EVANS: Escalating crime not just a local problem

Published 4:45 pm Monday, March 14, 2022

Today we are witnessing an increasing amount of concern and fear over the escalation of violence in our community. In the midst of fear and chaos emerges the finger pointing and blame as citizens demand relief.  However, don’t be duped into vilifying your local officials for our seemingly out of control crime problem. If you dare expand your news gathering experience beyond just one or two sources, you will see that it’s not just here, but there is a criminal pandemic affecting small towns and large cities across this nation. Last year, by October, over 470 mass shootings resulting in more than 240 deaths had occurred in the U.S., with a long and increasing number occurring in small towns just like ours.  In Yemassee, S.C., on Sept. 19, one adult was killed seven children injured. Collierville, Tenn., two adults killed, 14 injured, in Rex, Ga. on Nov. 30, , four killed, two injured, in Boise, Idaho, on Oct. 25, three killed, four injured and the list is endless. Yes, the police must work harder, our politicians must work harder, and concerned members of our affected communities must also work harder. We have a very large community of mostly good and law abiding citizens that are being victimized by a very small band of lawless and ruthless outlaws. Our law enforcement and politicians must use all available resources to root out and prosecute these bandits. There should be a consolidated effort involving all stake holders, especially seeking input from the many concerned citizens who actually live in those areas experiencing the most incidents. The criminal cancers must be identified and removed from the community with surgical precision, taking care to not destroy the trust, confidence and faith we have in the system. This country is still trying to correct the damage inflicted on many people by the so called War On Drugs. Our police officers must become regular welcome visitors to problem communities and establish relationships that foster trust, support and a willingness to communicate and exchange information.   Valuable information that can be used not only to solve crimes, but more importantly, to prevent crime. Militarizing a community and mass incarceration may appease some, but is only a temporary and perfunctory solution to a long term chronic problem. It equates to putting a band aid on a sucking chest wound. We know that there are those who will try to exploit this national criminal pandemic for personal and political reasons. However, we must realize that the solution to this criminal pandemic goes far beyond the walls of our City Hall and the County Commission chambers. Understand that Baldwin County is simply a reflection of a national surge of violence and lawlessness sweeping across our country. Look beyond the obvious. A few years ago when our  national and many state leaders  passed laws putting guns everywhere, I wrote that: “Go on a cruise with food everywhere, people will eat it, Go to a state with Guns everywhere, people will shoot them”.  

That said, am I the only one not surprised at this explosion of predictable gun violence we are seeing today?  

Your federal and state officials set examples for many of their followers and when they encourage citizens to violate laws they don’t like and post bulls eyes on the heads of fellow elected officials, they are encouraging disrespect for the law and  violent attacks. They passed laws putting guns in the hands of the mentally unstable, and also passed laws prohibiting police officers from checking to see if a person carrying a concealed weapon has a permit for the same.  A disturbing number of elected officials have urged citizens to refuse to abide by local and federal regulations, convincing them to believe that their individual rights supersede the rights and protection of the community at large.   As you point fingers many should look in the mirror because you too are a part of this problem when you hold your nose and continue to vote for these state and federal officials who put our communities in peril.  As a youngster, I remember the saying, “Don’t do what I do, do as I say”.  Today very few subscribe to that theory and the idea at the top, that the law does not apply to me flows right downhill into the streets of our small communities.  

This country is in critical need of a moral cleansing and it starts with voters electing people with good character and morals who really care about people and community.  

“YOUR VOTE HAS CONSEQUENCES”

Hudman S. Evans Sr.

Baldwin County