Baltimore: Beacon or Bonfire?

I know, I know, all my 'Yankee-doodle' e-pals will be groaning and rolling their eyes as this old Brit geezer bores for Britain on a subject about which he knows nothing!  But actually, I do know a bit about Baltimore, I have 'been there' dozens of times, in fact, so often that I almost qualify for honorary metropolitan citizenship!   You see, I was an avid fan of "Homicide: Life on the Street" and then I was totally hooked on arguably one of the very best 'cops 'n' robbers' TV shows, "The Wire".  Need I say more?  Those mean (Baltimore) streets, are my streets!

All total twaddle, of course, but actually I do feel some sympathy for the citizens of Baltimore as their city swirls round the plug-hole leading to the sewers!  The murder rate is horrendous and more and more citizens are fleeing the city, the ever-increasing property taxes are adding to the exodus which means there are less and less municipal funds to pay for essentials like police, medical/social services and the education system.  About the only thriving business in the city is the drug trade!

All this, of course, is a direct result of ever-increasing soppy socialism.  We are experiencing a similar result 'over here' in London where the murder rate has suddenly reached new high levels due to the number of stabbings taking place.  Needless to say, this is almost certainly due to an arch 'soppy socialist', Mrs. Theresa May MP, who, when she was Home Secretary, ordered the police to cut down on the number of stop and search operations in London.  When will these people ever learn that soft, soppy law enforcement leads to more crime and violence?

In America, most of these large, ex-industrial cities are under the grip of Democrat party apparats whose only brief is to spend more and ever more, and to relax all forms of civil discipline, er, except, of course, if the ill-disciplined are Republican activists - at which point the full weight of the law is brought to bear.  Detroit, I gather, is almost past redemption and rescue, and Chicago cannot be far behind.  So, we bid farewell to them, and Baltimore, and yet again we wonder - whither America? 

 

 

Comments

[Bob]

The crime rate in Chicago seems to be on a downward trend:

https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/cpd-releases-march-crime-stats-touting-15-percent-drop-in-overall-citywide-crime/

David, you might enjoy the TV series 'Chicago PD'. It's a production of New York native Dick Wolf of 'Law and Order' fame. He's rather condescending toward Chicago, as New Yorkers usually are, in that he presents it as being much more grim than it actually is. To be fair, though, he's always included news headlines in the plots of his shows.

Can you write a solid definition of what you mean by "socialism"? It seems to be a throw-away term for anything about politics you don't like.

[David Duff]

Bob, I clicked on Wiki for Chicago crime stats and the first line was:

"Because the Chicago Police Department tallies data differently than police in other cities, the FBI often does not accept their crime statistics"

Whodathunkit?

And, no, I cannot offer a definition of "soppy socialism" but you will know it when you see or smell it! Or, you could always visit Baltimore!

[jimmy glesga]

Bob, soppy socialism is when criminals are shown sympathy because it is the State and decent citizens who are held to blame for the offences committed. eg: poor lad had a hard upbringing and lived in poverty it was not his fault he knifed someone to death.

[mike fowle]

I think Mayor Khan and Commissioner Cressida Dick have some responsibility for London's crime wave.

[Whitewall]

Does anyone know who is doing London's crime spree? Or are the proper people in a state of utter perplexity?

[JK]

Bob,

"The crime rate in Chicago seems to be on a downward trend:"

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-chicago-homicides-data-tracker-htmlstory.html

Crime rates generally I suppose but for the one category that "downward trend" does not, it would appear, hold.

I haven't a clue whether this current La Niña affects much where Chicago's concerned - here in Arkansas however, it does. But if it holds for Chicago I'd tend to think Baltimore would be similarly affected.

Oh and Bob? Do check that link I just left on the Rumble post.

[Bob]

David,

That's what I thought.

jimmy glesga,

The definition of socialism as I know it has to do with state control of industry or capital. In America it's generally not linked to blaming society for individuals' behavior the way leftism often is.

-

JK,

Your link shows that so far this year there are fewer homicides than in the same period for the previous 2 years. That doesn't establish a trend, but it's fair to say there seems to be one. Hot weather raises crime rates everywhere as far as I know. Meet you at the rumble.

[JK]

Well like I postulated Bob, been awhile since we had a La Niña:

http://www.localconditions.com/weather-chicago-illinois/60601/past.php

I know damn sure I don't get a'ticularly mischievous when its been below 50°. And some folks is less the cold-bunnies than is other folks, just general nature is all.

And you noticed Bob, my provided stats solely dealt with homicides - I don't know anyplace that tracks shopliftings of either Jordanaire Woolies or hot coffee.

[Bob]

JK,

Dat kind of ting don't happen in Chi Town:

https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20171019/chelsea/starbucks-coffee-theft-eighth-avenue

Take dat, Wolf.

[backofanenvelope]

Mr Duff doesn't need to write "solid definition of what you mean by "socialism"". He can take a purely empirical view and look at the results. No bunch of "socialists" has ever been successful. Not one.

[David Duff]

BOE, I have post just for you concerning one of your very naughty RAF boys!

[Bob]

backofanenvelope,

How can David take an empirical view of something he can't define? That would be like taking an empirical view of fenz quartzig lentstang. It's never been successful either.

[David Duff]

Bob, I can take an 'empirical' view of the rain falling outside my window and put my raincoat on before going outside! Ask me to define rainfall and I wouldn't have a clue!

[Bob]

David,

"Rainfall" is self-explanatory for virtually anyone conversant with English since they've experienced rain. Social permissiveness or neglect doesn't necessarily have anything to do with socialism, which is a system of economics:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialism

You and others here seem to think socialism is a much more general ideology. Maybe in England it is, but I'm not familiar with the concept.

[David Duff]

"I'm not familiar with the concept."

Yes you are, Bob, you're just not looking hard enough!

[Malcolm Pollack]

Bob,

I'm sympathetic to your point about "socialism", in large part because of the carelessness with which people use the terms "fascism", "racism", "white supremacist", etc. nowadays. They're all just cudgels now, drained of any particular meaning.

If I may, David, it seems to me that what you rightly object to might more aptly be called "statism", in which power over more and more of everyday life is arrogated by a corpulent and tribalistic managerial bureaucracy. This can include economic control, but it is much more than that. The more power such an apparatus wields, the greater the temptation to venality, election-rigging, cronyism, nepotism, and all the other ills that afflict places like Baltimore.

[Bob]

Malcolm,

David probably knows better and uses hyperbolic political language as a device. He's a bit of a rapscallion. No doubt learned the tone from Shakespeare.