Punishing the Lawful

You may have seen images of Los Angeles’ viaduct system in films like Terminator 2 or TV shows like 24, among others. It is home to scenes of cars racing, high-speed chases, and dystopian landscapes. This spot has been popular for street racing and is now a hotspot.

In 2015, the 6th Street viaduct bridge was closed due to a $588 million renovation. It connects Boyle Heights with downtown L.A. and has seen its condition decline over the years. The bridge was opened to traffic with much fanfare in July.

It was, unfortunately, too good to be true, just like everything else in Los Angeles. The bridge is now a popular spot for drag racing, and the site of what’s called a “street takeover,” a situation in which street racing crews and spectators block streets that they consider ideal for racing. This is illegal and extremely dangerous.

The 6th Street bridge is the main thoroughfare for pedestrians and traffic, and it is. However, street takeovers have plagued the area since its reopening.

Los Angeles’s City Council has taken a tough stance against law-abiding citizens using the viaduct in accordance with its intended purpose. In an effort to discourage street takeovers at peak racing times (especially on weekends), the city will close the bridge periodically to all traffic.

This is how authoritarian progressives handle everything. They restrict law-abiding citizens as a solution to criminal violations. Because criminals are criminals, they can continue to violate the law.

Democrat officials in the area and federally respond to a mad person who violates the law by killing innocent children at school. Although murder is already illegal, it is possible to respond by enforcing existing laws and making more efforts to prevent insane people from committing mass killings.

Los Angeles is experiencing rampant smash-and-grab crime. However, the city has resolved to remove felonies for theft offenses of up to $950. Walgreen’s and CVS have had to transform their stores into escape rooms. They lock down basic items such as deodorant and tampons and make it difficult for customers to get out.

London Breed, the San Francisco Mayor, responded to smash-and-grab mobs in a shopping district. She restricted traffic. A public information campaign was launched by London Breed urging citizens not to wear expensive jewelry and clothing while holiday shopping.

California’s homeless lived on the beaches during the pandemic. They were unmasked and unvaxxed and covered in toxic waste and drug paraphernalia. The rampant crime in tent cities was ignored by police, and they did not arrest any lone surfers who were breaking “quarantine” in the ocean.

The left-leaning authoritarians only care about power. Criminals don’t respect authority. What do you do if you don’t have the authority to manage chaos agents? It is used to control peaceful and law-abiding people. It is used to control people who are already following the rules of society.

We are not only victims of unchecked criminals but also victims of a weak, feckless government. Punishing criminals is the only logical and mature solution. There are many examples. Take a look at Rudy Giuliani’s transformation of New York City. He was tough on crime, making criminals the focus of law enforcement and not law-abiding residents. From being one of America’s most dangerous major cities to become one of America’s safest, the Big Apple has become one of America’s safest. This is all being undone by the recent wave of progressive, Black Live Matter and Defund the Police political sets. It worked once, it could work again.

It worked to reduce illegal border crossings when Donald Trump declared his “remain in Mexico” policy at the border. Criminals love ease. It doesn’t take much to deter 90% percent of America’s criminal class. Except for those involved in organized crime and those who seek pleasure in deliberate murder, the majority of criminals are of a petty nature, including drug addicts who thieve or conspire to support their habit. They don’t want to cause trouble; they just want it to be easy and quick.

Locking your front door is a good security measure. However, most front doors can be easily removed if you are determined enough. It’s not about creating a door that can’t be broken down. It’s about creating enough inconvenience for criminals to make them reconsider.

The Democrats who are in charge of the largest cities don’t intend to make any criminal think twice. It’s open season on innocent citizens. Democrat-led governments have decided that as long as they appear to be “doing something”, they can “do something” to the good taxpayers in their cities. They call it a plan.

It is the right thing to do and the most logical thing to do. City departments and law enforcement should be sent to watch hotbeds such as the 6th Street Bridge and make sure that they are not overtaken or dominated by the Fast and Furious. Ticket parking violators cite traffic violators. Illegal vehicle enhancements can be confiscated. Make sure the streets aren’t used for open-air drug sales or homeless encampments. It’s not easy to be a criminal.

Our leaders instead seem to take great pleasure in making it difficult to be a taxpaying citizen.

The Democrat policy of punishing the lawful is proudly promoted by them.