Michael Ramirez Essay: The Progressive Paradise
From America's Premier Editorial Cartoonist
THIS IS WHY WE CAN’T HAVE NICE THINGS
By Michael P. Ramirez, October 2, 2023
Do you remember back in your childhood when you were doing something wrong, like throwing a football in the house, and the errant throw or a missed catch resulted in the absolute obliteration of your mother’s favorite lamp? Worse than the sound of the lamp pieces cascading against the wall was that look of anguish on your mother’s face and the sound of those eight words that you knew would follow, “This is why we can’t have nice things!”
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That image crossed my mind as I read the news last week about story after story of teams of criminals targeting retail stores with organized smash-and-grab incidents and retail theft in cities across America. My first thought was that we were always held accountable for our actions as children. Even a little horseplay with no bad intentions required penalties. For many of today’s criminals in those cities, there is no accountability, and trust me, there are no good intentions…
Now, those retail stores are leaving those communities en masse.
Target just announced that they shutting down an additional nine stores because of theft. They are joining other large retail chains closing shop in high crime areas for what the industry calls “shrinkage” and for the safety of their employees and shoppers.
The cost of retail theft last year was almost $100 billion. It has doubled in just the last five years. According to the Chamber of Commerce, 54% of small businesses experienced an increase in shoplifting in 2021. It has led to an exodus of stores in major cities nationwide.
Leaving with them is the convenience of local shopping, the accessibility of goods and commodities for the neighborhood, the jobs and money fueled by these businesses, and the tax base providing other jobs and services in those areas.
Most of these places have something in common, and it’s not just crime. They are in areas where their political leaders have instituted liberal pro-criminal reforms and soft-on-crime policies that do not hold criminals accountable. Add to that the silly progressive idea that defunding the police is without consequence. There are serious consequences.
This is why we can’t have nice things.
It is not Rocket Science.
Allowing criminals to commit crimes with little or no consequence encourages more crime.
Removing bail requirements and appropriate sentences leads to more criminals on the street.
More street criminals lead to more crime… and the cycle repeats itself.
The same holds true for liberal anti-police policies.
Defunding police leads to less police.
Less police creates more crime.
Allowing criminals to commit crimes with little or no consequence encourages more crime.
Removing bail requirements and appropriate sentences leads to more criminals on the street.
More criminals on the streets lead to more crime.
More crime leads to more store closings and the exodus of jobs. The once healthy neighborhood becomes a health hazard and the obliteration of decency and civility.
For society to remain civilized, there must be rules based on a structure of morality, which requires responsibility and accountability.
The penalty for violating the law holds criminals accountable for their actions but also serves as a deterrence to others contemplating crimes.
The progressives’ movement to lessen criminal penalties is focused on the wrong issues. Rather than focus on decreasing criminal penalties, they should use their resources to prevent people from becoming criminals in the first place.
That requires teaching responsibility. Being responsible is the obligation to do what you are supposed to do within a moral framework and accept the result of your actions.
One way to do that is to have stiff penalties for crime. Another way is to have healthy neighborhoods where businesses can flourish and provide goods, jobs, safety and security, and services.
That requires accountability, which means accepting responsibility for the outcome of your actions.
Responsibility and accountability are the mortar that binds society to a foundation of morality and civilization.
As many of you know. I am half-Japanese. I was born in Tokyo. The first language I spoke was Japanese. In Japan, each family member represents the entire family. Anything you do reflects on your entire family and their lineage. A parent's job in Japan is not just to provide for the family but to teach their children to be responsible citizens. You are taught to be more respectful of other people.
It is the golden rule, biblical teaching, “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
Imagine a society where everyone gives deference to one another. It would be a place full of nice things and nice people, and the worst penalty would be being grounded and having to buy a new lamp.
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Moral anarchy demands a paycheck the republic cannot afford.
Another well conceived article.
Thank you.
Basically we need the government for but one thing ... to physically restrain those members of our society that will not or cannot respect the right of those of us who do respect the rights of other. Anarchy means there is no protection except self protection and that is where we are rapidly going.