On September 26, the streets of Philadelphia became a stomping ground for rampant crime. Stores such as Apple, Lulu Lemon, and Foot Locker were ransacked. Akin to a passing tornado, there were shards of broken glass, dismembered mannequins, and whatever material goods were left lay scattered in the mess. Police were outnumbered, resulting in only a dozen arrests among the 100 looters.
This lawlessness is not unique to Philadelphia. Across America, Target is reportedly closing nine locations due to crime and safety concerns — three in Portland, three in San Fransisco, two in Seattle, and one in New York. Notably, the majority of this criminal behavior is taking place in Democrat-run cities. As Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, a former police officer, has said, “You sow lawlessness, you reap lawlessness.”
Target is not the only brand shutting its doors in the face of disorder. National Review reported Walgreens, Whole Foods, REI, and Nordstrom have all announced location closures “because crime has made it difficult to do business.”
An analysis of emergency management data showed that “[in] the last three years, authorities have been called to the [Westfield] Mall [in San Fransisco] more than 5,000 times for a variety of reasons, from shoplifting and purse-snatchings to reports of assaults, people with knives and guns, mentally disturbed people in crisis, and indecent exposure.”
Target CEO Brian Cornell addressed the concerns regarding the increase in theft and organized crime, explaining that store closures were meant to be his last resort, but Cornell and executives found themselves doing so anyway. In other locations, the company has increased security by using third-party guard services and installing locked merchandise cases, which have failed to prevent further crime.
Ken Blackwell, former mayor of Cincinnati and senior fellow for Human Rights and Constitutional Governance at Family Research Council, commented to The Washington Stand, “The breakdown of moral order in our country, coupled with the kneecapping of law enforcement authorities, has ignited an explosion of crime in our cities.” He discussed the Biden administration’s policy of handing out “get-out-of-jail free cards to thugs and criminals all across the country.” And as a result, the safety of families and neighborhoods is now in jeopardy. As far as Blackwell is concerned, we are seeing a rise in criminal behavior from people who “fear no consequences.”
The former mayor spends a lot of his time, especially nowadays, traveling to and supporting various police departments across the U.S. All over America, there are “demoralized police departments,” as he put it, whose ranks are thinning. “They are overworked and underappreciated,” he added. This leads to delayed emergency response time if any at all, which Blackwell noted opens vast opportunities for crime. “What’s happening … is not surprising,” he said. “But it underscores the fact that elections have consequences. … [And] we have work to do.”
Research shows that children who grow up with a father in the home are substantially less likely to commit crimes.
Blackwell concluded, “We can’t throw our hands up. We have to engage and use the agency that God has invested in each one of us. I don’t think God made us to be sideline sitters. He bids us to be on the field of action.”
Sarah Holliday is a reporter at The Washington Stand.
