The Fearmongering About Rising Crime Has Got to Stop

[Nevilledog]

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Scott Hechinger
@ScottHech
MUST READ: When a 7 y/o little girl was shot in Chicago, media & police weaponized her death to call for more police. A Black public defender & crime survivor was outraged & wrote this piece. "It is simple, they told us. We need more Black people in cages."

The Fearmongering About Rising Crime Has Got to Stop
We’ve heard this story before. More police are not the answer.
teenvogue.com
5:08 AM · Jul 1, 2021

https://www.teenvogue.com/story/rising-crime-chicago-more-police-not-answer


I was on my way to work as a public defender when I heard that a seven-year-old girl named Jaslyn was shot to death in the back seat of her dad’s car while at a McDonald’s drive-thru. The shooting happened on Chicago’s West Side, near my office. I felt deep sadness for that young life lost — like so many others — to violence she couldn’t control and probably wouldn’t have been able to understand. I felt that same perpetual fear and anguish about my neighborhood, where shootings have long been so prevalent that my dog knows the difference between a gunshot and fireworks. Then I felt outrage.

But my outrage was not directed at the person who pulled the trigger. I know he or she was most likely a survivor of violence he or she could not control; of a daily, traumatic oppression by hyper-policing and surveillance; of being trapped with literally no way out. Of shame. Of isolation.

My outrage was about how a tragic death was once again being weaponized by the media, police, leaders, and lawmakers to scare the public into thinking reform is the culprit and more police is the answer. The TV reports and local news coverage parroted police talking points while exposing the criminal record of the little girl's father, who was seriously wounded during the incident. Meanwhile, Chicago leaders used the opportunity to become fearmongers about “violent criminals,” slamming modest reforms that have barely had a chance to take hold, let alone create any kind of causation.

It is simple, they told us, like every time before: We need more police officers, and more Black people in cages. Once again, this narrative became the prevailing one. And once again, people are accepting it.

*snip*

[RKP5637]

1. Basically, they use the SOS over and over again, stoke fear. Pick a topic and stoke fear.

So many people never get WTF is going in.

[ScratchCat]

2. Teen Vogue?

But my outrage was not directed at the person who pulled the trigger. I know he or she was most likely a survivor of violence he or she could not control; of a daily, traumatic oppression by hyper-policing and surveillance; of being trapped with literally no way out. Of shame. Of isolation.

Shakes head in bewilderment...... Yeh, poor gunman, he had no choice....

My outrage was about how a tragic death was once again being weaponized by the media, police, leaders, and lawmakers to scare the public into thinking reform is the culprit and more police is the answer. The TV reports and local news coverage parroted police talking points while exposing the criminal record of the little girl's father, who was seriously wounded during the incident. Meanwhile, Chicago leaders used the opportunity to become fearmongers about “violent criminals,” slamming modest reforms that have barely had a chance to take hold, let alone create any kind of causation.

Here is a novel idea: STOP SHOOTING PEOPLE OVER PETTY DISPUTES AND DRUG TURF and the media won't have anything to "weaponize". It doesn't matter what kinds of programs or reforms we institute if the criminal wont stop committing crimes and if the community wont stop making excuses for them(just like the idiot PD who wrote that above - completely part of the problem).

[Nevilledog]

3. You kinda missed the point of the article.

[Elessar Zappa]

4. Which community are you referring to?

Be specific.

[tonedevil]

5. When someone shows you who they are...

you should believe them the first time. Thanx