The column below reflects the views of the author, and these opinions are neither endorsed nor supported by WisOpinion.com.
As rioters continue to wreak havoc throughout Democrat-run cities, no state may feel the impact as close to home as we do right here in Wisconsin. Both Milwaukee and Madison have witnessed senseless violence and destruction night after night with no end in sight. Meanwhile, Democrat elected officials spend their time twiddling their thumbs debating if they should defund and redirect funding from their police – the exact opposite of what needs to happen.
In Madison, the dire situation escalated to the point that State Senator Tim Carpenter was reportedly attacked by rioters. Mr. Carpenter is a self-described “Gay Progressive Dem Senator,” yet the rioters had no remorse. Madison has seen statues and memorials ripped down, federal buildings vandalized, and the innocent attacked. What was Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway’s initial response to these riots? She apologized for sympathizing with the city’s law enforcement and for thanking them for their service throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
Think about that. Mayor Rhodes-Conway feared the far-left anarchists in her city so much that she apologized for simply showing support to law enforcement, and unfortunately, it’s not just her. City council members are also joining the rioters in their calls to defund the police. Council member Max Prestigiacomo even tied law enforcement into the issue of slavery, stating that they were “abolishing those systems.”
And the situation isn’t much better in Milwaukee. Rioters have caused mayhem and destruction in the streets of Cream City throughout the summer. A police officer was even shot in one Milwaukee riot, but thankfully did not suffer any major injuries. How did the city’s officials respond? The Milwaukee Common Council – the city’s local government – passed a resolution in June to explore cutting 10 percent of the Milwaukee Police Department’s budget—the equivalent of $30 million. It gets worse when taking into perspective what is occurring within the city.
Like many Democrat-run jurisdictions throughout America, violent crime is skyrocketing in Milwaukee. As of early July, the number of homicides in the city had doubled compared to the number in 2019. The city’s law enforcement officers have taken a huge blow in morale. In the first month of rioting in Milwaukee, 26 police officers resigned or retired.
Milwaukee has deteriorated to the point that police simply think the city is more trouble than it’s worth. The Democratic National Convention (DNC) is being hosted in the city, but more than 100 police agencies have decided to pull out of their security contracts for the event. Law enforcement in the city were stripped of the proper tools necessary to quell any potential riots that could occur, and they didn’t want to bother with the DNC if they could not adequately perform their jobs.
When crime is rising at the rate we are seeing in Milwaukee and across the nation, our elected officials should never apologize for supporting the brave men and women who risk their lives to protect the peace. And they certainly should not consider defunding our law enforcement when they are already struggling to maintain that same peace. It’s a recipe for disaster that we are seeing right before our eyes.
President Donald Trump will not stand for lawlessness. Our nation’s elected officials in Democrat-run cities are surrendering to the far-left anarchists rioting in their streets. Their inaction is endangering innocent Americans, and as we have seen time and time again, it is costing innocent lives. All President Trump asks is that our officials enforce the laws, and if they don’t, he will. In fact, the president is sending federal agents and officers to Milwaukee to assist the city in controlling the rising crime. If Democrats won’t take charge as their cities spiral out of control, our president will act without hesitation.
In an attempt to virtue signal to the rioters who only seek to destroy America from the inside, many in the Democratic Party are either calling to defund the police or at least redirect their funding. This includes presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden who has stated that he “absolutely” supports redirecting funding from our nation’s law enforcement. This statement should frighten anyone. If this is the platform Democrats are running on this election season, then I fear for our nation if they win.
This upcoming election is the most consequential election of our lifetime. Our freedom, our safety, and even our livelihoods are at stake this November. If Joe Biden and the Democrats control our federal government, then expect to see what’s happening in our cities to spread to every corner of this nation. If you need a reason to vote for President Trump this November, look no further than what you are seeing now.
America as we know it is on the line.
–Deborah Severson is a member of the Veterans for Trump coalition.
