“Blessed are the peacekeepers, for they shall be called
the children of God.”
– Matthew 5:9 NIV
As Antifa and BLM protesters pillaged, looted and burned
communities across America last year, not one liberal politician attempted to
stop them or tried to help the police. Their four-day orgy of
self-congratulatory rampage continued unchecked and progressives watched
America burn like Rome. Instead of stomping out the fires of violence, they
urged cities to defund police departments.
With violent protests erupting around the nation, then
U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris and a myriad of other high profile progressive
politicians and leftist groups scheduled their own protests. They also asked
people to donate money to bail these criminals out of jail. Harris tweeted, “If
you are able to, please chip in to the @MNFreedomFund to help post bail for
those protesting in Minnesota on May 30th."
A day after the riots ravaged the nation, Joe Biden's
Democratic campaign bragged that they gave donations to Minnesota Freedom Fund
to bail out those who were jailed after the Minneapolis riots.
"I believe that the practice of posting cash bail is
just a modern day debtors prison.”
– Joe Biden
Before the pandemic, the U.S. economy experienced its
longest growth period in modern history. Unemployment was the lowest in
decades, the stock market was up and inflation was down. Since this was an
election year, the left took advantage of this tragic opportunity to retool
their message. The left turned the election into one focused on racism, social
injustice, and attacking the police.
Instead of helping calm the rioters and restore peace in
America, the left's misinformation machine went into overdrive. They
promulgated the rioting, burning and looting of America as a protest against
Donald Trump and Republicans. They ranted this message at every whistle-stop.
To win, they needed to drown out Trump's message about his many foreign and
domestic victories.
"Cities are burning, are you watching? I stand with
Minneapolis. This is our change."
– Lizzo Star
Reports from Axios News estimate that the vandalism,
looting, and burning of communities across the U.S. will cost insurance
companies more than any organized violent acts of crime in our history. Claims
adjustor Loretta Walters said, "This is the first multi-state catastrophe
we've ever declared."
Recently, a member of a group accused of plotting to
kidnap the Michigan governor was rumored to be a white supremacist. The media
had a field day with this. But the continual deadly, violent street crimes by
radical attackers upon innocent Americans daily got less ink than a church
bingo game.
"People will adjust to defunding the police. Change
takes courage.”
– Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
In September, a report by U.S. Crisis Monitor concluded
that activist group leaders from BLM and Antifa they talked with, retorted that
Biden's election will have no effect on community violence. It was their
opinion that this violence will not only be sustained but it will get worse as
the year goes on. Yet this gruesome revelation received no mention on any major
cable or TV network in America?
Biden and the Democrats based their entire election on
race, fairness, woke ethics, LGBT rights, redistribution of wealth, punishing
the police, increased government subsidies and taxing the rich.
They promised America if they took back the government
and defunded the police, street crimes and violent acts by groups such as BLM
and Antifa would cease. So what actually happened? We all know.
"When a man repeats a promise again and again, he
means to fail you."
– Edmund Fuller
Since Biden took office, over half of all major cities
report they are experiencing higher rates of violent crime. The Major Cities
Chiefs Association predict that many cities are set to outpace last year's
numbers. In Chicago, homicides are up 33%, and shootings nearly 40%. New York
Police Department data show murders jumped 14% and shootings 50%. LAPD's
Rosario Cervantes confirmed, in Los Angeles, homicides increased 36% and hate
crimes against Asians increased over 150%.
When Biden promised to deliver peace and prosperity if
Democrats won the brass ring, how come we are seeing increased violent crimes,
personal assaults, robberies, shootings and homicides?
The director of the National Association of Police
Organizations blames Democrats and Biden for the current increase in crime.
"He has gone off the deep end" with the type of reforms that he and
Congress are trying to enact. Bill Johnson, director of the Police Benevolent
Association chapters said "Biden has gone too far left with his rhetoric
on law enforcement and we cannot do our jobs."
The Police Executive Research Forum shows retirements are
up 45% and resignations increased 20% while hiring fell below 5% since Biden
took office. They concluded that low morale is the main cause for the sharp
increase in resignations and retirements. Officers say they've been demonized.
Morale is low and officers fear for their lives. If they fight off attacks they
will be accused of abuse?
Under pressure from advisers, Biden recently met with
state leaders and urged them to use billions of relief funding to "hire
more officers." Biden called on them to use the money to finance more
overtime pay, to buy better weapons and spend more on recruiting new
applicants.
"With our reform bills and gun control bills,
officers will work smarter in our urban communities."
– Joe Biden
Biden’s strategy went over like a lead balloon with many
at the forum. They claimed that funding is not the problem. Attendees expressed
concerns with the "non-stop rhetoric from Congress about defunding
departments, criticism of officers trying to do their job, and the media's
biased coverage of incidents."
They believe retirements and resignations will continue
and drive away applicants.
Just last month, Biden touted his crime prevention
strategy. His plan included spending more on social programs, insuring all gun
dealers verify applications and run background checks, and he would like to see
better gun control laws. He never once mentioned increasing funding for police.
Author Shannon Alder opined, “Intelligence is
anticipating how your message will be perceived.”
During the last election, every progressive promised to
defund the police including Harris. Although Biden never did join the
"defund chorus", he never once defended the police. Biden took sides
with the far left on cutting back budgets and using the money to fund community
programs.
When the nationwide riots first erupted, the left should
have helped quell the violent storm before it became a tornado. Instead, they
chose to preach the merits of defunding local police departments. Now, that is
coming back to haunt them. But the real victims are innocent Americans.
These people paid for protection. Now they are being
deprived of it.
"Police officers put the badge on every morning, not
knowing for sure if they'll come home at night to take it off."
– Tom Cotton
