TheDifrntDrmr

Red States In Glass Houses

GOP leaders call out New York and Los Angeles, but data shows many Red states are deadlier. Why aren’t they looking for a national solution?

“Don’t throw stones at your neighbors if your own windows are glass.”

– Benjamin Franklin

Working as a swing shift Supervisor, my team often becomes the fall guys for problems we did not create. It is easier for others to point fingers than to look inward. I reminded my crew that before we criticize, we must first ask: “Is our own house in order?”

I thought about this lesson as I watched an interview with Congressman Ralph Norman, a Republican from South Carolina. In voicing his support of sending National Guard troops to fight crime in large cities within Blue states, Norman exclaimed, “The numbers speak for themselves.” After specifically mentioning Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City, he stated, “Let the politicians complain about those who want to keep them safe.”

The problem for Norman is that the numbers tell a story more nuanced than the one Republicans are trying to sell to the American people. With a homicide rate of 21.7 per 100,000, Chicago is…