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New York is, for many, the most fascinating city in the world, which is why it hurts so much to see what it is becoming.
Daylight robberies of stores and pharmacies without anyone doing anything about it are becoming more and more common. This week, it was announced that the famous Rite Aid’s drugstore, located at Eighth Ave. and W. 50th St., will close because of the continuous robberies, according to workers and customers. There were 74 complaints from that single Rite Aid store since Jan. 1, 2020, including 45 reports of petty theft or shoplifting, according to NYPD data.
Attacks by homeless people and folk on drugs on unwary passersby make many Big Apple residents afraid to go out on the streets. On January 15 at the Times Square subway station a woman died after being pushed onto the tracks by a homeless man. Just a week later, a 61-year-old man – who miraculously survived – was also thrown onto the tracks at a Lower Manhattan station.
Last week two New York Police Department officers were killed when they responded to an emergency call from a woman who reported that her son was armed and threatening her. Veteran Wilbert Mora, 27, and Jason Rivera, 22, died heroes. Rivera’s funeral at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Friday, Jan. 28, left poignant images of a large crowd of family, friends, officers and New Yorkers who came to say their final goodbyes. His wife, in a heartfelt and tearful speech said: “The system continues to fail us. (…) We are not safe anymore. Not even the members of the service.”
In 2021, there were 485 murders in NYC—the highest total in 10 years. There were more than 1,500 shootings, the highest number in 15 years and double to the number recorded just two years ago.
Liberal policies – supported by Democrats – like Defund the Police or the state’s bail reform law that allows more criminals to be easily released on bail, are killing New York and taking the lives of hundreds of people. New York, like many other places in America, needs real politicians to act to control crime, and the state must do what is necessary to surround and protect the lives of the officers who daily put themselves in harm’s way to care for Americans.
Vanessa Vallejo. Co-editor-in-chief of El American. Economist. Podcaster. Political and economic analysis of America. Colombian exile in the United States // Vanessa Vallejo. Co-editora en jefe de El American. Economista. Podcaster. Análisis político y económico de América. Colombiana exiliada en EE. UU.