What is normalcy? For far too many young Black people, gunshots, bullets and death is their daily reality and their normalcy. They talk about it like it’s no big deal. Even those of us who are older have come to accept the weekend and now daily shooting victims’ count and death toll without even blinking an eye. Because it has become so common and accepted, that is the reason that I advocate that the mayor bring in the National Guard. It is time for a lockdown against the criminal element that is creating corridors of terror throughout the city.
From babies in the womb, to babies in their car seat, to babies who think they’re safe in the confines of their homes, the wildly shot bullet has caught and killed them. It has become so common, that a lot of people don’t know what it’s like to have a weekend without murder(s). That is another reason why I advocate bringing out the National Guard.
We need to correct the mindset that believes murder has to be a part of everyday life. It will start with a day without a murder. Then two days. Then three days and then a week and even months.
Soon it will be normal to not hear gunshots. Then, normal will be children able to go outside and play, free from the barrage of wildly shot bullets by individuals who pass out the death penalty, but don’t want it placed upon themselves. Then, it will be normal not to hear of someone dying because of a bullet. Then, death can return to what it should be. The natural end of life after a long life lived!
To accomplish such an idealistic goal will require the kind of visionary leadership that rarely is displayed in the Black community. Why is that? I never hear of anybody Black running for office on a law-and-order platform? We keep empowering the criminal element by constantly coming up with excuses for them. And they reward us by finding even more havoc to wreak.
Lastly, the havoc the ninjas wreaked by looting all over the city of Chicago, including the very first Walmart in the city, now has that store closed until the end of the year. In the days following the looting, many were quick to backhandedly defend the actions by talking about “N’surance.” The notion being that all the looted items the people got and the destruction that they generated was going to be covered by some magnificent “N’surance” that would give tons of money to the businesses to replace all that was stolen.
Not! Insurance is about taking risks. But the insurance companies don’t take risks that they haven’t analyzed to the nth degree. Therefore, riots are not covered in those policies. So once and for all, please stop the notion that insurance is going to replace the loss. The goods that were stolen will have to be covered by the businesses. Many of them may not recover. And even though Walmart is one of the richest companies in the world, it only operates on about a 4 percent profit margin. Yes, 4 percent! May not seem like a lot until you’re looking at billions being sold.
