On the Sidewalks of New York is a weekly feature at Human Events wherein Jacqueline Toboroff, a native New Yorker, will share her observations and candid commentary on the goings-on in our nation’s largest city. Wherever you live, and whatever you feel, there is no escaping the fact that New York City matters.
The Left has had a very bad week. If there ever was a time to understand that everything in the narrative of the Left is bad for America, this is it.
Encapsulated within two Supreme Court decisions this week, it first confirmed the life and strength of the 2nd Amendment. Days later, the High Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
In the first instance, we see unelected Governor Hochul of the most rapidly descending once great Empire State taking to the podium, interpreting the 2nd Amendment as applying “only to muskets.” You can’t make this up. Unelected and uneducated. As in New York City and the once second largest city in America, Chicago, under the domain of Lightfoot, there’s no thought of confiscating illegal guns from known or suspected criminals. Confiscation to them is only for legal guns held by people who once stripped of them, could become victims.
Mayor Adams has his own screwball take, lamenting the decision, scheming about ways to ignore it, and lashing out at who knows who. He looks to “limit the risk” of the Supreme Court’s “terrible” decision (upholding the Constitution). “Our city will live in fear that everyone around us is armed” (too late). He predicts New York City will become the “Wild Wild West.” Adams says, “We will not allow the men and women of the police department to be subjected to further danger ” (to prove it, the Left defunded police). Adams continues, “We will do everything in our power using every legal resource available to ensure the gains are not undone and New Yorkers are not put in danger. We are prepared to fight back on this decision.”
New York is the Wild Wild West - lawless. The bad guys have the guns and are by all measures not only allowed to use them, emboldened. New Yorkers have never been more endangered in modern history. The NYPD is handcuffed by a hateful administration and an abusive narrative by the group feigning concern. The Left, via rhetoric and action, doesn’t care about police, the rise of criminality, or law-abiding citizens. If they did, our ever-increasing statistics of crime would be lower.
The Left doesn’t like the rules, so it breaks them. Then it wants to waste money and time creating new rules to break.
Adams, endorsed by mainstream media as a “moderate," barely eked out a primary win over a declared defunder, then skated to victory due to sheer disinterest; elected with only 17.5% of registered voters. He insisted he’d bring safety and order back to the Big Apple. He instantly failed. Year to date, major crime is up in New York City by 38%. In Manhattan, major crime is up 43.18% and subway crime is up 58%. Year to date, vehicle thefts are up 107%, shootings 69%, grand larceny 26%, felony assault 22.5%, and robberies 37%. “Our police need more help,” NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell, Mayor Adams’ pick, said. 74% of New York City voters say crime is a “serious” problem.
The Left loves to gaslight. Inflation and gas prices were soaring pre-Ukraine/Russia war, which has now become the de facto scapegoat for economic woes. COVID was never a virus of the unvaccinated; those vaccinated and boostered to the hilt got and spread COVID. Right now, New York crime is through the roof, before the Supreme Court rulings are implemented.
On the heels of the 2nd Amendment ruling comes the overturn of Roe v. Wade. The Left doesn’t know where to turn first. There could be outright naked violence…with illegal guns. The rationale for overturning Roe is it was a bad decision constructed from a supposed right to privacy in the Commerce Clause that never existed. The Left’s reliance on keeping Roe as it is was decided 50 years ago. That’s their argument. No matter that it was decided wrongly. No matter that it spawned chaos and division in the country. They only want it because in many cases it’s an electoral wedge issue in many races.
Call to action: be careful potential “victims.” There are armed criminals, defunded police, cashless bail, and local government promising their will be violence and threats of back-alley abortions with coat hangers coming to your neighborhood. Pro-choice groups are calling for a “Summer of Rage”, not to be confused with BLM’s “Summer of Love”, which led to 480 New York City stores’ destruction and over $2 billion dollars in insurance loss. Plywood companies, get ready to mobilize. It’s going to be a hot one.
