Op-Ed: Asian Pacific Americans affected by rising crime in Democrat cities
Author: RNC Spokesperson Nainoa Johsens
During his campaign for president, Joe Biden pledged a “safe America… safe from crime and looting.” He has delivered the exact opposite. Cities with large Asian Pacific American populations like San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Chicago have been particularly affected by a dramatic increase in crime. Holiday shoppers have been attacked and business owners robbed by smash-and-grab thieves at malls and stores. This violence led to the tragic death of retired Bay Area police officer Kevin Nishita while he was protecting a news crew covering the ongoing thefts. This needless death is the result of soft-on-crime Democrat policies that call for defunding the police, not prosecuting criminal thieves, and giving early release to violent and repeat felons.
Democrats don’t understand public safety. Taking away police leads to an increase in crime and an escalation to violent crime when criminals are not prosecuted. Between 2019 and 2020, San Francisco has seen a 20% spike in homicides, Los Angeles a 36% rise, and Chicago an outrageous 56%. All three cities are governed by Democrat mayors and city councils and have large Asian Pacific American populations that are directly impacted by Democrat failures on crime. The tragic death of former officer Nishita shows that Asian Pacific Americans will be in danger if these trends continue.
Democrats have only offered more of the same failed policies that led to the crime surge in the first place. If left unchecked, more Asian Pacific American families will be impacted by rising crime in Democrat-run cities. Homicides have surged across the country to record levels, leaving local communities reeling and looking for answers. Thousands of dollars of merchandise is being stolen in broad daylight, with citizens saying this smash-and-grab trend “just won’t stop” if nothing is done. The chaos recently caused one woman in Los Angeles to say “I haven’t been coming out as often to this area just because I know stores have been getting hit.” In the face of this rise in crime, many small businesses could fold at a time when the economy is already struggling after Democrat-led lockdowns.
Schools and public transportation have even become unsafe. A Los Angeles area school district followed through on the Democrat mantra to “defund the police” and ended its contract with local law enforcement only to have a 12-year-old boy injured nearby during a shooting. The school district then reversed course and brought back police when they saw the consequences of the anti-police movement. Los Angeles Metro decided to remove law enforcement officers from public transit and replace them with what Los Angeles Sheriff Alex Villanueva described as a “woke advisory group” that will only provide “an illusion of security.” Instead of acting on the advice of police officers on the ground, Democrat politicians are listening to woke activists with no idea how law enforcement works. People are getting hurt because of their failed, illogical policies.
Former San Francisco Police Department Deputy Chief James Dudley laid the blame squarely at the feet of Democrat politicians: “Until there’s a response, until there’s a political will and legislative efforts to support police efforts to stop this sort of activity, we’re going to see it proliferate and continue.” Even MSNBC is blasting Democrats for their pro-criminal policies that have allowed our cities to spiral completely “out of control.” But Joe Biden is nowhere to be found on the issue of crime. If Democrats are unwilling to keep our cities safe, they should step aside for someone who is willing.
