One of the most popular young politicians is Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).
Cortez presents herself as a far-left social and environmental justice activist, pushing for defunding the police. She and her progressive colleagues from New York argued against increasing the police presence in New York City’s subway system in a 2019 letter.
“In our view, desperately needed resources would be better invested in subway, bus, maintenance and service improvements,” the letter sent to former Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) said. “We are urging the MTA to divest from this current model of criminalization.”
The letter was written in response to Cuomo’s plan to hire additional police officers to patrol the subways to deal with widespread violence and fare evasion. However, Cuomo’s plan was ultimately put on hold when the coronavirus pandemic hit in early 2020.
AOC’s letter is now under increased scrutiny after a shooter shot and injured at least 30 people on a New York subway. The letter cited “historic racial disparities in enforcement” and said an increased police presence would harm “communities of color.”
“Instead of patrolling the turnstile, existing police officers should focus on the threats faced by MTA employees,” the letter continued.
“Punishing the poor does not create a safer environment. Instead, it threatens the very foundation of our community,” AOC said in a tweet that included the letter.
Punishing the poor does not create a safer environment. Instead it threatens the very foundation of our community. That is why my New York colleagues and I wrote a letter to @NYGovCuomo asking him to help put an end to MTA’s dangerous policing policy. Check it out here: pic.twitter.com/g1AOWHA7Lh
— Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@RepAOC) December 17, 2019
“That is why my New York colleagues and I wrote a letter to @NYGovCuomo asking him to help put an end to MTA’s dangerous policing policy,” she added.
The letter was signed by Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), former Rep. Jose Serrano, and state Senators Michael Gianaris, Luis Sepulveda, Jessica Ramos, Julia Salazar, and Alessandra Biaggi.
Ocasio-Cortez, Nadler, Biaggi, Ramos, and Salazar have all advocated for defunding the police, according to the New York Post.
The problem for New Yorkers in these politicians’ collective non-action has led to even more crime on the NYC subways.
NYC Subway Shooting Points To Growing Violent Crime In U.S. Transit
“According to the Manhattan Institute, violent felonies on the New York City subway doubled between 2019 and the end of 2021, spiking in April of 2020 to nearly six violent felonies per million rides.”
Alarming increase in transit crimes despite new initiatives underground
“The number of arrests which are up 64%.”
“It’s not just grand larceny that saw a dramatic increase. Misdemeanor assaults, like last week’s harrowing attack of a woman smothered with human feces, soared by 166%. There have been 32 this year, compared to 12 last year.”
“A shooting in the New York City subway during the rush hour commute Tuesday morning comes amid a rise in violent crime that threatens the “return to normal” messaging being promoted by officials.”
“A man in a gas mask opened fire on an N train just before it entered the 36th Street station in south Brooklyn, shooting at least 10 people. A wave of high-profile subway attacks has challenged the reopening push of city, state, and federal leaders as pandemic restrictions begin to lift.”
I could list many more reports of the violence but I am sure you already get the point.
The fact that AOC and other radical, anti-police politicians don’t understand the need for extra security on NYC Subways to deter crime, is appalling, and inexcusable for anyone who actually cares.
Here lies the problem; I don’t think she does.
By: Eric Thompson, editor of EricThompsonShow.com. Follow me on Twitter and MagaBook
This story syndicated with permission from Eric Thompson, Author at Trending Politics
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