— Dan Scavino (@DanScavino) July 2, 2020
This is why Donald Trump is a dangerous person.
Merriam-Webster defines dangerous as:
Donald Trump is a dangerous man because he continues to exploit our nation’s vulnerabilities. This political TV ad is trying to scare citizens by lying about efforts to defund the police. Fear is a form of harm and often causes needless suffering.
Here is the truth:
Defunding the police does not eliminate police officers, EMTS, 911 dispatchers, or other emergency personnel.
Defunding the police simply means reallocating funds to other programs and/or professionals that will help the police.
Instead of responding to nonviolent calls, police officers will be able to respond to true emergencies – violent crimes, sexual assault, theft, etc. Funds will be reallocated to programs and/or professionals that can help with drug abuse, homelessness, and violence/domestic abuse prevention programs.
Think of it in the terms of a school setting. Imagine if the local school board provided funding for only teachers. Teachers not only have to teach their students, but they need to do the work of the principals, administrative assistants, media assistants, school counselors, school resource officers, etc. In this scenario, it isn’t too hard to imagine that students will suffer, and possibly be treated cruelly or unfairly.
Now imagine if those funds were reallocated so that teachers are allowed to focus on teaching. In this scenario, teachers are still essential. It is because teachers are so essential and valued that we provide other highly skilled professionals to not only help students that need more than just teaching, but allow teachers to focus on the important work of education.
I don’t mean to oversimplify, but it also seems appropriate given our current political climate. When we are dealing with fear mongering, sometimes we need simplicity to dispel the lies.
Key takeaways:
- This political TV ad produced by the Trump campaign is meant to scare you. It does not discuss the complexities of the subject that it attacks.
- Remember that defunding the police does not mean eliminating the police. Rather, it means reallocating funds for social services and prevention programs.
- Be informed and share this information with others.
Further reading:
https://www.aclu.org/news/criminal-law-reform/defunding-the-police-will-actually-make-us-safer/
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