Trump has made a series of statements about crime and violence in America that are demonstrably false, starting with his reference to “American carnage” in his inaugural speech. Stirring up fear about crime is a tactic to pour resources into policing and into “get tough” policies that make Americans fearful and afraid to venture out at night, if they believe our national fabulist.
Just for the record–and I know it is an anecdote–I have lived in New York City since 1960. I have never felt safer than I do today. I walk my dog at night, usually between 11 pm and 1 am–and I have never seen a crime or felt afraid.
But don’t take it from me. Here are the data about Trump’s campaign to spread fear. Despite what Trump claimed, the murder rate is the lowest it has been in 47 years, despite a slight uptick in the past year.
Is he laying the groundwork to declare martial law? Does he plan to divert money from education and healthcare to law enforcement?
One of the hallmarks of authoritarians is that they promote fear. They scapegoat. They want control so they can restore order. Trump generates chaos, then expects us to believe he can dial it back. He can’t and he won’t. Chaos serves his purposes.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
He’s a psycho.
Love your statement: One of the hallmarks of authoritarians is that they promote fear. They scapegoat. They want control so they can restore order. Trump generates chaos, then expects us to believe he can dial it back. He can’t and he won’t. Chaos serves his purposes.
SO TRUE. Thanks, Diane.
LikeLike
Chicago murder rate is a carnage, don’t walk your dog there.
LikeLike
Joseph, Chicago is not representative of America. Where is “American carnage”?
LikeLike
http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/NYC-Crime-Falls-to-Lowest-Levels-in-Decades-NYPD-409660785.html
LikeLike
Joseph, do you live in Chicago? I don’t, but I know the city well enough to understand that the violence is largely limited to certain sections of south Chicago. You can walk around the rest of the city with no fear, just like you can in virtually every part of this country.
LikeLike
It’s all in his playbook. It’s his M.O.
Create fear.
Contrive evidence.
Eviscerate the experts (scientists, researchers…)
Control the message and attack the nay-saying messengers.
Ignore incidents that prove other side’s point (ex. ignoring attack in Canada and his invasion in Yemen with no intel going in)
Label the scapegoats.
Then wait for an incident making his point to denounce the experts and blame the scapegoats – and be the savior to the blind obedient followers.
Crime. Climate change. Immigration #s. Labor. Terrorism…
Sooooo –
What’s his EDUCATION fear factor?
Which experts will he denounce?
Who are the scapegoats?
What’s his motive and self-serving (and 1% serving) intended outcome?
LikeLike
We already know the education fear factor. We have heard it for 15 years.
Schools failing, teachers bad, international test scores, CRISIS. Try anything. Homeschool. Cybercharters.
For ammunition, read REIGN OF ERROR
LikeLiked by 1 person
Of course – predictable (questions more rhetorical)
Yes – Reign of Error is required reading (how about every commenter and blogger by a copy and deliver to either US DOE or a pres hotel!
Celebrate: Rhee, Moscowitz, TFA, and others –
Denounce: Universities, “intellectuals,” Dewey, behaviorists, and for sure someone will roll out Howard Zinn http://www.conservapedia.com/U.S._History_Textbook_Project
Scapegoats – usual suspects – unions, college towns, liberal parents, tax and spend administrators, special education spending, ELLs, dreamers
LikeLike
Yes on the martial law and Yes on diversion of dollars from education and healthcare.
We know that Police States cost money.
That is what yesterday’s “Executive Orders” were all about.
LikeLike
In this political cosmology, so to speak, the Reichstag Fire happens slowly, but with the same effect: to justify a clampdown.
LikeLike
Great analogy. The Reichstag fire. It seems as though he is hoping for a terrorist attack so he can declare martial law. Good time to know history.
LikeLike
Authoritarians love crises, and as history shows us, they’ll manufacture them if they don’t come about by themselves.
Thanks again, Diane, for the work you do.
LikeLike
This is essentially a Black Lives Matter backlash, which plays very well with a lot of people and has breathed new life into Law & Order Republicanism.
LikeLike
Add all of the criminals pouring in from Mexico according to Trump’s campaign rhetoric.
Fear mongering in education has its own history, DIane has a better grasp of fear mongering than many.
Do you recall the response to Sputnik? I certainly do. The response was the “National Defense Education Act.”
Do you recall “A Nation at Risk” and the response to it? I do, and schools are still trapped in variants of that never-ending fear of not being number one. The only reason for public education is the nation’s ability to compete in a global economy, or to boost the economy of a state. We are threatened by all of our economic competitors.
But, nothing is like the Trump/Bannon presidency and the gang he has assembled. He is intent on discrediting every institution required for sustaining a democracy and a civil society.
LikeLike
You forgot to add Syrian terrorists.
LikeLike
Yes, Trump/Bannon are desperate for the opportunity to declare martial law.
LikeLike
I teach in the Bronx. I work with people from many different countries and religions. I never feel threatened. I will not be intimidated by fear-mongering.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Amen, Dianne!
LikeLike
Isn’t teaching the nation to fear simply a political recipe dictated by Hitler’s generals: Tell the people they need to be afraid, and then tell them they are not patriotic if they balk at spreading military violence?
LikeLike
Yes! That’s we should never stop advocating to strive toward Roosevelt’s Four Freedoms: of speech, of worship, from want, from fear.
LikeLiked by 1 person
a good antidote
LikeLike
from war
LikeLike
actually you might want to check the latest FBI statistics..while property crimes have plummeted …violent crimes have risen
LikeLike
Depends on how you choose to interpret numbers. Yes they have risen slightly based on the most recent FBI figures from 2015; over the previous year, that is. If you look at the historical trend over decades, there is no questioning that the trend is going down significantly: https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/latest-crime-statistics-released
Your statement reminds me of those who will look out the window and mistake weather for climate.
LikeLike