Why I no longer feel safe walking around Philadelphia
Christopher Tremoglie
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Former President Donald Trump famously said a few years ago, “Bad things happen in Philadelphia.” He was heavily criticized, with many on the Left demonizing him and labeling the comment racist and untrue. And then, almost as if on cue, the city endured a violent crime wave of historical proportions. No one wanted to admit it, especially the Democrats that control the City of Brotherly Love, but bad things happen in Philadelphia – many bad things.
Trump was mocked and ridiculed for his comment on Sept. 30, 2020. Less than 100 days later, the city finished with 499 homicides for the year, one less than the city record of 500 set in 1990. A year later, 562 people were murdered, a total higher than any other year in the history of Philadelphia, founded in 1682. In 2022, homicides decreased to 516, the second-highest total since 1682.
DAVID WEISS HAS NO CREDIBILITY AS SPECIAL COUNSEL FOR BIDEN INVESTIGATION
Trump was mocked, but Trump was correct. I lived in this area my entire life and no longer feel safe walking around the city. In just the last 113 days, two of the city’s murders hit close to home, very close to home. First, in May, I witnessed a drive-by shooting outside my karate studio and next to a corner store that I walked by exactly one hour before it happened. Then, a little less than a mile from where my mother lives and near where I walk my dog each night, a 50-year-old man was murdered during an attempted carjacking. Other incidents include an 18-year-old being murdered and a 4-year-old shot, both nearby.
Additionally, a Philadelphia Eagles player had his car stolen during a game last season, and who could forget that congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA) was carjacked in the middle of the day, across from where the Eagles practice, less than two years ago? If a congresswoman being carjacked isn’t a sign of these dire times and how bad conditions are in the city, then nothing is.
Furthermore, I constantly see people wearing long-sleeved shirts, pants, and black masks roaming the streets when driving around the city after dinnertime. Moreover, local radio is flooded with commercials warning people how to prevent carjackings and what to do if one happens. None of these things previously were the concerns of people living in the city. That all changed when Larry Krasner, a radical left-wing, Soros-funded district attorney, was elected.
It’s not an exaggeration to say things are worse now than ever. When I walk my dog, especially at night, I constantly worry if I will be the next victim. It’s a feeling I have never had until recently. It’s made me reconsider living in the area or consider ensuring I am armed when walking my dog or driving around. Left-wing politicians and policies have turned this once great city into a criminal’s paradise. It’s why I no longer feel safe walking around Philadelphia.