Re: Law & Order

Dear Editor:

I would like to address Katie Larkin’s letter to the editor concerning Law and Order.

Yes, we have seen a spike in crime since Covid, but there were many other things going on at the same time. Right now, New York City has received a bad reputation about being an unsafe place. Yes, crime did go up, but now it is on the way down and NYC is still one of the safest cities in America. Stop and frisk is being used in a lawful way and is having results getting guns off the street.

With respect to guns, what efforts are being made by the Republicans to get rid of guns? How many police officers are going to have to die because of loose gun laws throughout the country? Katie makes the statement that progressives are causing an increase in crime, Let’s look at the bigger picture. Throughout the Republican Party there are senators saying how bad New York is, some who have probably never stepped foot in New York. Feel free to demean NYC. But why? Let’s look at the bigger picture. Who are the Senators criticizing us and who are they trying to protect? It’s all about Alvin Bragg because of his well-deserved indictment of Donald Trump. Let’s look at the lawlessness that also coincided with the lawlessness of our politicians who believe that they can get away with any crime. Look at the lawlessness of January 6. You fail to point out how the right wing also has an impact on people’s behavior.

Katie, you complain about the progressive caucus which is looking to defund the police but what about the other end of the spectrum?  When you have your President and senators calling to defund the justice department, the FBI and the CIA because of criminal investigations against Trump, what kind of message does that send to the general public? What message does it send to young people who may be more prone to commit crimes and see that there are no consequences to crime, just like Trump? There is a lack of respect for anything about the government and the Republicans allowed that mentality to take over. Police are our friends, not our enemies, but you wouldn’t know that from January 6.

Your only answer is to lock up everyone and turn us into what might look like a police state. Make bail really unobtainable so they remain in prison and become worse? Yes, police do need to be more protected in the course of their work but let’s not make things harder for them with Republican rhetoric. Sticking with the Republican philosophy on guns, arming more people is not the answer. Do you want “open carry” in Stop and Shop? Would that be the sign of a civilized society?

With respect to your LAW and ORDER, if you believe that protecting one type of person from the law while locking up another is fair, then your idea of justice is not in line with the meaning of democracy. Just look at these corrupt countries in which people are fleeing, people don’t want to leave their homes and families, just put yourself in their shoes for one moment. It starts with their corrupt leaders, and this is where we are headed, and the right wing is driving it. So many people have embraced this mentality. Rules of law should apply to everyone, Presidents and criminals alike or we are no better.

Mike
Scandiffio