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Three Cases – Being Soft on Criminals Doesn’t Stop You from Being A Victim

Three Cases  – Being Soft on Criminals Doesn’t Stop You from Being A Victim

In terms of crime and punishment, the progressive left is bat poop crazy, and it is killing people — including some of them. 

Case One

In case you missed the story. Progressive activist Ryan Carson was stabbed to death on the street of New York’s Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood.  He was walking home from a wedding with his girlfriend when a young black man named Brian Dowling assaulted him – chased him down and stabbed him to death as he lay on the pavement.  The killer then spit on the girlfriend and kicked Carson’s bleeding body.  The entire brutal incident was graphically captured on a security camera.

In many ways, Carson was just another of a growing number of innocent people victimized by the crime wave that is plaguing American cities – a crime wave that is being caused by insane progressive and woke policies. 

While this was a random act of violence that is becoming iconic in our major cities, I mentioned that he was a progressive activist because there is a cultural element of the murder.  It is not about him directly.  He is a victim … period. 

It is about his roommate, who refused to give his name.  In eulogizing Carson, the roommate said he had not thought about the guy who murdered his friend.  He called the murderer “the least important part of this conversation.”

The roommate added that he has “no feelings of vengeance and I don’t think that’s healthy. I’m not angry about that.”  WHAT?  He is not even angry that some scumbag psychotic killed his roommate?   Dowling was reported as having “mental issues” – and the roommate is not angry that the killer was allowed to walk the streets?  In my view, the roommate’s implied pity for the killer is … pitiful.

There is another facet to this story and reflects on the woke leftwing tolerance of crime and criminals.  The killer of Carson was employed as … a school worker.

Case Two

AnaYelsi Velasco Sanchez, a Washington, D.C. artist, had two of her paintings stolen during a solo exhibition at the Festival Center in Adams Morgan.  She saw the theft as a personal violation as well as a “political statement” – although it is unclear what that political statement was.

Sanchez did not call the police.  That is because she is a “justice and liberation” artist.  Instead, she went online to ask the thief to return her paintings – no questions asked.  She suggested a dialogue between her and the culprit.  She assured the reprobate she does “not do police.”  (If you bother to look her up the Mama Cass-sized artist online, I doubt any cop would do her.)

Not calling the police is part of her general anti-cop beliefs.  She believes that police do more harm than good.  She describes herself as an “abolitionist” – meaning that she supports abolishing police and prisons.

It never occurred to Sanchez that perhaps – just perhaps – if we had better policing, her thief might not have been out and about with an eye on her paintings.  Ironically, at the time of the theft Sanchez was giving a speech on the evils of policing and incarceration.  You just cannot make this stuff up.

Sanchez said that she did not know whether the thief was an art lover, a desperate person, or a provocateur.  If you check out her paintings online, you can discount “art lover” as a motive.

Case Three

Daniel Lee was founder and director of Justice Now – a New York City- based group that advocates for reduced incarceration, abolishing bail and defunding policing by reallocating money to social services.  He was a vocal critic of Mayor Eric Adams’ tough-on-crime measures.

He was stabbed to death by an intruder who entered his Manhattan apartment around 10 p.m.  Lee’s girlfriend and cofounder of Justice Now, Jessica Chen, was in the apartment at the time but was unharmed.  She called police, but the killer had already escaped.  He was described as a young black male in his 20s.  Police could not ascertain a motive other than an intended robbery. 

They found no indication that it was related to Lee’s activism – although Chen said Lee had been subject to threats, especially after coming out against the Mayor’s crime fighting program.  What is known so far points away from a politically motivated attack.

Summary

Arguably, these three victims were on the wrong side of the crime debate – sympathizing more with criminals than police.  That does not mean that they deserved to be victims.  It only adds an element of irony. 

We should all be united in our horror over the crimes against these three people – and the millions of others being victimized by the surge in crimes undermining the safety of our major cities.  A major part of the crime epidemic in America has been the result of a range of soft on crime and criminals policies that has been a major components of leftwing Democrat ideology that has infected the culture.  The situation will not get better until we return to an approach that if you do the crime, you do the time.  And that only happens when the police, the prosecutors, the courts and the legislators get tough on crime.

So, there ‘tis.

About The Author

Larry Horist

So, there ‘tis… The opinions, perspectives and analyses of businessman, conservative writer and political strategist Larry Horist. Larry has an extensive background in economics and public policy. For more than 40 years, he ran his own Chicago based consulting firm. His clients included such conservative icons as Steve Forbes and Milton Friedman. He has served as a consultant to the Nixon White House and travelled the country as a spokesman for President Reagan’s economic reforms. Larry professional emphasis has been on civil rights and education. He was consultant to both the Chicago and the Detroit boards of education, the Educational Choice Foundation, the Chicago Teachers Academy and the Chicago Academy for the Performing Arts. Larry has testified as an expert witness before numerous legislative bodies, including the U. S. Congress, and has lectured at colleges and universities, including Harvard, Northwestern and DePaul. He served as Executive Director of the City Club of Chicago, where he led a successful two-year campaign to save the historic Chicago Theatre from the wrecking ball. Larry has been a guest on hundreds of public affairs talk shows, and hosted his own program, “Chicago In Sight,” on WIND radio. An award-winning debater, his insightful and sometimes controversial commentaries have appeared on the editorial pages of newspapers across the nation. He is praised by audiences for his style, substance and sense of humor. Larry retired from his consulting business to devote his time to writing. His books include a humorous look at collecting, “The Acrapulators’ Guide”, and a more serious history of the Democratic Party’s role in de facto institutional racism, “Who Put Blacks in That PLACE? -- The Long Sad History of the Democratic Party’s Oppression of Black Americans ... to This Day”. Larry currently lives in Boca Raton, Florida.

23 Comments

  1. Jeff wyles

    Being soft on crime is the reason why we need more gun control laws knocked down by the courts

  2. frank stetson

    By extension of a theme:
    Three Cases – Being Strong on the 2A Doesn’t Stop Your Kid from Being A Victim

    In terms of crime and punishment, the rabid right is head-up your dark place crazy, and it is killing kids without penalty — including some of theirs.

    Case One

    A young boy died Thursday evening after he was shot by another child inside a northeast Miami-Dade apartment. Miami-Dade police said there were five siblings’ home alone in the apartment at the time of the shooting. Ages ranged between 9 and 15 years old.

    When emergency crews arrived shortly after 5 p.m., they found an 11-year-old had been shot in the chest. The boy was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital where he died. The boy’s parents were working at the time, one of them is a Miami-Dade corrections officer, according to investigators.

    Investigators said that the 13-years-old sibling got a firearm from inside a firearm case that was in the master bedroom closet. While he was handling the firearm, he accidentally fired it, striking the boy. Currently no charges are expected to be filed. It remains unclear at this time how and if the weapon was secured or the type of firearm involved in the shooting.
    No charges expected, no idea of how he got the weapon, no parents at home. Just a terrible tragedy, nothing to blame, it’s Florida, that’s how we roll.

    Case Two

    A 10-year-old North Miami boy who fatally shot himself with his father’s gun Monday night appears to have done so accidentally, the city’s police chief said.

    It happened at around 8 p.m. at his family’s home in North Miami. Police haven’t publicly identified the boy. Police said the boy was home with his family at the time and somehow got hold of the gun before pulling the trigger. Medics rushed him to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where he died at the hospital. Neighbors were stunned to hear what happened. “We saw it everyday happen on TV, where people leave guns laying on the couch,” neighbor said. “Can’t do that with kids, you cannot do that with kids.”

    Loved ones of the child have identified him as a 10-year-old. Police said the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office is looking into whether to file charges. “They’re going to be looking into the entire circumstances, how it occurred, where the gun was at the time of the incident, they will be taking a holistic look at the incident,” North Miami police Chief Cherise Gause said. Gause said it’s a sad reminder of the importance of securely storing guns. “This is a tragic incident that we don’t want to see anybody in our community go through,” Gause said. “This is an incident that can certainly be avoided if we practice safe storage of firearms, especially when children are involved.” She added: “Incidents like this don’t have to occur.”

    Yes, so tragic that we are looking into whether charges should be filed. It’s a question you know. Could be just one of those things. A terrible accident.

    Case Three

    RIVIERA BEACH (CBS12) — The family of a four-year old on Monday, struggled to understand how the little girl picked up a loaded gun, and killed herself while playing with the weapon. Her 25-year old uncle and a 16-year old boy who lives in the family’s home, are charged with the girl’s death. “Four years old, four years old,” exclaimed Filomene Iwin in Creole. Iwin is the paternal grandmother. Riviera Beach Police said Amirra picked up a gun from a bed, before killing herself. On Monday, the uncle, Nathaniel Lowe, faced a judge charged with culpable negligence, tampering with evidence, felon in possession of a firearm, and grand theft of a firearm. The 16-year old told detectives Lowe instructed him to get rid of the gun, so he ditched it a couple blocks away. That’s where police found the semi-automatic Glock, which was reported stolen in Riviera Beach three years ago. Prosecutors referred to Lowe’s multiple felony convictions in asking for a high bond. The judge set Lowe’s bail at $150,000.

    The high bail was for the multiple felonies. For the death, he was charged with culpable negligence. Maybe five years You know, kind of an oops for taking 60 years from the kid.

    Summary

    Arguably, these three victims died on the wrong side of the gun debate – with parents sympathizing more with gun lovers than gun control. The kids most certainly did not deserve to be victims. The fact that charges were only filed in one case, and that charge has a max of five years only adds an element of shame to the tragedy.

    We should all be united in our horror over the crimes against these three little kids – and the millions of others being victimized by the surge in guns undermining the safety of our entire country. A major part of the gun epidemic in America has been the result of a range of actions that are soft on guns, gun ownership policies and, most important, allowing irresponsible parents to not face any charge that has been a major components of rightwing Republican ideology that has infected the culture. Especially places like Florida.

    The situation will not get better until we return to a common sense gun control approach that if you do the crime, you do the time, if your kid gets a gun, your life behind bars will not be fun. And that only happens when the police, the prosecutors, the courts and the legislators get tough on child gun deaths and quit fucking calling them terrible tragedies to let the real culprits —- the NRA and 2A advocates get away with it. Whatever the cost. Think of the children.

    • Jim lucas

      We 2nd amendment advocates are in reality believers in the constitution. Yea, we must do more to properly store our guns and also show kids that bullets can do damage in the wrong hands. So what to do? Surrender our guns? I don’t think so. You want to talk about children being killed? Babies are brutally killed right up to the delivery date. Just saying. As for guns, I not only keep I bear. Do as you please. Nobody gets to dictate to me about gun ownership. Yes, having a gun on your person is no guarantee that you won’t be victimized. But who knows? The good guy sometimes gets lucky. So I encourage everyone who carries to be properly trained. And keep training. And pay no attention to idiots like Frank. He only makes me more determined to have guns. I bought a nice Glock recently. And I damned sure know how to use it. And when.

      • frank stetson

        Across the US, half the people convicted of murder by gun get more or less than the 14 years median release time.

        Give the gun owner the same. Every time. No exceptions.

        Yes, there are other things that kill kids. Amazingly though, I do not diminish one for another. They are all bad. You have won many states, with state abortion bans. Why not ban kids dying from guns too? Fuck the training, fuck the encouragement, let’s emulate Horist and be horrified about Republicans being soft on gun crime by first admitting this is a fucking crime. The 2A did not give you the right to leave a gun in the hands of a child. You are not a believer in the Constitution just because you’re packing, and not at all when you leave it around as an attractive nuisance for a kid. You are a freakin criminal.

        I may be an idiot in your eyes for highlighting as Larry did the results of your whacked beliefs about guns with actual stories of the horror of it all. They were all under 12 years old for God’s sake. I don’t see a Constitutional right for that and I see that all of their Constitutional as well as human rights were shot all to hell and back.

        And just because you boast you know how to whip it out, hold it, and ejaculate lead does not impress anyone at all. Be humble, be modest. And keep your gun in your pants, bullet-boy.

        There were just stories. If your bottom line is dead babies makes you think about other horrors, grab your gun, and call me names —– sure, Constitutional.

        • larry Horist

          Frank Stetson …. No one likes to see tragedies — including unnecessary gun deaths. The difference between you and me is that you curse the darkness without offerings ANY solutions that would actually address gun violence. You have anti-gun theories that have never worked. That is because you cannot seem to see the difference differences between criminal use of guns and legal use of guns. The deaths of innocent people are caused by a very small percentage of folks possessing guns– and most of those are illegal. We can all agree that going after illegal guns should be a first priority. Right? That takes guns away from the mentally ill …. felons … gangbangers … drug cartellians …. etc. That would be huge — but the progressive Democrats are not into applying the laws. And honestly I do not count suicides as a compelling gun control issue. I have had two in my family. If not guns, people determined to end their lives will find other means. It is an issue that needs to be addressed separately. If you look up the stats, you will see that individuals who use guns to murder are about .02 percent of the gun owners in America — and a significant portion of that is with illegal guns. That means the left wants to punish the 99.8 percent of legal gun owner. In terms of the gun issue, you are entitled to your own opinion, but not your own facts. You are just focusing on the wrong problem. And that is not way to find a solution.

    • larry Horist

      Frank Stetson …. Yes, you have noted three tragedies involving guns. My daughter had a friend who was killed in a hunting accident. In the cases you mention, it appears that the parents were irresponsible in letting the kids get to the guns. Most the the youth gun deaths, however, are do to the failure to address crime — largely in the Democrat-run major segregated cities. You will never achieve 0 car deaths. You will never achieve 0 gun deaths — not even with confiscation. Banning assault weapons will not solve the problem. Your leftwing belief that the 2nd Amendment is the problem is part of the problem. It deflects from the real sources of the problem. The bulk of the problem is people having guns who should not. Gun violence is a mental and cultural problem — a culture that does not address the mentally ill and the criminal class running round in public. Progressive coddling of the criminals and homeless is a major problem– and guns are only a PART of the impact on society.

      • frank stetson

        RANT WARNING: DANGER AHEAD :>)

        Mr. Horist, I am sorry your daughter had to go through that terrible tragedy to have a friend shot in an accident.

        My father was the only survivor of his tank, he was blown through a wall, and left to crawl through the beet fields, getting an infection that took over six months to just get out of the hospital, he lost the ability to speak and when he regained it, he never sounded the same, so I hear. His wife had died two days ahead from sepsis. Their unborn child too although probably already dead thus the need for the abortion that couldn’t be had in a hospital thus killing mother and child.

        So, you were you implying what with your story?

        Folks, all I did was parrot Mr. Horist using kid deaths, under 12, as my crime case stories. I attempted to enter and exit those stories in the same fashion as Mr. Horist, or as close as I could come. The only POINTS I made were kids die, a solution is law and order to lock up the perpetrator that gave them the gun. Don’t pussyfoot around the 100% totally avoidable murders. I did not ask for your guns. I did not ask for gun control. I asked for justice for the dead.
        I thought the partnership of Horist and Stetson yielded one of my best pieces here, including my replies. Which, speaking as his parrot, I owe to Larry. Thank you.

        And then you hooligans go off halfcocked, with one total cock, in a totally emotional flameout to a reckoning about my constitutional patriotism while telling me you are locked, loaded, and carrying. It’s not about the 2A, the size of your tragedies, it’s about kids dying because someone gave them a gun. Period. That’s my point: it’s nonsensical emotional responses by both sides like some Palov dogs — for or against the entire gun issue enchilada even if you said I don’t like that bullet’s color. Been that way for decades. We gave up identifying problems, much less finding solutions and now we just scream at each other.

        The problem: kids under twelve getting guns and killing each other, others, and themselves.

        Here’s a solution: lock up the gun owner for murder —- ie – median punishment before parole of 15 years, just like murder. That’s a start: follow the law and punish these assholes.

        Larry, as to your response: I hear you and resonate with most of what you say wholeheartedly. Not all, but most. It’s good stuff as was your article, which is why I parroted. You must know I have advocated here that a solution to your crime issue is much harsher penalties for crimes by gun. If 15 years is the median for murder, make it 30 for by gun. Do the same math for any crime by gun, including just brandishing it. I would give you links, but alas, Joe’s site lacks viable search and rejects the notion of time or history. I also supported the Crime Bill although it’s a great example of why laws need metrics, monitoring, evaluation over time because it needed change over time. Biden would have done well to spend some of his two bills in that regard. Instead, his Safer American Plan seems more like an exercise in woke for the police. While that has some merit, his original plan (and perhaps campaign promise?) called for 100,000 new cops. Good Clintonian idea, but where is it? He’s paying the piper now.

        So, great article, good response, glad I could stir a few emotions and perhaps, together, we can lock these bastards up to save a few kids in the future.

    • Tom

      Good job Frank! You have shown that even conservatives who favor 2A have a liberal and forgiving side to them when it comes to their 2A rights killing a person. It would be great if both sides could work together to solve this problem for kids sakes!

  3. Tom

    Larry, great topic, very well presented. After I read your three cases I could see the possibility that all three perpetrators were conservatives wanting to make an indelible point on liberal minds regarding their permissive ( or as some say progressive) policies. What better way to do it than to find a few not so obvious conservatives who are willing to deliver retribution to liberals for their policies. I agree with your assessment of Sanchez’es art. The only one I really liked was titled, “Isolina Arbula” because it looked sort of like a uterus after a DNC abortion. But I digress….Abortion and guns seem to kill more children than anything else with child sex traffickers being significant killers of children’s souls.

    Jim Lucas, interesting answer. I can see you beating your chest and yelping like Tarzan as you wrote it. I am a gun owner but unlike Frank’s cases, I do not keep ammunition in the house or car. And I have a perfect home record of no shootings thanks to not having ammunition in the house. I agree with you on 2A, you should have the right to purchase that Glok. Now since I agree with you, can you agree with me that a bullet is an explosive, pure and simple as that. Other forms of explosives are required by the ATF that a person be licensed and trained in order to purchase ammunition. I am not for gun control. I am for ammunition control. The gun does not kill. The bullet or projectile does kill. Get the ammunition out of the home and cars and you will stop killing kids this way while allowing guns to be owned. That’s fair isn’t it? When I want to go shoot my guns at the target range, I buy the ammo there, use it, and return the empty shells. I see no reason why we cannot have licensing, testing which includes psychological testing as well as situational awareness testing, and special places to buy ammunition just like we have special ATF monitored places to buy alcohol, tobacco, and other explosives such as fireworks and dynamite. That would be fair wouldn’t it? And when you want to hunt or target shoot, have those activities at an ATF certified range that will sell you the ammunition and monitor that you do not take any home with you. That would be fair wouldn’t it? And lets have the licensing by gun class, and shown on your driver’s license so a person like me who might be licensed for 0.22 caliber cannot buy .50 caliber ammo.

    Frank, masterful job at using Larry’s format!!! Good job! You both had good points and counterpoints. I agree with your point that both sides tend to downplay the crimes that are associated with the policies and laws that they are in favor of. Period. I think we should all work together to provide successful solutions for women’s outcomes that includes abortion up to 15 weeks, and we should work for ammunition control which takes gun ownership out of the discussion and places the discussion where it belongs, its an explosives discussion!

    • Jim lucas

      Why not licensing and testing to use any of the bill of rights? Such stupidity. Answer to the problem. Give sentences of 25 more years for using a gun in a felony. Even if no shots were fired. Why should people not be safe from rape, robbery and murder with useless weapons, ie no ammo. Just more feel good crap. My rights don’t end with your feelings. And I swear by the Father,Son and Holy Ghost that I’ll never comply with a bunch of mealy mouths thinking that all towns are Mayberry. Or Mt.Airy if you please. I do love snappy’s lunch there but I know that everyone there ain’t good people.

      • Tom

        Actually, we used to have testing for the Bill of Rights. It was called high school civics class. Testing and requirements for dangerous substances have always been around. And if you go back far enough, you will find that US Colonial Army soldiers got their powder from the French at the battlefield. They did not possess it and bring it. What they brought was their gun and they made their balls by melting down lead which was widely used back then. I have no problem with you owning a gun. I do think you (especially due to your response) should be licensed and psychologically tested to purchase ammunition. I agree with your stance on prison terms for crimes committed with a gun, and will add that it should be ALL crimes whether deliberate or accidental. I like Frank’s solution.

        • Jim lucas

          Crazy checks are only for people who are of questionable mental health. Like liberals. They should all be tested. As for a license the state has to allow it unless I’ve something in my background So far so good. And I’m licensed to carry. With background checks every five years

          • frank stetson

            Jim, just to let you know a secret. We don’t care about what you are licensed for. driving, voting, or guns.

            Try to stay on point.

          • larry Horist

            Frank Stetson …. LMAO. YOU, of all people, lecturing about staying on point. You are the master projectionist.

  4. Tom

    Frank has an interesting point that I never thought about. Even conservatives, especially those in favor of 2A rights have a liberal and forgiving side when it comes to mishaps that occur due to their policies! So it would appear that inside every conservative is a little liberal waiting to get out! LOL

    • Dan tyree

      Speak for yourself. No liberalism here

      • Tom

        If you read the English correctly you will see that I am speaking for myself. I am speaking about a thought I had. As for you, I am not concerned. I am glad that you by way of your comment agree that if someone gets accidentally or deliberately hurt by your gun, you will go to jail for a very long time! No excuses because we all know excuses are liberal. I think that is great! I commend your attitude. You are a truly great American.

        • Jim lucas

          For children safety? Great. Let’s ban abortion. In all cases.

          • frank stetson

            It’s not an either, or Jim.

            There are plenty of things to ban to save lives. Gas stoves and cigarettes for example. Or how about war —- let’s ban war Jim. That will save some kids.

            Stay on point.

          • larry Horist

            Frank Stetson … LMAO Yet another lecture on staying on point from guy who goes off point routinely. OH .. I get it. YOU are the person who establishes the points of discussion …. not the commentary. Smacks of arrogance to me.

  5. frank stetson

    Again, the problem was kids killing kids, others, and themselves with guns and the simple solution is charge the gun owners and put them away, for murder or more. All your other gun control or 2a issues are off topic. And that was the second point.

    HOWEVER, I will digress as well to quote Horist: ” I do not count suicides as a compelling gun control issue……. If not guns, people determined to end their lives will find other means. It is an issue that needs to be addressed separately” is blatantly not true, IMO and some studies.

    First, the gun is the most efficient and effective means of killing humans as a personal weapon (versus mass). There are lethality indexes pointing to that. *https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/means-matter/means-matter/case-fatality/* As you will note, guns — top o list.

    Second, recidivism used to be thought of as very low. Today, it’s been allocated amongst groups showing different levels, some higher. Point is it’s no where near 100%. Unfortunately, far fewer who use a gun have the chance to repeat. This is actually good news in that treatment can be tailored to those groups for more attention where repeated attempts are more frequent. *https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/means-matter/means-matter/survival/*

    Therefore, if magically all guns would disappear, it is a pretty good guarantee that the number of perfect suicides would occur.

    *https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/magazine/guns-and-suicide/*

    The Australia experiment was shown to prove that point in the real world but there are detractors out there for that. Been awhile, so not really looking again. *https://injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/12/6/365*

    Point is it’s pretty much common sense that if you believe the lethality index and you believe that of the survivors, at least one makes it to a normal finish line —- then, by definition — less guns equals less suicide.

    And a sidenote to a sidenote: Dupuy’s 1980’s lethality index clearly shows that the Founders did not have a clue how lethal their 2A would become, one factor being the technology itself. The conoidal bullet was not until the mid 1800’s; can you say civil war? Followed by the late 1800’s repeaters; can you say goodbye, native Americans. These technology advancements upped lethality ten times or more making guns less personal, more militaristic. Just saying that the Founders did not envision that when they scripted the 2A. Might have highlight the “militia” aspect more….who knows. No need to respond, it’s just a hypothetical and not germane to kids with guns issues.

  6. larry Horist

    Frank Stetson … So you are saying that folks determined to committee suicide will not do so if they do not have a gun? About half of suicides are with a gun .. half by other means. And the commentary was about crime and anti-police policies .. not gun control. Stay on point.

  7. Jim lucas

    Frank nobody is going to ban a damned thing that I have. I just think that the laws should be lesser for guns. Millions think like me. Want blood on the streets?