What to do in a densely packed city where the worst behaviors are allowed among the worst of us--but enforced for the rest--and the best impulses of upstanding citizens are criminalized?
Depending on the drug, using narcotics in public is either legalized or ignored by police. Prostitution is allowed until it grows into a blocks-long, open air brothel, as seen on Roosevelt Avenue's "Market of Sweethearts".
The homeless are allowed to camp out in front of businesses, in bus stops, and of course the subway--on platforms, in the cars, and in station hallways. To complicate matters, newly arrived illegal aliens aggressively hawk counterfeit wares and/or stolen goods on the street, even in tony neighborhoods like SoHo. Tensions among the lawless are rising, turf war-style.
The NYPD, the most sophisticated crime fighting police force in the country, is paid to sit back and watch all but violent crimes transpire, and the criminals know it.
Daniel Penny is the defendant in a fatal subway chokeout case. Penny is a former Marine infantry squad leader who was riding the subway when he met Jordan Neely, a former Michael Jackson impersonator. Neely, once an engaging performer, had turned to street drugs such as K2. In the latter years of his life, he has suffered from mental health issues.
The day the two men met on the F train, barreling underneath the streets of SoHo, Neely began to violently threaten passengers. As the threats grew in volume and specificity, Penny felt compelled to act, and contained Neely in a chokehold.
Perhaps it's implied expressly, but I haven't yet seen it written that the shadow of George Floyd looms over this incident.
Fentanyl overdoses aside, the duration of the submission move is problematic. Further, a detail not yet mentioned in testimony: the average length of an MTA subway ride between stations is roughly 0.3 miles. Under normal circumstances, that's about 2 minutes between stops.
How many missed chances for intervention passed by at each stop, assuming that the train was moving on schedule? Who is implicated?
Hochul and Adams claimed that they would increase subway policing.
Back in March, Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams were dueling for credit on the surge to put more law enforcement in subway stations.
It happened, for about two weeks. Then things went back to "normal". Assault, turnstile jumping, and the rest. It was a nice idea, but merely a publicity stunt. Democrats are rarely serious about curbing crime.
A derelict pulls a weapon--you see it--he's making a move to hurt someone--you are close enough to stop him--do you do it?
This is the new ethical calculus presented to Gothamites on a daily basis. Perhaps Anna Slatz said it best in her tweet (above). No one is doing anything to stop the latest wave of liberal-sponsored crime. After all, what's the payoff?
J6 solitary confinement? Your name in a hashtag?
The hideous, prevailing question isn't, "Should I intervene?". As it stands, it's, "Will doing the right thing ruin my future?". And that's precisely why you and your cohort should vote for Donald Trump.
