Staff Reports
Alvin Bragg, the democratic attorney general of Manhattan, has truly announced a plan to combat gun violence in New York City, which is a shocking turn of events. Normally, we would anticipate liberal legislators to prioritise defunding the police and blaming law-abiding gun owners for crimes committed by criminals. However, stranger occurrences have occurred!
Manhattan DA Selects 10 Grassroots Groups For Grants to Fight Gun Violence https://t.co/428Fnok4jS
— BKLYN Justice Initiatives (@BKLYNjustice) July 31, 2023
Reports indicate that Bragg’s plan involves involving community members and at-risk individuals in addressing the issue. You enquire, “And how does he intend to do that?” By distributing $20,000 in grants to ten tiny grassroots community organisations. Yes, your hard-earned tax dollars are being used to finance youth programmes that are intended to reduce gun violence.
You may now be pondering where these funds are coming from. Bragg’s predecessor, Cyrus Vance, initiated a programme dubbed the “Criminal Justice Investment Initiative,” which is where the money came from. How is this programme supported? Through civil forfeiture of financial institution assets. Therefore, they are essentially using bank funds to finance these so-called youth programmes. Brilliant, simply superb.
Bragg reportedly stated that gun violence is his top priority during a meeting with grant recipients. In that case, he should probably concentrate on prosecuting the actual criminals who are perpetrating these crimes. Bragg, however, seems to believe that giving young people “constructive and creative things to do instead” is the solution. Because playing basketball or painting pictures will presumably prevent someone from picking up a gun and shooting somebody. It makes perfect logic, right?
The ten organisations selected to receive grants operate in seven distinct neighbourhoods and eleven public housing projects identified as “hotspots” for firearms violence. They will presumably focus on approximately one hundred youths at risk through a variety of programmes designed to keep them occupied and out of trouble. One organisation, Not Another Child, will provide ten juveniles with pending gun charges with stipends, counselling, and individualised education or job training. This sounds like an excellent use of tax dollars, doesn’t it?
It’s wonderful that these organisations are working to improve their communities. But let’s be realistic: handing out a few grants and hoping for the best will not address the gun violence problem. If Bragg is serious about addressing this issue, he should concentrate on enforcing existing laws and holding perpetrators accountable for their actions. Who am I, however, to challenge the intelligence of a democratic politician? They seem to always know what is best, don’t they?
