Christmas terror in Waukesha

It was not a terrorist attack as we currently define them, but it was a moment of terror for thousands of people enjoying the Waukesha, Wisconsin Christmas Parade – those injured and killed as well as those who witnessed the carnage.

As is too often the case, mass killings of one kind or another take place at times and locations in which the victims are most relaxed, most joyful and most unprepared.  This one not only occurred in the season of good will – Thanksgiving, for all the blessing of family and life, and Christmas, a season of love and good will.  It struck at one of the most iconic events of the season, the Christmas parade – an event to which virtually all Americans can relate regardless of their religious affiliation.

There are elements to consider in wrapping one’s ahead around the death and injury in Waukesha.  What is the madness in a human mind that conceives of such action?  What makes one person see the killing of innocent people as a need to resolve or placate some internal demon –especially when most people deal with such problems in far less violent manners?  

That question has been studied by psychiatrists, psychoanalysts, psychologists, sociologists and criminologists for centuries – and yet an answer that can produce cure or treatment has been elusive.  We cannot seem to find the means to prevent these senseless mass killings.

But when we do have evidence of sociopathic and psychopathic behavior, what do we do about it?  Sadly, very little.

The tragedy in Waukesha reminded me of the shooter in Parkland, Florida – very close to where I current reside.  You will recall that there were all sorts of warning that Nikolas Cruz posed a potential threat.  Serious warnings.  Calls to the FBI. Calls to local law enforcement.  The calls to the school were so serious that Cruz was not allowed to bring a backpack into the school building for fear he would conceal of weapon.  He was already considered a serious threat before the shooting.

And now we have 39-year-old Darrell Brooks.  Before he drove his SUV through the holiday parade in Waukesha, this guy produced more red flags than a Chinese national holiday.

He had a rap sheet filled with violent crimes – and others.  He had previously used his car to run over a woman and child – his child, according to the reports.  He was out on a reduced bail – dropped from $10,000 to $1000 – an amount prosecutors now say was “inappropriately low.”  Take a moment to put this into perspective with Democrat politicians reducing or eliminating bail requirements – literally giving violent criminals get-out-of-jail-free cards.

It has been more recently reported that Brooks was involved in a reported criminal activity immediately prior to running his vehicle into the parade and killing 5 – so far – and injuring 48 others.  Police said that they had not even had an opportunity to respond to that 911 call when they got reports from the parade.

We should also keep in mind that Brooks is an example of a black criminal getting constant leniency from law enforcement and the justice system. In many instances, American justice seems to provide a level of black privilege to a lot of defendants.  Think of all those rioters, looters and arsonists who get arrested and face no charges – never held accountable.  

Noting that reality is not racist.  The black police chief – dealing with mostly black crime – blasted the local prosecutors and courts for coddling criminals.  He complained that the police – often at risk to themselves – make the arrests only to have the left-wing prosecutors refuse to press charges.

Let me make it perfectly clear.  I have spent a lifetime dealing with minority and civil rights issues.  I have seen racism in policing and in the courts — and fought against it.  And that still is a problem in many of our major segregated cities.  But more recently – in the age of wokeness — we have seen political correctness lead to reduced enforcement in terms of minority defendants.  

Ironically, the reduced or lax enforcement of law against minorities has been the result of both political correctness and racism – depending on the political environment.  In radical liberal communities, such as San Francisco and New York City, prosecutors are using discretion to not charge minority perpetrators or to ignore bail standards.  And in the segregated communities in our major cities, black-on-black crimes are more likely to be ignored at the policing level.

Brooks seems like a good example of the trend toward timid enforcement.  Why else would prosecutors and courts enable a guy like Brooks to return to the streets.  Why was this serial and proven dangerous felon so easily returned to the community?

He is likely to spend the rest of his life in jail, but one crime too late for the victims.

As a footnote:  I bet the hair follicles of the radical left were exploding when the Waukesha police began their official news conference with a prayer.

So, there ‘tis.