just crazy

 Things just get crazier. I'm listening to those campaigning for office in the city of Baltimore. Now Baltimore is number two on the list for murders and violent crimes. Over three hundred shot dead every year in Baltimore for the last seven years straight. The current City States Attorney established policies where "low" crimes are not prosecuted. Meanwhile the crime rate has increased by 20% since that policy went into effect. Under federal indictment Marilyn Mosby intends to run for reelection. She says she is doing a wonderful job!

 Well, okay then. So, what is really crazy is one of the candidates running for office makes this statement. If elected, I will increase the police presence. But I'm not going to arrest people to put them in jail, that's not my intent. We will instead provide them the services they need! In that way they won't be committing crimes anymore. Yes, that's the plan. If they are selling drugs on the streets of Baltimore we will just give them money, problem solved. If they are buying drugs on the streets of Baltimore we will just give them drugs, problem solved. If they are using illegal guns we will give them legal guns, problem solved. Yes, the plan is to give them housing, money, education, and any other services they may need. If they have everything they won't have to commit crimes! You have to understand that is why these people are committing crimes, they need services.

 Okay, so what you are saying is you will prevent crime not by punishment, but by reward. If I just give you the candy you won't steal the candy. That's what I heard being proposed. We are going to be tough on crime, we will make arrests! We just won't punish you though, don't worry about going to jail, we will provide services instead. Now if you are just poor, struggling and not committing any crimes there isn't much we can do for you, not until you are arrested anyway. 

 Tough on crime, not on criminals. That's the new campaign slogan. In the city of Baltimore blacks are killing other blacks at an alarming rate. It's a matter of simple statistics. According to the FBI blacks are 55.9% of all known murder offenders while comprising 13.1 % of the population. That means Blacks are 8 times more likely to commit murder than anyone else. My question, one that I'm certain I will be attacked for, is that black culture? 

 In the cities it sure seems that way by an examination of the statistics. And in Baltimore city leadership is all black. The mayor, the city states attorney, the president of the city council and the police commissioner. The police department is understaffed by over four hundred officers. The biggest reason cited? Officers leaving because their hands are tied in apprehending criminals and the ones they do arrest are not punished. Not to mention being ambushed in their patrol cars and shot dead! The last one was a black female officer, shot by a black man. 

 Yes, I understand that people are poor. I get the whole lack of education and opportunity thing. I also understand that you can make more money, a lot more money, selling drugs than you can having a law degree. Yes and the skill set doesn't require a lot of effort to obtain. Now you want to add in reward? It's your fault, you broke the law, but its' not your fault you broke the law. You didn't have any other choice but to break the law. You shouldn't be penalized for that. You should be given services. 

 The services they need is the narrative. Drug rehabilitation? Can the court order you to rehabilitate? Counseling? I'll just have a trained counselor explain why you shouldn't shoot people. Education? We will send you to school so you can receive a good education. Does anyone really believe that will work? No, of course not, but it sure makes a great slogan. Tough on Crime, not on Criminals. It's like guns assaulting people. Just do away with the guns and nobody gets assaulted. Ghost guns are especially dangerous, you can't see them coming. Don't punish those carrying the gun, punish the gun. Yeah, that ought to work alright.